Daily Devotional
Who Is Jesus To You?
“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’”
Matthew 16:15-17
January 21, 2023
Ponder This
The first trial of the Lord Jesus was a mockery of justice. I’m going to put Jesus on trial again today. And I’m going to ask you to decide on a pertinent, personal, present, and pressing decision. I’m going to ask you to answer the question, “What do you think of Christ?” You’re the jury. Look at the Word and see the strong testimony about who Jesus is. Look at Simon Peter, a fisherman who said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Consider Martha, who hosted Jesus many times and observed Him in all sorts of situations. Martha said, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God” (John 11:27).
What about the testimony of Jesus’ enemies? Why did the Pharisees want Jesus crucified? Because, they said, “This Man receives sinners” (Luke 15:2). Aren’t you glad He did? What about the centurion? He helped drive those scalding nails into Jesus’ quivering palms. He watched Him die and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54).
In a very real sense, Pilate represents every man, woman, boy, and girl on the face of the Earth. We are each faced with the same question: What will I do with Jesus? As Jesus was before Pilate, Jesus is before you today. What will you do?
- How has your decision to follow Jesus changed the way you live?
- What kind of testimonies have you heard about Jesus from others?
Practice This
Write down a testimony about who you have seen Jesus to be.
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.’”
