Recently as I was mowing the grass I noticed a man walking in our subdivision that I had not seen before. Now this is nothing unusual because there are many people who walk through our subdivision. But for some reason this guy stood out to me. It could have been because of his posture that seemed to be nervous or it could have been that he looked very unkept. There are several other reasons that I could identify, but you get the point.
I honestly can say, I wanted to stop mowing and walk over to the man and ask, “Dude, who are you?” But I did not and so the saga continues even to this moment, who was that guy.
In a much more significant way the world has been asking this same question about another guy. This guy is none other than Jesus Christ. This morning I was gripped by Jesus question to His disciples in Luke 9:18, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” As you read the Greek text it seems as if there is a natural flow in their response. There is no pregnant pause nor is there time needed for thought because these guys knew what people were saying, “John the Baptist. But others say Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen,” Lk 9:19.
I wonder, if you took an informal survey of your community, workplace, or mission field, and asked, “Who is Jesus?” How would these people respond? I think you would be greatly shocked. We live in a society that has a false view of Jesus. There are many factors that have caused this fact. For example, the church has taught more stories than they have truth. Today people believe that Jesus is a good man who gives them all they want. But the church has failed to teach about His deity, His holiness, His majesty, and His wrath against man. This has left us with a Savior who really isn’t a savior. Also the blame lies at the door of Satan who has infiltrated our world with false saviors who appeal to the flesh of man in that they have created gods that allow sin and magnify the flesh’s own ability. The religions of the world are all about me.
However, Jesus is still who He is regardless of man’s opinion. Here is Peter’s response to Jesus question: “though art the Christ the Son of the Living God,” Matthew 16:16. Yes, Peter you got it right. Jesus is the anointed one who came from heaven to be our Savior. Yes, Jesus is the perfect Son of God, equal with God, who came to give His life as a ransom for man. Yes, Jesus is the living God, resurrected from the dead so that we might have life in Him.
Brothers and sisters I want to encourage you to spend your life in pursuit of knowing Him. Your faith demands such an effort and a lost and dying world is desperate to know the truth of who He is. I challenge each who read this blog to step up the pace in your search. May it all be for His glory, because who knows when someone will approach you and ask, “Who is He.”