Who Do You Say I Am?

In Matthew 16, Jesus asks his disciples the question, "Who do you say I am?" He then praises the apostle Peter when he responds by saying, "You are the Messiah, the Son, of the Living God."

But just when Peter thinks he has been affirmed by Jesus as being an "A" student and "getting" who Jesus truely is, Jesus rebukes him when Peter denys or can't conceive of the fact that Jesus will need to die at the hands of the Scribes and Pharisees. "Get out of my sight you satan! You're trying to make me trip and fall. You are not judging by God's standards but by man's."

As I get older, I realize that this question of, "Who do you say I am?" is a question we need to answer every single day of our lives to affirm our faith as Christians and affirm the choices we make in life. You've got a great job - - who do you say I am? You're lonely - - who do you say I am? You're at the end of your rope - - who do you say I am? You're just not seeing God at work in your life - - who do you say I am now?

As I read Matthew 16 and 17, I see the way God pursues us to show us who he is, and it's not always who we think he is, and he's not always there in the way we want him to be.

After his initial conversation with Peter, Jesus takes Peter, James and John up to the mountaintop to pray. What they are about to see, the Transfiguration, further defines "who I am." They see Jesus transfigured with Elijah and Moses and they are amazed and blinded by the dazzling white of Christ's garment. Peter's initial reaction is, 'Gee, maybe we should build a couple of tents for Elijah, Moses, and Jesus and savor this moment for a while.'

In this brief glimpse, however, God is trying to show the apostles that Jesus is as great as the prophets who came before him. Something no one else will ever see. But, still, Peter, James, and John don't fully get it. "Who do you say I am?"

Enter the booming voice of God from the clouds. "This is my beloved Son on whom my favor rests. Listen to him."

Wow.Can you ask for a clearer explanation of who Jesus is at that point? God practically hits them over the head with it. This is the kind of clarity and revelation we all ask for in our prayers.

Okay, so now Peter, James, and John get it. He's the Son of God. No question about it. He's the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

But what does that mean? Is he going to conquer the Roman army and restore Israel to power? That's the picture they all have in mind at this point. Jesus becomes the king and we get to sit at his right and left on the throne and rule all of Israel with him. What a sweet deal. How lucky we are to be chosen as his disciples? Won't our mothers be proud?

But then reality sets in. And it's not a reality they're expecting. Jesus says in Matthew 17:22, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men who will put him to death, and he will be raised up on the third day." At these words they were overwhelmed with grief."

They are given the first hint that story is not going to turn out the way they're expecting. "Who do you say I am?" I'm who you think I am and more. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.

I guess what I'm learning from all of this is that Jesus is always challenging us to show us who he is in our lives - - and more. Just when we have him figured out (like the apostles at the Transfiguration) he shows us that he is so much more.

Jesus loves us so much that he doesn't want to be minimalized. He wants to draw us deeper and deeper, closer and closer, and tighter and tighter into his embrace, toward his mercy, his forgiveness, and his grace.

His love is that big. His love is that real, and it's more than we can possibly imagine.

"Who do you say I am?"