Jesus is... (Part 3)

"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, 'Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?'

And they said, 'Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.'

He saith unto them, 'But whom say ye that I am?'

And Simon Peter answered and said,

'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.'

And Jesus answered and said unto him, 'Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:

for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.'"

I think this passage has become so well known that it is easy to read without realizing the meaning and the force in Peter's words. This Man they had been learning under and following, this poor, humble Man-- Peter now declares that He is the long-awaited Christ; even more than that, the Son of the One True God.

The Jews expected a great military hero who would suddenly burst on the scene and revolutionize the world in an incredible way. Jesus did revolutionize the world-- but in a way quite different than the Jews were expecting.

He was born in a lowly manger, because the rest of the world had no room for Him.

He grew up known as the son of a carpenter.

He lived at the "beck and call" of everyone, healing, teaching.

He allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross-- the most humiliating and painful death imaginable.

He was buried in a borrowed tomb, not even His own property-- for He had no property according to an earthly perspective.

This was so unlike anything teh Jews as a whole were expecting from a Messiah! No armies, no revolution, no great military leader or earthly king overthrowing the power of Rome...

Yet Peter realized, as the Father opened his eyes, that Jesus was no ordinary man. He was indeed the Messiah, promised from the very beginning of the world-- the King of Israel, the Son of the Living God. He was the perfect Prophet, Priest, and King that the whole Old Testament had led up to. This was the Christ-- the Messiah!

This is information very familiar to our brains, but let it settle into your heart. We don't just live in memory of a great historical figure. We serve the promised Christ, who died and is now alive, the Son of the Living God, the Saviour of the world. He came not to revolutionize nations-- He came to revolutionize individual hearts. Think about it.

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.