Who Do You Say I am?

Stafford Greer, Lead Site Pastor

Mark 8:27–35

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us”
- AW Tozer

Lent is a season that invites us to slow down and ask deeper questions about our faith. It is a time to prepare our hearts for the cross and resurrection by reflecting on our need for Jesus. Yet before we can truly follow him, we must first wrestle with a foundational question: Who is Jesus?

In Mark 8, Jesus, when walking along with his disciples, asks his disciples this very question: “Who do people say I am?” Many were trying to understand Jesus by placing him into familiar categories. Some thought he was John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets. These answers sounded respectful, but they missed his uniqueness. People were attempting to interpret Jesus through what they had already experienced. Then Jesus turns the question directly toward his disciples: “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” This moment forces a personal response. Faith is no longer about speculation or secondhand opinions. It becomes a matter of conviction and commitment.

Peter answers boldly, “You are the Messiah.” He identifies Jesus correctly, yet he does not fully understand what that means. Like many in Israel at the time, Peter likely expected a Messiah who would restore political power, bring security, and defeat their enemies. People were longing for a leader who would make life stable and predictable again. Jesus responds by reshaping their expectations. He begins to teach plainly that the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and after three days rise again. This was not the kind of Messiah they had hoped for. It was not a strategy built on domination or visible success. It was a path of sacrifice. Peter struggles with this vision and takes Jesus aside to rebuke him. From a human perspective, his reaction seems understandable. Why would the one sent by God embrace rejection and death? Why not pursue strength and victory? Jesus’ response is sharp and revealing: “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” The challenge to Jesus’ mission does not come from distant enemies but from a close disciple who misunderstands him. This moment exposes how easy it is to affirm Jesus’ identity while resisting his way.

Jesus then calls both the disciples and the crowd to hear his invitation: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Discipleship is not simply agreement with Jesus’ teaching. It is participation in his life and mission. To take up the cross is to embrace a posture of surrender. It means releasing our grip on comfort, control, and the need for approval. It is the daily decision to put Jesus’ purposes ahead of our own preferences. Most of us would prefer a version of faith that protects our plans rather than disrupts them. Jesus deepens the paradox when he says, “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” True life is not found in self-preservation but in self-giving. The way of the Messiah is the way of sacrifice, and those who follow him are invited into the same pattern.

This truth has direct implications for how we live out our purpose as a church. As a church, we exist to follow and teach the way of Jesus so that people near and far would encounter and be transformed by him. That kind of transformation does not happen through comfort or convenience. It happens when ordinary followers of Jesus choose to lay down their lives for the sake of others. If our understanding of Jesus is shaped primarily by a desire to protect our way of life, we will struggle to live missionally. We will avoid the risks that come with building relationships, sharing our faith, and stepping into unfamiliar spaces. We may settle into a version of discipleship that looks busy but rarely costs us anything. But if we see that the Messiah willingly suffered for the sake of a broken world, then discipleship begins to look different. It becomes a life marked by humility, generosity, courage, and love. It means being willing to go where Jesus is already at work in the lives of friends, neighbours, coworkers, and people we might otherwise overlook.

Our vision to double our reach is not simply about increasing numbers or expanding programs. It is about more people having intentional gospel conversations, more people encountering the person of Jesus, and more lives being transformed by his grace. That kind of reach will only grow as we embrace the way of the cross.Doubling our reach will require sacrifice. It may mean giving time to invest in someone spiritually. It may involve opening our homes, sharing our stories, or stepping into discomfort to serve others. It could mean releasing preferences about how things have always been done so that new people can find a place to belong. These are everyday expressions of taking up our cross. For some believers around the world, following Jesus involves real danger. In our context, the challenge may be quieter but still significant. It might look like choosing integrity when compromise would be easier. It could mean extending forgiveness when resentment feels justified. It may involve speaking about our faith when silence would feel safer.

This call is not about seeking suffering for its own sake. It is about aligning our lives with the heart of Jesus. He did not come to preserve his comfort or protect his status. He came to give himself away so that others could experience new life. When we follow him in this way, our lives become a witness to the gospel. Lent reminds us that this path leads somewhere. The cross is not the end of the story. Jesus’ suffering leads to resurrection. His self-giving love opens the door to forgiveness, restoration, and hope for all who trust him.Today, his question still stands: Who do you say I am? Our answer is revealed not only in what we believe but in how we live. As we move toward Easter, we are invited to allow Jesus to reshape our expectations and deepen our understanding of his mission.

As we lay down our lives for his sake and for the gospel, we become people through whom others can encounter Jesus. And as more people encounter him, transformation spreads from one life to another. This is how the reach of the church grows. This is how the mission moves forward. This is how the way of the Messiah continues in and through us.