MAKE A GOOD CONFESSION

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ." Mark 8:27-29

As Jesus and the disciples traveled among the villages around Caesarea Philippi the Lord asked them a leading question. “Who do people say I am?” This was an easy question to answer and it appears the disciples were anxious to chip in with their answers. “Some say John the Baptist.” “Others think you are Elijah.” “Some others think you are one of the prophets.” Clearly, the people thought Jesus was somebody great but they were wrong about him. They had superstitions. Their misunderstanding of the prophecies in scripture led them astray. The people were unclear about who Jesus was. And we should take careful note that it is misunderstanding about who Jesus was that opens the door to all kinds of heresies and error.

But then Jesus turns to his disciples and asks them the key question. “What about you? Who do you say I am?” This time the disciples don’t step all over each other trying to answer Jesus’ question. Peter, the one who seems to have become the spokesman for the disciples, answers the question. “You are the Christ.” Peter speaks for the group and professes that Jesus is the Messiah. Matthew’s account (16:17ff) says that Jesus blesses Peter for this answer. “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” Try and imagine how the disciples must have felt at this moment! Finally! All their questions were answered! They thought everything was clear!

Can we put ourselves into the position of the disciples? Can we hear Jesus asking us the key question? “What about you? Who do you say I am?” He wants to hear the same answer from us. He wants us to be bold and to answer the question clearly. A true follower of Jesus is willing to say what is true even if it flies in the face of popular opinion. The Lord Jesus wants us to take a clear stand for him and make the simple profession of faith, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” The kingdom of God is made up of people who have been courageous and bold. Think of them all! Joseph, Moses, Caleb, Nathan, Daniel, Stephen, Peter, Paul. All of them took a stand for God and for the truth even though it put their lives at risk! Many have made the good confession and paid for it with their lives! Will we take a clear stand for Christ in a world that makes a mockery of those who believe in absolute truth? Jesus wanted his disciples to make a commitment to him and he wants us to make that commitment too! Jesus asks us the question. He wants us to say it so that the people around us know what we believe. This is our testimony! This is our witness for Christ in our world! This is how we make an impact on the lives of the people we care about.