Who is Jesus?

"Who do people say I am?" This is a question Jesus poses in Matthew 16, Mark 8, and Luke 9. There were a lot of ideas being circulated, most of them false. Peter nails it: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God! " (Matthew 16:15). 

We may be tempted to overlook the significance of his answer in our Christian culture today. By this time, Jesus was under heavy scrutiny by the religious leaders, His followers were fluctuating, and Jesus was revealing how different His kingdom really was. All of these things could have played a role in Peter's conviction. 

The question of who Jesus is, is an important one and is often unanswered by many Christians. But who He is greatly impacts how I follow Him. 

In 2022, we are going to dive into an in-depth study of the life of Christ and the culture He came to live in. In the meantime, how do you answer the question Jesus asked His followers? 

Years later, after denying Christ, stumbling in his leadership (Galatians 2:11-14), persecuted by some (presumably 2 Timothy 3:12); he had this to say about who Jesus was: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time… (19) the precious blood of Christ, the lamb without blemish or defect…" (1 Peter 1:3-5)

It is apparent by this time he was thoroughly convinced that Jesus was the Son of God and that knowledge necessitated an attitude that reflected that claim. So he says, in 1 Peter 2:9, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light… (12) [therefore] Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us… (17) Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor." 

Part of loving the family is praying for them, which means we must know about their struggles. Join in proclaiming the name of Jesus to those that need encouragement