How many times have you heard people on TV express surprise when “the man next door” was arrested for heinous crimes? “He was so nice,” they say. “No one would ever have thought he was capable of such things.”
The thing that makes these criminals so hard to catch is that they blend in so well. Their devilish ways are masked behind the smiles, nods, and pleasantries of brief encounters.
Most of these neighbours go through life asking themselves, “What did I miss?” But a person can only see that which is revealed, and even then, they might see only what they want to see.
Obviously, the last thing that Jesus wants is for Christians to assume things that aren’t there. But he does expect us to know what is going on around us and how it all fits in the Kingdom. However, your Kingdom-perspective of people and events is only as clear as your knowledge and understanding of Jesus himself.
If Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15), surely it is wise for you and me to grapple with his question also.
Peter’s answer summed up Jesus’ true identity: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).
But remember what Jesus said about Peter’s description: “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17).
Jesus was acknowledging that Peter’s depth of conviction about Jesus’ identity came not from man, but from God.
We live in a religious world where many false teachers would also answer that “Jesus is the Christ,” but unlike Peter, they have added knowledge and convictions that are not from God.
We do not want to be caught in their deception., and no one needs to spend eternity asking themselves, “What did I miss?
“Seek, and you will find.”
John Staiger
0 Comments