Who Do YOU Say I Am? | A SOAP Devotional, By Pastor Jamie

Matthew 22:41-46- Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “He is the son of David.” 43 Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said, 44  ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand  until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’ 45 Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” 46 No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

We have just seen Jesus confronted by various religious officials with gotcha questions designed to trip Him up and trap Him in a compromising answer. They took their best shots at Jesus and He handled them calmly, well, and in a way grounded in Scripture. They were ready to pounce, but Jesus didn't give them a target. Now He turns the tables and has a question for them. It's essentially another way of asking the question Jesus asked of His disciples that was personal and demanded a response: "Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:15) Jesus knew whose Son He was, but these religious leaders didn't want to declare with Peter, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16) Rather than outright denial of the identity of Jesus these Pharisees chose silence as they were unwilling to make any public declaration about Jesus at this time.

This is the rubber meets the road question of becoming a disciple, a lifelong learner on the way with Jesus: "Who do we say Jesus is?" Is He the redeeming Son from the Father who comes from heaven and earth to show us the way, to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life? When we join Jesus' church, His bride whom He loves, we are asked something like have you accepted Jesus Christ as Your Lord and Savior? We are saved from sin and death, and we are saved for "the good works He planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10) We are always in the process of discovering new ways that "Jesus is Lord" (the first affirmation of the early church) of our lives. Who do you say Jesus is? Silence is not an option as Jesus is always inviting us to make a decision about this central question of our lives.

Dear Lord, thank You for Who Jesus is- Savior, Risen Lord, Forgiver, Leader, Friend, Messiah, Son of the living God. Help us not be silent like the Pharisees but give us the boldness of Peter to speak out loud the truth of what we believe about Jesus. We pray for our lives to reflect what we believe through our actions guided by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

"So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:36-38),

 

Pastor Jamie