Evening Prayer 5-16-11

Reading:
Luke 9:18-36

"But who do you say that I am?"

I life there are many questions that need to be answered.  We take tests to see if we have all of the prerequisite knowledge that is needed before moving onto the next class or the next concept.  We take SAT's to see if we have the knowledge to enter college.  All of this to try and weed out people before they get into something that they can not handle, or to rank people to find out who did the best.  None of these tests and questions really matter however, it is really about the question that Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?"

The answer to this question though has nothing to do with how much you know.  You see the answer to this question is not something that YOU can come to a knowledge of on your own.  You can not study enough to find out who Jesus Christ really is.  Listen to the words of the Small Catechism, "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith."  (Small Catechism The Creed)  The answer to this question has eternal consequences.  Without Jesus you are lost in your sins.

Jesus has come and is God in the flesh.  He took your sins upon Himself.  He became the fulfillment of the Law, which is why Moses appeared with Him on the mount in today's lesson.  He was the promise of the prophets, why Elijah was there.  He is everything that we were supposed to be, but couldn't.  He took our sins and nailed them to the cross where He gave Himself to redeem us.  He then gives the gift of His Holy Spirit that calls us to repentance by the Gospel.  We hear the Law and we are accused and guilty, then the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel that Jesus Christ came, died and rose again for you!  This is the Good News that it is not about us, but about Jesus Christ.  He did it all, we receive the benefits of life, health and salvation from Him who loved us and washed us in His own Blood.

The question is not a trick question, but it is not discerned by human knowledge.  It is a gift of God as He calls you to Himself.  So when you can profess with Peter that, "You are the Christ of God.", do not boast that you found God, but rather be humbled that God has found you.