Deeper: Who Do You Say That I Am?

Deeper: Who Do You Say That I Am?

Luke 9:18-20
18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

Just about everyone has a slightly different view of who God is.  This isn’t actually wrong, but purposed.  After all, scripture reveals that God purposely shows different people different sides of who He is:
Psalm 18:25-26
To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
It is impossible for us to know God in all of His fullness.  Although some believe this to be contradictory or wrong, it is a reality and true.  After all, how could God be all that we need if He only had one attribute or characteristic?  And after all, don’t we also share this same reality?  Of course, because we were created in the image of God!  We look different to different people and we even look different to the same people in different circumstances.
Even when we take a peak into Heaven and see Jesus seated on His throne, we find this reality.
Revelation 4:6-11
6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”

A teacher in seminary once reflected on this and shared with me that he believed that these strange, eye-covered creatures cried out day and night for all eternity because every time that they looked upon Jesus, that they saw something else to praise Him for.
So, just as Jesus asked, “What about you, who do you say that He is?”.  Describe, by your own personal experiences, why you believe that He is this.