Questions #4

Northside Church

Questions Jesus Asked #4

Jamey Mills

12/18/22

Advent: Love

Thank Jonathan…

Reminder about what's going on. Transition from MT to Elders…

What membership is… and the vote upcoming.

Good morning Northside…

My name is Jamey, I’m the lead pastor here… You guys are looking good today…

Before we get started today… a bit of announcement…

I wanted to let you all know that about a month and a half ago… My good friend Dana Penner decided that leading the small group ministry, helping with set up, sound and all kinds of other things at the church… was probably enough and that he needed to step back from leading the Land Acquisition Team…

He’d done a lot of work on it… and we are so thankful for that.

The MT asked Ron Wobig to consider stepping up to lead that team which he graciously accepted… and Ron has been doing an excellent job… so thankful for you and your friendship Ron… I want to encourage you all to keep praying for this team… There are lots of exciting things on the horizon for NS.

We are in our fourth week of a series we are calling “questions Jesus asked”...

I’ve really enjoyed it.

We are learning that this is a big part of the way that Jesus taught. Asking these questions… not because He’s confused… but rather to put people in a position to think about… internalize… and wrestle with these important truths.

There are about 340 questions Jesus asked in the gospels…

And every one of them is intended to help us consider an important aspect of who He is, what He’s like and what it means for you and I.

Matthew 16:13–14 NLT

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

(NLT)

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

Jesus has been teaching around Galilee, and now He and the disciples were headed about 30 miles northeast… coming to the “region” of Caesarea Philippi…

That word region is important… they weren’t in Philippi, but just outside of it.

It was at the base of Mount Hermon (Picture) which is the tallest peak in Israel at just over 9300 ft. in el. For reference, Mt Hood is just under 11,500.

Most scholars believe they were standing here… (PICTURE) Anyone here visit this site in person? One day NS take a trip there…

It’s this incredibly beautiful place…(PICTURE) the snow melts on the mountain, seeps into the ground and comes up from the ground inside of this cave… forming at least in part the headwaters for the Jordan river…

To this day… you can see the remains of a pagan temple (PICTURE)… it was dedicated to this ½ man ½ goat mythological god named PAN… (PICTURE)... he was almost always pictured with a pan flute…

Some believe pan was the inspiration to the disney character Peter Pan which in my research is more than alarming.

Pan was the picture of chaos and perversion… the god of pasturelands, fields and wooded areas… and shepherds…

Jesus starts by asking… who do people say that the “Son of Man” is?

That title “Son of Man” was the one Jesus most used for Himself… and it would have been clearly recognized by those in that circle as a title given to the Messiah… (Daniel 7:13)

Jesus wasn’t having an identity crisis or looking for affirmation…

But their response tells us a couple things.

People were talking

And they were confused about who He is.

They knew He was different… that's why they were talking. They saw some similarities between Jesus and some of the great and familiar prophets of that past… but it’s almost like they were afraid to give a definitive answer.

If you were to ask people today, who do you think Jesus is… what response do you think you’d get?

Throughout history, people have offered their opinions…

What kinds of things to people say about who Jesus is?

Pilate… the one who stood over his trial… said he found no guilt in Jesus.

Napoleon said… I know men, and Jesus was no mere man.

Diderot (French Philosopher) called Him the “unsurpassed”

Strauss (German rationalist) the highest model of religion

John Stuart Mill (the most influential English language philosopher of the nineteenth century) as the guide of humanity

Renan (french atheist) The greatest of the sons of men

Robert Owens (Philanthropist and social reformer) saw him as the irreproachable one.

And some of the responses that people gave at that time… were very similar to some responses you’d hear today… even within the church.

They were willing to admit that Jesus was different…

They were okay saying he was a good man, a moral teacher, even a forerunner of the one who was to come…

All of these examples… that Peter gave and the ones I gave from history seem like positive responses… but they do not represent the biblical view… and… from a biblical standpoint… they lack substance and an all important truth.

CS Lewis wrote some pretty astounding things in his day…

But one of my favorites comes out of Mere Christianity… a great book if you haven't read it… It’s free on audible for members. $10 on amazon.

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him [that is, Christ]: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg–or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse…. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

And He’s right.

It’s impossible and irresponsible with the claims that Jesus made to see him only as a moral man, a good teacher, a good example or even a prophet.

Is it possible for Jesus to simply be a good person or a good teacher with the claims that He made?

He is either Lord (which is what He claims to be) or He is among the worst, harshest and cruelest of people… misleading, lying, giving false hope to millions upon millions…

Good people… moral men… good teachers… don’t do that.

Why do you think Jesus asked what other people say?

In part, I think it was because he wanted them to realize that there were a lot of uninformed opinions… and to think about who and what it is that would inform their own.

There are all kinds of people with all kinds of training that have all kinds of opinions as to who Jesus is…

It at times was confusing for those who were closest to Jesus… and it can be for us today too. So, what will you allow to inform you?

