Who Do You Say That I Am?

[hldude33]

"Who Do You Say That I Am?"
By Zach Wood
Matthew 16:13-17

Jesus asks a direct question to the disciples. He doesn’t ask them who their friends think Jesus is or about who their mom and dad thinks he is. Then Peter comes out with a bold statement saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Who do you say that Jesus is? Don’t think about what your mom and dad taught you. Don’t think about what your grandparents taught you. You see, there comes a point in our lives when we must make the decision for ourselves of who Jesus is to us. Is He just someone we’ve followed all our lives because we have been told that’s the life we should live?

When we meet someone who is really cool and maybe even famous, that encounter stays with us for the rest of our lives. We can tell and retell the scenario over and over again because it’s important to us and we are proud of that moment. We don’t just stand there and say, “Well, I’ll let so and so tell you about this person”. No! If we’ve met this neat or famous person, we live to tell about it. We don’t let someone else tell it for us.

When we are asked by others who Jesus is or what He’s done for us, we should be excited to share the good news of what He’s done in our lives. If we have a personal story, we want to tell it ourselves.

This is exactly what Christ longs for us to do with others. He loves for us to share with others. He doesn’t want us to be ashamed in any way that He is our Savior and Lord. He wants us to tell our story of His redemption in our lives. We should be proud and unashamed to share His work in us.

 

[rand]

Amen! I agree. I think it's easy to tell someone about Jesus who is interested (even slightly). But what do you say to a woman who is telling you she is considering an abortion? And after tell her that, you later find out she has had the abortion regardless of what you told her. What do you say to her then? I really want to know.

I think we as Christians preach the gospel way too much to people who have accepted Christ, and not nearly enough to those who are starving for some truth in their lives. But how can we when they won't come to church? Most of us won't take that church stuff with us when we leave the building and go home, or to work, or go to the market place. This is where you find people who are hungry and don't even realize it.

I think the best way to share the gospel is to love, not condemn--ever!. Most of the non-believers think we Christians are such hypocrites. What they fail to understand is that we can not be hypocrites by definition because we are saved because we admitted our sins--we confessed them and are forgiven, and it is finished. They fail to see that we dont think we are better than them, just better off for eterinty.

If we would just preach the gospel the Holy Spirit will condemn, that is not our job.

 

[epostle1]

Amen! I agree. I think it's easy to tell someone about Jesus who is interested (even slightly). But what do you say to a woman who is telling you she is considering an abortion? And after tell her that, you later find out she has had the abortion regardless of what you told her. What do you say to her then? I really want to know.

There aren't many women who can manage the aftermath. I think the ones that get by have seared their conscience, or hardened their hearts. But may women suffer suicide, depression, remorse, and have a spiritual melt down.

All kinds of denominations offer free post-abortion counseling. Project Rachael is one. It's Catholic, but all faiths are welcome.

How to Talk to a Friend Who’s Had An Abortion

Would this be considered part of "preaching the Gospel"?

 

[rand]

Yes, that's good. That's what I was looking for. But the sad truth is that way too many believers are offended and try to put guilt on the woman.

We need to feel her pain (even if she stopped feeling it), and we need to show her how precious she is to Jesus. If more people realized how valuable to Christ they are, most of the bad choices they're making would cease. But they don't know, because we aren't telling them or more importantly, we are't showing them.

 

[JPPT1974]

We need to put ourselves in that woman's shoes. As like we, that woman is precious to Jesus. And guess what? So are we. As hopefully people need to realize how important we are to Christ. And to make the right choices and do just that. Not just talk the talk but walk it.

 

[epostle1]

Here's a thought. The Jews were forbidden to say the name of God except on one instance: when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies (Kodesh Kodashim) once a year, at Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. There only he could utter the name of God. Peter had this drilled into his head all his life. Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do YOU say that I am? That "I am" looks familiar. Now Peter has to go against the grain. The Father revealed it Peter. And so in uttering the name of God, Peter's inauguration as high priest begins, and Jesus would not ask Peter to commit a sin.

Some say that the day of Peter's confession occurred on the Day of Atonement, but I haven't found any scriptural support for this theory.