“27 Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ 28 They told Him, saying, ‘John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.’ 29 And He continued by questioning them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered and said to Him, ‘You are the Christ. 30 And He warned them to tell no one about Him’” Mark 8:27-30.
The response of Peter to Jesus that “You are the Christ” is a title, a description of Jesus that we need to look at deeper. You see, I don’t think “Jesus” and “the Christ” are the same. I think there is a movement between the two, from “Jesus” to “the Christ” that I must strive for in my life — and you should too. Like so many others I am in love with Jesus, the historical Jesus, and I worship Him and think about Him and try — with His grace — to imitate Him. But in Peter’s graced revelation in today’s text I feel called by “the Christ” to follow in the footsteps of Peter and take still yet another deeper step in my walk with “the Christ.” Let me put it this way. Is it not clear that when Jesus suffered and died on the Cross, laying in the tomb for three (3) days — that it was “the Christ” who rose from the dead? Jesus died and Christ rose.
It seems to me that God is calling all of us to make the same journey, to take the same movement, as Jesus did — from His one single life to His risen, transformed state. John recorded this transformed state when Jesus said: “24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” John 12:24. The transformation, the journey, from Jesus to “the Christ”, is something God wants us to be a part of as well. Isn’t this what Jesus meant when He called us all to “Follow Me?” The Jesus you and I follow and love, and whose life we participate in and are graced and redeemed by, is the Risen Jesus Who Has Become the Christ! Do you remember what Peter said at Pentecost when He and the other disciples were imbued and drenched in the Holy Spirit: “36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified”Acts 2:36. We are called to die and rise again as a new creation!
If you and I can stay with this starting revelation, this amazing grace, this truth, it will rearrange our minds and hearts and change the way we read the entire Bible, especially the New Testament. The Apostle Paul understood this truth to an amazing degree, in that he almost always speaks about Christ, rarely quoting Jesus. For sure, the transformation of Jesus to “the Christ” is remarkably revealing and shocking, is it not? Is this not what the resurrected Jesus meant when He commanded Mary at the empty tomb: “Stop clinging to Me” John 20:17? Cling instead to “the Christ”! Indeed, this is all of our life journey to do!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” 1 Peter 1:3.
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” Romans 8:11.
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” Romans 6:4.
“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” Romans 8:34.
“Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is”
1 John 3:2.
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