WHO IS JESUS TO YOU?

Many people acknowledge Jesus as a great prophet, teacher, good man, etc. Someone I talk to occasionally said to me one day that she thought Jesus was “cool.” This person acted like she had no problem whatsoever with Jesus, yet her life demonstrates otherwise.

Jesus asked his disciples one day, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Matthew 16:13. The responses ranged from, John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the Prophets to the right answer given by Peter which was… “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” Matthew 16:16.

I believe every one of the disciples, including Judas heard this response that day. From that point on, there was no excuse as to who Jesus was and is. However, it’s not enough just to know who Jesus is. There must come a time when we all must make a choice as to who Jesus is to us personally. Even Joshua, before leading the Israelites into the promised land said to the people, “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” Joshua 24:15. If we make that choice for Christ, Jesus will become more than a great teacher, prophet, cool guy, and becomes your Lord.

Earlier I referred to Judas, who we all know betrayed Jesus. People have often wondered how he could have done such a thing after spending three years with the Son of God who healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, etc.

Perhaps that last meal with Jesus revealed Judas’ true heart. Jesus told the disciples that one would betray him. “They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” But later, “Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”

Notice that the disciples referred to Jesus as “Lord,” Lord is Kyrios in the Greek meaning “He to whom a person or thing belongs; the possessor and disposer of a thing, one who has control of a person.”

Judas referred to Jesus as “Rabbi,” Rhabbi is the Greek word meaning “my great one, my honorable sir, a title used by the Jews to address their teachers…”

So you see, Judas never came to a place in his life where he saw Jesus as possessor of him. Judas still controlled his own life and John 13:27 says that satan entered Judas as he took the bread that day out of the hands of Jesus. Judas may have been a follower of Jesus, but never a lover!

There are “Judas’s” among us today. Judas is in the Church, bible study, in the choir and worship team. Jesus was aware all along that Judas would betray him, yet he gave him every opportunity to share in an intimate walk with him.

Jesus continues to extend that invitation to us all. He knows right now where your heart is. You may be fooling people around you, but you will never fool God. You may even believe you’re okay because you know about Jesus.

But, Jesus wants to be more to you than a cool guy. He desires to be more to you than a teacher or a prophet who did good things and said wise sayings. Jesus longs to be your Lord. He wants to be the possessor of your heart. He wants to give you life and be the love of your life and give you eternal life!

Think about it…. Who is Jesus to you? Lord or Rabbi?