Matthew 16:13 (NIVUK)
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’
14 They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
Whenever a new sportsperson bursts onto the scene, people start comparing them to those who have gone before – they’re the new Lionel Messi or Serena Williams or… It was the same when Jesus burst onto the scene, people started reaching for others they could compare him to and inevitably landed on either contemporary figures who were making waves such as John the Baptist (yes, I’m afraid that pun was deliberate…) or the heroes of the past, the prophets, who were great and challenging speakers. Whilst this is helpful to a degree, as it is for sportspeople today, it quickly becomes a limiting factor. Although he is like the prophets, Jesus is far more than that.
Forgive us Father for the times we place your Son in a box, limiting how we see him. Spirit, open our eyes to a bigger picture, to see him as he is.
Original photo by Evan Dennis on Unsplash
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