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When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Matthew 16:13 HCSB
I am again just stating the fact of why I write. Sometimes I do ask myself, “Why am I writing?” I search out the answer to this question, and again I come back to the same simple conclusion. I write because it is my appointment with the Lord. I write because it is the time He uses to teach me His wisdom. It is Wisdom that I might gloss over when I just sit to read a few verses out of His Word; or spiritual truths I might not glean if I was just trying to complete my daily bible reading plan. This is the reason I move so slow through certain verses. It is like the Lord just tells me, “Come on out. Let’s sit on your front porch and I will tell you about that time when I…” Jesus calls to me, “Sit here a while. Let’s make camp around this verse.” So I invite you also to come rock in my front porch rocking chairs and listen to the Master Story Teller weave His tales of valor and escapades. Come camping with me and the LORD GOD as He reveals to me all the wonder of that day His Son revealed for the first time, “I AM your long awaited Messiah.”
They had just witnessed Jesus feeding 4000 people with seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Jesus had astonished them with His healing power. They had said of Him, “He has done everything well! He even makes deaf people hear, and people unable to speak, talk!” Mark 7:37 But still they didn’t know Him. They didn’t know who He truly was. They had camped with Him and slept under the stars and listened to His campfire stories, but they had know idea they were spending time with their Messiah. Literally they had traversed through out all of Galilee with Jesus. How could they not know? How could they not recognize The Son of God, The Anointed One, sitting right in their midst? A man named Simeon knew who He was the moment he met him at the temple, even though Jesus was just a baby.
“There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said: “Now Master, You can dismiss You slave in peace, as You promised. For my eyes have seen Your salvation. You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples – a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel.” Luke 2:25-32 HCSB
Did you pick up on the reason for Simeon’s recognition? Congratulations if you saw it. “The Holy Spirit of God was on him.” and “Guided by the Spirit.” Only the Holy Spirit of God can convince us who Jesus truly is. If you know Jesus as the Christ the Son of the Living God and as your Savior, it is because God’s own Spirit has taken the scales off your eyes and heart and has convinced you of this Truth. You have had an encounter with the God of the entire universe.
At the moment Jesus asked them this question, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” the disciples were clueless. At the instant of Jesus’ first question, they were operating under their own wisdom and teaching. They were not guided by the Holy Spirit of God. Not yet. Not at this exact moment. This first question was broad; directed at what all people where saying of Him. So they answered broadly. “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah: still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” The people were clueless also, though many had received a personal touch of healing from Jesus. They didn’t know their Messiah had just touched them.
Father God was holding back revelation at the asking of this first question. Jesus knew what was coming. This revelation dialogue had already been laid out for him in His private prayer time. “While He was praying in private and His disciples were with Him, He asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” Luke 9:18 HCSB
Picture this scene in your mind. Put yourself in this scene of sitting and just observing Jesus’ prayer time, his open dialogue with His Father. Theirs was an intimate Father Son relationship. Jesus could do nothing apart from His Dad. Jesus gets up off His knees and walks back to us. You can tell He has been given His discussion topic with you and the other disciples. You wonder what this is that He is about to disclose because there is a glint in His eyes like a person who has an amazing secret and just can’t keep it in any longer. He asks “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
I know what people now days are saying. My answers are broad just like the disciples first answer to this question. Many answers are wrong. The answers of people in Jesus’ day were wrong also.
“Lord send Your Holy Spirit before us. Lord let Your Spirit take the scales off people’s eyes so that they may know Your Son as their Savior and Lord. Please do it quickly before it is too late for them. In Jesus Name I pray Amen.”