August 8, 2019 -- Mark 8:27-30 - - Who do YOU say Jesus is?

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

Mark 8:27-30 English Standard Version

This is the most critical question Jesus asks: “Who do you say I am?” He is speaking to His twelve followers, each of them left their jobs and their homes to follow Him in His ministry. All their assets, all their family, all their time was wholly devoted to Him. They trusted Him completely for their sustenance, learning from Him and being made into disciples who in turn would disciple others.

The Scottish Theologian John Duncan wrote in the late 1800’s “Christ either deceived mankind by conscious fraud, or He was Himself deluded and self-deceived, or He was Divine.” Those are the options you have when confronted with the question “who is Jesus?”

If Jesus deceived others by fraud He would not be worthy of admiration or worship.

If Jesus was Himself deluded, He would be worthy of our pity, but He would not be called a great moral teacher. A deluded man is not an icon for adoration.

If Jesus is Who He said He is: Divine, the Son of God and the Son of Man—then the question remains so relevant today: Who do you say Jesus is?

This is an urgent question because Jesus taught at the end of time He will return with all His holy angels and He will judge the nations. We will face Jesus when we die, or if He should spare our lives until His return we will see Him return in glory and call everyone to account.

We cannot point to any good deeds we have done in order to impress Him. We cannot hope our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds. Even our best works are as unclean, used menstrual cloths. That is graphically gross, Isaiah 64:6 is the text that refers to our best deeds or righteous acts as dirty as menstrual cloths.

It is a strong description, so viscerally gross, but also has profound implications. A woman’s monthly menstrual cycle always has the potential for life. When her body bleeds, then the potential for life for that month was unfulfilled. So it is with us, we have the potential for life, but we are always unfulfilled in doing the good we are called to do. What hope is there? Answer is found in your response to the question: Who is Jesus?

Jesus has become our Saviour, Who rescued us from the tomb and in Him we have life and have it to the full. His sacrifice on the cross means our sins are forgiven. His holy life means that we are credited with His right living and He has already been punished for our sins. Therefore, in view of His sacrifice, in view of the holiness that has become ours through faith—we believe and we live for Him in thankfulness. We are not earning anything, we are using the gifts He has given us in order to honour Him, bless Him and thank Him. Our whole life, all our possession, our time and our family, all we have and are belongs to Him.

Who do YOU say Jesus is?

With the ancient church we praise You, Mighty God, singing and shouting:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms!

Jesus You are Who You revealed Yourself to be: the Son of God, the Son of Man and the only Rescuer of sinful, fallen people. Let our lives, let our witness, let our words and actions be continual and direct proof of Your Lordship to the world around us. Jesus, by Your power, by the direct question You asked, bring our “as yet unsaved” friends and family to a deep and real relationship with Yourself. Amen.

The quotation in the prayer is Ephesians 1:3