The Question That Changes Everything: Who Do You Say Jesus Is?
Have you ever noticed how the language we use shapes our relationships? What we call people—the titles we give them—reveals volumes about how we view them. The way that you view them is often indicated by the words you use to describe them. Think about the difference between a girlfriend and a fiancé and a wife. There are three terms, there are three stages, and they each represent something completely different.
This principle becomes profoundly important when we consider how we address Jesus.
A Question Asked at the Gates of Hell
In Mark 8, we find Jesus taking his disciples on a 25-mile journey from their familiar territory of Galilee to a place called Caesarea Philippi. This wasn't a casual day trip. Caesarea Philippi was the ancient equivalent of Sin City—a place dedicated to the Greek God Pan, filled with pagan shrines and considered by locals to be the literal gateway to the underworld.
It was a city where people weren't just sinning, they were sinning and trying to get hell's attention while they were doing it, begging the God Pan to come back up through the opening and spend time with them.
It's here, standing in the shadow of what pagans believed was the entrance to hell, that Jesus asks his disciples the most important question: "Who do people say I am?" (Mark 8:27).
The disciples respond with what they've heard others say—some think he's John the Baptist, others Elijah, or one of the prophets. But then Jesus makes it personal: "But who do you say I am?" (Mark 8:29).
Peter's Bold Declaration
Peter doesn't hesitate. He declares, "You are the Messiah" (Mark 8:29). This wasn't just a religious label—it was a dangerous political statement that could cost him everything.
In calling Jesus the Messiah, Peter is calling on the kind of power that it takes to make the world right... He chose the most politically dangerous, personally costly way to articulate what he felt about Jesus.
Peter could have played it safe. He could have called Jesus a teacher or a prophet. Instead, he chose to acknowledge Jesus as Lord, as the one who would change everything.
How We Approach Jesus Today
The same question echoes to us today, and our answer reveals much about how we view our relationship with Jesus. Unfortunately, many of us approach Jesus in limited ways:
Jesus as a Cosmic Vending Machine
For many, we approach Jesus like a cosmic vending machine. We hope that he's going to be able to just give us whatever it is that we need next. We need peace. Jesus, give me peace now. We need healing. Jesus, give me healing now.
When Jesus doesn't deliver what we want when we want it, we become confused or angry.
Jesus as a Religious Checkbox
Practically speaking, Jesus is just some sort of a ticket to punch to hopefully get you to heaven someday. But remember, Jesus is not just about heaven. Jesus is also about the way that we live in the here and now.
Jesus as a Political Mascot
We believe that Jesus always agrees with our party affiliation. He always endorses our candidates, and we always see eye to eye on all the social issues... This Jesus looks suspiciously like us and conveniently agrees with us in everything that we believed, maybe even things that we believed before we met him.
What It Means When Jesus Is Lord
When we truly acknowledge Jesus as Lord—as Peter did—two profound things happen:
1. Jesus gets the final word. When Jesus is Lord, his values and teachings become your ultimate reference point. It's the rubric by which you evaluate everything that happens in your life.
This means asking "What would Jesus do?" and actually doing it—even when it's difficult or costly.
2. Jesus becomes the hero of the story. When Jesus is Lord, you finally get to let go of the excruciating burden of trying to be perfect or to be someone who is impressive or to be in control of everything... It allows you to take off your cape and allow Jesus to do what Jesus does, because that role was never yours to begin with.
Life Application: Answering the Question
The question Jesus asked isn't just about giving the right theological answer—it's about how that answer transforms your life. Here are some practical steps to consider:
Examine your approach: Do you see Jesus as a vending machine, checkbox, mascot, or Lord?
Consider your decisions: Are you giving Jesus the final word in your choices, relationships, and priorities?
Release control: Where are you trying to be the hero instead of letting Jesus take that role?
Count the cost: Following Jesus as Lord may cost you something, but what you receive is far greater in return. Because what you receive is the love and life of a God who loves you, who will never leave you, who will never give up on you, who will never forsake you.
Who do you say Jesus is? And the way you answer and the way you live it will change everything about your life.
