"Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way He asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" (Mark 8:27-29)
That's the question this Easter, my friends. Who do we say He is? That guy in the middle of the other two, hanging on those crosses, some 2000 years ago- who is He to us? How are our lives proving who He is to us? What fruit or evidence is displayed to support our claims? Of all His names written within the pages of His Word, which name describes Him in our lives?
This question is posed by the most brilliant Teacher ever known to man. It belongs to the deep, along with "What do you want?" in John 1:38. These are the kinds of questions He asks us to deal with. We must settle on the answers to such and walk accordingly. Nobody else can answer these questions on our behalf. They are basic requirements set forth along our individual paths.
Interestingly enough, the questions are quite leading, if not also extremely convicting and correcting. There is a beckoning and calling within His asking. The question actually leads us to the Answer, if we would only agree. These types of questions cut to the core of us, through all the noise and clutter, fog and confusion, resentment and disillusionment, fatigue and negativity. They penetrate to the depths of our souls, discharging an explosion that expels all other competitions for our devotion and conformity. The questions hit the bedrock of our humility that we so often cover up with worldliness. Once again, we are brought back to basics, to our foundational principles. It's at that point where everything else aligns and finds its proper place. Oh, we must answer these questions truthfully. There is life in the question-answer connection, if we choose to agree with Him. May we agree that He is the resurrected Christ in our hearts this Easter, and all the rest of our days. May we want what He wants in every situation. And we have His Word to help us know who He is and what He wants...Read the book, don't wait for the movie!
"He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when Jesus turned and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." (Mark 8:31-33)
Oh, how we dislike when reality messes up our vision of success! We so desperately want things to work out like we hope and imagine. Not one of us enjoys the disappointment when things go bad. What a switch though! Peter begins to rebuke Jesus, but guess who gets the last word? And what a giant convicting statement. I would put it alongside the other deep questions. Do we have in mind the concerns of God or merely human concerns? Oh boy. These are awesome lighthouses of truth. They are the checks and balances for our frail and wandering humanity. These questions are meant to be dwelt upon. They are designed to reason with our spirits. Remember, we are like sheep, prone to stray. It takes some time to settle into proper agreement with the proper answers to these questions. Sometimes we might have to burn off a lot of anger and frustration and pain to calm down enough to agree. Don't worry, He will be right there waiting for you. He is so patient with us. Thing is, He knows we are in need of reckoning with these questions many times over and over throughout our lives. We don't just do it one time. Our humanity requires continual checking and correcting, to bring us back into proper focus, perspective, motivation, attitude, and realization. We must keep going back to these questions to re-center upon the true Answer.
"Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:34-38) My, oh my. What more can I say? That is a shot through the heart, for sure, pitting a worldly life against the life of being His disciple. I hope you can sense the huge heart of love Jesus has for His people in His Words. He so wants us to choose Him, to choose life, to choose love, to choose relationship, to answer His questions with the response of our lives in return.
May I not be ashamed of Him or His Words in this brief life. Forgive me, Lord, for I know I have been ashamed and shy at times. Thank You, for Peter's story that I can relate to so very well. I have disowned You in my thoughts and actions. I have brazenly been mistaken in zeal and passion because of my lack of wisdom and understanding. I have had selfish, worldly things in mind instead of the things of God. I have neglected to ask what You want in my situations. I have forgotten who You are to me. Forgive me, Jesus! I was the one who gripped the mallet and hammered in those nails. I was the one who mocked and spit on You. I was the one who fearfully ran away from Your love. I did that. That was me! Oh, but thank You for forgiveness and restoration that is available within Your grace for me. Thank You for loving me that much, that You would be so understanding and patient with me. Thank You for dying the death I surely deserve. I celebrate the cross today. You are my example to die to myself, that You might bring resurrected life and fruit through my life. The glory belongs to You, Lord. You deserve it. You earned it. You have purchased me with Your blood. I am Yours for eternity. Let Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. My Hope is You alone. All else fails. I long for the day to ride with You in glory, where You aren't ashamed of me, but instead lift me up in honor. Amen.
