Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Global church of the Nazarene of Lenexa, Kansas, United States for 6 June 2015 - "The Point of Decision" Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22, 16:13-20

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Global church of the Nazarene of Lenexa, Kansas, United States for 6 June 2015 - "The Point of Decision" Scripture: Matthew 4:18 As Yeshua walked by Lake Kinneret, he saw two brothers who were fishermen — Shim‘on, known as Kefa, and his brother Andrew — throwing their net into the lake. 19 Yeshua said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men!” 20 At once they left their nets and went with him.

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers — Ya’akov Ben-Zavdai and Yochanan his brother — in the boat with their father Zavdai, repairing their nets; and he called them. 22 At once they left the boat and their father and went with Yeshua.

Matthew 16:13 When Yeshua came into the territory around Caesarea Philippi, he asked his talmidim, “Who are people saying the Son of Man is?” 14 They said, “Well, some say Yochanan the Immerser, others Eliyahu, still others Yirmeyahu or one of the prophets.” 15 “But you,” he said to them, “who do you say I am?” 16 Shim‘on Kefa answered, “You are the Mashiach, the Son of the living God.” 17 “Shim‘on Bar-Yochanan,” Yeshua said to him, “how blessed you are! For no human being revealed this to you, no, it was my Father in heaven. 18 I also tell you this: you are Kefa,” [which means ‘Rock,’] “and on this rock I will build my Community, and the gates of Sh’ol will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” 20 Then he warned the talmidim not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

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"The Point of Decision" by Author: Kelsey Beck

Jesus’ meeting with His disciples occurred at a turning point. Trials lay ahead, and Christ knew His path of suffering would ultimately lead Him to the Cross. The disciples needed to be firm in their faith if they wanted to go any further with Him.

It is significant that Caesarea Philippi, the place in which this encounter took place, was an overwhelmingly pagan region. In that hushed moment, surrounded by glaring images of false gods, Peter spoke a divinely inspired confession of Jesus as Savior. Peter probably did not yet comprehend the full weight of the words he spoke. Nevertheless, he

believed.

Jesus’ response has profound implications for all who share Peter’s confession. The confession of faith—the acknowledgement of Jesus as God’s Messiah and its power to work in human hearts—is the foundation, the

DNA that weaves us into Christ’s Body. And when we believe, Christ’s power in us helps us persevere in the faith so that even hell cannot

defeat us.

We all reach a critical point at which we must confess who we believe Jesus really is. When that crossroads comes, we must decide: What will we confess in those still, quiet moments?

Hymn for Today: “Celebrate Immanuel’s Name” by Charles Wesley

1. Celebrate Immanuel’s name, 

the Prince of life and peace.

God with us, our lips proclaim, 

our faithful hearts confess.

God is in our flesh revealed; 

Heav’n and earth in Jesus join.

Mortal with Immortal filled, 

and human with divine.

2. Fullness of the deity in 

Jesus’ body dwells,

Dwells in all His saints and me 

when God His Son reveals.

Father, manifest Thy Son; 

breathe the true incarnate Word.

In our inmost souls make 

known the presence of the Lord.

3. Let the Spirit of our Head 

through every member flow;

By our Lord inhabited, 

we then Immanuel know.

Then He doth His name express; 

God in us we truly prove,

Find with all the life of grace 

and all the power of love.

Thought for Today:

In realizing who Jesus was Peter also realized who Peter wasn’t (Kerry Willis).
Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Botswana.
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