你說祂是誰？
作者：貝瑟妮-希克斯 Bethany Hicks
來源：以利亞名單
日期：2023.11.26
有時，每天早晨醒來，不被世俗的敘述所淹沒，就需要勇氣。作為肩負著征服黑暗勢力、推進上帝國度的神聖使命的信徒，掌握這一永恆的真理至關重要：你對耶穌的認知會釋放出勇氣。
為什麼這一點如此重要？因為你在耶穌身上看到的東西會激發你內心勇敢的火焰。當我們作為教會見證、體驗耶穌的多面性並被其改變時，我們就會獲得一種堅定不移、超乎尋常的勇氣，從而使耶穌的身體勢不可擋。甚至我們的敵人也敏銳地意識到了這一現實，這就是為什麼祂竭盡全力用恐懼來分散我們的注意力。敵人明白，我們在耶穌身上看到的東西會在我們身上並透過我們顯現出來；當這種轉變發生時，祂的日子就屈指可數了。
在熙熙攘攘的日常生活中，我們很容易忽視信仰對我們勇氣和信心的深遠影響。
彼得的啟示
新約第一卷揭示了耶穌最親密的門徒之一彼得生命中的一個關鍵時刻，為我們每個人如何獲得勇氣提供了戰略線索。在《馬太福音》中，耶穌提出了一個將永遠改變門徒生活的問題。眾人把耶穌比作先知，甚至稱祂是施洗約翰或以利亞的再來，但耶穌對別人的看法不感興趣。祂想知道祂的門徒是如何看待祂的，從而與祂產生怎樣的關係。
為了理解彼得懺悔的意義，我們必須簡單瞭解一下名字的力量。在《新約聖經》中，希臘文中的"名字"一詞"mala "包含的不僅僅是識別。它體現了名字所代表的一切--與名字相關的思想、情感和權柄。
上帝規定，一個人的名字將劃定其身份、責任和權柄的範圍。每個名字都揭示了身份和命定。上帝為祂的兒子選擇名字的用意是深遠的。耶穌這個名字意味著 "耶和華是救贖"。耶穌的名字既表明了祂作為世界救主的身份，也表明了祂為全人類帶來救贖的命定。
當彼得承認耶穌是基督，是上帝的兒子時，這標誌著對耶穌的理解發生了革命性的轉變。彼得明白，耶穌不僅僅是一位先知或睿智的教師。他承認耶穌是彌賽亞，是永生上帝的兒子，是世界的救主；這一啟示對他的勇氣產生了深遠的影響。
看見的勇氣
快進幾年。耶穌復活升天後，我們看到了骨牌效應，即耶穌作為救主和主的個人啟示如何改變了彼得和約翰的生活。當時，他們剛被當作囚犯帶到猶太公會面前，質問他們為什麼傳講耶穌。請聽猶太首領審問門徒後的回答：
"他們見彼得、約翰的膽量，又看出他們原是沒有學問的小民，就希奇，認明他們是跟過耶穌的；"（使徒行傳4:13）
這些漁夫因為與耶穌在一起，從普通人變成了非凡的人。所有看到他們的人，甚至是那些抵制他們所傳信息的人，都能明顯地感受到他們的轉變。他們的勇氣在所有遇到他們的人眼中都是顯而易見的。
正確看待耶穌為我們注入了勇氣，使我們能夠應對生活中的挑戰。就像彼得和約翰的勇氣一樣，當我們正確看待耶穌和祂正在顯明的身份時，我們的勇氣也會與眾不同。
錯誤觀點的危險
對耶穌的正確認識可以激發我們的勇氣，反之，對耶穌的錯誤認識也會削弱我們的勇氣。馬太福音25:24-25 中的才幹比喻說明了一個僕人對主人的負面看法是如何影響他的行為。認為主人苛刻會導致恐懼或缺乏勇氣，最終導致這個不明智的僕人埋沒了他的才幹。同樣，加略人猶大對耶穌的認識也很有限，他認為耶穌只是一位教師，而不是他的主，這導致了他毫無骨氣的背叛。對耶穌的曲解會導致懦弱的連鎖反應。
這與瞭解祂有關
在採取行動之前，我們很容易感到壓力，需要知道所有的答案。然而，如果我們要推進神的國度，就必須採取行動。勇氣並不是從掌握所有答案中產生的，而是從認識祂中產生的。在不確定的時候，我們可以引用《歷代志下》20:12："我們也不知道怎樣行，我們的眼目單仰望你"。你不必知道所有的答案。你只需要徹底相信耶穌正在揭示祂自己是誰，並讓這一真理激發你採取行動所需的勇氣。
你說祂是誰？
歸根結底，耶穌並不關心別人對祂的評價，祂只想知道你說祂是誰。你對祂的看法決定了你的勇氣。就像彼得一樣，當你正確地看待耶穌時，你的勇氣就會大增。
花點時間反思一下你自己對耶穌的看法。接受將祂視為基督、永生上帝之子的變革力量。這對你意味著什麼？耶穌是你的救主、你的供養者、你的捍衛者，還有更多的好處是什麼？當你解開這些啟示時，你會發現自己有勇氣直面人生的挑戰，毫不動搖，堅定不移。而且，你的勇氣將成為催化劑，為世界上渴望知道耶穌說他們是誰的人們帶來身份認同。
Who Do You Say He Is?
