Who Do You Say That I Am

Luke 9:10-22

In 1930, a British missionary named William Burns was traveling through China, sharing the gospel village by village.

One day, a group of men stopped him and demanded to know why he had come so far from home.

When Burns began to speak about Jesus, they interrupted him and asked, “But who is this Jesus you speak of?”

They weren’t asking out of curiosity—they were challenging the very foundation of his mission.

Burns later wrote that in that moment, he realized he couldn’t simply tell them about Jesus’ teachings or miracles.

He had to tell them who Jesus is—the Christ, the Son of God, the only Savior of the world.

That question—Who is Jesus?—has been asked in every generation and in every corner of the globe.

If you’ve been with us through Luke’s Gospel, you’ve noticed how the picture of Jesus has been building with each chapter.

We’ve seen Him calm storms, cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, and teach with unmatched authority.

Every miracle, every parable, every encounter has been pointing to one truth—that this is no ordinary teacher.

Yet even with all of that, people still had different opinions about Him.

Some thought He was John the Baptist come back from the dead.

Others said He must be Elijah or another prophet of old.

The crowds were impressed, but they were still guessing.

And honestly, not much has changed in two thousand years.

If you ask people today who Jesus is, you’ll hear all kinds of answers.

Some will say He was a wise moral teacher.

Others will call Him a political revolutionary, a good example, or just another religious figure among many.

But Jesus isn’t looking for a popular opinion poll.

He’s looking for a personal answer.

In Luke 9:20, He turns to His disciples and asks, “But whom say ye that I am?”

That’s not an abstract theological question—it’s the most important question any of us will ever answer.

Because how you answer it will determine how you live your life, where you place your trust, and where you’ll spend eternity.

This evening, we’re going to see how this question is framed in the events of Luke 9:10–22.

We’ll see His compassion in the way He serves, His identity in the confession of His disciples, and His mission in the path of the cross.

And by the end of this passage, each of us will need to answer that question for ourselves—not just with our lips, but with our lives.

So to answer this question, “Who do you say that I am?” Let’s see first about Jesus…

I. His Compassion in Service

10 And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. 12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. 13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. 14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company. 15 And they did so, and made them all sit down. 16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17 And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

When we follow His steps, one of the first things we see is how He meets people right where they are.

This passage begins with a simple but powerful scene—Jesus noticing the needs of those around Him, even when He Himself was tired.

Let’s see first how He shows sensitivity to the needs of people who come to Him.

A. His Sensitivity to Needs

10 And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

After the disciples returned from their preaching tour, they were physically exhausted and spiritually drained.

Jesus, knowing their need for rest, took them aside to a quiet place.

But before they could enjoy that rest, the crowds found out where He was going and followed Him.

Most of us would be tempted to send the people away at that point, but Jesus “received them.”

He welcomed them, taught them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who were sick.

This shows us that walking in His steps means being willing to put people before personal comfort when God calls us to serve.

Jesus lived out what the Bible commands for us.

Philippians 2:4 reminds us

Philippians 2:4 KJV

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

You may feel tired from work, drained from family responsibilities, or stretched thin in ministry, but sometimes the most Christlike thing you can do is open your heart and your schedule to meet a need.

So we see his sensitivity to the needs of the people, secondly we see…

B. His Supply for the Multitudes

12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. 13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. 14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.

As the day wore on, the disciples became concerned that the crowd needed to eat.

They suggested sending everyone away to find food in the surrounding villages.

From a human standpoint, that was the logical solution.

But Jesus turned the situation back on them, saying, “Give ye them to eat.”

He was inviting them to see the need through His eyes and trust His ability to provide.

The disciples immediately focused on their lack—only five loaves and two fish.

We often respond the same way when God puts an opportunity in front of us.

We see the problem, the shortage, the impossibility, and we forget that the One who calls us is the One who equips us.

James 2:15–16 reminds us that faith without action is empty, and love takes action even when resources seem small.

