Mark 8:29
The scripture for today is Mark 8:29
Mark 8:29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”
“Though many had already rejected the idea that Christ could possibly be the Messiah of prophecy, the disciples were still loyal to Him as such, even though they understood but imperfectly all that was involved in it. Later, of course, they did understand. Except as they grasped this fundamental truth by faith and held firmly to it, they too would fail utterly to grasp the truth that the Messiah must suffer. As it was, when His hour of extremity came, “all the disciples forsook him, and fled” (Matt. 26:56). Even so, Jesus was basing the future hopes of the church on this little band of witnesses, and unless they believed Him to be the Christ, what hope was there that other men would ever believe this sublime truth?
The fiction that Jesus was merely a great and good man, perhaps the best man who ever lived, but nothing more, is as absurd as it is incredible. He claimed to be the very Son of God, and expected His followers to concur in this belief. Either He was or He was not. And if He was not, He perpetrated the greatest hoax and fraud of history. One who would make such a claim and encourage others to consider Him the Savior of the world, when He was not, could hardly be worthy of admiration, to say nothing of worship. Jesus of Nazareth was either the Christ, the Son of the living God, or He was the most colossal impostor of all time.” The SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, pp. 429-430
The question that Jesus asked His disciples is the most important question ever asked. The answer that each of us gives to that question will determine our eternal destiny. The answer, however, is not given merely in our verbal response, it is given also in how we live our lives. If we truly believe that Jesus is the Messiah of prophecy our lives will be lived following Him. If we believe in Christ, we will follow Christ, not partially, but completely. Jesus is not an imposter; He gave His life to save us. Let us live our lives expressing oneness with Him, giving ourselves fully in obedience to the will of God.
God bless you as you continue in His service.
Tim