Who Do You Think Jesus Is?

 
 

Good Morning Friends,

 
 

If a Gallup poll was conducted by asking the public today’s question, we would get a wide range of answers. Some would say Jesus was an ancient philosopher. Others, that He was a powerful religious leader or an influential social reformer. A few might even deny that He ever existed. The Lord conducted His own poll by asking his followers what others thought. Not surprisingly, Jesus got a wide range of answers. But Jesus was most interested in what His followers thought. So, we begin this devotional by asking you the question against the backdrop of the evidence of the transfiguration. You see, when Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, Jesus shone with the love and radiance of the glory of God. Peter, James, and John were so astonished by the presence of God’s glory that they were nearly stupefied. Perhaps they even tacitly knew, though they could not altogether understand it or articulate it, that they were in the presence of God even before the resurrection.
So, Who Do You Think Jesus Is?

 
 

Scripture: Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and who repays in their own person those who reject him. He does not delay but repays in their own person those who reject him. he will love you, bless you, and multiply you; he will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock, in the land that he swore to your ancestors to give you. You shall be the most blessed of peoples, with neither sterility nor barrenness among you or your livestock.

 
 

Deuteronomy 7:9-10, 13-14 (NRSV)

 
 

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

 
 

2 Peter 1:16-19 (NRSV)

 
 

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.

 
 

Mark 9:2-10 (NRSV)

 
 

Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They answered, ‘John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘The Messiah of God.’ He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone,

 
 

Luke 9:18-21 (NRSV)

 

Message: We have a certain freedom as humans and darkly abuse it. Some of us have grown up in a church all our lives and still get the priorities wrong and really do not know Jesus. The Transfiguration should open our eyes to the glory of God and remind us that Jesus is not only 100% human but also 100% God. Here we get a glimpse of Jesus’ pre-incarnational state of being. I have included a copy of Raphael’s last painting, The Transfiguration, for you contemplate for it depicts this mountaintop vision in contrast to the valley healing that was to follow. The story and painting should remind us of who God really is, for in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. Here we see Jesus wearing His pre-Bethlehem and post-Resurrection wardrobe. There is a metamorphosis here that has implications. The proposition for us is to believe that Jesus is more than just a good teacher. He is more than an influential leader. He is more than a superb role model. He is more than a profound ethicist. He is a prophet, a priest, and king…the culmination of the law and the prophets. But he is first and foremost … God in human form. What is revealed here is Jesus’ power but also that Jesus is to be the priority. There is no longer to be a focus on Elijah or Moses. The focus is to be on a powerful, personal, and passionate Jesus that heals us if we would just make him the priority. This makes it clearer what we are to think of Jesus.

 

And So, the Bible tells us a lot about Jesus. He is prayed to. He is worshipped. He cleanses people from sin and forgives sins. He is the image of the invisible God. He gives eternal life. And He has all authority for everything. He came to save, and He died and destroyed Satan’s power. He is the light of the world…Transfigured. Different cultures and even different churches teach different things about who Jesus is. Hopefully we each will seek and affirm that the treasure is real.

 

Pray for a time when the Jews acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah. Pray we believe that Jesus is powerful, personable, and passionate about us, for he is God and cares about us and desires all of us to be saved. Pray therefor that we make Jesus the priority…that Jesus would be preeminent in our life. Pray we realize that there is no other way to God than through Jesus. Pray we realize that this relationship is not based on being good and following rules and regulations but rather making Christ the focus of our attention. Pray we listen to Christ on the mountain top experiences of our lives as well as the valley visions. Pray the Holy Spirit reveals to us the divinity of Jesus. Pray we know and believe the truth about Jesus. Pray in our hearts we can say that Jesus is the Christ of God.

 
 

Blessings,

 
 

John Lawson