Who Do You Say That I Am?
Read the Text: Luke 9
Memorize the Text: He said to them, “Whenever you pray, say, Father, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not bring us into temptation. (Luke 11:2-4)
Consider the Text: Luke 9:18-20
Jesus approached his disciples and asked a simple but profound question: “Who do the crowds say that I am?” This question set the stage for him to ask them a more pointed question of “Who do you say that I am?” These questions stay true for believers today. It remains critical for believers to understand how the world understands Jesus and how they see him as an individual. The response to these two questions provides a backdrop for our ability to reach the world with the gospel.
Some people view Jesus as a GREAT TEACHER. The founding father, Thomas Jefferson, believed Jesus to be a great moral teacher. He did not believe that he was God or performed many miracles. In fact, Jefferson took his bible and removed any component about Jesus that he could not believe. As a result, the miracles disappeared and what remained were the moral teachings of Jesus. Jefferson lowered his view of Jesus and lowered Jesus in his life to nothing more than a moral teacher.
Jesus provided great moral teaching. Look no further than the Sermon on the Mount and the parables and we notice that Jesus provided key moral teachings for life. But Jesus was so much more. His purpose did not center on moral teaching but on fulfilling the will of the Father and becoming the needed sacrifice to provide a way to salvation for each of us. To see Jesus as only a great teacher is to lessen his deity and reject his work of redemption.
Other people view Jesus as a GODLY PROPHET. Jesus was called a prophet, but he was not a prophet alone. Some religious belief place a prophet alone status on Jesus. These groups see him as nothing but one who declares what God will do. While living on earth, Jesus declared prophecies concerning his death, burial, and resurrection, as well as truths about the end of the world. His ministry did not center on the declaration of these prophecies but in being the one true Messiah and Redeemer.
Many people view Jesus as a GREAT MESSENGER. John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus who declared the way of the coming Messiah. He was understood as a great messenger. The disciples noted that many people thought Jesus was a similar messenger who came to declare the coming Messiah and to make way for his coming. Jesus was not the messenger declaring the coming Messiah, but the Messiah that made a way unto redemption. Thus, the belief of Jesus as a messenger alone missed the reality of who Jesus was and is.
Believer must know Jesus as GOD’S MESSIAH. Peter declared that Jesus was the Messiah, which separated his declaration from the others. As the Messiah, Peter affirmed that Jesus came as part of God’s promise to bring forth a Redeemer. He acknowledged Jesus as the Savior, even if Peter did not fully comprehend what that meant completely yet. This declaration came as a statement of belief and a commitment to follow.
Today, this goes even further. When we declare Jesus as the Messiah, we acknowledge him as Lord and Savior. We understand that he is the only begotten son of God and that he alone is the one true Messiah. Though the world may attempt to lessen his status or point to an alter way to salvation, the truth comes that he alone is the Messiah who came and made a way to salvation.
Jesus is the Messiah. He is God’s own begotten Son who came to earth as fully God and fully man. Thus, he became the needed sacrifice for our sins. This is the one we must believe in for redemption, and the one we declare that others may be saved. Yes, Jesus was a great teacher, prophet, and messenger, but he was so much more, he was and is the Messiah.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
