Our paragraph topic is: (Peter's confession) Part 1.
They crossed the sea and left the boat, Jesus and his disciples. They arrived in Caesarea Philippi where Christ was about to begin another part of his journey here on earth, on this rock. His time was approaching, his work was coming to an end, and the sacrifice was being prepared. His disciples were with him at all times and they were being prepared for the coming war with evil. Christ was to leave this earth, this rock, and his disciples were to remain to continue his work. They did not know. They believed that Christ would remain with them to fight the upcoming battles. They believed that he would take over the rule of the Pharisees and the Sadducees and replace it with his rule. Yet Christ was a gentle man. Christ was a man filled with love. Christ was not a man of violence, yet he was the Son of Justice. He was the Son of God.
But the time had not yet come and the disciples must be prepared for the coming of the battle. The plans must be put into place. The strategy must be studied and enacted. And the war must be proclaimed. So Christ began by questioning his disciples. He wanted to know what they were hearing. He wanted to know what they were understanding. He wanted to see what they were seeing so that he could make corrections. So he asked them. Now Jesus, having come into the district of Caesarea Philippi, began to ask his disciples, saying, "Who do men say the Son of Man is?"
You can ask the same question today and get a variety of answers depending upon who you talk to and what people believe. Today, nearly 2000 years later, there is not one religion. Today there is not one God. Today there are many religions and many gods that people believe in. We have become a culture of many. We have become a culture, throughout the world, of freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Even though in some parts of the world freedom is not free, but people are still individuals and can do and believe who and what they want. Christ did not come to enforce one religion, one belief upon the people of the world. He came that we might have the freedom to choose. He came that we might have life and not death. For before his gift to mankind we were dead, without life, without choice. And now we have the choice of life and not death alone.
Who do men say I am? Who do men say that the Son of Man is? The knowledge is there for the knowing. The truth is there for those who seek truth. The life is there for those who want life and not death. It is up to the individual to seek. It is up to the individual to find. It is up to the individual to know. For those who seek can know for certain. Those who find will find without doubt. Those who desire will have their hearts filled. For there is a living God. There is a living truth. There is a living certainty that can be gained for those who desire to know. It is at your fingertips. It is in your face. It is on the tip of your tongue if you would only say it. God's will be done. Will your will be done in this life and in the next? Follow the path. Read the truth. Know with certainty that you are a child of God. His arms are open wide waiting for you to come home.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in!
They crossed the sea and left the boat, Jesus and his disciples. They arrived in Caesarea Philippi where Christ was about to begin another part of his journey here on earth, on this rock. His time was approaching, his work was coming to an end, and the sacrifice was being prepared. His disciples were with him at all times and they were being prepared for the coming war with evil. Christ was to leave this earth, this rock, and his disciples were to remain to continue his work. They did not know. They believed that Christ would remain with them to fight the upcoming battles. They believed that he would take over the rule of the Pharisees and the Sadducees and replace it with his rule. Yet Christ was a gentle man. Christ was a man filled with love. Christ was not a man of violence, yet he was the Son of Justice. He was the Son of God.
But the time had not yet come and the disciples must be prepared for the coming of the battle. The plans must be put into place. The strategy must be studied and enacted. And the war must be proclaimed. So Christ began by questioning his disciples. He wanted to know what they were hearing. He wanted to know what they were understanding. He wanted to see what they were seeing so that he could make corrections. So he asked them. Now Jesus, having come into the district of Caesarea Philippi, began to ask his disciples, saying, "Who do men say the Son of Man is?"
You can ask the same question today and get a variety of answers depending upon who you talk to and what people believe. Today, nearly 2000 years later, there is not one religion. Today there is not one God. Today there are many religions and many gods that people believe in. We have become a culture of many. We have become a culture, throughout the world, of freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Even though in some parts of the world freedom is not free, but people are still individuals and can do and believe who and what they want. Christ did not come to enforce one religion, one belief upon the people of the world. He came that we might have the freedom to choose. He came that we might have life and not death. For before his gift to mankind we were dead, without life, without choice. And now we have the choice of life and not death alone.
Who do men say I am? Who do men say that the Son of Man is? The knowledge is there for the knowing. The truth is there for those who seek truth. The life is there for those who want life and not death. It is up to the individual to seek. It is up to the individual to find. It is up to the individual to know. For those who seek can know for certain. Those who find will find without doubt. Those who desire will have their hearts filled. For there is a living God. There is a living truth. There is a living certainty that can be gained for those who desire to know. It is at your fingertips. It is in your face. It is on the tip of your tongue if you would only say it. God's will be done. Will your will be done in this life and in the next? Follow the path. Read the truth. Know with certainty that you are a child of God. His arms are open wide waiting for you to come home.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in!
