Who is Jesus Christ?

Who is Jesus Christ?

We learn an important lesson in Matthew 16 about how to come to know who Jesus Christ is. Jesus says to His disciples, "But whom say ye that I am?" And Peter answered saying "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

The Christ. The Son of God. The Redeemer. The Savior of the world. The Prince of Peace. The King of Kings. The Messiah.

We know Jesus Christ by a thousand names, and He really does deserve every single one. And reading His names brings power to our lives, but just an intellectual understanding of His titles does not really tell us who He is.

I have known He was called the Prince of Peace, yet still felt turmoil in my life. I had heard He was the King of Kings, yet was still caught up in the chaos of political wars. I have wanted to believe that He is my Savior, yet secretly wondered if anyone could actually save me from my sins.

I had gone to church every week, and listened to my parents talk of Christ, and seen influencers testify of Him online, and yet I still could not say like Peter, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God."

How could I know, like Peter knew?

Look at how Christ responded to Peter's declaration: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." Peter had not received his witness by reasoning, logic, or something he had heard. It was given to him directly by God.

The grace of God — the inexplainable feelings of peace and joy and strength that really allow us to come to know who Christ is — are divine gifts that He gives us, personally revealing His power to us even in all our weakness.

How can we experience that?

After years of only knowing of Christ and not actually knowing Him, I decided to serve a mission for my church. All of a sudden, I found myself needing to teach people about a God that I didn't even know. And for the first time in my life, my prayers felt real. Because I really needed God. I asked Him questions that I needed the answers to. I pondered on His almighty power. I told Him about all the experiences I would have as I served others. I was praying with a yearning desire to receive an answer, and not just because others told me to or because I knew I was supposed to.

After a couple weeks of calling on the Lord's name, I had an experience that I will never forget. As I prayed, kneeling in my bed, I heard a voice come into my mind, and then was filled with an indescribable love. It was a love that does not come from this world. I knew that it was from God. I knew that He was alive. I knew that He knew me, and loved me.

Jesus Christ, the one they all talk about, the one that you have heard of over and over again, is truly the Savior of the world — and He knows YOU. He loves YOU. And it is up to you to choose to come to know Him.

Jesus Christ has an invitation and a promise for you. He said, "Ask, and ye shall receive. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Get on your knees and worship Him. Talk to Him. Listen to Him. I too can promise you that you will receive an answer, and you will know, like Peter did, that Jesus really is the Christ.