Who Is Influencing You?

‘...But who do you say I am?’ Matthew 16:15 NLT

Matthew writes: ‘One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that He show them a miraculous sign from Heaven to prove His authority.’ (Matthew 16:1 NLT) The Pharisees were bound by tradition, so they opposed anything new. The Sadducees were bound by reason, so they opposed anything supernatural. Since Christ brought a new revelation of God and a new dimension of His power, both the Pharisees and Sadducees opposed Him. So Jesus warned His disciples: ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ (v6 NLT) In a culture where people used yeast to make bread, Christ’s point came through loud and clear. Just as yeast works silently and spreads slowly, so doubt and unbelief work the same way in our hearts and minds.

Then Christ asked His disciples two questions. First: ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ (v13 NLT) He wanted them to know when their thinking was being negatively influenced by those around them so that they would be on guard against it. Secondly: ‘Who do you say I am?’ Immediately Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ (v16 NLT) Jesus replied, ‘You are blessed, Simon son of John, because My Father in Heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.’ (v17 NLT) There are things that people can teach you and if you’re wise you will listen. But there are things that only the Lord can reveal to you and if you’re wise you’ll listen and do what He says.