Caesarea Philippi was long regarded as a centre of pagan worship. Many shrines and altars were erected as places of pagan worship and it’s against this backdrop that Jesus asks his followers, “What do people say about me?” (Mark 8:22-30). What if we asked that question today? What responses might we get?
It’s the question that really matters. Author CS Lewis once wrote; “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
When we hear that question by Jesus, “who do you say I am”, people may think it’s some kind of test, as if saying the right thing, using the right formula gets you over the line.
Actually, when Jesus says, “who do you say I am?”, I would prefer we hear it really as an invitation. The earliest and first Christian creed or statement of faith was ‘Jesus is Lord’. Just that. No complicated theology or big words, just a simple response of the heart.
To say ‘Jesus is Lord’ is to say; ‘You Jesus are the one who gave your life for me, carried all my brokenness and pain on your cross, you have broken the curse of death and through your resurrection have brought healing, forgiveness and hope.
Even if like Peter not too sure what it all means, don’t have to have it figured out, but just an open heart to accept his invitation to be your Lord, your saviour.
Pastor David Spike
Pastor for Ministry and Formation
david.spike@levnt.edu.au
