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THIS YEAR
INTRODUCTION TO THIS YEAR’S SERIES...
Faith is a journey of questions seeking an answer. As Jesus taught, He constantly asked questions of His followers. To Jesus, faith was not a recitation of ritual, but an engagement of the heart where what we believe is translated into how we behave.
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At the height of His popularity, the crowds were all abuzz about who Jesus was. They were wondering was He a great prophet or Elijah or John the Baptist come back to life. The disciples repeated those comments, but Jesus looked at them and asked, “But who do you say that I am?”
That is the question we all must answer. At the end of the day, our job is not to repeat what we have heard from others, but to own, deep in our souls, our own connection to Jesus.
As always during Lent, our purpose is simple: it is to elicit a response. It is for us to be inspired, to be challenged, and to be changed. Our purpose, hope, and prayer is that all our hearts will be “strangely warmed” as we reflect upon the Bible’s truth and the Savior’s call. May our answer to that question: “Who do you say that I am?” form the foundation of our lives!
Dr. John McKellar | Dr. Todd Renner
“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’”
– Matthew 16:13-19 –
Week One: MESSIAH
Messiah
“As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to su er dishonor for the sake of the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.”
– Acts 5:41-42 –
