The Disciples
Who Do You Say I Am? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 43:35
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· 175 viewsWho Do You Say I Am? This is one of the most important questions we must answer.
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This Easter Season we are going to take a break from 1 Peter to spend some time answering a question that Jesus gave to Peter and the other disciples.
‘Who Do You Say I Am’
We read Matthew’s account of this earlier this morning. Let’s look at this again.
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Peter answered well, because it was revealed to Him who Jesus was. Let’s pray and ask God to reveal to us, who Jesus is.
Pray
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Peter answered well, because it was revealed to Him who Jesus was. Let’s pray and
Matthew
When Jesus was in the world, there was a lot of confusion about who He was. Why confusion?
Because people were getting mixed messages as they listened to Jesus, but then also listened to the voices around them.
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
He was teaching, and the people were amazed at his teaching.
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
healing
He commanded the wind and the waves to stop in the midst of a storm on the lake, and the disciples were amazed that they obeyed Him. He cast out the legion of demons from the demoniac, and the people were terrified by His power.
He forgave the sins of the lame man, and then made him walk to show His authority, and again the people were awestruck, and glorified God.
When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.
Matthew
He forgave the sins of the lame man, and then made him walk to show His authority, and again the people were awestruck, and glorified God.
And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
Matthew
On more than one occasion, He healed the demon possessed man who was mute. The Jews believed to know the name of a demon was to gain authority over it. So they believed only the Messiah would be able to cast out a demon of someone who was mute, and unable to say the name of the demon. Jesus did this, and again the crowds were amazed.
But then, there were the other voices. The voices of those who should have known. The respected. The leaders. The teachers of the people.
But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”
The religious leaders were jealous and said Jesus cast out demons by the power of Satan. They refused to listen to Jesus, and believe who He claimed to be.
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matthew 13:57-58
When he went home to Nazareth, the people in His home town were offended by Him, and he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.
When Jesus called Himself the Son of God, or made Himself equal with God, the people thought it was blasphemous! How could a man be God?
He also made claims about Himself and God the Father that they thought were blasphemous.
So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Then, there were those who just wanted Him for what He could do for them...
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:26-29
He fed the 5000, which was amazing! But when the people came looking for Jesus the next day, He pointed out that they only wanted Him because their bellies were full.
But instead of believing, the religious leaders, and those who refused to obey wanted more signs. Jesus responded, saying some things that were hard for them to understand. He said,
But instead of believing, the religious leaders, and those who refused to obey wanted more signs. Jesus responded, saying some things that were hard for them to understand. He said,
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”
And when He said this,
John 6:53-58
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
And,
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
John 6:66
Jesus’ teaching was amazing.
John 7:12-13
Jesus’ power was amazing.
Jesus’ authority was amazing.
And, some of His teachings were hard.
He didn’t fit the religious mold, pointing out that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. He didn’t fit the mold hanging out with sinners, and saying that He came to show mercy and compassion.
The religious leaders opposed Him.
His hometown did not accept Him.
Some of the things He taught were hard for them to accept.
Even some of His followers started to desert Him.
There was confusion. Who was He?
Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.
And,
At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
Because of all of this, people were confused about who Jesus was.
So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
John 5:16-
Because of all of this, people were confused about who Jesus was.
On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
Others said, “He is the Messiah.”
Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
That is the background of the passage we are looking at this morning.
The opposition He faced, and the confusing voices the disciples were hearing may have been why Jesus left the areas where He was teaching and went North into Gentile (that is non-Jewish) areas with His disciples. They went North, and on this day were at Caesarea Philippi, where the Jordan river originated, flowing out of a cave in the mountain. A place the locals referred to as the Gates of Hell, and worshipped false Gods, including the God of the Dead, Pan.
It was here, away from the other voices that Jesus asked His disciples,
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
The answer truly reflected the confusion people had about Jesus.
That confusion is still with us today. I would encourage you to ask the people around you this week, “Who is Jesus? Who do you think He is?”
Some people think Jesus was just a good teacher. Someone who taught people to love.
Some think Jesus was a miracle worker? Or, someone who helped others, and the stories got embellished. But still a good person who helped others.
Muslims believe Jesus is just a prophet.
Mormons teach that Jesus is one of many sons of God, like Lucifer, and that he is not eternal, nor creator.
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus is a lesser god, not the God.
Some Christians believe Jesus is their genie in the bottle, the one they can ask for anything.
Others Think Jesus is aloof. The high exalted God.
Others think Jesus died, but He does not play a significant role in their day to day life.
Is it important? Does it matter who you think Jesus is?
But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”
If we do not believe who He claimed to be, then it absolutely matters.
Who did Jesus claim to be? Here in this verse, He literally said, unless you believe ‘I AM’. Who is I AM? God gave that to Moses as His Name forever. I AM.
Did Jesus really use that
On another occasion, Jesus used this name for Himself, and the people tried to kill Him because they thought He was blaspheming to call Himself God.
“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
Who did He claim to be? Jesus claimed to be God.
Then, why did He call Himself, “God the Son?”
That was a title He used, and everyone around Him knew what it meant.
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
When using the Title: Son of God, Jesus was claiming to be equal with God. They knew He was making Himself equal with God. All that God is, Jesus is.
So, why the title, Son of God and not just God?
Because, He is all that God is, but He is distinct from the Father.
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
He is all that God is, and He is distinct from the Father.
This is exactly what says.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Grammatically, Greek does things English does not do. In this verse, the predicate is thrown in front of the verb, and the subject is after.
Literally: God was the Word.
Meaning, everything that God was, the Word was. It is the most succinct verse possible showing that all that God is, Jesus is! Yet, Jesus is distinct from the father, because He was with the Father.
And that is why Peter said,
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
What did He mean by Messiah? Who was the Messiah revealed to be?
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Savior.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
The Christ, the Messiah, was prophesied to be God.
The people should not have been confused. They should have not balked at His claims. They should have been like Peter and acknowledged who He is!
And people today need to acknowledge who He is.
He is completely God, who came in the flesh.
So who do you say He is?
If you say He is God, what does that mean?
If He is all that God is, then Jesus knows everything. Everything thing you and I have done, and will do, He knows it all. Even those things we wish no one knew.
If He is all that God is, then Jesus knows everything. Everything thing you and I have done, and will do, He knows it all. Even those things we wish no one knew.
Jesus is the judge. .
Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
Jesus, must judge justly. And the wages of sin is death. Separation from God for all eternity.
However, He is also Loving and Compassionate, as seen in , with the woman caught in adultery.
He came into this world, fully God, fully righteous, fully just. He was rightly able to condemn. But that is not why He came.
Jesus came in compassion to seek and save the lost.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:16-18
He is God the Savior! The one who died in your place to save you from the penalty, and power of sin in your life!
He is the one who wants to be your good Shepherd.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
He is the God who wants to call you friend.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.
And He is the God who intercedes for you.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Who is Jesus? He is God. He is Savior. He is Shepherd. He is Friend. He is my comfort and intercessor.
Who is Jesus? Who do you say He is? Why is that important?