Who Are You Lord?

Who Are You Lord?

Acts 9: 5

And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

   Saul of Tarsus was a man on a mission.  He was traveling from Jerusalem to Damascus to arrest Christians and drag them back to Jerusalem for trial and imprisonment.  Jesus had a different idea for Saul.  He appeared to Saul in a bright light that probably outshone the sun and spoke to Saul – “Saul, Saul why do you persecute Me?”  And Saul asked, “Who are You, Lord?”

   First, calling the voice “Lord” is not really an acknowledgement that Saul knew this was Jesus because Jesus hadn’t told him yet.  But he knew this was the voice of someone with enough power to blind him with a light that outshone the sun.  I think his response of “Who are You, Lord,” is appropriate.  And then Jesus identifies Himself – “I am Jesus…” 

   Saul, whose name means “asked for,” would call himself Paul, which means “small or humble,” and he would spend the rest of his life wanting to know more completely the answer to that question.  Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 

   This is a question we need to answer.  This is a question for us to get away from the hubbub of the world and find a quiet place and pull this question out and ask again, “Who are You, Lord.”  We know a lot about Jesus and can fill our heads with information about Him.  We can follow His life and make charts and fill books with words about Him.  But this question is not a head question.  This question is a heart question.  If you only know Jesus in your head you’re missing the point of knowing Jesus.  Jesus wants to be the focal point of your life.  He doesn’t want to be the first among many in your life, He wants to first of just one – Himself.   I will confess I haven’t gotten there.  I still make Jesus co-inhabit my heart with other cares.  I have removed a lot of debris cluttering the corners of my heart, but there is more to remove. 

   But one of the most fascinating things about the Bible is searching it to learn more about Jesus.  I once heard a teacher say that if you are puzzled by some passage in the Bible, put Jesus right in the middle of it and see if it makes more sense to you.  I tried it and he was right.  I find myself asking, “How does this teach me about Jesus” and then He pops up out of the passage.  (I know I’m not saying this right, but try to follow me.)  This same teacher said that the volume of the Book (the Bible) is about Jesus.  The more I study it the more I’m sure he’s right.  The more I look the more places I see Jesus. 

   “Who are You, Lord?”  The more I ask that question, the smaller I feel.  Sometimes I feel so small I’m a little kid sitting at the feet of an adult trying to understand what He’s saying.  I get some of it, but some of it really stumps me.  I read those passages in multiple translations and read many commentators and come to realize I am not alone in my quest to understand His words. 

   I challenge you this week to read Jesus words and let them sink into your being and become a part of you.  Don’t just fill your head with knowledge, fill you heart with Him.  Talk to Him and pray to Him and read of Him this week.  Open yourself to Him and keep asking this question over and over – “Who are You, Lord?”    

Stephen Cram                                                                                                  July 14, 2013                     

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.  Colossians 2:8