Mark
8:29 – But whom say ye that I am?
The life Jesus lived on Earth, though quite
short, has had and continues to have an innumerable and unsurpassed
influence on this world. He made a lasting impact on all those that came in
contact with Him. His name, His words, His demeanor, His miracles stirred up
an immense amount of interest and piqued the curiosity of a nation. There were
diverse and assorted opinions of Him. Jesus had just asked His disciples what some
of those opinions were. Who did people say He was? Some, apparently, said that
He was the forerunner, John the Baptist, raised from the dead. Others said He
was Elijah the confrontational prophet who challenged the false religion of his
day. Then there were those who thought he resembled Jeremiah the one who felt
the pain of Israel’s condition and wept over the people of God. A large number
of things were said about Him. Some people loved Him and some despised Him. Some
gave their all to Him in worship and others tried to accuse Him and destroy Him.
Many were impressed with His wisdom and teachings and there were also those who
thought He had lost His mind and was insane. Without fail, the mention of Jesus
never left anyone the same. He became a controversial figure, a person about
whom many rumours and false truths were circulated. There were a multitude of opinions
about Him then and there are equally as many about Him now. It really does not
matter though, what the world says about who Jesus is. It does not matter what the current
view of Him is, it only matters what you and I believe personally.
Who do you say that I am? Jesus’ question
is not simply for those to whom it was first posed but it is for each of us
today. It is a personal question. It is a penetrating question. It is a probing
question. It is a paramount question that has eternal ramifications. It is a
question that demands an answer. Who do I say that He is? Who is He? The
question is not what Jesus has done for me, although He has done so much, the
question is who do I say He is? Eternity rests not on what but on whom; not on a
thing but on a person. Who is He? We have no doubt heard the phrase that it is
not what you know but who you know that counts. This idea suggests that to get the
right opportunities and to get ahead in life depends not upon your education or
your skills but upon who you are in relationship with. It is not what but who.
When we apply this thought to Christianity it actually rings true. I may have
all kinds of knowledge, even a thorough Biblical knowledge and yet not truly
know Jesus. There are those who even have positions of leadership in churches
and other organizations but may not necessarily know Him. A relationship is not
based on what you know about someone. I may know many things about a movie star
or a famous athlete. I might be able to quote their list of films and maybe
even know their career stats but never actually met them. Who a person is, not
what a person does, is the essence of relational intimacy. I can learn much
about a person indirectly but I can never learn who a person is second hand. It
must be a first hand and face to face encounter.
The question searches even deeper than simply
recognizing who He is; it asks us to say something. What do I say of Him? What
do I say to Him? What do I say to myself? What do I say to others? It is not
enough to merely think about who He is; there must be a statement. If someone
witnesses a crime and then reports it to the police, the police will require a
statement. If two people are deeply in love and decide to get married the love
alone will not suffice; the minister will require a statement. We are committed
to what we confess. Christianity has been called The Great Confession and
rightly so because it is based on a verbal statement of our faith in Jesus.
Words are the formulation and expression of what is in our hearts. When our children
are struggling or hurting we want them to have the freedom to say what it is
that is bothering them. When a counselor is trying to get to the root of inner
trouble they need to hear what is in the heart. Many times the simple act of
saying something out loud takes it out of the vague and gives it tangible
meaning. This applies to both the negative and the positive. Stating things
verbally not only brings solutions to problems but it also enhances and strengthens
our faith and our love. I tell my wife that I love her not only because she
needs to hear it but because I need to hear it; it reinforces my love and adds
power to my commitment. Jesus knew this about human nature. He knew those first
disciples would need to have a strong commitment in order to pioneer and forge
a path for succeeding generations and He knew that we would, likewise, need
much help in our journey through life and in our walk with Him.
Who is He? Who do you say He is? Who do I
say He is? I say that He is the Christ. He is the Son of God. He is the Saviour
of the world. He is the Lord of all and He is my Lord and Saviour. He is my
Redeemer and Rescuer. He is the Beautiful and Worthy One. That’s who He is and that’s
my statement! I encourage you also to go ahead and make a statement. Who do you say that He is?
