By K. Ray McDowell

 

Matthew 16:15 (NLT) Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

 

That question does not “define” Jesus…it “defines” us!

Around 1930, the Communist leader Bukharin journeyed from Moscow to Kiev. His mission was to address a huge assembly. His subject, atheism.

For a solid hour he aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity, hurling argument and ridicule. At last, he was finished and viewed what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of men’s faith.

“Are there any questions?” Bukharin demanded.

A solitary man arose and asked permission to speak. He mounted the platform and moved close to the Communist. The audience was breathlessly silent as the man surveyed them first to the right, then to the left.

At last he shouted the ancient Orthodox greeting, “CHRIST IS RISEN!”

The vast assembly arose as one man and the response came crashing like the sound of an avalanche, “HE IS RISEN INDEED!”

Peter gave the right answer to Jesus’ question though he didn’t fully understand what he was saying nor what it would cost him personally to say it. When we say, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (v. 16) Then we are saying that “we are His”! And if we are His then we will follow His teachings, we will live our lives in His service, and we will seek to fulfill His will in everything we do.

Yes, skeptics abound still today. For those who claim to be His let us live in word and deed so that we prove HE IS RISEN! For those who struggle to believe I say trust Him and come to know the divine peace and love you were created to enjoy! Because…HE IS RISEN INDEED!

K. Ray McDowell is the Lead Pastor of First Church of the Nazarene in Orange Texas. To learn more about OFCN go to www.ofcnazarene.org or our Facebook page.