"But what about you?" he asked? "Who do you say I am?" Matthew 16:15 NIV
Yesterday my pastor anchored his sermon with that scritpure and it was a profound message. Jesus asked Peter who the people said He was, then He asked Peterl directly. After listening I realized that I know who Jesus Christ is, what He means to and what He did for me. I make it my business to thank Him everyday. Still I have a long way to go to show my aprreciation for Christ. I have to remind myself regularly what He did for me. So I have decided to rephrase Isaiah 53:2-8 NIV. You can read it below. In addition I advise you to read Matthew 16:13-19. Answer the question Jesus asked Peter. Then read Isaiah 53:2-8 as it was originally written. It is my pray that we all can provide the correct answer to Jesus's question and then live our lives righteously.
My Personalization of Isaiah 53:2-8 NIV
Jesus has no beauty or majesty to attrack
me to him,
nothing in Jesus' appearance that I
should desire him.
Jesus was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrow, and familiar with
suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their
faces
Jesus was despised and I esteemed
him not.
Surely Jesus took up my infirmities
and carried my sorrows,
yet I considered him stricken by GOD,
smitten by Him and afflicted.
But Jesus was pierced for my
transgressions,
Jesus was crushed for my iniquities;
the punishment that brought me peace
was upon Jesus,
and by his wounds I am healed.
I, like sheep, have gone astray,
I have turned to my own way;
and the Lord has laid on Jesus
the iniquity of me.
Jesus was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
Jesus was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
as a sheep before her shearers
is silent,
so Jesus did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment Jesus was
taken away.
And who can speak for his
descendants?
For Jesus was cut off from the land of the
living;
for my trangressions
Jesus was stricken.
Please, if you do not understand what you just read, find a clergyman and ask for an interpretation. It is imoprtant for us all.
