Identity Crisis
Matthew 16:13-20
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“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.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
This exchange between Jesus and his disciples happened shortly after a rather antagonistic exchange between the Pharisees and Sadducees (the authorities on scripture) and Jesus when they asked Him for a sign from heaven, and Jesus told them no sign would be given (because they wouldn’t believe it anyway) except the sign of Jonah. And then, as they were walking, Jesus tried to warn His disciples not to be like the Pharisees and Sadducees, but they didn’t understand.
In this moment where it’s just Jesus and the guys, I can almost see Jesus with a mischievous twinkle in His eye asking his disciples to spill the tea about what people are saying about Him. I can almost see the playfully gossipy answers of the disciples. Almost.
What I can see, however, is the more serious, personal, and pivotal question Jesus asks them next. “But what about you? Who do YOU say I am?” Jesus asks this question of His ministry partners, His inner circle of men who knew Him better than any others on Earth. It was a question that cut to the core of not only who these men were and what they believed, but who they were choosing to be.
“But what about you? Who do YOU say I am?”
I saw a quote recently that said, “We are living in a time where Satan doesn’t even hide, and the world still can’t see him.” Ironically, too many times, neither can we. The world is the mouthpiece for Satan’s lies, and we, like Peter, allow those lies to distract us so we turn our eyes from Jesus and sink. The world tells us we are fools, that there is no God, and even if there were, we are nothing to Him.
This interaction between Jesus and his disciples has been on my heart for a couple of weeks. It keeps playing over in my mind, and every time I feel the Holy Spirit nudging me to ask God the same question. I feel the Holy Spirit guiding me away from those dark places where my eyes are off of Jesus, listening to who the world says I am, and asking instead:
“But what about you, God? Who do YOU say I am?”
I wish I could adequately describe the power and authority that filled my soul when I asked that question, and God answered with:
“You are MINE.”
Isaiah 43:1 says, “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; YOU ARE MINE.”
Wow! Did you feel the power and authority too? We belong to God!
That power you feel is the intentionality of God in forming you exactly the way He needed and wanted you to be with all of His potential waiting to be unlocked by your choice. God calls us by name because he has a purpose for us that is also unique to us and for His glory.
Jeremiah 1:5 states, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Ephesians 2:10 reads, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
John 15:16 says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”
That authority you feel is the same authority Jesus has as the Son of God. Matthew 3:17 states, “[A] voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” That’s us too - when we accept Christ, we become children of God and co-heirs with Jesus.
John 1:12-13 says, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
Romans 8:17 reads, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
“But what about you, God? Who do YOU say I am?”
You are MINE.
The power and authority of the living God that infuses our spirit also establishes an equal measure of responsibility.
We are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), purposefully gifted for our part in God’s plan, and called by our name by Him.
Matthew 5:14 states, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.”
We have to reflect God to the world! Our words, actions, and worship must shine bright enough to be seen in the darkest corner of Satan’s lies. This requires us to keep our eyes on Jesus at all times no matter what is going on around us.
John 15:15 says, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
Because we know THE truth, we must keep sharing it by living it.
It can be a scary thing to do in this world where Satan’s lies are so good, they’re seen instead as truth.
Don’t worry - we aren’t alone. We’re never alone.
1 Corinthians 3:16 reads, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
Deuteronomy 31:8 states, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
We belong to I AM, and we are loved.
Finally, Romans 8:38-39 says, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
AMEN