by Bethany Hicks
Sometimes, it takes courage just to wake up every morning and not be swept into the worldly narrative of the day. As Believers with a divine mandate to conquer the forces of darkness and advance God's Kingdom, it is vital to grasp this timeless truth: Your perception of Jesus unleashes courage.
Why is this so crucial? Because what you see in Jesus sparks the flames of bravery within you. When we, as the Church, witness, experience, and are transformed by the multifaceted nature of Jesus, it infuses us with an unwavering and supercharged courage that renders His Body unstoppable. Even our adversary is keenly aware of this reality, which is why he exerts every effort to distract us with fear. The enemy understands that what we see in Jesus will manifest in and through us; and when that transformation occurs, his days are numbered.
In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it's easy to overlook the profound impact our beliefs can have on our courage and confidence.
Peter's Revelation
The first book of the New Testament reveals a pivotal moment in the life of Peter, one of Jesus' closest disciples, that provides strategic clues for each of us on how courage is apprehended. In the Book of Matthew, Jesus poses a question that would forever alter the lives of His disciples. The crowds were comparing Jesus to a prophet, even calling Him the return of John the Baptist or Elijah, but Jesus was not interested in what other people's opinions were. He wanted to know how His disciples personally saw and thus related to Him.
To grasp the significance of Peter's confession, we must delve briefly into the power in a name. In the New Testament, the Greek word for name, "onoma," encompasses more than mere identification. It embodies everything that the name represents – the thoughts, feelings, and authority tied to it.
God has ordained that a person's name will delineate the scope of their identity, responsibility, and authority. Every name unveils identity and destiny. God's intention in the name He chose for His Son was profound. The name Jesus signifies "Jehovah is salvation." Jesus' name spoke to both His identity as the Savior of the world and His destiny to bring salvation to all of mankind.
When Peter acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, this marked a revolutionary shift in understanding. Peter understood that Jesus wasn't merely a prophet or a wise teacher. He recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the very Son of the living God, the Savior of the world; and this revelation had profound implications for his courage.
Courage to See
Fast forward a few years. After Jesus' resurrection and ascension to Heaven, we see the domino effect of how this personal revelation of Jesus as Savior and Lord transformed the lives of Peter and John. For context, they had just been taken as prisoners and brought before the Jewish council to be questioned on why they were preaching about Jesus. Listen to the response of the Jewish leaders after they interviewed the disciples:
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13)
These fishermen were transformed from ordinary to extraordinary because of their association with Jesus. This transformation was apparent to all who saw them, even those who were resisting their message. Their courage was conspicuous to all who encountered them.
Rightly seeing Jesus infuses us with the courage to navigate life's challenges. Just as Peter and John's courage stood out, our courage can be exceptional when we rightly perceive Jesus and who He is currently revealing Himself to be.
Dangers of a Wrong View
Just as a right view of Jesus can catapult us into courage, conversely, a wrong view of Jesus can undermine our courage. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25:24-25 illustrates how a servant's negative perception of his master affected his actions. Seeing the master as harsh led to fear or a lack of courage, which ultimately resulted in the unwise servant burying his talent. Similarly, Judas Iscariot's limited revelation of Jesus as a mere teacher and not as His Lord contributed to his spineless betrayal. A distorted view of Jesus can lead to a ripple effect of cowardice.
It's About Knowing Him
It's easy to feel pressured to have all the answers before taking action. Yet action is needed if we are going to advance the Kingdom of God. Courage isn't born from having all the answers; it's born from knowing Him. In times of uncertainty, we can echo the sentiment found in 2 Chronicles 20:12, "We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on you." You don't have to know all the answers. You just need to be thoroughly convinced of who Jesus is revealing Himself to be uniquely and allow that truth to fuel you with the courage necessary to act.
Who Do You Say He Is?
In the end, Jesus isn't concerned about what others say about Him; He wants to know who you say He is. Your perception of Him shapes your courage. Like Peter, when you see Jesus rightly, your courage will soar.
Take a moment to reflect on your own perception of Jesus. Embrace the transformative power of seeing Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. What does that really mean to you? What are the benefits of Jesus being your Savior, your Provider, your Defender, and so much more? As you unpack these revelations, you'll find the courage to face life's challenges head-on, unshaken and resolute. And, your courage will be catalytic in bringing identity to a world full of people desperate to know who Jesus says they are.
