“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” (Mathew 16:16).
Jesus often asked big questions, and few were bigger than the one in the passage above. After asking the disciples who others were saying He is, he focused the question on them, asking, “Who do you say I am?” The question was as big to them as it is for us today.
Peter’s answer, “You are the Messiah” provided an answer of equal weight to the question. Acknowledging that Jesus was the Savior meant that he and the other disciples had finally believed what Jesus had been teaching them from the beginning. Peter’s response led to a directional change in Jesus’ ministry. As stated in Matthew 16:21, “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things.”
Peter’s response was an indicator to Jesus. By his confession, Peter revealed that the disciples were prepared to hear about the cruel realities of Jesus’ pending death in Jerusalem. Peter’s answer confirmed that the disciples’ faith was sufficient to handle the truth of Jesus' future sufferings without falling away.
Most of the big questions in our life can find their answers rooted in the reality that Jesus is the Messiah. If we fully grasp this truth, it gives direction to our lives and answers the biggest questions that trouble our souls.
The size of our lives is determined by the size and frequency of the questions we ask ourselves. The answers to those questions will determine the actions we take. Big questions, like “Am I fulfilling my purpose?” or “What am I afraid of?” or “Why won’t I do what’s needed?” can lead to transformative results reflected by our faith put into action. Small questions asked often, like “I wonder what’s on Netflix?” or “What’s in my newsfeed on Facebook?” lead to a quenched faith, wasteful activities, and trivial results. Choose your questions well.