“We Have Found The Messiah”

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

John 1:35-42

Why did Jesus change Simon’s name? Peter means “the rock.” The account of his life reveals him as a fisherman, known for his rash ways – a shifting sand kind of guy. Peter disagreed with Jesus. He struck a man with a sword. He even denied knowing Jesus. But in Acts, we read that God worked in and through him to establish His church. Peter truly became a rock.

We are Christians, meaning Christ-ones. This title lifts us up and calls us to become what we are not yet. God is faithful, and He will complete His good work in us.

We honor God’s name when we call Him our Father and live like His children.

Our Daily Bread – April 3, 2014