Jesus had been busy by any Christian’s standards:
UHaving just heard that His cousin John had been beheaded (Matthew 14:1-12), retreated to be alone but ended up feeding the five thousand who followed Him (Matthew 14:13-21)
UHe taught the disciples to not be afraid in the midst of the storm, and taught Peter in particular to walk on water (Matthew 14:22-33)
UHe crossed the lake and healed all who came and touched even the fringe of His robe (Matthew 14:34-36)
UHe was interviewed by the religious experts and then did a teaching to the masses based on their questions (Matthew 15:1-20)
UHe tried traveling in secret but was harassed by a begging woman to heal her daughter (Matthew 15:21-28)
UHe healed the begging woman’s daughter, traveled back to Galilee and healed many more (Matthew 15:29-31)
UHe fed another four thousand (Matthew 15:32-39)
UHe was tested by the religious leaders again (Matthew 16:1-4), and then taught His own disciples about receiving false doctrine (Matthew 16:5-12).
Then He settles in to ask the question, “Who do you say that I am?”
And some of us today still don’t know.
Three things you’re not going to hear me argue:
- Whether sex outside of a heterosexual marital union is against Biblical teaching
- Whether African American women are discriminated against because of our race and sex
- Whether Jesus Christ is the Son of God
Arguing truth wastes time and impedes progress. If there’s a barricade in the middle of the road, I’m not going to launch an intellectual discourse citing history and statistics to prove it. If I know the area, I’m taking a different route. If I don’t know the area, I’m consulting a map. If I have no map, I’m relying on the Holy Spirit to get me to my destination, or trusting He will provide me with the patience and endurance that I need to sit and wait it out. But I’m not wasting my time and energy arguing that it’s there.
Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Bible is true, and entire groups of people can be wrong about you and treat you badly as a result. Period (John 10:30; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; James 1:18; Acts 3:13-15). Accept it. It is called progress, and at some point we all have to make it or we'll remain sitting at the barricade.
So, today, He asks you, and I ask you the same, Who do you believe Him to be?
September 2008
