Who Do You Say…You Are
Jesus asked, Who do you say I am? - Matthew 16:26. This question became a defining moment for Peter when he replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Peter gave a great answer that was direct, definitive, clear, and offered without hesitation. We should all aspire to being able to answer the same way when asked who is Jesus.
While you let that sink in, let me put a little spin on that question. When you meet someone for the first time, it is very normal to ask, Tell me about yourself. In other words, Who Are You? How do you answer that question?
You can respond to that question several ways such as telling them what you do for a living, or with a character trait centric answer like I’m a live life kind of person. There are endless options for ways you can answer that question.
As you think through how you typically answer that question, let me offer another modification, Who are you supposed to be? Again, you can answer with a woulda, coulda , shoulda answer like, I’m an accountant but my real passion is photography.
Okay, one more modification. Who are you or who should you be…in relation to your faith?
What I’m really asking you is how do you define your identity? An identity in it’s simplest form means, the distinguishing, distinctive, differentiating character of an individual. Who are you at your core?
Paul had no doubt about his identity. In fact, he stated exactly who he was at the beginning of most of his letters:
1 Corinthians, Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus
2 Corinthians, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God
Galatians, Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father,
Ephesians, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
Philippians, Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus
Colossians, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God
1 Timothy, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2 Timothy, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus
Titus, Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ
I think you get the point. Paul’s identity, who he was first and foremost was an apostle of Christ Jesus. An apostle is a follower of someone, in this case Christ Jesus. Every decision, every plan, everything about Paul was rooted in his identity as a follower of Christ Jesus. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
I’m not suggesting that when you are introducing yourself to someone that you always start with, I’m a Christ follower. However, I am suggesting that even if you never say those words, your life should be an amazing representation of your love for Christ. Not to gain something, rather as a pure and simple thank you for all that Christ Jesus has done for you and me, namely the forgiveness of our sins.
"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ”
That quote is attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, but it is typically labeled as being an unproven quote, meaning there isn’t any proof he actually said it. Regardless of its authenticity, many believe it to be true.
Fair warning
If you hold yourself out as a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus, you are volunteering to be watched, analyzed, tested, tempted, and in some cases attacked by those who are not followers.
The Good News
The good news is, those who are still open to the greatest news ever told, to the greatest gift ever given will also be watching with the hope that the presumed Gandhi quote is untrue.
I [Paul] therefore, a prisoner for the Lord [Identity], urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. - Ephesians 4:1-3
