Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Question




Who do you say that I am?  Jesus asked this question to Peter and His disciples in Matthew 16:15-16, “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”

Now I am asking you this question: who is Jesus to you?  

Jesus asked this question also in verse 13, “When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’”

They answered this in verse 14, “So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’”

Peter answered correctly and this is what was said in verse 17, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’”

Only you can answer the question I asked earlier, now I have another question for you.  Why do you seek Him and follow Him?  The reason I ask this question is because people seek and follow Jesus for many reasons; some of these reasons were to hear His teachings, some for healing and others for deliverance from evil spirits, others to mock and try to trap Him in what He said.  Others came for spiritual reasons, seeking a personal relationship with Him.  It is not surprising that many people knew Jesus as a teacher, a worker of miracles and a healer.

It says this in Matthew 14:34-36, “When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.”

It also says this in Mark 6:53-56, “When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.”

But there was a problem here; these people sought to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment instead of touching the healer Himself, not just for physical healing but for spiritual healing which was far more important.  Being healed physically may prolong your life in the short term, but being healed spiritually will result in everlasting life which is far better and not only that, Jesus came to give us life more abundantly.

The Word says this in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”   This is the kind of life Jesus gives to all His children because He loves them.

Seeking Jesus for any other reason but for who He is, will never be enough to satisfy the soul, you must seek to know Him on a personal level, then you will be satisfied.  Think of the Samaritan woman, she had five husbands and the man she was living with at the time was not her husband.  It sounds to me like she lacked satisfaction and peace in her heart.

It talks about this in John 4:16-18, “Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.’ The woman answered and said, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.’”                            

If she would have asked Jesus, He would have given her living water and spiritually she would thirst no more.  The Samaritan woman thought Jesus was just a prophet, but He was much more than a prophet, He was the God man, the Savior, Immanuel which means God with us.

It says this about Jesus and Mary in Matthew 1:21-23, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’”

Now that you have read these things, it would be a good thing if you would seek Jesus as your Lord and Savior also, if you haven’t already.  Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and make His dwelling within you to guide and lead you in the way you should go.  If you have backslidden and feel like you have lost your first love, come back to Him and confess your sins to the Lord and repent, which means to turn away from your sins.  Let Him fill you with His peace, love and joy.  Don’t be in a hurry, take your time and pray through and then start growing in the Lord.

Something to think about!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a great day!!  PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord!!  

No comments:

Post a Comment