LUKE 9:20

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”

TO PONDER

At our weekly LifeWay Westside Men’s Bible Study on Saturday, I made the statement that “Christ” was not Jesus's (that is the correct possessive of a singular noun) surname.

I realise most of you reading this post would probably think something along the lines of “Obviously!” but you would be in the minority in today’s culture. And, chances are, even those who know “Christ” is not a surname don’t understand why Jesus was called that…

In today’s verse during a prayer meeting, Jesus asked his disciples who people thought he was with various replies. Jesus then turns the question back to the disciples, back to those who should have known him best, those who had travelled, eaten, shared temporary accommodation, talked and joked with for at least several months (I think probably years) asking them who they thought he was.

Peter responded, seemingly, with the correct answer of “Messiah” (Christ) but based on what happens as we continue reading Luke’s biography of Jesus, Peter was wrong while being right. 

Even though Peter and the other disciples grew up in a culture and age where “everybody” was talking of a messiah, they desperately needed a Messiah, a Christ, a Saviour, they hoped Jesus was it….    

The expected Messiah though (they thought) was going to be a revolutionary, a political leader, who would stand against the occupying force, leading a "YHWH" inspired uprising.

Peter’s conviction of the hoped for Messiah was wrong and came crashing down in the Garden of Gethsemane when the Messiah not only surrendered to the enemy but sternly halted his (Peter’s) attempt at following a deeply held conviction of the role of the Messiah via the sword. 

Peter’s identification of the Messiah was correct however his conviction was aimed towards his created, wrong messiah.

PRAYER: Almighty Saviour, I thank you for coming as the Messiah to restore your Kingdom to this fallen world, I repent for all the times my convictions have 

Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside