Hosanna Restoration Church

Have you ever been influenced by what other people say? Have you ever met someone and enjoyed their company only to have someone else say something that caused you question your first opinion or perhaps change it completely? The truth is that we have all had situations where we were influenced by what people say. Sometimes it is for the good and sometimes it is totally wrong. That is why it is important that we listen carefully, and be careful what we listen to!

In this portion of scripture, Jesus had just finished warning them against thinking like the Pharisees when He posed this question about what people were saying. Wouldn’t it have been ideal if they had simply said, “Oh Jesus it does not matter what people say, we love you and we know you are who you say you are?” The truth is, they were just a bit confused a good portion of the time.

They saw everything He did and even did some of the stuff themselves, but still they questioned and in fact doubted at times. It is normal to question, but when we are questioning we need to be careful where we go for answers. Jesus knew that every time the Pharisees came around the disciples would need another boost. After all, if everything did not work out just right they would be on the list of those that followed Jesus.

In many ways it is the same today. When a person decides to follow Jesus no matter what anyone else says or thinks there are lots of folks who will think and say things to try and discourage it. It is obvious that the disciples were checking out what people said. Apparently when Jesus went of to pray they went out to see what the people had to say. I suspect that there were lots of things said, but they reported the kindest things, or perhaps they reported the answers that came closest to what they were thinking and they were looking for Him to confirm one of those. But Jesus, instead of confirming what the people said or giving them a clue, simply asked who they said He was.

Could this have been a double-edged question? Could it be that the first part convicted them. Could Jesus have been asking what they said to people when they suggested these other answers? Who do we say that Jesus is? What do we do when someone speaks against a brother or sister or questions the Word of God? What do our lives and words reveal about Him and His power to change lives. I wonder how or if they responded when they heard people say these things or if they just gathered information.

We not only need to be careful about what we hear, we must also be careful about what we do with what we hear. If we ponder what is not true for too long it begins to seem more true and can take on a life of its own. Never let a question grow to the point of unbelief. God is able to complete the good work He has begun in us, but He will not force us to stay in the race. So listen carefully.