“You are the Christ.” Matthew 16:16
Faith is a believing response to Jesus in which we confess two things: 1) who He is in relation to God, and 2) who He is in relation to us. Let’s look today at who Jesus is in relation to us.
Peter called Jesus the Christ, and the name means “Messiah” or “Anointed One.” But this raises the question: anointed for what purpose?
Throughout the Bible story, God is engaged in three activities. First, He reveals Himself, so that we may know Him. Second, He reconciles us to Himself, so that we can come to Him. Finally, He rules the world, so that His plans will be fulfilled and His people will be blessed.
In the Old Testament, three kinds of people were anointed. The prophets spoke the Word of God, and they were anointed for God’s work of revealing. The priests offered the sacrifices, and they were anointed for God’s work of reconciling. The kings guarded and led God’s people, and they were anointed for God’s work of ruling. Prophets, priests, and kings were anointed to carry out on earth what God was doing in heaven.
Each one, in their own way, pointed to the Anointed One—who would accomplish these three things: make God fully known, reconcile us to God, and bring in God’s kingdom by delivering His people from their enemies and by bringing them into the joys of life under His rule.
When Peter said, “You are the Christ,” he was saying, “You are the One in whom all that God is doing is fulfilled.” Jesus is the Christ because He came to fulfill God’s work of revealing, reconciling, and ruling.
Do you confess today that Jesus is the Christ? 1) Are you learning from Jesus as your teacher (who reveals God to you)? 2) Are you trusting in Jesus as your savior (who reconciles you to God)? 3) Are you serving Jesus as your master (who rules over your life)?
