There has never been a shortage of opinions on who Jesus is or was. In fact, when Jesus asked his disciples who others said that He was in Matthew 16:13, He got a wide range of answers.
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
People at that time saw Jesus' miracles, the way that He drew a crowd, and the way that He taught with Authority (Matthew 7:28-29). Everyone had an opinion about Him; many respected Him as a teacher, but very few really knew Him.
Isn't that still the case today? If you asked your friends or co-workers who they think Jesus is, you would probably get a variety of answers, and there are many opinions about His significance or importance in our lives today. Some would say that Jesus' teachings are irrelevant or outdated. Others might really resonate with Jesus' teachings on loving our neighbor, justice, or a fan favorite, not judging others. Still, very few people today have a biblical understanding of who Jesus is.
Why Does It Matter?
Having a biblical understanding of who Jesus is changes everything.
For our salvation: Salvation can only come through knowing Jesus Christ. John 14:6 says, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'
For our worship: If we invent our own version of Jesus, we are guilty of Idolatry. Genuine worship can only come from knowing the one we are worshiping. John 4:24 says, "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."
For our daily lives: A real Jesus brings real hope. The real Jesus is the one who invites the weary to find rest in Him (Matthew 11:28-30). He is the one who shows compassion on the broken (Matthew 9:36). He is the only one who has authority over heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18).
Knowing the real Jesus shapes how we overcome temptations, how we face difficult times, and how we can live with hope.
How Can We Find the Real Jesus?
Through God's Word: Tim Mackie of the Bible Project often says that "the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus". If we want to know who Jesus is, we must look to Scripture to find His character and learn what is important to Him.
Through the Holy Spirit: When Jesus was speaking to his disciples, he told them, "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." (John 16:13)
Through Obedience: Jesus said, "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I, too, will love them and show myself to them." (John 14:21)
Ultimately, Jesus' question was not only for his disciples. The question "Who do you say that I am?" is one that each of us must answer. You can't survive on the opinions of others. What your parents say about Jesus, what your friends say about Jesus, or even what your pastor says about Jesus is not what will sustain your faith. If you want to be rooted in truth and grounded in faith, and if you want Jesus to have total control of your life, you must dive into His Word and discover who Jesus really is.