It almost reminds me of that show who wants to be a millionaire…

I’d like to phone a friend, poll the audience, or the 50/50 option…

I feel like Jesus is in a sense warning them and us… that there are many… whose views of Jesus fall short… they may even be positive… but that's not going to do it.

Matthew 16:15–19 NLT

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

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

17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

The setting is crazy…

Right there, at the base of this sheer rock wall… and this temple that represents all kinds of false ideas…

Jesus turns and asks what so many scholars call the most important question in all of scripture. The most important question you’ll ever face…

Regardless of what others say or what the world thinks, who do you say that I am?

Have you ever answered that question within yourself? In years of ministry…

I’ve been shocked at how

many have spent years or decades within the Church and never truly answered that question before the Lord. Have you?

It's one of those odd questions in that

By never answering that question, you are answering it.

Despite all of Peter’s flaws and struggles, he nails it. But there… in front of the others…

He didn’t play it safe with… well, I think you’re neat and a super nice guy…

But he says… you want to know what I think? I think you’re the one. I think you’re the one we’ve been waiting for, the one we’d heard so much about… I think you are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God…

His answer… changed his life. Right there Jesus blessed him and changed his name…

And thats not saying Peter would always get it right… you don’t have to read very far at all to see he’s still learning to lean into and live that truth…

And I hope we caught it.

There are all kinds of things that influence our thinking… and it did theirs to… but

Who did Jesus say revealed this truth to Peter?

Not the news, not social media, not the loudest person in the room, not popular opinion, not culture…

Who revealed

God Himself revealed this truth to Peter.

, and I believe that's still how it works today.

God reveals this truth through His spirit, Sound teaching, Connection/fellowship with His Church, creation, honest prayer, honest searching from and honest heart, and through His Word.

Through His spirit, sound teaching, connection and fellowship with His Church, through His creation, through science done right, through honest prayer, through honest searching from an honest heart, and through His Word.

How does God reveal this truth to you and I today?

God’s Word is His self revelation to you.

And so knowing what it actually says matters… this is not all… but here we go…

The Bible says… That Jesus is…

Who does the Bible say Jesus is?

Mediator between man and God

Son of God

Messiah

King of Kings

Lord of Lords

Prince of Peace

Word became flesh

Author and finisher of our faith

Sinless

Born of a virgin

Friend

Brother

Creator

Fullness of God

Given authority

Chosen

Savior of all

Cornerstone

Bright and morning star

Everlasting father

God Himself said… this is my son

There are many who say… that the bible never claims that Jesus was the Messiah… that deny the divinity of Jesus… that the Bible is quiet when it comes to His identity… REALLY? Cause I can go on…

Good shepherd

Great High priest

Judge

Light of the world

Great physician

The Wisdom of God

Emmanuel which means… God is with us.

And there are some that say Jesus never made that claim himself…

John 14:6–7 (ESV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

God is more than clear…

It was God who revealed it to Peter… and Peter’s willingness to lean into that…

Matthew 16:18–19 NLT

Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

This passage is often really confusing.

Peter gets it right, and Jesus blesses Peter. It changes Peter’s life and Jesus Changed Peter’s name… but Jesus is NOT saying He will build the church on Peter…

He called Peter Petros… witch is masculine for small rock

What is the rock on which Jesus is building His Church?

Jesus is building His church on the rock of the great confession.

And whatever He is building His church on He called… Petra… which is feminine for Huge mountain or cliff face.

He wasn’t calling Peter a big girl…

In their language it would have been clear He’s talking about something else…

Jesus is saying…

That He will build His church (that what it is that unites us… what it is that brings us together… what it is that we have in common that is so much bigger than anything that would seek to divide is…

Who we say Jesus is. It really helps us to understand how important that question is.

We can make him out to be a madman… We can claim that He is a liar…

But we must never say He is simply a good man.

He is either Lord… or He is a liar.

He has not left room for a middle ground and that was intentional.

I know the world around us has a lot of opinions….

I know who the Bible says He is… I know who He says He is…

But in this case… who you say He is… may matter most of all.

Have you ever told Him?

Have you ever said it out loud?

Here is your challenge today…

Answer this question to one person on the way out…

Who do you say that Jesus is?

It reminds me of one other question Jesus asked…

Luke 6:46 NLT

“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?

46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?

Jesus goes on to say when we listen to Him and obey Him… it's like digging down deep and laying the foundation of our lives on solid rock. When… not if… the storms come, they beat against the house but it stands… because He is their foundation.

But if we don't obey, it's like building our house on the sand… When that same storm comes, the entire house crashes… because it wasn’t grounded in truth.

Knowing… and even saying Jesus is Lord… is not the same as living with Him as the Lord of your life.

We’ve allowed the themes of advent to sort of guide us in this series…

So, what does love got to do with it…

There are a lot of occasions in scripture that connect our love and trust of God… with our willingness to obey Him.

EVERY KNEE

PHIL 2