Matthew – God’s Purposes
You think you know a person from the way they relate to you and others. You think you know them from the how they work, react, and respond to life. You think you know a person until they do something you have never seen them do. Then your thinking about them changes…sometimes drastically.
The devout, called followers of Jesus think they know him. They know him as a great speaker, a healer, a prophet, a person who seems to know everything about them. They, like others, love being with Him. There’s just something about Him that they can’t put their finger on that draws many other people to Him, too. Even when He speaks Truth that hurts and convicts the hearts of those who come to Him, they still listen and want to be near Him or they walk away dejected and ashamed because of their sin they refuse to admit.
I am stopped by the profound question in our passage today, “WHO CAN THIS BE?” Who is Jesus indeed? Who is Jesus to you? Who is Jesus today in the world we walk around and relate to on our journey? Do we really know Jesus? Do we care to know the fullness of Jesus? Do we care to listen to the Truth of what He teaches? Is He, in our heart, mind and soul, who we think He is?Are we, like the young disciples, just getting to know Truth in the Person of Jesus Christ, Son of God? Jesus IS who He says He is. Jesus IS Truth, the Only Way to God, and Life eternal whether we choose to accept Him, believe in what He says and does, repent before Him and live for Him or not.
WHO CAN THIS BE? He is our Savior, Jesus the Christ, the Messiah sent to seek and to save the lost and bring all people back into a relationships with God, our Father. He is LORD of lords and KING of kings who gives us His Holy Spirit upon our repentance and rebirth into life eternal to guide us into all Truth about Him with what He has done, is doing and will do in each of our lives who find and follow Him. As we travel through Matthew we must look closely at all the words that describe the character and actions of Jesus, for it is then that we discover more about God.
Wow, Who can this be? He is Jesus, the One we have been waiting for all our lives.
Matthew 8, NKJV
Wind and Wave Obey Jesus23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT:Who is Jesus?
Who do you think He is to the world?
How do we tell others about who He is?
Do we tell others or do we hope they can just get a glimpse from our example of living life? Yikes, is that the Truth of the Person of Jesus, though?
Is living our life before people, hoping they will get who Jesus is enough?
Our lives are not perfect enough to show who Jesus is but telling others who seek help on their journey of our perfectly forgiven hearts, minds and souls might be a start to guiding them to Who Jesus is and what He can do for all who come to Him. Mm.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for Your Word of Truth in the Person of Jesus Christ, Your Son. Thank you for showing your power through Jesus in calming the sea then and in calming the storms of our lives now…just by your words. Lord, thank you. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for restoring my soul from past hurts. Thank you for teaching me the Truth of Who you are. I think I know you, then You do something miraculous once more, causing me to go deeper still in my thinking. Thank you for your constant teaching. I’m listening.
In Jesus Name, Amen
