Who Does He Say That You Are?

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, others say Elijah, others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”  He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah!  For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 

Matthew 16:13-19

It began as a victory message during the War of 1812 when US Navy Master Commandant Oliver Perry wrote to Major General William Henry Harrison, “We have met the enemy and they are ours!” In 1987, however, Author Walt Kelly published a book of Pogo cartoons entitled, “I Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us”. His parody is not meant to be the victory call Perry sent Harrison, but I wonder how many of us can relate.

Because I have found my enemy and it looks a lot like me!

I critique … I judge … I berate

The way I look …

What I said… or didn’t say.

What I did … or didn’t do.

I obsess over what I could have … should have … would have …

If only I were enough. 

If only I didn’t care so much what other people say,

or think,

or feel

about me.

If only I were not paralyzed by the fear of living up to who other people think that I am – of failing to live up to “their” expectations.

I look in the mirror, and just as the usual barrage of painful accusations begin, I hear seven simple words,

“Who do people say that I am?”

Ummm…. What?

“Who do people say that I am?”

Some said he was John the Baptist, but he wasn’t. 

Some said he was Elijah, but they were wrong.

Some said he was Jeremiah, but that didn’t make it true.

Their misconceptions did not change who Jesus was.  He did not become someone else just because “they” declared it to be true. 

Then Jesus asked Peter, “Who do YOU say that I am?” 

In other words, “Do YOU know me?”

Peter had walked with Jesus,

He had worshiped with Him.

He had prayed with him…

He had a genuine personal relationship,

But did he really know Him?

There were many who did not have a relationship with Jesus. They operated under their own preconceived idea that He was going to be a warrior who conquered all their enemies. They did not know who Jesus was, but their ideas about who He should be … about His mission and purpose … did not change God’s plan.

Jesus did NOT ask, “Who do they say that you are?”  If THEY had an opinion, Jesus did not even acknowledge it.  It did not matter. Likewise, He did not ask, “Who do you say that you are?”  He knew Peter even better than Peter knew himself. He had created Peter. He loved Peter. None of that changed – not even when Peter did not understand – not even when Peter denied knowing Jesus.

What Jesus DID do was speak truth into Peter’s life by reminding him of his value.

WHO he had been created to be

WHAT he had been created to do.

The world does not get to define you and me, either.  Our worth is not limited by our failures. Our purpose is not configured by anyone else’s opinion.  The only opinion that matters is that of our Creator and Savior.    Instead of spending time replaying all of our shortcomings or enumerating all the ways others believe we need to change,

He wants us to KNOW Him.

To know HE created us.

To know we ARE a masterpiece.

To know we HAVE an important purpose.

To know we ARE enough because…

When we are weak He gives us strength.

When we fail, He forgives.

To Him we are a priceless, wonderful masterpiece.

He loves us.

He walks beside us.

He guides us.

Because of Him we are enough

even when we do not understand…

even when we don’t believe we can…

even when we fall short.

When we are confused, He gives us wisdom and clarity.

When we are afraid, He gives us boldness and strength,

When we struggle, He gives us love and grace for the journey.

He wants us to know Him.

To know we are not the enemy,

but HE has met the enemy and the enemy is HIS!