QUESTION TIME
Opening Prayer
Lord, open my eyes to Your true nature and glory.
Read Luke 9:18–27
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
19 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.”
20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”
Jesus Predicts His Death
21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
When did you first become aware of who Jesus truly is?There are two questions you should probably never ask: “What do people think of me?” followed by “What do you think of me?” In my experience the replies elicited will either be flattering or crushing, depending, of course, on who is asked. But these are questions that Jesus poses to his followers.
The setting here is important. Jesus’ strange request follows a shared time of prayer with his disciples, away from the crowds. In other words, Jesus isn’t fishing for compliments from an adoring public. Neither is he trying to gain validation from his friends. He wants to know whether they understand who it is they are following and why they are pursuing this lifestyle as followers. After a few general religious comments, Jesus presses for a personal response from them. And he gets one from Peter. With no prior warning, Peter says that Jesus is the anointed king, promised long ago and now sent by God. He is unique; there is none other like him. All of God’s power is now invested in this one life.
Apply
What do the people in your life say about Jesus? Who is he to you? A major religious figure or a person in whom all the hopes, longing and dreams of the world meet with a loving God?
Closing prayer
Lord, I pray for all those who do not yet have a saving faith in Jesus.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.