MERRY MONDAY- BY PARRIS
Matt. 16:15 – “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
It is imperative that Christ comes to each of us at some point in our lives, (sooner I pray than later), and asks us this same question. Even the disciples didn’t directly answer him until he imposed this question upon them. They wanted to deflect and tell him what others have said. Before I get too far ahead of myself, let me paint the backdrop of this question. Jesus had been traveling from one city to the next and there had been one disappointment after another. The cities where most of His mighty works were done, repented not. The people welcomed his material things; but when He began to speak to them of heavenly things, they “went back, and walked no more with Him.” Jesus then came to the region of Caesarea Philippi and took the disciples to a remote and rocky region by the coasts where he could birth the Ecclesia- His Church. Expositors bible says, “As the dew of Hermon, and as the flowing of the water-springs, shall be that Church of the living God, which, as the sequel will unfold, had its first foundation on this rocky hillside and by these river sources.” Up to this time He has spoken always of the kingdom, never of the church.
Peter’s answer came not from himself but by the Spirit. Expositor bible says, “This is a question we should every one of us be frequently putting to ourselves, “Who do we say, what kind of one do we say, that the Lord Jesus is? Is he precious to us? Is he in our eyes the chief of ten thousand? Is he the Beloved of our souls?” It is well or ill with us, according as our thoughts are right or wrong concerning Jesus Christ?”
I can almost picture Christ standing amidst the rocky mountain cliff and commending Peter for his confession.
Matthew Henry says, “This is the conclusion of the whole matter.” And Lange jumps in with “we must enter it by a complete transformation into a second and new life which is from heaven. This new life was germinating in the hearts of the disciples. Every believer who is enlightened by the Father is also a rock.”
So as your start into Monday I pray you too by the Holy Ghost confess; HE IS MY CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. As Jude wrote, “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen” (Jude 24-25). It might just change your mundane Monday!