Who Do You Say I Am? Moving Beyond Opinions into Personal Conviction

The Importance of Personal Conviction

This episode is different. I'm not going to talk to you about what the church or counseling industry or my journey or culture would say about Christianity or relationship with God. I haven't talked much about what you believe about the man Christ Jesus. I will today.

And after, think about your years of growth, failure, experience, scripture study, reflection. I'm curious about what type of conclusion or conviction you, my friend, have about the man, the messiah, Christ Jesus.

There's a story in a conversation about a follower's conviction about Christ based on his experience with Christ that we're going to dive into today. I think it's going to be really good. His experience was really challenged. His convictions were challenged about who he thought Christ was.

I want to challenge yours today. So as I said, this episode will be different. With some of you, it will resonate deeply. With others of you, it won't.

Hey, both outcomes are okay. Because my goal isn't to attract everybody. It's to find the people who are genuinely aligned with the work and conviction that I have as I do this podcast.

I want to welcome you to the biblical film room where we examine our lives through the lens of scripture so that we might heal emotionally, connect relationally, and grow spiritually. I'm Michael Jerome. Thanks for joining me.

The Noise of Public Opinion

It all started with a conversation. Most change do. A conversation that Jesus had with his disciples. And a conversation that I would like to have with you today.

I hope that it will be a conversation that leads to other conversations that you have with friends and family that will impact not only what you believe, but who you believe and why you believe it. And so we're going to look at this conversation in the book of Matthew, chapter 16.

If you're at a place where you could sit and look at the verse, I would love for you to look at it with me. In Matthew 16 and verse 13, there's a conversation that's going on with Jesus and his disciples.

Jesus was kind of curious about something. And so I think it's a conversation that it was really great to have at this time in the ministry. It says, when Jesus came to the regent of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, who do people say the Son of Man is?

They replied, some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But what about you? He asked, who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Wow. Think about that. Jesus was curious, because there's all these ideas going around about who he is. They replied, you know, some people say you're this or this or that, and other people say you're this or that.

I think there's a lot of misconceptions about who Jesus is. And there are a lot of people with a lot of opinions, right? A lot of opinions about who he is.

I think Jesus was testing them. He was curious about what others thought. I don't think he was too concerned about that. And like I said, there's a lot of things, there's a lot of opinions about Jesus and about God, the Bible, religion. Aren't there?

A lot. And those opinions can influence us, can influence faith. Many of these opinions are inaccurate or incomplete. They're not really founded on truth.

A Direct Question for Your Life

He's engaging with these guys, and they're giving them all these different individuals. Some say John the Baptist, others say Jeremiah. It makes me think there's so many religious leaders and gurus and teachers.

We can get interaction with those individuals confused with who the Bible says Jesus is. Especially when we have wounds and hurts around religion and we have misunderstandings of the Bible, and then there's these arguments about interpretation and all these kinds of things.

Trying to understand who Jesus is can be really muddied. And like I said, there's so many individuals that have so many opinions about who he is. And that's why I think it was a great conversation for Jesus to have.

Who do people say that I am? And so one conversation, friend, I would love to have with you is who do people in your circle, maybe who you work with or exercise with, who do they say the Son of Man is?

Are you careful with making sure that their views don't impact how you see him? And Peter, of course, Jesus hears all the different options that they throw out. And he says, But what about you?

Who do you say I am? What about you? And I would ask you with all your challenges, experiences, failures in life, who do you say the Son of Man is? What do you say about him?

Again, that's something real to wrestle with because our life experiences can lie to us about who Jesus is. I hope that makes sense. I think it was important for these guys because they were spending time with him to really understand who he was.

They were having the conversation with him. He was having a conversation. And you know what? Peter got it right.

I think you have to sit down and really examine this to make sure that you get it right. And that's something I had to do. I had to sit down and really examine this to make sure I get it right.

Life circumstances, people, politics, church tradition, all those things can influence how you see Jesus. And it may or may not be accurate. And so Peter got it right. What about you? In your life, are you getting it right?

The Power of Being With Him

Peter lived in a culture that wasn't sure. And so do we. Again, as I talked about, we live in a culture they don't even know really who Jesus is.

They don't understand the impact that he's had. They kind of have an idea, but not really. I think that because Peter and the other guys walked with Jesus, they were pretty sure, at least Peter was.

Now what made him so sure? He's like, you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. What do you think made him so sure?

Again, I think it was this interaction with Jesus. He saw how Jesus lived because he was with him. He was impacted by the teaching, by the serving that Jesus did, the way he gave the others, the way he met people's needs.

