Important things are often revealed in important ways. I remember the night I proposed to my wife. She did not know what I was planning, but the evening of January 16, 1996 was several months in the making. Conversations with family, purchasing a ring, consulting with a friend on the perfect meal to cook, arranging another friend’s apartment to host the dinner, hiding the wedding ring on the shelf in the bathroom, deciding what to say when I popped the question. A LOT of planning went into that night.
So, as the moments wound down to when I would be picking Kimberly up for our date, my heart was pounding a thousand miles an hour. I could not wait to reveal to her my hopes for our future together. After dinner and desert, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. In a sense, I pulled back the curtain of my soul to show her these important things I had been planning and thinking (and hinting at) but had not revealed to her in such a plain way.
I am happy to say . . . she said “Yes.”
As Jesus’ earthly ministry was winding down, He was planning something amazing. From eternity past, He had a plan to invite us to spend an eternity with Him in His Father’s house. The virgin birth, authenticating miracles, authoritative teaching . . . all were setting up His plan: to offer His life as a sacrifice for our sins, so that we might be forgiven, and so that where He was, we might be also.
Before Jesus’ went to the cross, however, He had some very special dates to keep with His disciples: a number of key events where He would reveal to them exactly who He was. These events included:
- A conversation in the pagan city of Caesarea Phillipi
- Three different references to His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave
- A supernatural “transfiguration” before a few disciples
- Casting out demons and paying a “Temple Tax”
In order for the disciples to say “Yes” to Jesus, they needed a fuller understanding of who Jesus was . . . and in Matthew 16-17, Jesus takes the time and effort to Reveal His true identity to His followers.
As people who live today 2,000 years after the earthly life of Jesus, we also need to go back and look at these stories to see who Jesus really is. After all, we are reluctant to follow One we don’t know. So join us at Wildwood this next month, beginning October 28 in our 9:45 and 11:00 services, as we see Jesus as He Revealed Himself, with the hopes that we will say “Yes” and follow Him. See you Sunday as we kick off this series by looking at Matthew 16:13-20.