You are here, moving in our midst
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, working in this place
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, moving in our midst
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, working in this place
I worship You, I worship You

You are Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
You are Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness My God, that is who You are…

(Way Maker by Osinachi Okoro, Sung by many!)

Mark 8, The Message

The Messiah

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, “Who do the people say I am?”

²⁸ “Some say ‘John the Baptizer,’” they said. “Others say ‘Elijah.’ Still others say ‘one of the prophets.’”

²⁹ He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?”

Peter gave the answer: “You are the Christ, the Messiah.”

^30-32 Jesus warned them to keep it quiet, not to breathe a word of it to anyone. He then began explaining things to them: “It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the elders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and after three days rise up alive.” He said this simply and clearly so they couldn’t miss it.

^32-33 But Peter grabbed him in protest. Turning and seeing his disciples wavering, wondering what to believe, Jesus confronted Peter. “Peter, get out of my way! Satan, get lost! You have no idea how God works.”

^34-37 Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?

³⁸ “If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I’m leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you’ll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

First we worship and praise Jesus, unashamedly, for who He truly is…

You are here, touching every heart
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, healing every heart
Healing every heart
Oh, I worship You
Jesus, I worship You
You’re turning lives around
You are here, oh, turning lives around
I worship You, I worship You
You mended every heart
You are here, and You are mending every heart
I worship You, I worship You

And You are Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
You’re the way maker
Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are…

Yes, Jesus confronts us with the same question as we daily come to Him,

“Who do YOU say I AM?” Do you really believe that what God says about Me, and what I say with what I did for you, really real?  What we say we believe will always be reflected in our behaviors.  So, will our behaviors be a reflection of Jesus Christ or those in the world? 

Will we go along with what media and other influential people tell us we must do to be liked and acceptable to them?

Who guides our decisions of what to wear and how to wear it, what to eat, how to “have it our way” in all circumstances, what to drive, what home to live in, what job to do that will give us power and pleasure along with what we do to our bodies, and how we manage the environment in which we live?

Who do our souls belong to?  Jesus clarifies simply and directly: “What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?”

Who is Jesus?  What do you say?  I ask myself this morning, am I the “fickled and unfocused” who isjust trying to get by without a thought or care about who God is and what He wants to do in me or one who unashamedly proclaims who Jesus is and what He has done for, not only me, but for the world of all kinds of people that God loves with a desire to save them from themselves and His enemy? 

God wants no one to perish but have everlasting life!  That’s who God is and why He sent His One and Only Son to earth to die for our sins at the hands of a torturous world of unbelievers so that we who believe can be saved!  This is the gospel.  THIS is real Love demonstrated for us.  THIS is what we tell others about Him!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Lord,

Thank you for cleansing my heart, renewing my mind, refreshing my soul by removing all that offends you and hinders our relationship—all while restoring your joy and peace of your salvation at work within me!  You are Jesus Christ, Messiah come to save us!  You are King of kings and Lord of lords.  You are my Savior and my Lord.  To you be the glory, honor, and praise forever and ever, Amen!

In Jesus Name, Lead us. Yes, and Amen!

And we’re singing…

Even when I don’t see it, You’re working
Even when I don’t feel it, You’re working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working

Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
that is who You are

Oh, His name is above
His name is above depression
His name is above loneliness
Oh, His name is above disease
His name is above cancer
His name is above every other name

Yes, That is who You are
That is who You are
And that is who You are
Oh, I know that is who You are
That is who You are…

Thank you, dear Jesus!