WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?

When Christ brought His disciples to Caeseria Philippi Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Christ in turn replied the now famous lines, “UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH!” This story in the Bible is so full of Life and Hope for the church and the world.

But there is so much power in the first part of the story that is often overlooked. 

Jesus first asks His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”

They told Jesus that He was perceived to be Elijah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist - or one of the prophets.

Notice this question “Who do men say that I am?” of Christ actually means, how do non-disciples (non-Believers) know me? And the disciples answered by saying non-Believers know Christ as a prophet. Therefore, if non-Believers know Christ as a prophet, we actually know Him to be otherwise. Believers know Christ as MORE THAN a prophet. 

A prophet is the one who carries a message from God. The one who ministers to the people. The one who says what should be and should not be. The one who tells you what is right and wrong. This is in contrast to the priest who ministers unto God. Brings the people closer to God (since the Priest is the one who performs the sacrifices of the offerings in the temple.)

Believers have a revelation that Jesus is THE HIGH PRIEST, not only a prophet.

 ALL PEOPLE, Christians or non-Christians, believe that Jesus was a prophet -  a good man. The muslims believe Him to be a great prophet. Gandhi believed He was a great man. He actually said, “I like your Christ, I don’t like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” But the revelation that Jesus is a good man, a great prophet, the one who will say what is right and wrong is NOT the revelation that will build the church. Christ did not come to give us what is right and what is wrong. Christ did not come to give the law.

Who is Jesus then? Who is the Jesus that the non-Believers do not know? 

Well, He is the Christ. The anointed one. The one who can do it for us! Who is Jesus? He is the one who IS OUR JOY, even when our circumstances are dictate depression and sadness, He IS OUR WHOLENESS, where we have nothing lacking, nothing missing, nothing broken. He IS OUR PROVISION, when it appears that we will be in lack, when the world is in turmoil, He is OUR STRENGTH, when the attacks become daunting. He IS OUR KINDNESS, when people are so unkind. He is OUR HEALTH in the midst of a bad report. He is OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, for every time we try to be good, we fail. Friends, who is Jesus? He is the Christ! The anointed one! The one who will do, since we cannot achieve in our own strength.

And in THIS REVELATION - the church will be built and the gates of Hell shall NOT prevail against it! 

For Christ did NOT send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world THROUGH HIM might be saved.

Friends, Christ lived the life that we should have lived, and paid the price of death that we should have received! Now isn’t that Good News!

Be blessed.