“But who do you say that I am?”
These were the words of Jesus to His disciples in Matthew 16:15. This was a striking question, especially considering that earlier in the chapter, the religious leaders demanded that Jesus prove Himself by showing them a sign from heaven.
This question, though asked 2,000 years ago, remains relevant to Jesus’ present-day followers. Truly, who do we say Jesus is in our lives?
Last Sunday, Pastor Bob walked us through Matthew 27:45–55, showing seven testimonies that prove Jesus is the Son of God, even in His death.
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The Darkness
An unusual darkness covered the sky and hovered over all the land from noon to 3 o’clock in the afternoon. It was unusual. It was supernatural.
As Pastor Bob shared, just as supernatural light pierced through the darkness on the night of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:8–9), supernatural darkness overshadowed the sky on the day of His death.
The darkness signified God’s judgment on sin as His only begotten Son, sacrificed as the perfect Lamb bore the penalty for the sins of His people.
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The Cry of the Savior
Jesus had always called to God as His Father.
But at the cross, at the peak of His harrowing pain and ordeal, He cried, “My God, My God..”
It wasn’t just the pain and the shame of being publicly humiliated before the eyes of people. As He bore all filth and sin, He felt profound anguish expressed in His cry of forsakenness.
Though He knew no sin, He was made sin on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). And in His profound grief, He cried out, “..why have You forsaken me?”
His cry echoed Psalm 22:1, pointing to the suffering King David described, and its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, the Son of God.
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The Voluntary Nature of His Death
“No one takes it away from Me, but from Myself, I lay it down. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” John 10:18
His incarnation, humiliation and even His crucifixion were never beyond His power and sovereignty. He could have called on judgement and rained down fire and legions of heavenly hosts to His defense. But he didn’t.
He chose to persevere even in utter humiliation and unbearable pain. He chose to obey the will of the Father by drinking the cup of suffering. And at the appointed time, when He finally accomplished the work given to Him by the Father, He uttered the words “It is finished!”, bowed His head, and gave up His Spirit.
Jesus chose the precise moment of His death.
Only the Son of God could ever be capable of such an act.
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The Torn Veil
The veil hung right before the holy of holies in the sanctuary, signifying the barrier between the Holy God and sinful man. But at God’s appointed time, this very veil–which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, where only the high priest could enter once a year–was strangely torn from top to bottom. This can only be an act of God!
The torn veil embodies the sufficiency of Christ’s blood to secure access for all those who belong to Him. Jesus, then, is not only the perfect sacrificial lamb. He is every believer’s superior high priest. Through His finished work, believers can now draw near to God with confidence (Hebrews 10:19–22).
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The Earthquake
Pastor Bob took us back to the earthquake in Sinai at Exodus 19:18, and presented a contrast: the earthquake at Sinai declared the holiness of God while the earthquake of Calvary declared the mercy and grace of God.
At Sinai, God displayed His holiness by giving the Law to Moses. At Calvary, the same holy God showed His justice and mercy through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. Christ satisfied the demands of the Law and bore the judgment of sin.
Calvary was the answer to, and the fulfillment of, Sinai.
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The Opened Tombs
The earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs opened. After Jesus’ resurrection, the bodies of the saints who had slept were raised from the grave. They were seen entering the holy city and appearing to many.
This testified to Christ’s victory over death and foreshadowed the resurrection promised to believers in 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
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The Centurion
In ancient times, centurions rose from the ranks to command a unit. Centurions are strong and courageous men who brave through battles, enforce discipline and train their troops.
But after witnessing the earthquake, this certain centurion and those keeping guard with him, though fierce and bold, became very frightened. And at the height of their fear, they made a remarkable confession: “Truly, this was God’s Son!”
As Pastor Bob said, “Someone who started the day abusing Jesus, ended it adoring Him. Indeed, there is no greater miracle than when a sinner’s eyes are opened by God to see the Savior for who He truly is.”
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Even as Jesus hung on the cross, people continued demanding that He prove Himself. Yet, in the hardness of their hearts, they failed to see the very King right before their eyes.
As Pastor Bob said, people thought Jesus coming down from the cross would prove His power and His deity. But it was Jesus remaining on the cross–His perseverance and His obedience and submission to the will of the Father–that proved He was truly the Son of God, being God Himself.
To confess Jesus as the Son of God is more than merely acknowledging His identity with our lips. It means recognizing His rightful authority and submitting every area of our lives to His lordship.
And so, I bring Jesus’ question back to myself today, who is Jesus in my life?
Is He the God of my time?
Is He the God of my plans, goals and priorities?
Is He the God of my relationships?
Is He the God of my finances?
And I ask this same question to you as well.
Who is Jesus in your life right now?
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