Confessing Christ

Wednesday - August 25th

Scripture to Read Today: Matthew 16:13-20

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"What about you?" Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?"

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Mathew 16:15-16

My best friend growing up was Lance. Lance and his family lived next door to us, and he and I were close friends from preschool age through high school. Lance was incredibly athletic and competitive. We played all kinds of games and sports. He won nine times out of ten. But I enjoyed playing and gave it my best shot every time.

As good friends can do, we found ourselves fighting from time to time throughout the years. Generally, our disagreements were brief and childish. However, we got good at pushing each other’s buttons when we wanted to. For example, one of the things Lance would do when we were elementary school-age kids was pin me to the ground and sit on my chest. He would then use his knees to pin my arms to the ground. Then Lance did the thing I hated most. He tapped his finger on my chest - not hard, but relentlessly and irritatingly.

Sometimes he kept tapping until I repeated some phrase he wanted me to say. His top choices were things like, "Lance is the strongest person in the world" or "Lance is king." Of course, I did everything I could to push him off or get my arms free to fight back. I did not want to announce that Lance was some great thing he wanted me to declare. Ah, childhood! Lance and I are still friends today and connect every couple of years when I am back home in Indiana.

Lance wanted me to profess (or confess) that he was something I did not want to declare. He wanted me to affirm and agree with him regarding the bold statement he made about himself. It was the last thing I wanted to do.

With no childish context at all, there was a time when Jesus asked His disciples who people were saying Jesus was. They gave a few answers, and then in Matthew 16:15, Jesus asked, "What about you? Who do you say I am?" The Apostle Peter, in his boldness, shouted out, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). Jesus did nothing to force or coerce the response from Peter. When asked, Peter blurted out what He was thinking. He had heard enough and seen enough from Jesus to know beyond any doubt Jesus was the promised, anointed Messiah - the Son of the Living God.

Peter confessed Christ clearly and boldly. He left no question about what He thought about Jesus. He was not forced to do so. In our practice of confession, the discipline begins when we understand Who Jesus is and why He came. When we put our faith in the person and work of Jesus to make us God's child, we profess (and confess) that He is indeed the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

Maybe you remember the day you trusted Christ as your Savior and confessed Him to be the Messiah, God's Son. Praise the Lord for His grace in saving you! Declare your confession of Christ again today to the Lord and others. Perhaps, however, you have never professed Christ as the Messiah. You haven't rested your eternal destiny in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Make today the day you confess Him as the Messiah and Savior of your life!

Confess that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of the Living God!