When I was 14 years old, I was part of my first ever Everton Football Crowd in the UK. Sitting in Goodison Park watching my team alongside other Everton fans, we were excited and singing and shouting together. We seemed like one. During the game the referee Mike Riley made a bad decision and the Everton fans were not happy. We booed and shouted.
However, one Everton fan stood up and said: “Mike Riley I know where you live. I am going to burn down your house.”
I learnt in this moment that this fan was crazy so I moved away from him. I also learnt in that moment that not everyone in the crowd shared the exact same view or opinion.
What the crowds said about Jesus
During his ministry, Jesus was often around crowds of people. In Luke 9:18-19 Jesus asked the disciples what the crowds thought of him.
Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.”
Jesus had just been with a massive crowd. He had just fed 5000 people! They had just witnessed him do something spectacular and mind blowing.
The crowds who were following Jesus had many opinions on who he was and who they hoped him to be.
And the question arose in their minds “Who is this guy?”
Some thought he was John the Baptist. Not bad. Jesus’ cousin. Others thought he was Elijah returning to free God’s people while others said he was a prophet. Others thought he was a miracle man.
There was buzz and chat going about. People were excited about this Jesus but not exactly clear of who he exactly was.
Do you listen too much to the crowd?
It is easy to listen to the crowd and be convinced of something that you have never really looked at. But you can’t let the crowd dictate your views or decisions.
In High Schools I often hear young people talk about Jesus as a fictional character based on what they have just heard, instead of trying hard to find out the truth about Jesus.
This question of Jesus’ identity is a very important one. In fact, after the crowds had tried to figure out who Jesus was, He turned to his disciples and said, “But who do you say that I am?”
Jesus looks at his disciples and says now it’s your turn! What about you? What do you believe about me?"
He moves the question from who do they say I am them and moves the question to where the question should be. He moves the question to you and me. Who do you say I am?
Who do you say Jesus is?
This question has echoed loudly from that day to now and it still demands an answer. Peter answers Jesus and gets it right!
“And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.””
Jesus later declares what the Christ has done in Luke 24:45-47:
“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem”
The great thing about Jesus is he actually gives an answer to who he is and what he would do and it is far greater than we could have ever imagined.
Who do you say Jesus is? Do you follow the crowds for your answer, or are you willing to look deeper into the real Jesus?
