WHO IS JESUS?

BY PASTOR JÄN VAN OOSTEN

“BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU?” HE ASKED. “WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?” SIMON PETER ANSWERED, “YOU ARE THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.”

MATTHEW 16:15-16 (NIV)

I am sure you know that most people say they “like” Jesus. And many of them will say, “Jesus is great. I just don’t like ‘organized religion.’” You’ve probably noticed that many like to conjure up their own versions of Jesus. Some say He was a great teacher, a wonderful example, or a “rebel” against the power structures of His day. There are lots and lots of versions of Jesus. There is a tendency for all of us to make Jesus into something we are very comfortable with. However, the question is: Who is this Jesus?

One day, Jesus took His disciples to the coast and asked them to tell Him what the crowds were saying about Him. The disciples identified several crowdsourced versions of Jesus. But then Jesus popped the tough question that all of us must answer, “Who do you say I am?” Our answer to that simple question is what separates all of humanity into one of two groups. The division is between those who “create their own Jesus” and those who submit to the true Jesus.

Peter got it right. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, who has come into the world to save sinners and be the Lord of their lives. Have you gotten it right? The easy thing is to make up our version of Jesus and go on “doing life.” However, when we stop and realize who Jesus is, as described in the Bible, it demands a heartfelt response. The real Jesus came to save sinners, which all of us are. To have a genuine relationship with Jesus, I must admit that I am a sinner and submit to His leadership.