URC Daily Devotion 14th January 2025
St Luke 9: 18 – 27
Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ They answered, ‘John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘The Messiah of God.’
He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, ‘The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.’
Then he said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.’
Reflection
With the exception of the adherents of Messianic Judaism, most orthodox Jews today continue to await a human messiah who will usher in a messianic kingdom. Many Reformed Jews pray for a Messianic age of peace and prosperity accomplished by human good works.
Our reading today focuses on the truth of who Jesus claimed to be. Our Christian faith is based upon Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and the idea that the natural order can be overthrown by the miraculous.
There were some Jews who believed in the resurrection but this was assumed to be at the end of time when God would intervene on behalf of all his people – not in the middle of time. We also know that the many Messianic movements of the time – save the Christian movement – died out completely with the eclipse of the leader. The Church was different – even James, the brother of Jesus became leader of the church in Jerusalem with no thought of replacing Jesus. James was not hailed as the Messiah, nor as a replacement for Jesus because the tomb was empty!
Whilst in John’s Gospel in the “I am” sayings does Jesus specifically claim that he is God, the earlier Synoptic Gospels give many examples, in our Lord’s critique of the scribes’ allegation against him, of blasphemy – “only God can forgive sins”. Jesus claimed that “The Son of Man has authority to forgive sins.” (Mark 2.10; Matthew 18.20; Luke 12.10.) Jesus claimed lordship over the demons, sickness, the Sabbath, world judgement. He prophesied accurately. However in order to fulfil his ministry, in the prophecies in Daniel 7 and Psalm 110, and to die on the Cross, Jesus hid his true identity.
C.S. Lewis’ in “Mere Christianity” suggests just three options for Jesus’ claims – liar, lunatic, or God. This impels us to make the decision to follow the path of our Lord or not.
Prayer
“For I tell you this;
one loving blind desire for God alone is more valuable in itself,
more pleasing to God and to the saints,
more beneficial to your own growth,
and more helpful to your friends,
both living and dead,
than anything else you could do.”
(Anonymous, The Cloud of Unknowing)