26/06/2014
=The Reality Of Jesus=
For those of us who have been raised in church, we kind of take Jesus for granted. We've heard about Him our whole life. We've heard people talk about Him. We've heard ministers preach about Him. Our parents have told us about Him. So we've always thought He was real.
But how do you know He's real???
---When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
---They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
---"But what about you?" He asked. "Who do you say I am?"
---Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
---Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in HEaven."
MATTHEW 16:13-17
Jesus wasn't walking around trying to convince Peter or anyone else that He was the Son of God. He wasn't continually telling people,"I'm the Son of God. I really am the Son of God." In essence, Jesus was telling Peter,"I don't care about everyone else's opinion, but I do care about yours. Who do you think I am?"
Knowing that Jesus is the Son of God is more than just being convinced and more than just being logically persuaded. Jesus told Peter that human logic didn't convince him of this, but the Father revealed it to him. Peter's spiritual eyes were opened and he could see what was true and what was not true ----- what was real and what was not real. Peter had heard truth and reality from God, and that was something he was never going to forget.
The reality of Jesus must be the basis of our faith. He must be the basis of our Christianity. Anything else that contradicts that living, breathing reality is false --- in the face of all logic, in the face of all blasphemers, in the face of everyone who mocks us and makes fun of us. If we know Jesus is real, nothing else matters.
Ask the Lord to open your eyes, just like He did Peter's, so you can see for yourself the Jesus is real. Then ask yourself, "How do I know Jesus is real?"