NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS AND MORE

SCRIPTURE READING: EXODUS 1:8-2:10, ROMANS 12:1-8, MATTHEW 16:13-20

SUNDAY REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is “Who do you say that I am?” The question is a self-assessment of how others perceive one’s identity based on his or her interaction with people. We shall deliberate on the following points:

1. You can only know the worth of Jesus Christ in your life if you have a personal relationship with Him.
2. People should know who you are through your fear of God and faith in God

Firstly, It is important to note that you will not know the worth of Christ in your life if you do not have a personal relationship with Him. Peter had a personal relationship with the Lord therefore the worth of Jesus as the Messiah was revealed to Him by God. “he asked. “Who do you say I am?”  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 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. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:15-19). Do we have a personal relationship with Him such that we are also able to say with Peter that Jesus is the Messiah? Jesus Himself reveals to us that “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7) We cannot know who Jesus is in our lives if we do not have a personal relationship with Him by offering our bodies as living sacrifices to Him.  For us to know Jesus as the Messiah and fully live according to His will and be saved, Paul admonishes us “ 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. 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.” (Romans 12:1-2). In other words, we have come to know Jesus as the Messiah, the son of God because of our relationship with him. Again, we know the worth of  Jesus in our lives as our Saviour or Messiah when we offer ourselves to Him wholly as a living sacrifice.

Secondly. as we know Jesus as the Messiah through our relationship with Him, people must also know that we are connected to Jesus through our fear of God and faith in Jesus. The midwives were instructed by Pharaoh to kill the male borns of the Israelites but “But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.” (Exodus 1:17). The midwives feared and believed in God therefore would only please God or act according to His will. Dear friend who do people say you are as a believer? Peter and the apostles have taught us that “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29) People must come to know us as true disciples of Christ who fear and have faith in God. “So God dealt well with the midwives…And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.” (Exodus 1:20,21). God rewards us when we fear and have faith in Him and remain faithful to Him in all circumstances.

In summary, we have reflected on the theme “Who do you say I am?” and we have learned that we can only know the worth of Jesus Christ in our lives if we have a personal relationship with Him, and people should know who we are through our fear of God and faith in Him. May the Holy strengthen us to hold on to Jesus our Messiah even as we continually fear and put our faith in Him. Amen.