Who is Jesus? Chapter 23 - - Who do you Say I am?

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Who is Jesus? Chapter 23 - - Jesus asks; Who do you Say I am?

Today my desire is to take you to some happenings that are recorded in Matthew chapter 15 and 16 and also in Mark chapter 8.

Everywhere Jesus went he was pushed and prodded as people tried to reach out and touch him.  Jesus often needed to get away from the crowds to rest. At this time he went up on the mountain and sat down there.  And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, so that the crowd wondered; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way." And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?" And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish."   Directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and gave thanks as he broke the food and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples distributed them to the crowds.  

And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.  And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

The Pharisees and Sadducees  came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.  Jesus knew their hearts were full of unbelief, and he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, Why do you seek after a sign? I must say to you, There shall no sign be given except that of Jonah.  And he left them, got into the boat again and departed to the other side. 

When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “Is he saying this because we brought no bread.”  

But Jesus, aware of this, said, “why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?  Do you not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?  Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?  How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread?  Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”  Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  

Today we must also be careful what we read and messages we listen to that seem good; and to examine what actually does the Bible say?  Many are deceived by man's opinion or fanciful stories instead of the true gospel. 

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”  He said to them, “What about YOU; who do YOU say that I am?” 

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  And Jesus answered him, “Simon, You are Blessed! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 

Now Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”  But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

Today, this also is a good question for us to consider and to make our choice now to follow Jesus the Christ.  Nothing in this world would be of value if we were to lose our own soul.  If you have not already done so, decide today to receive Jesus into your life and follow him.  He is just a prayer away.