Who Do You Say That I Am?

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others sayElijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Matthew 16:13-15 

Confession?  

I've been a believer in Christ since I was 11 years old.  I'm 30 years old now, and in those 19 years that I have been a believer--I've only told a handful of people about Christ.  That's not good enough.  Quite honestly I'm ashamed of that.  For a long time I thought maybe I was the only one who struggled with this--but clearly I'm not.  

Not everyone who sees the church understands it's work, it's mission.  This is not surprising, considering Jesus' own disciples misunderstood His work even as He approached the end of His ministry.  

The Bible presents an optimistic perspective for the church.  Jesus Himself explained the importance of the church, and its mission.  He did not want anyone to misunderstand the importance of the church or neglect its mission.  

So....Is our view of the church too low?  Have we lost sight of its importance?  

God could have chosen to work in the world independent of His people, yet He chose to engage us in accomplishing His will.  His purposes will be accomplished with or without us.  But there is a beautiful invitation to be a part of the work of Christ that I fear we are declining.  

In this Scripture passage, Jesus began His teaching with a question.  "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"  This is a self reference.  Jesus is basically saying--who do people say that I am?  

The disciples answered-- some people believed that He was John the Baptist. Other people identified Jesus with Elijah.  Some thought He was Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.  

Jesus said, no...who do you say I am?  

Why did He ask them that?  Could it be to get them to reflect on the popular beliefs that were circulating about Him at that time?  With so many people lacking a genuine relationship with Jesus, couldn't it benefit us to ask who the world says Jesus is, and who we say He is?  Do our definitions look different?  Shouldn't they?  Shouldn't we--as the church--know Him on a deeper level?  

Do we realize how much God loves us?  I mean, do we really get that?  I think if we did, it would change so much.  It would change church.  

I mean the church is there to exhort each other, we are to gather together to use our gifts yes---but ultimately we are there to equip each other to tell others.  How can we tell something we've not fully experienced?  

If you've not fully experienced the love of Christ--then church is a club.  It's a place to make you feel good.  It's a place you go to pay your respects, but it's not somewhere you go to become more equipped, because you have no intention of telling others about Christ.  How can you tell someone about a love you've never really experienced? And how can you experience the love if you've never realized how desperately you need it? 

The time comes when we must answer for ourselves who Jesus is and what He came to do, and see if our actions line up with our beliefs. 

Jesus asked the disciples, and He's asking us--who do you say that I am?  Because we are responsible for telling others about Jesus, so it is vital that we articulate who He is.  He asked who they were prepared to say or to confess Him publicly to be.  

Since the time of Jesus, many things have threatened to destroy the church, from within and without--but the church still exists.  The church will continue.  

Jesus left us some instructions.  Most can quote them even if they don't follow them......

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Matthew 28:18-20 

There's so much we can miss in these verses.  First of all the main objective is not go.  It is make disciples. This is the main thrust of the passage. How do we make disciples?  By going, by baptizing, by teaching....

But what about verse 18?  It's so easy to read over the whole point.  All authority has been given to Him.  He has all authority in heaven and on earth, and He says I put them at your disposal to accomplish the mission that I have given to you.  The authority of Jesus is residing in us.  All authority in heaven and on earth given to us through Christ.  

So our success as a church and our success in our lives is not based on who we are or what we can do.  It's not about how smart we are, or how talented we are.  It's not about how rich we are.  It's not about what we can offer.  Our success is based on who Jesus is and what He is capable of doing in our lives.  Our success is based on His authority not our own.  

We are still on this earth to make disciples.  That is why we are still here.  

We will never fully realize the power and greatness of His presence until we give ourselves to this mission.  

What is frightening?  We can sit back in church and drift through this Christianity thing and never make one disciple.  We can be extremely successful Christians, and do it all in our own strength, using our own authority---and not even recognize it.  We can minister to ourselves week after week, never reaching out to the people around us, and be fooled into thinking we are being successful.  

I need the promise of His presence.  

Jesus knows how to build His church--and He's told us how to, Make Disciples, we just have to listen to Him.  

It takes time.  Jesus revolutionized the hearts of a few--and in the process turned the whole world upside down.  So unlike us.  We want to reach the whole town in one year, and with Jesus you've got 12 guys that really got it.  Disciples cannot be mass produced.  

If we can just realize and embrace the love He has for us. 

Who do we say that He is?