Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

This question hit me square between the eyes today as I studied for my message tonight. The question is not who do you think Jesus is to you. People have invented a new convenient Jesus. This is not the Jesus of the Bible. We must deal with the question of who is Jesus?

70% of people in the world do not even believe in Jesus. Among the 30% who do many suffer for their devotion to Christ. Teenagers in closed countries take Jesus to their nation at their own peril. When they  witness for Christ they are often arrested, tortured, and mutilated. One story I heard today was of women who had their noses and ears cut off by persecutors for their love for Christ. They were heard singing at work, "God is good. God is kind. God is powerful." THAT FIRES ME UP! THAT IS WHAT A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST SHOULD DO!

Who do those women and those teenagers say Jesus is. They say he is Lord and Master by their actions. Contrast that with students in the United States. Many students and student ministries are trying to reinvent a new Jesus more with the times. They want to soften some of his teachings and to round the hard edge of the commitment he calls people to keep. They want a more loving, more sensitive, and a less radical religious figure.

We are soft pedaling Jesus in the church today. The real and historical Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible calls his followers to love him first and most. [Matt 22: 37-38]. In fact he calls for love for him to be so deep and passionate that love for other people looks like hatred in return. Jesus calls people to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. [Matt 16:24] Jesus calls people to endure persecution. [Matt 5:12-13] Jesus calls people to leave their nets behind to follow him to fish for men. Jesus calls people to give all they have. [Mark 1:17]

Who is Jesus. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lord. HE IS MASTER. He deserve a fuller devotion. One girl in our youth group came up after teaching tonight and asked me if I wanted to know right then. I did not understand what she was getting at. She came to me to answer the question, Who do you say Jesus is? Her answer? She commented, "He is my everything and I love him." 

Two young Asian believers say Jesus is worth living for and even dying for if need be. They are only teenagers sent out by their village to be trained to take Jesus and the gospel into areas where Jesus has never been taken before. While talking to an American pastor they acknowledged once they embark on their mission they most likely will never come home again because they expect to be arrested or killed. Their parents are okay with this. Both sets of parents have been arrested for their faith in the past. It is part of their heritage passed down to their sons.

Contrast that story with the apathy among Christian students in North America who have been given every advantage for spiritual growth. Who do these students say Jesus is? For one thing many of these students are not convinced Jesus is real because they hold back. They do not take Jesus at his word. They do not obey his teachings. They do not serve him wholeheartedly. They are not willing to stand alone when others cave into peer pressure and compromise once held firm convictions.

Who do you say Jesus is? If he is the Christ then where is your devotion and willingness to follow him no matter the cost. If he is the Christ then he deserves all your affection and all your service period.