Exod. 1:6-22; 1 Cor. 12:12-26; Mark 8:27-9:1

Jesus asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”  Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”  And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Some days I wonder, do we really believe what Peter believed?  Do we truly believe Jesus to be the Messiah?  That is not just a fancy saying.  It means that we believe Jesus to be the Anointed One who saves the world.  Sometimes I worry that we have fallen short of that belief, declaring instead that Jesus is a “nice guy” but no more.  If Jesus is truly the Messiah, should not our lives radically change?

When are we going to leave our lives behind to follow this newly anointed king?  When are we going to leave the world behind?  Do we really believe that Messiah coming is “good news”?  Or is it disrupting and terrifying?

These are questions to ponder, and not ones that can be adequately addressed in one Morning Reflection.  But it is worthy of reflection.  To say “I believe Jesus is Lord” is a common thing to hear in our world.  So much so, it is almost a trite saying.  To confess this is radical.  It uproots a life.  What does it mean to say that God is the center of your universe and the Lord of your life?

How are our lives to change if we are going to follow Christ, the one who died on a cross because of the world’s standards?

I have a feeling the answer will start with reading Scripture, but God help us that it doesn’t stop there.

-Matt