27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
29 “But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ. "
The most important question we will ever have to answer is “Who do we say Jesus is?” Our life in the here and now and our eternal status hinges on the answer to that very question. Like others in the disciples’ time, many in our day respond to this by saying he was a good man, or perhaps a prophet but certainly not God. Countless others give it no thought at all. Some say he is the Christ yet do not make Him their Lord – they speak it with their mouth yet their hearts are for from Him. Considering all that Jesus said of Himself in Scripture, He is either who He said He was – fully God and fully man – or the truth was not in Him. A liar or our Lord – these are our choices. He left no room for anything in-between. God is not looking for lip service or for us to just feel all warm and fuzzy inside. He is looking for true disciples that “display His splendor” to a hurting world who so desperately needs Him. The gospel of Matthew states: The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."
64 "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. Matt 26:63-64 (NIV) Mark adds: Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"
62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." Mark 14:61-62 (NIV) Luke tells us: 70 They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"
He replied, "You are right in saying I am." Luke 22:70 (NIV) If He indeed is who He said He was, He has a rightful claim to our lives. Jesus asks us this question: 46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." Luke 6:46-49 (NIV)