Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

“Your identity is not wrapped up in how right you get it or how perfect you can posture yourself. But, your identity is wrapped up in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Lecrae

Historically, there’s no doubt that Jesus existed. The Bible and many other documents record His life. The belief that Jesus of Nazareth is both fully God and fully man has invited indifference, intrigue, debate, speculation, mockery, and confusion for roughly two thousand years. But even among those who worship and adore Christ, there remains confusion, ignorance, misunderstanding, and error concerning His identity. It requires all of us to answer the question Jesus asked so many years ago “Who is Jesus to you?”

When Jesus first started His ministry, people disagreed about who He was. Everyone had an opinion. In Matthew, Jesus asked His disciples, “’Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-16)

The question of “who do you say I am” has been debated, contested, and misunderstood, over the centuries. It is a question that cannot be ignored because you do so at your own peril.  John refers to Jesus as “the Word” who became human (John 1:14). Thomas confessed Jesus as his “Lord” and “God” (John 20:28). The author of Hebrews had much to say about who Jesus is, saying “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God” (Hebrews 1:3), The apostle Paul can speak of “the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5), who is “…the visible image of the invisible God.” These declarations, and the many more we find in the Scriptures, provide us with a rather shocking reality: the man Jesus of Nazareth is no ordinary man, but God in the flesh. So, who do you say that Jesus is?

Jesus is the Son of God. He is the Christ, the Messiah, Immanuel, God with us. The living God. Our Savior. Our shepherd. Our counselor. Our comforter. Our healer. Our hope. Our very life. That is not ambiguous, it is not obscure. It is clear, precise information revealed on the pages of Scripture.  In the end, each one of us has to answer for ourselves the central question of life: “Who do you say I am?”

Who do you say Jesus is? This isn’t a question just for Jesus’s disciples 2000 years ago but also for us today. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah and Son of the living God. This is the most important topic in our lives.  Why not read through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in 2022 to get to know the full picture of Jesus Christ. Because one day, we will all be asked the same question: “And what about you? Who do you say I am?” I hope our answer is like the disciple Peter who said, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”

Discussion Questions:

1. Who do you say Jesus is? What difference does this make in how you live each day??