“Who do you say that I am?”  “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Matthew 16:15-16

Currently, I am in several Bible studies, and it surprises me when the studies overlap, and the same passage of scripture shows up!  In Bible Study Fellowship, we’re studying Matthew.  In Perspectives, we’re looking at worldwide evangelism and lessons Jesus taught the disciples are like my Matthew study.  Then, sometimes the Bible story I teach the kids in Pioneer Club is the same story we’re studying in BSF!  I’m always amazed when that happens and know it’s something I’m supposed to take to heart.  It’s incredible to think that as old as I am, when I open God’s Word, there is something new to learn!  When it’s impressed upon me three times, I better take heed!!

Our Teaching Leader in BSF told the story of her friend who posted a medieval picture of Jesus on social media and asked the question, “Who do you say that I am?”  The responses she got were interesting to say the least.  In our country, you would think most people have heard of Jesus, but that was not the case.  Some had no idea who Jesus was, one said he was “some kind of a good man.”  Another said, “Which Jesus, specify?”  Another said, “a nice Jewish boy living in the first century who followed Jewish Law,” another said, “Authorities saw him as a troublemaker and had him crucified.”  Another said, “maybe He didn’t exist.”  It seems like the early disciples lived in a world not much different than 2022!

A sweet young woman come to one of my groups, very distraught over the death of her husband.  She told us she needed to find God, so a friend of mine took her aside and explained the gospel to her.  He led her through several verses in Romans and she prayed with him to accept Christ.  This young woman had never been to church and knew nothing about the Bible.  The Lord began a work in her heart and when I offered her a study Bible, she eagerly accepted it.  She began reading about the life of Jesus.  The following week, she was again distraught because her furnace had gone out and she had no money to purchase another.  We took up a small collection, a friend went to her house and got the furnace temporarily fixed and co-workers from work took up a collection.  She came to church on Sunday beaming.  She had enough to have her furnace installed!  She was so thankful, she cried for joy!  I marveled because I felt the Lord was teaching her that He was going to care for her.  It took a little faith to move a mountain in her new life as a believer!  “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you,” Matthew 17:20.  My friend had a little faith, and the Lord moved a mountain for her!  There are people around us, in our neighborhoods and communities who have never heard the gospel.  They might know about Jesus but very little else.  Maybe they need to hear from us, “Who do you say that Jesus is?  May we all respond like Simon Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”

Your friend, Jean