Let me preface this by saying I am not a preacher, minister or hold any position anywhere. I am just a writer and a man. I wrote this for a youth conference years ago and just wanted to share. I have about 15 to 20 of these and maybe someone needs to read this. Share with your youth if you feel led to do so. No comments needed or wanted. Thanks.
Personal Perception, Public Deception
Mark 8:27-30 – 27- Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”
28- So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah;
29- He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”
30- Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him
There are two dates that are firmly stamped into the minds of hip-hop music listeners; September 13, 1996 and March 9, 1997. These are the dates that Tupac Shakur and Christopher G. Wallace were tragically killed. The world did not mourn the death of Tupac the man, the brother, the son or the genius. They mourned the falling of Tupac the gangster, the street poet, the radical and the King of L.A.
The world did not mourn the death of Christopher G. Wallace the man, the son, the father or the provider. They mourned the slaying of Biggie the gangster, the pimp, the hustler and the King of New York.
The world mourned the loss of who they “thought” these men were instead of who these men really were. They cried because they thought they lost people that related to them and they are right to some extent. But I submit to you that they were mourning for the wrong reasons. The men that they idolized were not the men that they portrayed to be; at least not in the beginning.
Tupac, born in Brooklyn, NY moved to Baltimore, MD, where he attended The Baltimore School for the Performing Arts. He was consistently on the honor roll, got along with everyone and made great strides in his favorite class, Drama.
Christopher Wallace, born in Brooklyn, NY had aspirations of becoming a graphic artist and was an honor student. Extremely gifted, he was singing and talking before he could walk and was writing well before he ever started school.
These two men were very popular in school, had the gifts and talent to take them anywhere, yet they both met the same fate within seven months of each other. Dead. Tragically. Why? Ultimately it is because both men were living up to a lifestyle that was not truly in their nature. There was the public side and there was the personal side.
Refer to the text
Verse 27, Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”
It is here that Jesus questions the disciples about what they had been hearing about him. What things have the people, their peers been saying about Him. He wasn’t asking this to be vain or because He didn’t know who He was. He just wanted to know what was being said and he was setting them up for His next question.
(How many times have you posed the same question to your closest friends? What did she say about me? What are they talking about? Some of our closest friendships rely on what are friends come back and tell us. On keeping us informed about how are reputations are either being built up or torn down. We ask those that are the closest to us, What are they saying about me and we try to defend or live up to what it is that they expect from us, but in order to truly be happy, we have to be what God has intended for us to be. Mark 8:36 asks “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul.” What good does it do for you to be the most popular, the best looking, or the best-dressed if you have to give up being you in order to be that?
Verse 28, So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
People who thought that Jesus was John the Baptist didn’t know much about Him. He had been going around the towns, performing miracles, preaching the Word of God and the people STILL did not know who He was and here you are growing up in a world where we have wars going on, a national deficit, gas prices at almost $4.00 a gallon, inflation in cost of living, but you want the best clothes, the newest gadgets, the newest shoes all because you want people to be seen, heard and remembered. Tell your neighbor that I understand where you are coming from, but your perception is a little off!!!
Now we can get into the meat of the text.
Verse 29, He said to them, “But who do YOU say that I am? It was fine for the disciples to know what others thought about Jesus. But He had to ask them as individuals, what they believed about Jesus.
This is where most Christian youth get caught up. This is the verse that I want you to be introspective with. We are supposed to be Christ-like, we are the examples. Look within yourself and ask yourself. Who do you say that you are? When you leave your mark on this world, who will people truly say that you are? ***Are you going to be remembered as the guy that could make straight A’s anytime he wanted to but thought that it would be cool to act dumb?***
Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction
Do you really want to be the one that has all of the potential to be anything that your heart desires, but because you feel like you want to be “cool”, you associate with the drug dealers, or the bullies or the “in” crowd.
Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ”
Key Scriptures
Proverbs 20:11 – Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right
James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
Temptation- Matthew 16:23 – But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful l of the things of God, but the things of men.
Matthew 26:41 – Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
