Sermon Tone Analysis

Who Do YOU Say that I Am ?

This is a question we all must answer.

Whether here or on the day of judgement.

everyone on Earth, must answer this question

Front of Bulletin

3-4 Sundays ago I asked you this question

Herod of antipas asked this same question.

Read Scripture

Let’s pray: Father we come before you, in the name of your Son.

We acknowledge that he is our righteousness, that apart from him we have no part with you.

And I pray Father that today you would get glory for yourself and glory for your Son, through the things that are said, the things that are believed, and the works that are done.

Lord, help us this day in a way that we will know that you have helped us.

In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

Who Do YOU Say that I Am ?

This is a question we all must answer.

Whether here or on the day of judgement.

everyone on Earth, must answer this question

Front of Bulletin

3-4 Sundays ago I asked you this question

Herod of antipas asked this same question.

Read Scripture

NASB95

And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the people say that I am?”

They answered and said, “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again.”

And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

But He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone,

saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”

NASB95

Now that in itself is the scandal of Christianity.

It’s set Christianity apart from everything else.

You have to answer that question.

Who is he?

Now there’s something you need to understand about Scripture that is extremely important.

Something you need to understand about reality.

About truth itself.

Today in our culture, reality is anything you think it to be.

But that’s not true.

Reality or truth is defined as that which is.

And so the question is not, “Who is Jesus to you?” That’s not the question.

Or, “Who do you want Jesus to be?” Or, “Who do you make him out to be according to your convenience?”

That’s not the question.

The question: “Who is Jesus?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Now I want you to look, he was asking His disciples...” () Now this is important, this is not just an aorist activity.

This is not just something he did once, heard something of an answer, and then let it go.

But the idea here is that he was going back again and again, asking his disciples, “Who do the people say that I am?” Now this is extremely important.

Why?

Because everything – whether you want to believe me or not – I will tell you, that according to the Scriptures, everything in your life and everything in eternity is determined by how you answer this question, “Who do you say that he is?”

Now that in itself is the scandal of Christianity.

It’s set Christianity apart from everything else.

You have to answer that question.

Who is he?

Now there’s something you need to understand about Scripture that is extremely important.

Something you need to understand about reality.

About truth itself.

Today in our culture, reality is anything you think it to be.

But that’s not true.

Reality or truth is defined as that which is.

And so the question is not, “Who is Jesus to you?” That’s not the question.

Or, “Who do you want Jesus to be?” Or, “Who do you make him out to be according to your convenience?”

That’s not the question.

The question: “Who is Jesus?”

Who was the man, Jesus of Nazareth?

Who was he?”

Many even in churches today will say “Well, you know, he’s a good man, good person, good... yeah, he’s a good guy.”

here are the options with regard to the man Jesus of Nazareth.

One – he is a liar.

That’s one logical option.

He is a liar.

Because He said he was the Son of God and he purposefully, intentionally, misled people to think he was the Son of God, or in a more exact way to put it, God the Son, God in the flesh, God who became man.

Now if he said that, and he did not believe it, and he was planning some sort of ruse or deception, he was a liar.

And there’s no way around it.

The other option is this: he’s a lunatic.

Because any person who sincerely believes they are God in the flesh, and they’re not, they’re a lunatic.

And there’s one other option.

And this is most scandalous and startling of all options.

He was, and is, and will continue to be exactly who he said he was – the Son of the living God.

Do you see that?

So what am I telling you to do?

Well, I’m not telling you to do, I’m giving you three options.

Walk out of this building today and call him a bald-faced liar.

Walk out of this building today and call him a lunatic and please have pity on the rest of us lunatics who are following him.

Or third, bow your knee to Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of the world.

Those are your three options.

“’Who do people say that the Son of Man is… Some say John the Baptist; some say Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’”

That’s like making him common.

Making him like anyone else.

There, in that, lies the danger.

He’s like this prophet, or he’s like that prophet,

He is the only one who said, “I’m not just a prophet, I am God become man.

I am the eternal Son of God who has robed himself in flesh.”

And now dwells, or the proper way to say it, now tabernacles among men.

“I’m not talking about the church.

I’m not talking about denominations.

I didn’t ask your opinion regarding those things.

You cannot slide out of this by casting blame upon people who call themselves the children of God.

I have one question for you.