From Pastor Leroy Taylor II’s October 4, 2026 message at Hope City Highlands, continuing our “All In” series on devotion and discipleship.

Jesus asks a question that no one else can answer for us: Who do you say I am? We may know what our family believes, what our church teaches, or what the world says about Him. But following Jesus begins with our own response to who He is.

Pastor T brought us to Matthew 16 to hold that question alongside Jesus’ call to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. The message challenged us to move beyond a familiar Sunday routine into a life devoted to Christ.

Who do you say He is?

In Matthew 16:13–17, Jesus asks His disciples what people say about the Son of Man. They give several answers: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another prophet. Then Jesus turns the question toward them: “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” He names Jesus as more than an admirable teacher or a prophet. He confesses the Messiah. Jesus calls Peter blessed and says this truth was revealed to him by the Father.

That is the heart of Pastor T’s challenge. A cross worn around the neck, a verse on the refrigerator, or a seat in a worship service can remind us of faith. None of those can answer Jesus’ question on our behalf. We are invited to know Him, confess Him, and let that confession shape the way we live.

Take up your cross and follow

Later in the same chapter, Jesus tells His disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24–26). For His first hearers, a cross was an instrument of execution. His words carried a cost, not the promise of a comfortable path.

Pastor T pressed the church to consider what we are unwilling to release for the sake of Christ: pride, a destructive habit, the need to control every decision, or a loyalty that has taken His place. To deny ourselves is to yield our claim to be lord over our own lives. To follow Him is to trust and obey Him when that obedience costs us.

Many of us are also carrying grief, sickness, family strain, or uncertainty. We do not need to pretend those burdens are small. Jesus calls us to follow Him amid real pain and responsibility, bringing our lives under His care instead of trying to find our way by ourselves. The question is not only what we carry, but whom we follow as we carry it.

This response does not purchase salvation. Christ has given Himself for us in grace. Our devotion is a response to Him, reaching beyond a prayer we once said into the choices we make today.

Let devotion reach beyond Sunday

The early church devoted itself to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42). Pastor T returned to those practices because discipleship takes shape in a shared life. We read the Word, pray, learn together, care for one another, and bring what we hear into our homes and work.

He described a dream of preaching in a large church and then looking for the people, only to realize the space was nearly full. He reflected on it as a reminder to keep reaching people and helping believers grow. The point was not a claim about the size of Hope City today. It was a pastor’s desire that the church never become satisfied with attendance alone while neighbors and families still need the hope of Jesus.

Our outward signs of devotion should match our hearts. A shirt, an event, or an inspiring service may start a conversation; a life formed by Jesus gives that conversation substance. Make room for Scripture and prayer during the week. Join others to study and ask honest questions. Practice what you learn in your marriage, your family, your friendships, and the community around you.

The blessing of knowing Christ

When Jesus calls Peter blessed, He is speaking about the revelation of who Jesus is. Pastor T reminded us that we often use the word blessing for a house, reliable transportation, or enough to pay the bills. Those are good gifts to be grateful for, but knowing Christ is a deeper gift than anything we can own.

We can ask for help with our practical needs and still recognize the greater gift: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. When that truth takes root, it reorders our priorities. We seek Him, grow in His Word, and share the good news with someone else.

Answer with your life this week

  • Read: Sit with Matthew 16:13–26 and Acts 2:42. Notice both Peter’s confession and Jesus’ invitation to follow.
  • Reflect: Answer Jesus’ question in your own words. What competing priority needs to come under His leadership?
  • Practice: Choose one concrete act of obedience this week: reconcile with someone, serve a neighbor, study Scripture with another person, or make time to pray together.
  • Share: Tell someone in Highlands County why knowing Jesus matters to you, with humility and care.

Our previous message on the call to be a disciple asked us to follow Christ with everything. This week’s question takes us to the center of that call: Who do you say Jesus is? May our words and our lives answer together.

A prayer for renewed devotion

Father, reveal Jesus to us more clearly. Forgive us where we have given our deepest attention to other things. Through Your Holy Spirit, renew our minds, make us hungry for Your Word, and teach us to follow Christ in our homes and throughout our community. Let our confession become a life of love, prayer, fellowship, and obedience. In Jesus’ name, amen.