He saw the way he was compassionate towards the poor and the sick and those that were less fortunate. All those interactions that he witnessed with his own eyes, they were able to impact how he saw Jesus and he was able to see Jesus rightly.

That's what I'm talking about today, really being able to see Jesus rightly. And that's why in the biblical film room, we are examining our lives through the lens of scripture so that we can heal and connect and grow in ways that glorify God.

Above all else, I would say what made Peter sure is that not only because he interacted with Jesus, but it was revealed to him who Jesus was. It was revealed to him. Look at verse 17.

Jesus replied, Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah. For this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. It was revealed to him by his father in heaven.

Not because he was just hanging out at church or doing the thing that was that most people who follow the word of God and do religious activities do. Nothing wrong with that, but he had this kind of relationship where it was revealed to him by God.

It was something that man just could not reveal to him. I love that Jesus noticed that. He says, it was revealed to you by God.

I think it's because God reveals things to us when we spend time with the Son, with Jesus, when we spend intentional time with him, when we are focused on really growing in him. And I believe these disciples, that's what they were doing. They weren't just hanging out.

Now, what you think and know about Jesus, your view of him, is the most important thing about you. And so I think here's something important to note about yourself. The time you spend with Jesus will reveal what you really believe, not only what you say you believe.

There were times in my life when my time with Jesus was shallow, very shallow. And it revealed what I really believe, not what I say I believe. Times when prayer, Bible study, worship, singing, just going through the motions, kind of reveals what you really believe.

Spending time with Jesus actually helps you go deeper. And I think it helped Peter go deeper. You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Influence, Authority, and Driving Out Demons

Let me show you a snapshot of the likely reason for the depth of his knowing who the Son of Man is. Because there was a depth to that that a lot of people around them were missing. I want to look at Mark chapter 3.

It's a great passage with Jesus again and his disciples spending time together. It starts out with Jesus being on a mountainside praying to God because he's about to make a very important decision. He's about to decide the twelve who would be his inner circle.

These were the individuals that would spend the most time with him, the individuals that he would use to build his kingdom, his influence on the world. Mark chapter 3 and verse 13 says Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.

He appointed twelve, designating them apostles, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. So Jesus is intentional about bringing people to him to spend time with him.

It says that they might be with him first, because being with Jesus brings about transformation. And I will tell you, some of you have trouble being with Jesus. If we're being honest.

You have trouble with being with Jesus. Distractions, not knowing what that looks like. But that's an important conversation to have.

I hope that you feel a safe space here and not judgment. Because, man, if you've been listening to my podcast, guys, you know my story. You know where I've been and where I'm going.

I have not arrived. I'm on the move, but I haven't arrived. I hadn't got there yet.

It's like in football, you carry the ball and the goal really is not so much a touchdown, but you want to make a first down. One first down leads to another first down. You just want to move the sticks, right?

You want to move the chains. That's what we're talking about in this conversation. What does moving the chains look like?

You're trying to not necessarily get a home run every time you come to the plate, but you just want to move the runners from first base to second base to third base. We're talking about being on the move.

Distractions keep us from being on the move. If that's you, identify the distractions that keep you from being on the move and being with Jesus, like it says here in Mark chapter 3.

He called them, appointed them, that they might be with him. Sometimes it's important to know what that looks like. I've talked about that in previous episodes.

Sometimes spiritual activity doesn't equate spiritual maturity, and people don't know what that looks like. And so I think Mark 3 shows us what that looks like. When we're with him, it says, why?

That he might send them out to preach. Send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. Think about those two things.

Influence and power. The influence to be able to influence people, when he said send out to preach, maybe that's not being in the pulpit as a preacher, but to share your life in the gospel with influence because you've been with Jesus.

To share your life, to demonstrate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness because you've been with Jesus. That's influence. That's in a sense preaching, sharing the gospel.

It says that they might drive out demons, have authority to drive out demons. I like that. The power to drive out demons.

If we can connect that to your context today, that would look like the power to maybe change and transform the demons that are in your own life. How about that?

What are the demons that are in your own life that need to be driven out? Once we're able to do that through spending time with Jesus, we have the power to change the lives of other people.

The people that you love and care about, the people that you see at the gym or in your workplace. Maybe you don't love them, but maybe you'll grow to love them. But again, the power to change your life and the lives of other people because you've been with Jesus.

A Faith That Others Notice

This passage talks about how Jesus was very intentional about this. And we need to be intentional about spending time with him. I would say another benefit of spending time with Jesus is that people notice when you have been with Jesus.

They notice. They may not agree with your position on Jesus, but they notice. And we see this in the life of this dude, Peter, again.

