In our Western culture, we’re used to checklists to remember what items we have to buy at the grocery store or to separate out the tasks we must accomplish at work from who we really are on the weekends! We have even made our Christian walk a checklist of things to do to be right with God and in doing so have connect our heads without our hearts. Christianity is a relationship with the Almighty God, and He wants all of us: heart, soul, mind, and strength.
I. Luke 9:18-22. Peter answered the most essential question. In Matthew 16:16-18, Jesus adds that upon Peter’s confession of Him as Lord and Christ that He would build His church. Peter’s confession became a declaration in Acts 2:36-41 and 3000 obeyed and were added to Jesus’ church that day.
II. Philippians 2:9-11. We all must answer the most essential question. Atheism is temporary as every knee will bow to Jesus as Lord. Even those who ignore or avoid the question are answering it in this life. It is better to confess Him as Lord now while still alive than wait until after death to know the truth.
III. Colossians 2:6-12. As we have received Christ Jesus as Lord, so we are to continue to live in Him. This means that confessing Jesus as Lord is not just words we utter. It goes beyond loving Him from the head; we must love Him from the heart as well: heart, soul, mind, and strength in a close relationship of obedience to Him.
Christianity is what we are, not what we do. We ‘do’ from the belief we hold. We must be ‘all in’ for God, so that our every word and deed shows our answer to the most essential question that Jesus asks each and every one of us: Who do you say I am?