As
Jesus journeyed with his disciples he asked them a pointed question: “Who do
the people say I am?” Their answer was honest. Some of the people think that
you might be John the Baptist or Elijah raised from the dead. Others think you
might be one of the other prophets (raised
from the dead, come back to life-sent to us by God).
I
imagine Jesus doing something next, that I often imagine Jesus doing: stopping,
taking a deep breath and looking the disciples (and us) right in the eyes. This is a teaching moment. If this were
a movie, this is the point when the music would rise and come to a
crescendo—just before Jesus begins to speak. So, Jesus looks directly at them
and asks a life-changing, deep and wide question: “But what about you? Who do
you say I am?”
As
Christians, that question and our answer to that question forms the very core
of our being—or at least it ought to. Who do we say Jesus is? More importantly,
who do our lives—the way we live, the way we use our gifts, graces and
resources say that Jesus is? Do others see in us Peter’s answer to that
question, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God? Or do others
see in us and our actions something less?
Eugene
Peterson, commenting on this passage says, “God puts the question to each one
of us and waits for our answer.”
Who
do we say Jesus is? What does the way we “follow” Jesus say about the place
God’s love in Christ holds in our lives?
Lent
is a wonderful opportunity for each of us and all of us to stop, take a deep
breath and look directly at ourselves, the way we live, the way our living
treats and receives others. Who do we say Jesus is, …really?
~
Rich Greenway
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