What about your friends

Sermon Title: "What about your friends"

Matthew 16:15 (KJV 1900)

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Sermon Title: "Who do you say I am"

Introduction

Illustration: Have you ever questioned your friendships? whatever or not ppl were loyal or not? Have you ever thought about your friends and what you mean to them. These kinds of questions pop up in the mind of a person when their ready to take their relationships to the next level. They want to be sure they Can I trust this person with the next pharse of my life. and this was no different for Jesus he was concerned with what the disciples thought oabout him.

Text: matthew 16:15 - He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Opening Question: How do we answer the most important question of our faith—Who is Jesus to you?

Jesus’ Question to the Disciples (Matthew 16:13-14)

The Public’s Opinion: Jesus first asks, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

Responses: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

Point: Many have opinions about who Jesus is, but they can be misguided or incomplete. Many people have opinions about Jesus, but opinions don’t equal relationship. The world today still has its own ideas about Jesus—a good teacher, a prophet, or just a historical figure.

People today have various opinions about Jesus, but what truly matters is who you think he is and the personal relationship we have with Him. How can you effectively have a relationship with chirst if you dont even know whon is?

THe question shifts it gets personal (Matthew 16:15)

Jesus Directs the Question: “But what about you? Who do you say I am?”This is a direct, personal question that every believer must answer.Jesus shifts from general opinions to the personal conviction of the disciples. Who do you say I am?

Picture being in a group discussion. People are throwing out ideas, but suddenly, someone turns to you and says, “What do you think?” It’s different now. The spotlight is on you. Jesus is asking for more than a general answer. He wants to know your personal revelation.

Application: Jesus isn’t interested in what your parents, friends, or culture think. He wants to know what you believe about Him.

At this point Id like to add a subtitle: waht about your friends...

TLC had a song in the 90 called what about your friends adn the course went like this:

What about your friends? Will they stand their ground? Will they let you down? hey yay

What about your friends? Are they gonna be low down? Will they ever be around? Or will they turn their backs on you?

Whodini had a song in the 80 called Friends and it went like this:

Friends How many of us have them? Friends Ones we can depend on Friends How many of us have them? Friends Before we go any further, lets be Friends

Jesus considred these guys friends. They did all the things friends do-

John 15:13 KJV 1900

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

He loved them, how do you know becasue of his assisgnment to die for the remission of sin and that included the sins of the disciples.

Jesus ask them a question and they told him what every body else thought about him but not what they knew about him.

Beware of a peron that can break down what everybody else thinks about you but never tell you how they feel about you.

Application: We cannot rely on others’ perceptions of Jesus; our faith must be grounded in a personal encounter with Him.IV.

Jesus questions his disciples but when Peter got it right, Jesus spoke into peters life.

Peter’s Confession of Faith (Matthew 16:16) Peter’s Response: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Revelation: Peter’s confession is the foundation of Christian faith—Jesus is not just a prophet or teacher but the Messiah and Son of God.

Jesus’ Affirmation: In verse 17, Jesus tells Peter that this revelation was given by God, not by man.

Application: True faith comes from divine revelation, not just intellectual knowledge.V.

The Impact of Recognizing Jesus as the Messiah

Matthew 16:17–20 KJV 1900

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Transformation in Identity: Just as Peter’s understanding of Jesus changed his life, our recognition of Jesus as Lord transforms us

.New Creation: 2 Corinthians 5:17 - We are made new when we acknowledge Jesus as our Savior.

The Foundation for the Church: Jesus declares that on the confession of His Lordship, He will build His Church (Matthew 16:18).

Application: A church’s strength is rooted in the revelation of Jesus as Lord.

Authority Given: Jesus entrusts the keys of the kingdom to those who confess Him (Matthew 16:19).VI. Application: Who Is Jesus to You? Challenge to the Congregation: It’s not enough to know about Jesus; we must know Him personally.Reflection: Ask yourself, “Who do I say Jesus is?”How does your answer affect your life, decisions, and priorities?Personal Testimony: Share how recognizing Jesus as Lord has transformed your life.VII. Conclusion: The Most Important Question