Who Do You Say I Am?

It has been a really interesting week for me. As you know, I didn’t want to focus on the actual suffering of Jesus on the cross this week, but I did find myself wondering what the people around me would say in answer to the questions, “Why did Jesus die?” and “Do you think He actually rose again?” I remembered in Matthew 16:13-15, that Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” and then He asked, “And what about you? How do you say I am?” I did end up asking a few people these questions and I received a variety of answers. It was interesting to me that I didn’t necessarily know ahead of time what people’s answers would be.

I then went back to look at the “I Am” statements that Jesus made. I found six of them.

John 6:35 “ I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry.”

John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness.”

John 10:14 “ I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me… I lay down my life for my sheep.”

John 11:25 “ I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

John 15:5 “I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.”

It has been really good for me to reflect this week on the question, “Why did Jesus die?” and on answering for myself Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?”

For me, the question to “Did Jesus rise again?” is a resounding ‘Yes!!’

I came across a poem of Rumi’s which helps me put into words how I feel about that:

This is love:

To fly toward a secret sky,

To cause a hundred veils to

fall each moment.

First, to let go of life,

Finally, to take a step

Without feet.

I hope that your Easter weekend is full of reflection and joy, good food and peace. Happy Easter!