Sermon Tone Analysis

Who do you say that I am?

, , and all tell the same story.

One day, right before Jesus heads to Jerusalem for the last time, Jesus is with his disciples and he ask them, “Who do people say that I am?”

The disciples answer back that some say you are this person, some say you are that prophet, some say you are this.

Then Jesus ask the question of all time, the question of all eternity, “Who do you say that I am?” “Who do you say that I am?” Every human born before today, every human alive today, and every human has to answer that question.

Your entire eternity hangs upon that question.

Who do you say Jesus was?

Most scriptures have several different layers.

There is the surface meaning, but then there is also many times a deeper meaning.

Sometimes there is a deeper, deeper meaning and sometimes there is the deeper, deeper, deeper meaning.

It is obvious that the question of who Jesus is refers to whether you believe he is God or not.

But there is a deeper meaning to this question.

If you believe that Jesus was God, then you have to realize that God was asking, “Who do you say that I am?” Who do you say God is?

Your answer to this question colors every aspect, every emotion, every idea, every belief you have.

It determines who you are, where you go, and what you do.

Think God is forgiving, and you will not be as concerned with sin, think God is a stern taskmaster and a justice seeker, and you will create a God of rules waiting for his creation to slip, and think God is bound by human decisions and you will have an inept god with now power.

The Book

Who do you say God is? Do you know God?

There is a great difference between knowing OF someone and KNOWING someone.

The God of the Bible says you must not just know OF him, but you must KNOW him.

Before Jesus was betrayed, on his last night with the disciples Jesus prayed to his father in heaven and it is recorded in .

Before Jesus was betrayed, on his last night with the disciples Jesus prayed to his father in heaven and it is recorded in .

and all say the same thing.

The beginning of wisdom, the starting point, is fearing God and having knowledge of him.

Psalms 110:10; and all say the same thing.

The beginning of wisdom, the starting point, is fearing God and having knowledge of him.

and all say the same thing.

The beginning of wisdom, the starting point, is fearing God and having knowledge of him.

Do you know God? Who do you say God is?

Importance of Knowing God

The people of Israel have been led out of Egypt with the miracles of the plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea.

They have witnessed this.

They have had Mana poured out from heaven, traveled to Mount Sinai, and heard the voice of God.

Moses had gone up on the mountain, but he hadn’t come back in some time, so they tell Aaron to make a God for them.

But, I want you to understand something important from verses 4 and 5.

The Golden Calf was meant to represent YHWH.

It was YHWH that led them out of Egypt and the word Lord, in verse 5, is written as YHWH.

The Golden Calf was meant to be YHWH.

They created an idol because they did not understand who God is.

The people of Israel have been led out of Egypt with the miracles of the plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea.

They have witnessed this.

They have had Mana poured out from heaven, traveled to Mount Sinai, and heard the voice of God.

Moses had gone up on the mountain, but he hadn’t come back in some time, so they tell Aaron to make a God for them.

But, I want you to understand something important from verses 4 and 5.

The Golden Calf was meant to represent YHWH.

It was YHWH that led them out of Egypt and the word Lord, in verse 5, is written as YHWH.

The Golden Calf was meant to be YHWH.

They created an idol because they did not understand who God is.

Paul here looks out at the men of Athens and all he see’s is idols.

This does not mean he saw all the pagan temples, all the statues, but a study of the Greek shows that he was looking at things the eye doesn’t necessarily perceive.

He was seeing underthings and he was seeing idols.

So, Paul tells them about the “unknown God,” the true God.

He tells them, “Look, you are worshiping, but you are worshipping the wrong thing.”

Paul here looks out at the men of Athens and all he see’s is idols.

This does not mean he saw all the pagan temples, all the statues, but a study of the Greek shows that he was looking at things the eye doesn’t necessarily perceive.

He was seeing underthings and he was seeing idols.

So, Paul tells them about the “unknown God,” the true God.

He tells them, “Look, you are worshiping, but you are worshipping the wrong thing.”

The Popular God

For many people the God of the Bible is unknown to them.

They worship a god that they have created out of their own minds, wills, and tolerances.

They are uncomfortable with the God of the Bible, so they have created a god they can be more comfortable with.

Like the Israelites, the Samaritans, and the Athenians they do not worship the God of the Bible, they worship an idol.

You may think that I am talking about the world outside the Church, but I am talking about the Church.

Many pulpits preach, and Christians worship, what I call the Popular god.

He is popular in the secular world.

He is popular on television with certain evangelical preachers, and he reigns in the hearts of many.

He isn’t the God of the Bible, but he is a false god, an idol.

God Not to be Honored.

The Popular god isn’t worthy of honor in all things.

He is worthy of some honor, but it is limited and only in certain areas of life.

We don’t have to honor him in the public arena.

He has no place there.

No reading his word or praying in public.

We don’t have to honor him in the public arena.

He has no place there.

No reading his word or praying in public.

We don’t have to honor him in our government.

We don’t have to honor him in our government.

We don’t have to honor him at our work place.

We don’t have to honor him at our work place.

We don’t have to honor him in our living room where our television is at.

We don’t have to honor him in our living room where our television is at.

And we definitely do not have to give him honor in our secret place.

And we definitely do not have to give him honor in our secret place.

The Popular god is only to be honored slightly and occasionally.

This is not a supreme od that is deserves all honor.

This is a god that lacks what is necessarily for such honor.

Lacks Power

The Popular god lacks power.

Oh, he has good intentions and noble ideas, but he has no real power to do things.

He wants everyone to be happy and he wants everyone to have what they want, but Satan and people keep thwarting his plans.

Satan brings trouble, war, conflict, disaster, crime, and destruction and the Popular god just doesn’t have the power to do anything about it.

He wants people to be his disciples and live correct lives, but he has no power to affect this change in their lives.

Lacks Knowledge

The Popular god lacks knowledge.

He has desires for his kingdom, purposes that he wants to accomplish, but he is limited just like you me, he can’t tell the future.

The future is not known or planned.

The future is not known or planned.

The Popular God doesn’t know what is going to happen from one moment to the next, so he operates in a kind of mop-up mode.