There is a moment for many of us, when the penny drops, and we realize Jesus is our Savior—it’s a great moment.
For me it happened at age 30. I had regularly attended church for years. When I told my friends and family, they were a bit confused. “You’ve always known Jesus!” they would say.
It is true that I knew about Jesus. I knew most of the Gospel stories. Heck, I had been one of those people in church that read the Bible aloud to the congregation.
Yet, I was like those disciples following Jesus around. Yes, he was amazing, but I was watching him as an outsider. Funny, I did not think I was an outsider.
I expect the disciples following Jesus around considered themselves insiders. They were Rabbi Jesus’ disciples. He had called them. Yet we have read time and again how his actions confused them. We have read time and again how when they got in a pinch, rather than ask him for help, they panicked.
Now, Peter knows Jesus is the Savior. Great! Right?
Well, not exactly. Peter immediately puts his proverbial foot in his mouth. He knows Jesus is the Savior. He just doesn’t know what that really means.
Peter most likely, like all Jews of his day, expected the Messiah, the Savior, to rise up and become an earthly king. To kick the Romans out and re-establish the great nation state of Israel.
So, when he professes Jesus as the Christ, and then Jesus describes what is going to happen to him, he does a double take. He even tries to correct Jesus.
If you look at the text, after Peter’s profession it says, “that he began to teach them”. Up until this point they weren’t ready to hear what true discipleship looks like.
To be frank, another “penny drop moment” is needed. The disciples have been conditioned for years to understand the Christ, the Savior, in a very specific way. They have in their mind a very specific image. The text in the coming chapters will show a focused effort by Jesus to teach them. Ultimately, it will be him going to the Cross which will serve as their master class.
Which brings me to muse about how you are doing with these “penny drop moments”.
Following Jesus requires intentionality.
To be clear, not everyone has such an exact moment when they know that Jesus is their Savior. Some people are raised in a Christian home and have always known that God loves them. They have always been taught about Jesus. Somewhere along the way, their parent’s faith became theirs. They are able to say, “Jesus is my Savior.” They may not remember that exact moment.
Growing up that way is really cool. At the end-of-the-day, it doesn’t matter how you got to Jesus. The key is just to get there.
Yet, from the text today, we learn that saying he is the Savior, is just the beginning.
The key for us all is not so much the past, but today—who do you say Jesus is today—and if you say He is your Savior, then today what is your image of discipleship?