This dude was asked, What about you? Who do you say the Son of Man is? And he says, Man, you are the Christ. You are that dude. You are the goat, the true greatest of all time.

In Acts chapter 4, verse 12, he and John encounter the religious leaders who weren't too happy about the impact that they were having. Peter says salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Since he knows this Jesus, because he spent time with him, intentional time, purposeful time with him, he's preaching in the name of Jesus.

These leaders, when they saw the courage, the fearlessness of these guys, they took note. They realized these guys, even though they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished.

They didn't have these Bible degrees and they didn't go to seminary school. And by the way, hey, you don't need to go to seminary school, have a Bible degree certificate for people to take note that you've been with Jesus.

They were unschooled, they were ordinary, but it says these guys were astonished. They took note. Astonished and took note.

I've said that several times because I want you to take note. I want you to be aware. These leaders, they were placed on notice.

Peter and John were like, hey, we got receipts. We have receipts. We've been spending time with Jesus, and we want you to know that salvation is found in no one else.

We've been hanging with the Messiah, and he has commissioned us and he has empowered us and he has given us authority to preach the word boldly for our lives to have an impact. And it was noticeable.

Let me ask you, friend, how would you like to have an impact that your family notices? Your spouse, your kids, the people in your workplace, your household if you have roommates, your campus.

Building on a Solid Foundation

This confession of Peter's faith, it says this belief of who Jesus was was revealed to him by God, not by pastors or religious gurus. It wasn't. Because there are certain things that God will reveal that he only reveals through us spending time with him.

We get it by the time that we spend with God. Think of it that way. God only reveals certain things by the purpose of time that we spend with Him.

Man, that's mind-blowing. I love that. Here's a second thing that for me at least, that's pretty mind-blowing about this. Is that the confession was the foundation upon which the church was built.

Did you know that? Look, I'm going to look back at Matthew 16 again, and he says in verse 18, And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I would build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

He said, Upon this rock, what rock? The confession that he made that you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Now, this can be a stumbling block.

We can have a conversation because as we look at the church today, we don't see this rock, we don't see this strong foundation. We see a lot of broken men, like you and I, broken men and women.

There's a lot of stuff with church. But again, I want to bring you back to who do you say the Son of Man is? Because it says the gates of Hades, because of this confession, will not prevail against it.

Even with all the faults of the church, the church's still around and it's not going anywhere because we make up the church, and a church is only as strong as the weakest link in it. And so you can be a part of a fellowship and really be instrumental in strengthening it by you also having this intentional time that you spend with Jesus.

This kind of faith, this kind of belief, my friend, changes lives. Changes lives, changes destinies. And in the biblical film room, man, I want to inspire this kind of faith that can have a similar impact that we read about in scripture.

Film Room Takeaways

I hope, my friend, I hope this episode was different. I hope it resonated with you and challenged you. It may not have, and that's okay too.

My podcast is meant to reach and inspire people who are willing to more closely examine their lives through the lens of scripture so that they might heal emotionally, connect relationally, and grow spiritually to their benefit, to the benefit of others, and to God's glory.

Hey, if you're sitting there driving or working out, and this episode spoke to you, and you feel like there may be something holding you back from living out this walk that we've just discussed, I want to invite you to book a complimentary 30-minute discovery call with me. We can discuss where you are in your journey, what's keeping you stuck, and whether biblical counseling is the right next step for you.

There's no pressure or obligation, just a graceful space for you to unpack your pain points. You'll find the [scheduling link here].

Got a few film room takeaways for ya:

1. Everyone has opinions about Jesus and experiences with religion and Christianity, but the convictions and experiences you have with Jesus matters the most.
2. The way you view Jesus through spending intentional time with him determines the impact you'll have for him on the lives of those you care about the most.
3. What God gives you, like he gave Peter, isn't just for you. It's something you can steward and give away to others.

So I want to wrap up this episode with this question. What about you? Who do you say the son of man is?

Not what your spouse or your pastor or your friends would say. But what about you? And if you have trouble answering that question, that's okay.

Keep listening to the broadcast, to this podcast. In fact, be sure to tune in next week because I'm going to break down two core beliefs that I have that have shaped why I strive to be with Jesus and walk with him as close as I possibly can and why I continue to do this podcast.

It takes time. So hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss an episode. Please share the podcast with a friend or family member who you think might benefit from listening.

Thanks again for joining me. Now, hey, go be a world changer, but not a stranger. I'll see you next time in the biblical film room where God's word becomes the replay that changes your life.

Godspeed. Adios.