Who Do You Say That I Am?

About three months ago, Pastor Jamie Ward at our "Godstock" event held each fall delivered a very powerful sermon, posing the question - "Yes...but who did you say that I am?"

Obviously, Jamie was not talking about himself - but relaying a question the Christ asked Peter in Matthew 16:13-16(NIV)

¹³When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" ¹⁴They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." ¹⁵"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

But what does that mean? Jesus - dare we ask you the same question? Jesus - who do you say that YOU are?

It's funny really, because before we knew to ask the question - He answered it. Christmas is right around the corner, and if you ever want to catch up on your reading of the Christmas story, most turn to Luke 2. But if you are like me and read on ahead a little you find out something pretty cool in Luke 4. Jesus, back in the town of His upbringing entered the Temple, and when He did He dropped something on all of us; His mission statement. His purpose. The very thing He says that He is....

Here, read for yourself....Luke 4:16-21 (ESV)

¹⁶ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. ¹⁷And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
¹⁸ "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."

²⁰And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Over the next few weeks we'll break this verse down and discuss how we proclaim the good news, set the captives free, bring sight to the blind, and liberate the oppressed. Let's make it a five part blog entry - shall we?

But before we get to the application of this verse we have to look at the beginning....and too many times we overlook it, or at least I do.

Jesus was anointed. He was set apart to accomplish the will of the Father. Other uses for the word "anointing" throughout the Hebrew texts find that it can also stand for "to be accepted". To be accepted is to be welcomed - and God welcomed the world to Salvation made possible only through the work of His son, Jesus Christ. His anointing was not to be King over Israel, but King over creation, King of all Kings.

Likewise, we too are anointed. Being found in Christ, we know that we now share in His mission, we too need to claim that verse found in Isaiah 61 to be our mission statement. But if you are like me, you rush to find ways to formulate how to proclaim the Gospel most effectively, how to present freedom to people in bondage and captivity, and how to try to pry the eyes open of those that do not (or do not want to) see. And you miss the fact that you are anointed.

You are.

Probably the biggest fight I have on my hands is a fight against a spirit of pride or arrogance. And it makes me feel all itchy to say that to myself.

Andrew, you are anointed. Yikes.

When I say that to myself it's like the enemy hits play on the highlight film in my head and says "oh...so that was anointed Andrew?" as he points out the shortcomings, the flaws, the failures, and the mistakes I've made. But then...in an ever so soft, but affirming voice, I hear this...

"Andrew - feel your hair."

And it's dripping with oil. Sweet-smelling, fragrant oil. Because as Satan points out my past - Christ pours onto my present, the anointing of Himself. That as I figuratively run my fingers through my oil-drenched hair I realize...I am anointed.

And so are you. But you are stressed out. You are worn thin. You are tired. You have "junk". You have doubts. You get confused.

Yes....yet you are still anointed.

And that matters because it doesn't make sense. Because we don't deserve it. Because sometimes we don't feel or act or respond like someone who is anointed. Yet we are still anointed...anointed to proclaim, to set freedom, to open eyes, and to liberate, and sometimes the very person that needs to hear the story of our anointing is ourselves. I am anointed. I am a member of the Gospel. I was enslaved and now set free. I was blind and now I see. I was oppressed and now I am liberated. I am anointed....because Christ poured out Himself as an offering, and my head received that offering...and feel it or not, act it or not...I, and you, are anointed.

If it was important that Jesus recognized his anointing, then it matters for us as well.
The mission of Jesus is easy to get on board with. Sure, I want to see the gospel proclaimed, freedom maintained and vision obtained. But it's sometimes easy for me to get so wrapped up with "doing" all the activity of a Christ follower, that I forget what it is "be" the very mission of the Lord I love.

Lord thank you for anointing me - completely at the work of YOUR hands. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for forgiving me.

And thank you for oily hair.