WHO do YOU say???

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. (Matthew 16)
Jesus was doing much more than taking an opinion or popularity poll.  He had been investing in this group of disciples. He wanted them to think and speak for themselves to His face about what they really thought and believed.  They had become that close that they should be totally forthright with one another.  In the course of your life, with work, family, and daily relationships, there will be those who come to know you.  Do they know WHO YOU SAY Jesus is?  When we know Christ as He really is: the Savior, as our Savior, then we know Him well enough to tell others Who He is.  As Jesus said, it is reality revealed to us.  Nothing will challenge our internal faith than to hear ourselves said it out loud to others whose opinions we value.  At that point Jesus had told His disciples NOT to tell others Who He was, but at the end of this gospel He told them otherwise. Now is the time to tell.