WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?

 


Did you all ever see the Will Farrell movie, Talladega Nights?

In it, there is a funny scene where the main character, Ricky Bobby, is saying grace over the meal.  Throughout the prayer he keeps referencing God as “Lord Baby Jesus, ” or “Tiny Infant Baby Jesus”. 

When his wife calls him on it, everyone chimes in on how they see Jesus.

His wife insists that Bobby, “do the prayer right,” and wants him to pray to a grown up Jesus.

His father in law says, “He was a man! He had a beard!”

His friend Cal wants to picture Jesus wearing a tuxedo tshirt, because that says party, and he wants HIS Jesus to party.

One of Bobby’s children says he pictures Jesus as a ninja fighting off evil samurai…

I guess how we picture Jesus really depends on who we think He is.

There is a story in Matthew 16 where Jesus asks His disciples about who people think He is.

They reply, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

So Jesus asks, “Who do YOU say I am, “ and Simon Peter replies, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus then says, “Blessed are you Simon, son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood but by my Father in Heaven.”

To me this seems to say God is the one who helps us to see Jesus for who He really is.

That confused me for a while because if that’s the truth, why do some see and others not?  If Heaven and Hell are on the line, and God wants everyone in Heaven – why wouldn’t He make the facts about WHO JESUS IS plain to everyone?

And then I remember this: When Jesus asked Simon Peter to “follow me,” Peter did.  So did the other apostles.  So did I.

To you, Jesus might be:

  • That guy who gets you into church maybe twice a year.
  • A man with a beard
  • A tuxedo t-shirt wearing ninja, fighting off evil samurai.

Or

The Son of God who accepted the consequences of your sins, and died so that you may be restored to life.

I guess it depends on whether or not - when He says, "follow me", you answer.

(By the way – if you don’t know Him yet, He’s calling right now!)

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