Luke 9:18-22

Luke 9:18-22 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Deliverer of mankind. In him alone is salvation. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) People will sometimes hang their hope of salvation or right relationship with God on their actions and intrinsic goodness, but biblically redemption comes through Christ alone. In the above passage Jesus tells his disciple to tell no one He is The Christ of God, for as the Son of Man He must suffer, face rejection by the Jewish people, die a criminal's death, and then rise on the third day.

Jesus could not allow anything to short circuit his divine mission: his commission from God to fulfill the role of the Lamb of God, to seal a new covenant from God, making everything right between man and God. The blood of bulls and goats could never bridge this gap, but Jesus' sacrifice could, for He originated from God. Jesus, the Son of God, was the perfect, unblemished lamb, sacrificed to satisfy the wrath of God upon sin. Consequently, when we place our faith in Christ and his work on the cross, the Holy Spirit seals us forever as God's children, for we are found IN CHRIST. We died in him, we are resurrected in him, and now we are seen in the light of Jesus Christ, the perfect one.

Jesus said, tell no one who I really am. Don't convince anyone, for I have a mission to accomplish. His mission was not just to restore us to God; He also came to mend us, bringing us together as human beings. He came to reveal real life and real love to us. He came to reveal to us what a life of sacrifice and servanthood can do for humanity. Tattered lives, broken relationships, and difficult circumstances can all be healed by his presence. Jesus came to give us eternal life, but He also came to give us a meaningful life. He came to imprint on us his life, his dedication, his way of living. When we commit our lives wholeheartedly to him, He brings light out of darkness, life out of death. Jesus is the Lamb, the restorer, and the healer. He rescues the lost and hopeless. He raises the dead, making new creatures in the image of God. We are no longer just creatures of the earth; we are heavenly designed. We no longer have to fear God's wrath, for as his children we come boldly into the throne room of God and proclaim, ABBA, FATHER.

Jesus is The Christ of God. He alone made us sinless before the Father. He paid the price for our redemption, resurrecting us into a new life in him. We are now acceptable to the Almighty. There is no other key to heaven, no other door. The Bible says that anyone who tries to enter in any other way is just a thief and a robber, a deceiver for his own purposes. Therefore, beloved children, put your whole trust in Jesus Christ, THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.