Who DO YOU say that I am?
Who Do You Say Jesus Is? Understanding the Power of Your Words
In Matthew 16, Jesus asks His disciples a profound question: "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" This question remains relevant today. In our culture of disagreement and social media battles, Jesus is still asking each of us, "Who do you say I am?"
When Jesus asked Peter this question, He wasn't just making conversation. He was getting to the source of Peter's actions and beliefs. Your answer to this question reveals your framework of thinking and the truth upon which you build your life.
Where Does Your Understanding of Jesus Come From?
Many of us base our understanding of Jesus on what others have told us:
But Jesus wants to know what YOU believe about Him. When Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God," Jesus responded that this truth had not been revealed to Peter by "flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven."
When truth is revealed to you by God through Scripture, it doesn't matter what others think or how the cultural climate changes. You know Jesus is real, regardless of who agrees with you.
The Power of Words: Life and Death in Your Speech
Our statements matter because words carry tremendous power.
Proverbs 18 tells us "the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."
Imagine your family sitting around a table, ingesting and digesting the words you speak over them. Are they consuming life-giving words or harmful ones? The words you speak are what they ingest, digest, and ultimately reproduce.
Gracious words are described in Proverbs 16 as "a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Your words can bring healing to people's lives.
How Your Words Reveal Your Heart
Jesus pointed out to Peter that his thinking was wrong when Peter rebuked Him for talking about His coming suffering and death. Jesus said, "You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
Luke 6:45 reminds us that "the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." If you want to know what's in your heart, evaluate what comes out of your mouth. Many people say, "That's just who I am" when they speak harshly, but that's precisely the point - your words reveal who you truly are.
Psalm 141:3 offers a solution: "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips."
Don't just change your speech depending on who you're around. Instead, ask God to help you guard your words consistently.
Why Do Christians Get Angry So Easily?
Anger is a secondary emotion that requires a primary trigger. Between that trigger and your angry response lies a gap called choice. No one can make you angry - you choose it. This means you can also choose differently.
Ecclesiastes 7 warns us not to be "quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools." James 1 adds that "human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."
While anger is easy and often our default setting, love is difficult but miraculous. When we choose love instead of anger, we create space for God to work miracles in difficult situations.
Building Up Communities Through Our Words
Ephesians 4:29 instructs us: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Our words don't just affect individuals - they build up or tear down entire communities. This applies to our churches, workplaces, families, and neighborhoods. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 encourages us to "encourage one another and build each other up."
Sins of Omission: What We're Not Doing
While we often focus on sins of commission (doing wrong things), we must also consider sins of omission - failing to do what is right when we know we should. James 4:17 says, "If anyone knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them."
There's a charge being set forward to the church in America today. We know what we should be doing. We know there are gaps that need to be filled. What are we going to do about it?
Romans 13:11-12 reminds us: "The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to use your words differently:
Questions to Consider:
Remember what Mother Teresa said: "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." Your words matter more than you know. Choose to speak life.
In Matthew 16, Jesus asks His disciples a profound question: "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" This question remains relevant today. In our culture of disagreement and social media battles, Jesus is still asking each of us, "Who do you say I am?"
When Jesus asked Peter this question, He wasn't just making conversation. He was getting to the source of Peter's actions and beliefs. Your answer to this question reveals your framework of thinking and the truth upon which you build your life.
Where Does Your Understanding of Jesus Come From?
Many of us base our understanding of Jesus on what others have told us:
- A pastor's theology
- A TV preacher's message
- Lyrics from worship songs
But Jesus wants to know what YOU believe about Him. When Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God," Jesus responded that this truth had not been revealed to Peter by "flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven."
When truth is revealed to you by God through Scripture, it doesn't matter what others think or how the cultural climate changes. You know Jesus is real, regardless of who agrees with you.
The Power of Words: Life and Death in Your Speech
Our statements matter because words carry tremendous power.
Proverbs 18 tells us "the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."
Imagine your family sitting around a table, ingesting and digesting the words you speak over them. Are they consuming life-giving words or harmful ones? The words you speak are what they ingest, digest, and ultimately reproduce.
Gracious words are described in Proverbs 16 as "a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Your words can bring healing to people's lives.
How Your Words Reveal Your Heart
Jesus pointed out to Peter that his thinking was wrong when Peter rebuked Him for talking about His coming suffering and death. Jesus said, "You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
Luke 6:45 reminds us that "the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." If you want to know what's in your heart, evaluate what comes out of your mouth. Many people say, "That's just who I am" when they speak harshly, but that's precisely the point - your words reveal who you truly are.
Psalm 141:3 offers a solution: "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips."
Don't just change your speech depending on who you're around. Instead, ask God to help you guard your words consistently.
Why Do Christians Get Angry So Easily?
Anger is a secondary emotion that requires a primary trigger. Between that trigger and your angry response lies a gap called choice. No one can make you angry - you choose it. This means you can also choose differently.
Ecclesiastes 7 warns us not to be "quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools." James 1 adds that "human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."
While anger is easy and often our default setting, love is difficult but miraculous. When we choose love instead of anger, we create space for God to work miracles in difficult situations.
Building Up Communities Through Our Words
Ephesians 4:29 instructs us: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Our words don't just affect individuals - they build up or tear down entire communities. This applies to our churches, workplaces, families, and neighborhoods. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 encourages us to "encourage one another and build each other up."
Sins of Omission: What We're Not Doing
While we often focus on sins of commission (doing wrong things), we must also consider sins of omission - failing to do what is right when we know we should. James 4:17 says, "If anyone knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them."
There's a charge being set forward to the church in America today. We know what we should be doing. We know there are gaps that need to be filled. What are we going to do about it?
Romans 13:11-12 reminds us: "The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to use your words differently:
- Go positive on social media - No negative reactions, only positive posts.
- Eat dinner together and tell jokes - Even dad jokes! Be intentional about creating laughter.
- Practice gratitude in prayer - When you pray, talk about what you're thankful for.
- Do a compliment challenge - Create a system where you write down compliments or put money in a jar for each compliment given.
- Encourage five people each day - Speak life to them intentionally.
Questions to Consider:
- What does my speech reveal about what's in my heart?
- Am I quick to anger, or do I choose love in difficult moments?
- How are my words building up or tearing down the communities I'm part of?
- What good things am I failing to do that I know I should be doing?
- Who needs to hear words of life from me this week?
Remember what Mother Teresa said: "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." Your words matter more than you know. Choose to speak life.
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