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ISAIAH 50:4-9 

JAMES 3:1-12 

MARK 8:27-30 

Who do you say I am is the theme for our reflection. Who a person is is determined by his or her character. A person’s character is determined by what he or she does and says. When Jesus asked his disciples “Who do people say that I am? (Mark 8:27), He simply asked them to determine what He meant to them through His actions and words. There is a cliché that action speaks louder than words and Jesus also taught that “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). In other words, what you are is determined by what you say and do. We shall proceed to discuss the phrase “Who do you say I am?” by looking at the following two important points: 

Firstly, it is important to note that our character is largely determined or seen by what we do. The disciples told Jesus that people observed His character and confessed that Jesus possessed the likeness and character of “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” (Mark 8:28). However when Peter observed Jesus closely and what He can do he confessed, “You are the Christ.” (Mark 8:29). In other words, Jesus possessed the character of a Messiah and was indeed a Saviour. Isaiah had already prophesied about the suffering of the coming Saviour or Messiah. The Character of this Messiah was that of humility. His humility is seen in Isaiah 50:5-6, “The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.” (Isaiah 50:5-6).  The humility of Jesus led Him to obey His Father to the point of death. It is, for this reason, Paul also wrote,  “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11) My dear friend, Jesus is the Messiah because he was humble in character to the Father and was empowered to do extraordinary things that no one could do except Him. Who do people say you are? Are you humble or proud? Are you a humble disciple of Christ through the humility you exhibit at your workplace, in your marriage, in your congregation and wherever you find yourself?  

Secondly, beloved in the Lord, who you are is measured by what you say or the words you alter. Peter again observed the utterances and proclamations of Jesus and concluded that it is only a Messiah that could make those assertions therefore with conviction he answered Jesus “You are the Christ.” ( Mark 8:29).  Isaiah also said that the Messiah’s speech gave strength to the weak thus “The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. (Isaiah 50:4). Jesus is the Christ or Messiah because His Words showed that He was. His words brought healing to the sick, restoration to the physically challenged, hope to the hopeless and life to the dead. What does your speech or words among people communicate about who you are? If your speech is filled with profane and unwholesome words it communicates to people that you are not a disciple of Jesus. Conversely, if your speech is godly, respectful and encouraging because of your faith in Christ it shows people that you are indeed a true believer and faithful disciple of Christ. It is for this reason James admonishes us that  “For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.  From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:7-10). In other words, James is teaching us that our tongues determine who we are therefore we should speak as faithful believers of Christ and ensure that we are not tempted to use our tongue in a manner that will betray our faith and integrity as disciples of Jesus. That is why he posed the rhetorical question “Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and saltwater?  Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. (James 3:11-12). In other words, Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29).  My dear friend, Jesus’ words proved to Peter that He is the Messiah, what character do people perceive you to have by your speech or words?  

In conclusion beloved in the Lord, “Who do you say I am” is an examination of a person’s character as perceived by others around him. Jesus posed this question to appreciate how people, especially, His disciples perceived Him. We are all encouraged to have the character of Christ that made Peter confess that “You are the Christ”.  We must possess Jesus’ humility and use our tongues to sustain the weary as Jesus had always done throughout His ministry even to the point of His suffering, death and resurrection. May the Holy Spirit strengthen us to have the image of Christ in us. Shalom.  

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)