Closer Than The Crowd “Palm Sunday”

INTRO

We are living in a crazy time and space in history aren’t we?

It’s a tense time in the history

It’s a time when you can read three news stories on the same thing and get three very different realities

It’s a time that is hard to know what is true or false

And it can bring about a lot of confusion

When moments are tense, there’s a demand to define what is true and what is not—and to stay close to what is true.

MAIN POINT

We are the most connected disconnected generation in history.

The disconnection creates a relationship gap.

We all make a choice to what we allow to fill our relationship gap.

Today we are going to look at a Define the Relationship conversation that Jesus had with his disciples that brought a ton of clarity and confidence in there unclear world!

INVITE

Church, I want to invite you to go to the book of Matthew 16:13-18 if you have your bible.

Matthew 16:13 NLT

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

EXPLAIN CAESAREA PHILIPPI

1. THE CROWDS

A. THIS IS A GROUP OF DISTANT FOLLOWERS OF JESUS

PEOPLE THAT JESUS TAUGHT ON THE HILLSIDE

PEOPLE THAT WERE A PART OF THE GROUP WHEN HE FED 5000

PEOPLE AT THE SYNAGOGUES THAT HE TAUGHT IN

B. THE QUESTION THAT JESUS WAS ASKING WAS WHO DID THEY THINK HE WAS.

Matthew 16:14 NLT

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

THEY SAW JESUS AS JOHN THE BAPTIST, ELIJAH, A PROPHET.

C. THE CROWDS JUST SAW JESUS AS A MAN WITH A GREAT MESSAGE AND GREAT POWER.

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D. ULTIMATELY, THEY DID NOT SEE HIM AS THE PROMISED ONE.

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E. THIS IN TURN STOPPED THEM FROM PUTTING THEIR FULL TRUST AND LIVES IN HIM.

F. THE DECISIONS OF THE CROWD CAN NEVER SUBSTITUTE PERSONAL DECISIONS.

2. PETER

Matthew 16:15 NLT

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

A. PETER AND THE REST OF THE DISCIPLES WERE CLOSE AND INTIMATE WITH JESUS.

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B. WHEN JESUS ASKED PETER, “WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM”, IT IS CLEAR HOW HE FELT.

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C. PETER HEARD THE MESSAGES AND SAW HIS POWER JUST LIKE THE CROWDS.

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D. BUT, PETER KNEW JESUS INTIMATELY AFTER LIVING AND SPENDING TIME WITH HIM FOR 3 YEARS.

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E. THE DIFFERENCE IS WHAT PETER GAVE UP TO BE WITH JESUS.

HIS WORK, HIS FAMILY, HIS SAFETY

E. WHAT WAS THE THING THAT ULTIMATELY ALLOWED PETER TO CONCLUDE THAT JESUS WAS MORE THAN A PROPHET?

F. PETER WAS NOT RESPONDING TO AN EVENT, BUT A RELATIONSHIP.

G. JESUS DOESN’T MOVE AT OUR PACE AND PROCESS.

3. THE UNLIKELY KING

Matthew 21:1–7 NLT

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.” This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said, “Tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.’ ” The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.

2 million people in and around Jerusalem.

4. THE CROWDS AROUND HIM

Matthew 21:8–9 ESV

Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

A. The closer people got to Jesus, the more they recognized who He was.

B. The closeness of Jesus is what led to His crucifixion.

John 12:19 NLT

Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”

5. DISTANT CROWDS

Matthew 21:10–11 NLT

The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked. And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

A. The closer you are to Jesus the more you see the fullness of His glory!

6. YOU

A. GOD WANTS US TO DEFINE THE RELATIONSHIP IN THE SAME WAY THAT HE WAS WITH PETER AND THE DISCIPLES.

The chaos of your life can create distance from Jesus if you allow it.

B. WHO DO WE SAY THAT JESUS IS?

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C. OUR WORLD SAYS A LOT ABOUT HIM.

SOME SAY THAT HE IS A HISTORICAL FIGURE.

GOOD GUY, THE MAN UPSTAIRS, THE BIG GUY.

SOME EVEN SAY HE IS A GOD.

THE BIBLE IS CLEAR THAT HE IS THE ONE TRUE GOD.

D. THE WORLD’S VERSION OF JESUS IS GENERALLY A WATERED DOWN VERSION OF HIS ACTUAL CHARACTER.

John 14:6 NLT

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

D. PETER DECIDED IN HIS HEART THAT JESUS WAS THE ONLY WAY.

Matthew 16:16–18 NLT

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.

E. WHO IS JESUS TO YOU?

E. DO YOU KNOW HIM AS THE DISTANT CROWDS DID OR AS PETER DID?

G. THERE ARE A LOT OF “CHRISTIANS” THAT DON’T REALLY KNOW JESUS.

RESULT: RESULT OF INFO

THE CROWD WE KEEP AROUND US DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO OUR CLOSENESS WITH JESUS.

THE DISTANCE WE KEEP FROM JESUS CREATES THE DEPTH OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.

CHALLENGE: PERSONAL CHALLENGE

DESIRE A CLOSENESS THAT REQUIRES QUALITY TIME AND QUANTITY TIME.

ALLOW YOUR CLOSENESS WITH JESUS TO BECOME THE LENS WITH HOW YOU SEE THE WORLD AROUND YOU.

CONCLUSION/CLOSE