Daily Devotional
Who Do You Say Jesus Is?
“So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.’”
John 4:46-48
December 5, 2022
Ponder This
When this nobleman heard Jesus was coming out of Judea into Galilee, he went up to Him. At that point in time, he had just heard about Jesus. That in itself is a wonderful thing. Everybody should hear about Jesus. But when it came down to it, all he had was hearsay. He had only listened to other people talk about miracles Jesus had performed.
But secondhand faith is not saving faith. You can’t go to Heaven on your mother’s faith. You can’t go to Heaven on your pastor’s faith, your neighbor’s faith, or anybody else’s faith. You can hear about Jesus and what Jesus has done for others, but that is not strong faith, that is secondhand faith. In Matthew 16:13-15, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” They responded, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” But then Jesus asked the pertinent question, “But who do you say that I am?”
This question is for you today. Do you know about Jesus, or do you know Him? Is your faith firsthand or secondhand?
- Do you remember having a “secondhand” faith? What was that like? If you know Jesus, how did secondhand faith differ from the firsthand faith you have now?
- If you need firsthand faith, will you invest in a personal relationship with Jesus today?
Practice This
Write down your answer to Jesus’ question: “But who do you say that I am?”
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
