Introduction
Many of us Christians today think of the Lord Jesus as our friend and our brother, and the Bible affirms this perspective. In John 15:13-15, the Lord Jesus states that He, as a friend of humans, laid down His life so all can become His friends by following His commandments. Additionally, in Matthew 12:49-50, the Lord Jesus stretches out His hand toward His disciples and proclaims, “Behold, My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother, and sister, and mother.” While these truths about Jesus are important, the ultimate truth is that we must recognize Him as our Lord and Savior—the Giver of Eternal Life. Even as we approach Him on a personal level, we must also honor Him as our Lord and God within the Trinity of God and give Him the glory He rightly deserves. In the context of the Lord Jesus being our friend and brother, this blog article explores some important questions. How do we honor Him in our hearts and lives? Do we treat Him merely as a friend, or do we recognize Him as the Holy God He is? Do we show Him respect through our behavior, speech, and appearance, and strive to produce fruits worthy of His name?
“But who do you say that I am?”
In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16, the Lord Jesus engages with the Pharisees and Sadducees, teaches His disciples, and poses a fundamental question that every Christian should consider: “But who do you say that I am?” The chapter concludes with the Lord Jesus teaching about the significance of life in the world to come. In this section, we will analyze two passages from Matthew 16, specifically Matthew 16:13-16 and Matthew 16:24-25.
Matthew 16:13 Now, when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Who do people say that the Son of Man to be?
Comments Matthew 16:13. In verses 13 to 15, the Lord Jesus asks His disciples two questions. The Lord asks them these questions to make the disciples think about who the Lord Jesus is in their hearts. Until this point, His disciples had never given a thought to who they called Lord and Teacher or what He really meant to them. In the same way, the Lord also wants to ask us Christians the same question: Who is the Lord Jesus for us? This question is a test of faith not only for the disciples at that time but also for all those who believe and follow today. As the Bible tells us, we are not servants but brothers and sisters in the Lord, and we have the same Father and only One Father. Let’s not forget who we are! Don’t forget who you are in the Lord’s eyes! And do not take the name of the Lord in vain!
14 And they said, Some indeed John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; but others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.
Comments Matthew 16:14. This verse shows that the Holy Spirit has not yet been given. People could still recognize the power, authority, and holiness of the Lord Jesus, but they couldn’t recognize the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. But the time was near, and the Holy Spirit would soon be magnified because the hearts of people began to seek the truth.
15 He says to them, But who do you say Me to be?
16 Now Simon Peter answering said, Thou are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Comments Matthew 16:15-16. The true light about Christ has been revealed starting with one disciple, and that light will be shared to others. Because of his heart, the truth has been revealed to Peter. That is what the Father is looking for, a clean heart that is willing to obey and glorify God: that is a gift. By the mercy of the Father, the knowledge and understanding about Christ have been given at this time to only one of the disciples. Because of the heart, the truth has been revealed to Peter.
When we come to acknowledge the Lord Jesus as the Son of the Living God and our Lord, we must ask ourselves: What can we do to be worthy of the Lord Jesus’ name and be called His friends and relatives by the Lord Jesus Himself? The Word of God provides many answers on this topic, but let us focus on two verses in Matthew 16:24-25, where the Lord Jesus instructs His disciples on how to act as His followers.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Comments Matthew 16:24. Take this verse accordingly, as it is written. Deny the comforts you have and do the work for the Lord. Some may not be called to do specific things, but studying the Word of God is following the Lord. Here, the Lord did not ask us to deny our family, but only to deny ourselves. The family is a responsibility the Lord gives as well.
“Let him deny himself” plainly says that by accepting the Lord Jesus, we are not free anymore. We belong to the Lord, and we are not supposed to do things that are against the Word of God, but we are to follow every word completely.
“Take up his cross” means to carry the call that the Lord has put as a burden on your heart to do. Some may have small burdens, while others may have more significant burdens in something to do for the Lord. The Lord knows the ability of each person, and He will never give more than we can carry. The heart to follow the call is the key to working for the Lord.
25 For whoever might desire to save his life will lose it; however, whoever might lose his life on account of Me, will find it.
Comments Matthew 16:25. Verses 25-28 talk about faith from two points of view: earthly and the world to come. They remind us that it is not about the life on this earth to lose it, but the eternal life to come. For this earth, if you look for fulfillment in this life, you lose the life in the Lord Jesus’ world. This earthly world is nothing; if you tighten your heart around the things of this world and are greedy for the things of this world, your connection to the next world becomes thinner. The Bible is the guide in this world and for the world to come. Always go back to the Bible to fulfill the life in this world. Use the Bible as a guide, and you will save yourself in the end. On this earth, just take what is necessary because nothing in this earthly life lasts.
“Will lose it” in the first part of the verse refers to denying the faith even when your life is not threatened. Some deny the One who created us for convenience and to be accepted among people.
Conclusions
In conclusion, we must honor the Lord Jesus as God of the Trinity of God and give Him the praise and recognition He deserves. First, we must believe in Him as the Son of God, go and be baptized in water, publicly testify to all that He is our Lord and Savior, and seek the baptism in the Holy Spirit. We can have true friendship and be a family with the Lord Jesus only when we come to Him sincerely and follow all His commandments—not just the ones that are convenient for us. When we commit to following His commandments, the Lord Jesus will walk with us daily, guiding us as our Lord, friend, and brother.
Meditation Tasks
- We invite all readers to meditate on the question posed in this blog article: “Who is the Lord Jesus for us?”
- Additionally, we invite all readers to consult our blog article, “Lead Me to the Rock That Is Higher Than I.”