It’s Important You Answer This Correctly
We are now in the season of Lent, which began on Ash Wednesday, February 18. Lent continues for forty days, not counting Sundays, symbolizing the time Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness, facing temptation and preparing for His ministry. This season is a time for spiritual preparation, repentance, reflection, and recognizing our need for salvation.
Lent helps Christians prepare their hearts and minds for the celebration of Jesus’ death and resurrection at Easter. It emphasizes prayer and fasting as ways to connect with what Jesus accomplished. Prayer and reading Scripture deepens our relationship with God, leads to inner conversion and strengthening of our faith.
Lent is a journey that gives a perspective very different from the ways of the world.
This journey starts in Caesarea Philippi, also known as Pan. “Pan” means “many,” as in many gods. The area was filled with people congregating around one shrine or another, following various leaders and teachers. It was like a national park for religious cults.
Pan was also home to an ancient shrine known as the Gates of Hades. I don’t know about you, but Pan sounds a lot like the world we live in today.
As Jesus and His disciples came into this chaotic region, He asked, “Who do people say that I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others say, Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Matthew 16:13-14).
Even today, people give a variety of answers to this question. Some think Jesus is just a story. Others see Him as merely a good person or spiritual leader like Buddha. Some treat Him as a “get out of jail free card,” believing they can live however they want because their debt is already paid.
Then Jesus asked them a personal question: “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” It was Simon Peter who answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15-16).
This brings us to the question: Who do you say that He is?
We can choose to believe whatever we want. We can believe He is made up, just a good person, a spiritual leader, or a “get out of jail free card”.
But if Peter was right—and Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of the living God— our answer has eternal consequences.
I don’t know about you, but looking at the options, if I believe Jesus is the Son of God and I’m wrong, it’s no big deal. But if He truly is the Son of God and I choose not to believe, that is a very big deal.