Who Do You Say I Am?
We live in a world of conspiracy theory. Our media has been so corrupted, it’s hard to know what is truth, truth spinned, or what is just a flat out lie. Can you imagine, even without technology, what was being said after it was discovered that Jesus was no longer in the tomb? No Facebook or Twitter to perpetuate the theories, but the number of questions had to have been flying, like the rumored headlines on a tabloid paper.
Matthew 28:13 says that some worried that the disciples would steal Jesus out of the tomb, even though it took several soldiers to close off the tomb with a huge stone, and it was guarded 24/7. Another theory is that Jesus was just “playing possum,” that he faked His death, escaped the tomb and lived happily ever after.
What say you? He’s either a lunatic, a liar or He’s Lord. For a believer, that’s a no brainer, right? The truth is, everyone wants a Savior, but not everyone wants a Lord. Accepting Him as Lord isn’t always as easy as you may think. Lordship means accepting the future at all cost. I wonder if any of the disciples would have said, “No way, I didn’t sign up for this,” if they had known they’d be hung, beheaded or boiled in oil for their faith. We don’t know what His plans are for us, but if we trust His Word, we have to believe that He has our best interest at heart, but it may come at a great cost to us.
Accepting Him as Lord also means seizing the moment regardless of the inconvenience. We are quick to come up with excuses why we can’t follow Him or why we put it off for another day. But He is not a ‘tomorrow God,’ He is a today Lord. No one is guaranteed tomorrow; it’s best to put your faith to the test and trust Him today, no matter how awkward the timing might seem to you.
Lastly, Lordship means leaving the past regardless of the pull. Once you’ve accepted Jesus as Lord, there’s no looking back, but there will be a tug of war between the new you and your old life. Luke 9:61-62 “Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family. Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Verse 61 in the Living Bible says, “Yes, Lord, I will come, but first let me ask permission of those at home.” If you’re playing follow the Leader, you don’t look to those behind you for direction.
Lunatic, liar or Lord. Who do you say He is?