October 25, 2022 — Who is This?

“I’ve been making my way through Mark’s gospel again,” Stan commented one morning while we waited for Ricky to bring us our breakfast.

“You see anything interesting?” I asked.

“Always,” Stan replied, “if I have my eyes and ears open to see and to hear what God has for me. Too often that’s a big ‘if’.”

“The other day, when I was at the end of the fourth chapter of Mark,” he continued, “a question jumped off the paged, a question that was and is crucial for me. And, it seems to me, it should be a question that’s crucial for each one of us, but often doesn’t get asked.”

“What question?”

“A little background,” Stan replied. “Jesus had been teaching a bunch of people through the use of parables. When He was finished, He, along with some of the disciples, were in a boat. A storm came up that really scared the disciples.”

“What about Jesus?” I asked. “Was He afraid?”

“Nope,” Stan replied. “It says He was asleep in the back of the boat. He wasn’t concerned about the storm.”

“Then what?”

“The disciples woke Jesus up and asked Him if He wasn’t concerned that they were all going to perish. He wasn’t concerned about them perishing, but He was concerned about something.”

“What?”

“Their lack of faith,” Stan said, “but that’s another story for another day. Let’s focus on what happened after Jesus calmed the storm. That’s the important part right now.”

“Okay,” I replied. “What happened?”

“The disciples were stunned by what Jesus did,” Stan said.  “It actually says they were ‘afraid.’ And then they asked the crucial question that each one of us needs to ask.”

“What question?”

“Who is this?” Stan said. “In essence, they were asking among themselves who is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him? That’s the question I had to ask. When I saw and accepted the answer, everything changed.”

“Changed how?”

“I was given salvation and redemption,” Stan replied. “When it’s time, I know I will spend eternity in God’s presence. In addition, I get to spend the time I have before then knowing Jesus and God the Father in an ever-deepening relationship.”

“All because you asked and had the answer for ‘Who is this?’” I said. “Is that it?”

“That’s it,” Stan replied. “It’s the essential question for each one of us to ask, along with being willing to accept and embrace the answer!”

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Bible verses to consider:

And they became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” Mark 4:41.

He (Jesus) said to them (His disciples), “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus so that all who believe can know they will spend eternity in your presence when it’s time. Thank you for those who brought me to the truth so I could answer correctly the question of “Who is this?” and have the assurance of salvation and redemption, along with the pleasure of knowing you and Jesus in an ever-deepening relationship while you keep me here on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I am reluctant to help others ask the question that will change their lives forever. Please forgive me. And please, Father, help me follow every step of your lead so I do help others come to their own assurance of salvation and redemption and be able to pursue knowing you and Jesus. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Have you answered correctly the question of “Who is this?” about Jesus so you know you will spend eternity in God’s presence when it’s time? If no, why? What’s in the way of accepting God’s free and gracious provision? If you are a Christian, how are you doing with helping others ask and answer the question that will change everything for both sides of eternity? If you sense the need for change in that regard, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?