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Mark 8:29 - Life's Biggest Decision; Who Do You Think Jesus Is?

Mark 8:29 (NIV) "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah."

Mark 8:29 (NLT) Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah."

INTRODUCTION

Jesus asked the disciples who other people thought he was; then he asked them the same question about themselves. It is not enough to know what others say about Jesus: You must know, understand, and accept for yourself that he is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, and the one anointed by God to rescue us from the deadly consequences of sin for all eternity. To get to this realization of who Jesus really is, you must move from curiosity to commitment, from admiration to adoration. [Life Application SB 2019]

COMMENTARY PEARL

Everybody Ought to Know
   An Amazing Fact: The Bible contains over 100 different names or titles for Christ. Here is a small sample: Son of God. Son of Man, Son of David, Great High Priest, Light of the World, Bread of Life, Lord of Glory, Great Shepherd, Advocate, Morning Star, Heir of All Things, Lamb of God, True Vine, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Alpha and Omega, Chief Cornerstone, Prince of Peace.
   Jesus' countrymen often debated about who He was. Although their ministries overlapped, some people believed that He was John the Baptist. Even Herod trembled to think that Jesus might be John the Baptist returned to life after Herod had him executed.
   Another thought was that Jesus might be Elijah, the prophet whom Moses had spoken of, or still yet another historical prophet.
   When Jesus asked His disciples who they believed He was, Peter spoke with conviction, saying, "You are the Christ?" Peter recognized Jesus as the Messiah, something he could not have known unless God had revealed it to him.
   For 2,000 years people have argued about who Jesus is. For Christians, there is no doubt and no debate. We have overwhelming evidence, in Scripture and in our own lives, that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Righteous One, the Deliverer, the precious Savior of the world. [Moving Mountains by Amazing Facts]

COMMENTARY

Down Through The Centuries
   Skeptics claim that the Scriptures are not believable, yet testimonies about Jesus' life and resurrection come from historians, philosophers, scientists, churchmen, and, yes, even atheists.
   As early as the first century, a Jewish historian named Flavius Josephus confirmed the impact Jesus Christ made in the hearts of His followers:
   About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man ... He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. When Pilate ... had condemned him to be crucified, those who had in the first place come to love him did not give up their affection for him. On the third day he appeared to them restored to life ... And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.
   Jesus is the Word of God in flesh. He was resurrected to fulfill that living Word, and He lives today.
   Who do you say Jesus is? [Peace for Each Day by Billy Graham]

CLOSING THOUGHT

The Most Important Question of All
   Jesus's ministry in Galilee was coming to a close. It was a transitional moment in His ministry, and for the first time, He spoke very clearly and in great detail about why He had come.
   He also asked His disciples a powerful question that we still need to answer today: "But who do you say I am?" (Mark 8:29 NLT).
   Now, this is the most important question of all. It's a question that, ultimately, we all must answer. In fact, I'll give you the answer now: Jesus Christ is Lord. Someday, everyone will say Jesus Christ is Lord. Every Christian will say it, every non-Christian will say it, every atheist will say it, and every agnostic will say it. Every person ultimately will say that Jesus is Lord.
   Maybe you're thinking, "You're wrong about that. Not everyone believes." They won't necessarily say this during their lives on Earth, but one day when they stand before God Almighty, they will acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord.
   The Bible tells us, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV).
   It's one thing to say that Jesus is Lord when we're with our Christian friends, but it's another thing to take a stand in our culture. Jesus said, "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38 NKJV).
   Don't be ashamed of Christ. Speak up for Him. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com]

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY

Mark 8:29 - Life's Biggest Decision; Who Do You Think Jesus Is?
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211025-1022.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

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