Yahoo! It is Sunday again and our third Feast Day!! On this Lord’s Day, enjoy worshiping with your church family, through songs and hymns, through the reading and teaching of God’s Word, through giving cheerfully, and enjoying the blessed gift of food, chocolate, social media, or anything you may have set aside for your Lenten promise.
Moments of Prayer
In today’s moment of prayer, we see once again, what happens when Jesus prays…
Read Luke 9:18-20
“While he was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ They answered, ‘John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back.’ ‘But you,’ he asked them, ‘who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘God’s Messiah.’”
Could it be that in this time of private prayer Jesus asked that his disciples might truly grasp who he is? In response to his question of who the crowds say that he is, Jesus’ disciples cited the current gossip around town: John the Baptist, Elijah, or another ancient prophet come back to life. Then Jesus asked, “But you, who do you say that I am?” (v 20) and Peter, spokesman for the disciples, answered, “God’s Messiah.” (v 20) Jesus’ identity as the “Messiah”—confessed first by angels (Luke 2:11); by the Gospel narrator Luke (2:26); by demons (4:41); and by Jesus himself (4:18)—is now confessed for the first time by the Twelve. Gospel writer Matthew writes of Jesus’ response to Peter’s revelation, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven.” (Matt 16:17) Yet even with this confession, Peter and the rest of the disciples still have more to learn about the kind of Messiah Jesus will be. But what they do understand at this point is that Jesus is more than any prophet who has spoken for God up to this point.
Lastly, as you go about this Lord’s day, listen to this song by Chris Tomlin and consider who you say that Jesus is.
Jesus Messiah, by Chris Tomlin
Jesus Messiah - Chris Tomlin (Lyric Video)
He became sin, who knew no sin
That we might become His righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross
Chorus
Love so amazing, love so amazing
Jesus Messiah, name above all names
Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners, the ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all
His body the bread, his blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled and the veil was torn
Chorus
All our hope is in You, all our hope is in you
All the glory to You, God, the light of the world
Jesus Messiah, name above all names
Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners, the ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all
Songwriters: Chris Tomlin / Daniel Carson / Ed Cash / Jesse Reeves, 2008
