BY GREG CRUM
“And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.” Mark 8:27-29
The question for all eternity, quite literally. The question asked by Jesus concerning who his disciples believed him to be is the question that every man and woman must address in this life to determine their eternal address. Many of you have already answered this question correctly, following the example of Peter, that Jesus is your Christ, your Savior, your Redeemer. For any that are reading these words and have yet to determine Jesus as your Lord, I encourage you to consider not just who these early disciples claimed him to be and not just what contemporary disciples say he is, but to consider carefully who Jesus himself said he was. In the end, it’s his testimony and that of His Father that will prove true.
Last week we began to think about the importance of Jesus according to Scripture. In Colossians 1:18 it states that “in all things he might have the preeminence.” In other words, above everything and everyone, Jesus should be first! Now it makes perfect sense that the Captain of our Faith should be honored in this way, but you know as well as I do, for many he doesn’t hold this position in their lives. We live in an age of increasing anti-Christ sentiment. The devil and his system, the world, reviles the Messiah and his message of peace and reconciliation with God.
This we understand, this we expect, but dishonor to Christ hasn’t been satisfied to dwell in the tents of the wicked. In our day we have seen many “Christian” groups water down the Gospel so much that Jesus only shows up in their conversations at Christmas and Easter, if that. That’s bad, and it’s easy to pile on blame to these organizations and their leaders, but things like that are only able to occur when “we the people” in the pews allow it. Churches have dethroned Christ because Jesus isn’t on the throne of the hearts of many believers!
There is a solution to this problem in modern Christianity. Jesus can again take the throne of the Church in America if we will purposely start giving Jesus his seat back, if we give him back the place in our hearts and lives that is rightly his. If we quit asking him to scoot over a bit for our kids, our jobs, our sports, and our social media presence. If we wake up and realize once and for all that the first seat is his seat alone! Friends, it’s time we begin to get reacquainted with the King of all kings and the Savior of our souls. If we’ll do this and begin to personally and deeply understand who he is, we’ll have no problem wanting him to be first place in our lives!
With that said, and with that intent in mind, we need to circle back to the question that Jesus asked of his disciples recorded in Mark 8. Just who is this Jesus we claim as our Lord? This is a question that has definitive answers. Jesus was never trying to conceal who he was. Though he’s a mystery to some, he was never trying to be mysterious. He has declared who he is so there’s no reason for us to be confused about the matter.
Who is this Jesus? In John 8:58 Jesus identified himself to those in audience that day and to all that would ever read the written report when he said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Who is this Jesus? He is the I AM. The who? The I AM, that wonderful reference to the God of the Old Testament Israelites, God the Son, God made man so he could be crucified for our sin and raised for our justification, our Resurrection and Life, and so much more!
Greg Crum is the pastor of Calvary Temple in Lovely.