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Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:15
The atheist doubts His existence. The skeptic doubts his deity and judges Him according to those who claim to follow him. Some see him as a man of love.
Who do YOU say he is? What will you do with Jesus? Our response determines our outlook on life. Our response determines how we respond to issues of race, gender and sexual orientation, abuse, verbal and physical attacks and a whole lot more.
When Jesus asked his followers that question there was a lot of speculation as to who this teacher was. The Greeks saw him as a Hebrew lunatic. The Jewish leaders saw him as a heretic. The people of Israel were unsure of who he was but were enamored by his signs and miracles. Yet the question remained and still does today.
Who do YOU say He is? Not who does science says He is. Not who does culture say He is. Who do YOU say he is.
The greatest danger for the unbeliever is to not see Jesus as the great Messiah promised centuries ago. The one who forgives sins, offers strength during the difficult times of life and promises eternal life with God after this life on earth is over.
For the believer though, there is a different danger, one of familiarity. There’s an old saying, ‘Familiarity breeds contempt’ and for the believer there is some truth to that. Not that we hold contempt against Jesus, but that we become so familiar with him that we fail to fully grasp who he is and what it means for us on a daily basis.
We may visit him on Sunday and sing His songs. We may even take time for daily study and offer up a few short prayers. While we celebrate his love and forgiveness, familiarity may cause us to fully grasp what it means to follow him.
There are many verses in the Bible that give us descriptors of who Jesus is. Isaiah 9:6 should be one we carry with us throughout the year.
Jesus is our Mighty God. As Mighty God, He is the supreme ruler of the universe and in ultimate control of everything your future holds.
As your Everlasting Father, He is intimately connected to you. A good father gives his children every opportunity to succeed. He’s proud of you and supports you in every stage of life. Even the best earthly father fails, or dies. Not this one. He’s the daddy you can count on. Every. Single. Day.
Jesus is your Wonderful Counselor. As your wonderful counselor he understands your deepest frustrations, fears and failures. Rather than judge, he guides.
Lastly, Jesus is your Prince of Peace. As ruler of peace He is the source of peace in the midst of your struggle. He is the peace in the face of your grief. He is the peace as you pick up the pieces of your failure.
Who is Jesus to you? Remember these four aspects of his identity as you go about your day.
Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. Psalms 19:2
I love the mountains. A few years ago we took a trip from our midwest, relatively flat area to the mountains. Driving through one pass in particular, the mountains on either side of us nearly blocked the sky. They were huge.
One of the things I thought of as I gazed at these immense rocks is how they had withstood the passage of time, endured the changing elements and had been unaffected by disease, political change, or any other environmental issue.
They were the same in hot weather and cold, dry weather or wet, in the brightness of the day and the darkness of night.
The Psalmist writes of the stability and order of God’s creation. Here, in verse two he writes of creation enduring through time. Like the mountains I looked on with awe, God stands tall.
Night after night, season after season, He stands immovable and impenetrable regardless of what is going on around Him.
It’s so hard, in our frail humanity to fathom how God stands unaffected by anything going on around us. We are affected physically, emotionally and spiritually by weather, illness, social and political climate, relational differences and much more.
Yet our God isn’t moved. Mountains don’t speak words, but they speak lessons. They speak reminders of God’s immensity. They speak reminders of God’s resilience. They speak reminders that whatever is bothering you today; whatever fear you are dealing with; whatever worry is attacking you,
God stands strong. When we live in the power and shelter of his spirit, we can stand strong too.
In your mind, right now, picture the grandeur of the mountains and remember, your God stands strong through whatever you are going through.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Psalms 19:1
David paints a vivid picture of the majesty and wonder of how creation shows the beauty of God’s handiwork. One need only look at the stars in the sky and be reminded of the power and creativity of our Creator.
In the midst of the uncertainty and challenges of life, the heavens stand as a constant testimony to God’s faithfulness and provision. Each star in the sky, each cloud crossing the horizon, speaks of a divine order and purpose woven into the fabric of existence.
They remind us that we are not alone, but rather, we are part of a grand and glorious symphony orchestrated by the loving hands of God.
In a world filled with chaos and turmoil, the beauty of creation offers us hope. It reminds us that even in the darkest of nights, there is light to guide our way. Just as the sun rises faithfully each morning, God’s love, mercy and grace are new, offering us hope for the day ahead.
When you feel overwhelmed by Your circumstances, lift your eyes to the heavens and be reminded of God’s enduring love.
The same God who set the stars in place also holds you in the palm of His hand. In Him, we find our refuge and our strength, our rock and our salvation. In Him and Him alone is our hope. A hope that transcends all understanding, a hope that never disappoints, a hope that we can be reminded of every time we look at the awesome beauty of a starry night.
Great is the Lord, and worthy of our praise!
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. Psalms 1:1-2
Where to you seek answers to the things that are troubling you? Our lives abound with adversity that rob us of the joy of life.
We struggle with fear of failure so we procrastinate. We struggle with doubt, so we don’t take steps God has been nudging us towards. We worry even though God has proven over and over again that he will provide. We make promises to ourselves that we don’t keep such as I’m going to eat better and get some exercise…tomorrow.
During those times when you seek answers who do you call on. Advice for many is just a social media account away. The anonymity of the internet has made many ‘experts’, most of whom conflict with each other and some are just plain evil.
The result is more confusion and fewer answers. Those who have true purpose in life are often filled with joy because in spite of the conflicting messages of society, they are secure in who they are and why they are heard. Confidence in those two things (Identity and purpose) lead to joy.
True joy comes as a result of our allegiance to and meditation upon God’s Word, the prayerful advice of godly friends and reliance on the moving of the Holy Spirit.
The enemy screams at us through social media, physical disaster, global conflict and disease. Our Father speaks softly and confidently through His Word, His church (Godly individuals, not the organization) and His Holy Spirit.
I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! Philippians 3:10-11
A town close to mine, proudly holds the distinction of being the hometown of a famous professional football player. I know a few of his mutual friends, and because of that I have learned a lot about his growing up years, his personal life, and his faith.
I know a lot about him as well from press releases, and watching him play football. So, in some ways, I could say I know him.
On the other hand, I have a friend that I have known for over 50 years. I know him personally. I know much of his life story and his life struggles and his passions. We have personally walked through life tragedies together.
In one sense of the word, I know both of these men. But in another sense, my friend of over 50 years is somebody I know much deeper.
The same as true for Jesus. Knowing Jesus, in all of his power is different than knowing about Jesus. Knowing about Jesus is an intellectual experience that is often times a one time experience.
We can read stories about him, we can hear sermons about him, we can read books about him. We can be impressed with his teaching and his lifestyle.
But really knowing Jesus on a personal is a process. A process over time, a process of deepening relationship, a process of yielding more to Christ and less to our own passions.
Seek to know Jesus on a personal level. Ask him to reveal himself to you through his word, his Holy Spirit, and his church.
The more you truly know Jesus, the more you will experience his power, his peace, and his forgiveness.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 