One of my experiences and observations from the Mission on the Street is that people have never been short of opinions about Jesus Christ. Just as it was in Jesus’ days, there were people who criticised and questioned His Person and His purpose in life. Beloved, the harvest is truly ripe and very plentiful, but many are yet to know the Person and purpose of Jesus, while some just ignore him, claiming that ‘they are what they are.’

The question Jesus asked his disciples was, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ (Matt 16:15) It is not about pride or arrogance. It was a question that pressed them to profess their true trust and faith, and to determine their eternal destiny. The disciples answered Jesus’ question  with a common view – that Jesus was one of the great prophets come back to life (Deut 18:18). Jesus’ question is revelatory as it exposes true belief and expresses true blessing, peace, joy, love, and hope. The question points to God’s Sovereignty and to people’s responsibility. Beyond human knowledge and without the enlightening and convicting power of the Spirit, no one can know the truth and be saved. Peter’s response provides a renewing reflection for us on this special day. Peter confessed that Jesus was divine and the promised, long-awaited Messiah. Beloved, if Jesus asked you this question, how would you answer? Is Jesus your Lord and Saviour? Jesus’ question is relevant to us today because He is still the topic of discussion throughout the world. One reason for church decline is that, like the disciples, many of us like to quote others and fall back on their opinions. The reality is that we must answer for ourselves, ‘so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God’ (Rom 14:12). Whom do you say Jesus is?

In our gospel reading for Christmas Day, called Prologue, we read about the preexistence of Christ, the divine Word, the eternal God in human flesh (Jn 1:1-14). Jesus Christ is the true and genuine light revealing God’s plan of salvation to us; hence, we are called to trust him as the Saviour and follow him as our Lord. Our knowledge and encounter with Jesus determine how we acknowledge him. The answer to Jesus’ question determines our eternal destiny, and this is not just about going to church or having faith in Jesus. For our faith not to be just an imaginary Jesus, we need to understand who Jesus is personally. Our answer to Jesus’ question, the great Christmas question, affects how we live and marry, how we rear our children, do our business, manage money, preach, lead the church, and socialise. John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29). However, some of the ‘I am’ Jesus’ statements also provide us with helpful reflection on how to answer the great Christmas question as a pointer to post-Easter Jesus. Jesus said: ‘I am the bread of life,’ the One who sustains and satisfies life; ‘I am the light of the world,’ the One who casts light upon all mysteries and solves them; ‘I am the good shepherd,’ our life guide; ‘’I am the Resurrection and the life,’ the power of life – the Resurrection power; ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,’ – Jesus is the ultimate reality; ‘I am the vine.. without me you can do nothing,’ – Jesus is the source of fruitfulness. In a world with a multiplicity of faiths that denies the Christian truth and claim of the uniqueness of Jesus, the Christmas question summons Christians and the Church as a Body of Christ to arise above pre-Easter Jesus by pointing people to the post-Easter Jesus, the Coming Son of the living God.

Dear friend, who do you say Jesus is?

Prayers: Let us pray that the Good News about Jesus be told and retold through us, that others who long for Jesus may meet him again, giving their hearts at his deepest level, to the post-Easter Jesus.