Jesus asks, “But Who Do You Say I Am?”

Our answer to Jesus when He asks us, “And who do you say I am?,” will give evidence of our faith, or lack thereof. The world would answer, “He was a good teacher,” or “He was a great prophet,” which is what most of the people in Jesus’ day thought when He posed this question. The only proper answer is, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and the Father reveals this by faith to those who seek Him. There are many countries around the world where saying that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God meets with great resistance, and believers risk life and limb to confess Him as Lord. The above photo is of a church in the Nuba Mountain region of Sudan that had been burned down because of religious animosity to the gospel message. Yet this dear congregation is rebuilding and has not given up their joy and crown of exaltation which they have in Jesus Christ our Lord.

I wonder how many mega-churches today who preach a human-centered, watered-down message that barely resembles the trappings of the true gospel would fare if they were under bomb threats, vulnerable to arson, or threatened with prison for attending. I think those people who lose the feel-good message will retreat to their own homes in order to keep feeling good! And the biggest reason I think is that the gospel in these churches is being driven by man’s efforts to recruit members, not the Holy Spirit’s power to convict, convert, and confirm new believers in the church that Christ builds. The church that man builds will not stand. The church that Christ builds will stand, which He guarantees to His faithful followers. In todays S.O.A.P, lets rejoice in our Savior who tells us to take heart because He has overcome the world.

Scripture: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Observation: Have you ever considered the power of the Holy Spirit in accomplishing what Jesus here declares? Since that time and until now, Christ builds His church! From the remote peoples in the Daboto region in Indonesia, who, after a twenty-year translation project, now have the bible in the Moi language–to CEO’s in corporate America who seem unreachable due to their status, Christ builds His church. Down through all ages and in every part of the world, the gospel is preached faithfully, and many souls are being added to the church daily. Praise God, Christ is building His church!

Now reflect on our own human-powered movements we’ve had throughout history–the short-lived hippie peace movement of the 60s here in the U.S., the toppling of once-thought-of iron-clad governments in other countries, the once-popular ideologies that have faded from memory–and yet, Christ’s church stands. Christians are the most persecuted religion in the world today, being targeted in 165 countries with harassment, economic loss, prison, and even death–yet, Christ’s church still stands. Jesus declared that “upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Jesus also told HIs disciples, “Take heart, I have overcome the world.” All of us who have been born again will overcome this world because our faith is in the One who overcame the world, in the incarnate Son of God, not any mere mortal whose popularity depends on the fickleness of humanity. Thank God for His Holy Spirit who lives in us, for Christ who dwells in our hearts by faith, and for our heavenly Father who made our salvation so complete that over 2,000 years of evil have not overcome it, nor ever will. For our faith is in the only God who declares, “Is anything too hard for me?”

Application: Do you ever wonder if you would stand if your faith were tested as drastically as those who face prison and death? I have, and like most Christians, I imagine it would cause you to fret whether or not you could be faithful under fire. I’ve prayed about this many times. The only answer I get is that I’m looking at my flesh, which should cause concern in any Christian. I’m looking at my ability to be faithful to Jesus, when I need to look at Jesus’ ability to be faithful to me. I have it backwards, for with man it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. Even with one who is as lily-livered as I!

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you from my heart that salvation is not my own work, nor is sanctification through my own effort to be good. Being good and being holy are worlds apart, for many are considered “good people,” but very few are considered holy people. Yet that is what we are in Your sight because of what Jesus did for us–not by miraculous feats, nor fanciful visions, nor great works of sacrifice and charity–for if these things could make us perfect in Your sight, Christ died for nothing.

It is those who profess faith in Jesus and are born again who are called saints. We are made completely holy by His blood shed for us on the cross, for Jesus’ sacrifice was complete. It was not a partial cleansing of sin, one in which we have to add to, as if it was incomplete and we have to finish the job so to speak. That would make Christ’s sacrifice not perfect. You are able to save us to the uttermost because of Jesus’ perfect atonement for our sins, and because nothing is impossible for You. Amen a thousand times to that, and for Your indescribable gift of fellowship with You forever. I praise You for such wisdom shown to the humble-hearted and teachable. No wonder we will all cast our crowns before the Lamb on the throne! Praise His name, Amen.