“Who do you say that I am?”

Jesus Christ once asked, “Who do you say that I am?”

Have you ever thought about who your fellowship or church says Jesus is? Have you actually explored the different iterations that come from churches. Have you ever given thought to who the Jesus you think you know is. What is the Jesus you hold in your mind and heart like?

My Jesus performed miracles. Does yours?

My Jesus performed miracles in which humans were healed of diseases and physical maladies. Two blind men were healed, a paralyzed man was cured, a leper was cleansed, a woman was healed with a long term hemorrhage of blood.

My Jesus performed miracles over nature. He walked on the sea and He stilled a storm. He cursed a fig tree, causing it to wither.

My Jesus performed miracles over things and objects. He fed the five thousand and He changed the water into wine. He summoned a fish with a coin in it’s mouth.

My Jesus performed miracles in which those who were dead arose. His power conquered death itself.

My Jesus expelled evil spirits and demons out of humans who were tormented or insane.

Greatest of all, my Jesus forgives sin. He forgave a known thief on the cross, a woman taken in adultery. Many was the time that my Jesus healed and uttered the phrase, “Your sins are forgiven.” This is more amazing than the miracle He performed.

What was the effect on humans who saw these miracles? Were their lives changed in any way for having witnessed a miracle, even though that miracle was not performed directly on them?

What is the effect of Jesus’ miracles on us, on each of us as contemporary Christians who hear and seek to respond to his question, “Who do you say that I am?”

Some humans have a Jesus who does not perform miracles. Would Jesus still be Jesus the Christ if He had not performed any miracles? Do you still believe in miracles? Can your Jesus perform miracles today?

A miracle is not the momentary event; it is the miracle’s long range effect on humans. Jesus performed His miracles to say something to humans about the relationship between God and God’s people. He performed miracles out of His love and His empathy with those who suffered. Miracles were and are part of Jesus calling and ministry.

Luke 4:18-19
18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

“Lazarus, come out.”
John 11:43

These words originally rang out in a quiet cemetery, in the midst of a small group of humans in grief over the loss of a loved one. The words back then were directed towards a small cave, a cave from which a sealing stone had just been removed, a cave where the body of Lazarus had been placed four days earlier.

The words rang out from this Jesus, my Jesus, despite the warning from the dead man’s sister that the forces of decomposition would already be at work and that the stench from the cave would be overpowering.

The words rang out, and a figure of a man bound in grave clothes emerged from the depths of the dark cave. It was Lazarus the man who had been dead. He walked out of the tomb, fully alive. Then Jesus said, “Unbind him and let him go.”

Lazarus was not the only person Jesus raised from the dead. On at least two other occasions He had only touched those who were dead and fully restored their life.

“Lazarus, come out.”

Place your own name their and close your eyes as you hear my Jesus. Hear His strong voice ring out your name. My Jesus who overcame death, calls out your name. He calls out to you in that darkened cave that you have been placed. That cave that can not hold you. That obstacle in your life that has been holding you. Illness, poverty, demon possession, that seem all so permanent in some ways. All arenas that Jesus, Almighty God, is in control of.

Jesus performed amazing miracles. Now you hear His voice saying to your circumstances, “Unbind him, let him go. Unbind her, let her go.”

God of love and mercy sets you, the captive free. Praise Him. Lift up your hands and give praise to Him. Worship Him!

You have been restored…“Who do you say that I am?” asks my Jesus.

David