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REFLECTION

Who do you say I am? is the theme for our reflection. Who do you say I am? is the question Jesus asked His disciples to assess their understanding of who they perceived Him to be. Many of the Jews had a different opinion of Jesus’ identity, it is for this reason when “he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:13-14) Some who had read the Books of the Prophet and had keenly studied them saw the power of God working in Christ just as it was manifested in John the Baptist, Elijah and Jeremiah. Jesus preached repentance and the Kingdom of God like John the Baptist and He prophesied and also fulfilled prophesies of the Prophets Elijah and Jerimiah. The people were partly right because the same Spirit at work in Jesus was the same Spirit at work in John the Baptist, Elijah and Jeremiah, however, the identity, attributes and power of Jesus supersede that of John Baptist, Elijah and Jeremiah. John the Baptist, Elijah and Jeremiah were servants who were sent ahead of Jesus, the Master. The people had a mistaken identity of Jesus Christ although they were partly right about Him with regards to the Spirit of God that was at work in Him.

Jesus now turns to His disciples and asks them a direct question? “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15) In other words, Jesus is asking the disciples, “After living with me, walking with me, eating with me and seeing all that I have done and continue to do, what is your personal conviction about my identity? Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 16:16-17). Beloved in the Lord, Peter like the other disciples, also responded to the call of Jesus when Jesus said to Him, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19). Since that day, Peter had never looked back but followed Jesus and observed His teachings, actions and the power at work in Him. Peter was not just following Jesus but He desired to understand who Jesus was. Peter’s desire to be with Jesus all the time and His love for Jesus made God reveal to Peter the true identity of Jesus as the Messiah. Are you also Following Jesus without looking back and have you had that conviction and revelation of His nature and identity as the Messiah in your life?

Beloved in the Lord, Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am? is still relevant to us in the twenty-first century. My dear friend, who do you say Jesus is and why do you pray to Him and also go to Church to worship Him? Some of us see only see Jesus as the giver of prosperity, employment, VISA, marriage, child, wealth, good health, long life and success in life. Although all these are true about Jesus, have we really received the conviction and revelation that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) whom we must totally surrender ourselves all the days of our lives? Are we following Jesus because He is the Messiah or we are following Him because we have needs and challenges in our lives and we have been told by the pastor that Jesus has answers to our needs and problems? If Jesus is truly our Messiah, then why are we serving and worshipping Him only on Sundays but from Monday to Saturday we are on our own? On Sundays, our chapels are filled but during midweek Bible Studies and Prayer meetings which offer us another opportunity to know more about our Messiah, we give excuses and refuse to come study and know more about Him? If indeed, Jesus is our Messiah and worth worshipping, then why do we wake up without praying to Him and seeking His presence in our lives? For some of us Jesus has become an ambulance service, until we are hit by calamities and challenges we hardly turn to Him or believe that His the Messiah. Our faith is in the Messiah is either shallow or nonexistent, Peter’s faith in Christ made God reveal to Him that Jesus is the Messiah, How deeply rooted is your faith. Hebrews 11:6 assures us that ” without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him“

Today, the question Jesus is asking you is, “Who do you say I am? Who you say Jesus is will show in your character, faith and attitude towards Him. Who you say Jesus is will show in the face of temptations. Why do we call Him the Messiah or Saviour of our lives yet we abuse our spouses, take bribes and indulge ourselves in fornication, adultery, injustice and things that are an abomination to God. We call Him our Messiah yet we decide when and how we want to worship Him. When Paul also had the conviction and revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, he wrote to Timothy saying, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners —of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15) If Jesus is truly the Messiah, then Paul again admonishes us in Romans 12:1-2 that “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will. “Dear friend, Jesus is not our Messiah until we have truly repented and given our lives to Him wholly as a living sacrifice through faith. Hebrews 12:1-2 admonishes us that “let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” If Jesus is our Messiah and the Founder and Perfecter of your faith then we have no choice than to worship and serve Him with our body, time, energy and remain faithful to Him until our last breath on earth. Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, strengthen us to live a life that is pleasing and acceptable to Jesus our Messiah so that when He returns the second time we shall be found worthy of the Kingdom of God. Amen.