“Who Do You Say That I Am?”

/ Neal Embry

Ask 10 baseball fans who the best player ever is, and you’ll likely get six or seven answers: Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, or, the right answer of course…Hank Aaron (unashamed Braves bias here).

That same test could be applied to rock fans being asked who the greatest guitar player ever is, to fans of books, movies, superheroes…you name it, we all have different opinions on a wide variety of topics.

That truth extends even to Jesus Christ. From the Doobie Brothers to Joe Smith down the block, everyone has an opinion on who Jesus is. Even in Jesus’ day, people had a wide variety of views on who He was.

“And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Phillippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they told him, ‘John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.’ And he asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?'”–Mark 8:27-29

When He first starts His ministry, Jesus is taken by some to be a prophet, in the mold of John the Baptist, or, as shown in this passage, the reincarnation of John the Baptist after John the Baptist is beheaded.

Others thought Jesus fulfilled God’s promise in Malachi: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”–Malachi 4:5-6

Jesus asks His disciples what people are saying about Him, and as He hears the different answers, He turns the attention on them:

“Who do you say that I am?” He asks.

Jesus makes it clear that what matters is not knowing about Him, but knowing Him personally. What matters is not whether or not you know what your family, friends, textbooks, or favorite Internet sites say about Jesus. What matters, ultimately, eternally, is what you say about Jesus, and how that shapes your life.

You will not be saved because your parents know Jesus. You will not be saved because you know who Jesus is. You will not be saved because you can answer religious questions. If being saved is a test of theological knowledge, the devil would be first in line, because “even the demons believe, and shudder,” James tells us.

What makes the devil different from a believer is what the devil knows about Jesus causes him to cower in fear, because he refuses to repent and believe on Christ, while a believer not only understands, but rests and rejoices in all of who God is for us in Christ, and seeks to draw near to God instead of away from Him.

Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. He is the image of the invisible God. He is the Son of God, the Lion of Judah, the Savior of the World, the King of the universe, and the only hope for the nations.

But what does He mean to you? Does that impact your life on a daily basis? Does your life reflect, not just head knowledge of who Jesus is, but a love for the Lord and fellowship with Him? Who do you say that He is?

If you turn to Him, He will save you from your sins, give you eternal life, bring you as a spotless child before the Father who will adopt you, and will give you new life and holiness, and joy as never before. If you turn away from Him, you sign your own death sentence, choosing to reject God’s way of salvation from His wrath. If you turn away from Him, you refuse the embrace of the Savior who is also the King and the Judge.

Today, Jesus is asking us that same question He asked His disciples 2,000 years ago:

“Who do you say that I am?”

How will we respond?

Lord, may we trust you, embrace you, love you, and obey you as you have called us to. Lord, may we say that you are our Savior, our Lord, our joy, our satisfaction, our redemption, and all that you are for us. May we find our deepest hope and our identity in you. May we seek to glorify you, not just know more about you.

God bless,

Neal E.

After Election Day

/ Neal Embry

I’m writing this just before 6 p.m. on Election Night, a few minutes before polls from the East Coast close. So, please don’t read this as a response to whoever is elected president. Read this as a promise from God’s Word:

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”–Romans 13:1-7

By the time you’re reading this, the United States will have elected a new president. Our country may never look the same again, and there is much worry or fear, no matter who is elected.

There is a promise and a command from God’s Word here, and I believe both help us move forward after Election Day:

Promise: The new president has come from God.

That is not equivalent to, “God affirms the new president,” but rather, speaks to the truth that God is sovereign in this and every situation, and has a plan to use this for His children’s good and His glory. Because I’m not God, I am unable to say what that plan is. But the Bible says God has a plan, and we must trust that God will use the next four years to bring about His plan for the U.S. and for the world as a whole.

God is in the business of saving people, and perhaps the next four years will create an environment where more people recognize their need for Christ. John Piper hinted at the possibility that more missionaries will leave this country for others, carrying the gospel with them. Whatever God’s plan is, we must tell Him we trust Him, want to be a part of His plan, and seek what He would have us do.

Command: We must submit to the government. We must, as long as taxes are a reality, pay taxes. We must respect the office of the president. We must do what the law says we must do.

Some will say, “What do I do now that (fill in the blank) is president?” The same thing you’ve been doing: Be a good and godly citizen and make disciples. Live for God’s glory. That task doesn’t change. Jesus doesn’t say make disciples if the political climate is favorable. Jesus says make disciples, period.

Obviously, if the time comes where we are pushed to disobey God by the government, we resist, just like first-century Christians refused to acknowledge Caesar as Lord. But until that happens, we honor the Father by honoring the president and the government, no matter who is in charge.

Being aware of God’s promise and sovereignty, and obeying His command to make disciples and submit humbly to our rulers, allows us to move forward today and every day.

Lord, may we respect the rulers you’ve given us. May we trust that you have a plan, even if we don’t fully understand it. May we trust that you are in control and may we obey you, and obey our rulers. May we look forward to your kingdom, which is perfect and without end.

God bless,

Neal E.