"Who Do You Say That I Am?"

In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus asks his disciples a very important question..."Who do people say that I am." The disciples gave him a variety of answers, and then he asked THE question. This is the question that all of us, Christian or not, must answer..."Who do YOU say that I am?" The disciple Peter was quick to answer, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." I believe that all of us are faced with this question everyday. Non-Christians or Atheists cannot avoid this question either. Jesus changed the world, and even they must come to terms with who he is. They may say he was nothing more than a good man or teacher, but they still must confront Jesus. That is why it is vitally important that we, as Christians, answer this question daily. When asked, I'm sure most Christians would say that Jesus is the Messiah, just as Peter did. But what if others are looking for the answer without asking the question? What if people who are seeking Jesus are trying to find him by examining our lives? What answer would they discover? Yes, it is grace that saves us, but will others see Jesus when they see us? Will others come to know the living Messiah because of the way we live? In no way am I saying that Christians should be perfect (we cannot achieve such lofty expectations), but I am saying that we should be trying to answer this question in all areas of our lives. Do we show Jesus in our work, in our play, in our relationships, at the ballgame, in traffic, in our anger or frustrations, in our everyday dealings. "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus asks the question everyday. What is your answer today?