James 2:15–16 KJV

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

C. His Surpassing Provision

15 And they did so, and made them all sit down. 16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17 And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

Jesus had the people sit down in groups, He took the loaves and fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them, and began breaking them.

The disciples distributed the food, and it kept coming until everyone was satisfied.

Not only did the crowd of more than five thousand men eat, but twelve baskets of leftovers were gathered—one for each disciple to carry as a personal reminder of His power.

Ephesians 3:20 tells us

Ephesians 3:20 KJV

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

It’s a reminder that god is able to do much more than we can every imagine or think to ask for.

This miracle is not just about food—it’s about the abundance of grace, of mercy, and of provision which flows from Christ when we put what we have in His hands.

During the Great Depression, when jobs were scarce and food was even scarcer, a small-town pastor looked out at his congregation one Sunday and realized that several families had nothing to eat.

With no money to buy groceries and only a little food in his own pantry, he and his wife decided to do the only thing they could—make a big pot of soup and invite people over to eat.

They set the pot on the stove, added what vegetables they had, and prayed that God would make it enough.

That first night, neighbors came with empty stomachs, and every bowl was filled.

To the pastor’s surprise, when the last person left, there was still soup in the pot.

The next day, more families showed up.

Once again, they filled every bowl, and once again, there was enough.

Day after day, week after week, people came, and somehow, the soup never ran out before everyone had eaten their fill.

Sometimes the vegetables in the pot would change, sometimes a member of the church would quietly add a potato or some beans, but always—always—there was enough.

By the end of those hard months, dozens of families had been fed from that same kitchen, and the pastor would later say, “We never had much, but we always had enough, because we put it in the Lord’s hands first.”

It was a living reminder of what Jesus did on that hillside with five loaves and two fish—that when we give Him what we have, no matter how small, He can multiply it beyond anything we imagine.

If we’re going to follow His steps, we must stop measuring our ability to serve by what’s in our hands and start measuring it by who is holding our hands.

II. Their Confession of the Savior

18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? 19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. 20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.

After showing His compassion in such a tangible way, Jesus turns to a much deeper issue—the question of His identity.

The miracles were amazing, but they were meant to point to something greater: who He truly is.

Let’s begin by looking at how He drew out the opinions of the crowd before confronting His disciples with the same question.

A. The Question to the Crowd

18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? 19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

After the miracle of feeding the five thousand, Jesus withdrew to pray.

Luke tells us that the disciples were with Him, and in that quiet moment, He asked a probing question: “Whom say the people that I am?”

The answers varied—some said John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others thought He was one of the prophets risen from the dead.

These were high compliments, but they all fell short of the truth.

The crowd saw Jesus as someone significant, even supernatural, but not as the Messiah.

Many today will speak respectfully about Jesus.

They’ll call Him a great moral teacher, a prophet, or a religious leader, but unless they recognize Him as the Christ, they remain in unbelief.

John 8:24 warns,

John 8:24 KJV

24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins

Our opinion about Jesus must move beyond admiration to true faith.

B. The Question to the Committed

Jesus then turned the question directly to His disciples: “But whom say ye that I am?”

The shift from “the people” to you makes it personal.

This is no longer about what others think—this is about their own conviction.

Every follower of Jesus must answer that question personally.

It is not enough to ride on the faith of your parents, your spouse, or your pastor.

You must know for yourself who Jesus is and trust Him as Lord and Savior.

Romans 10:9 tells us salvation comes when we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord.

Romans 10:9 KJV

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

In 325 A.D., the church faced one of the most dangerous doctrinal crises in its history.

A man named Arius was teaching that Jesus was not fully God—that He was a created being, higher than man but less than the Father.

This false teaching was spreading rapidly, even influencing bishops and political leaders.

To address the controversy, Emperor Constantine called church leaders from all over the Roman Empire to meet in the city of Nicaea.

Among the hundreds of bishops gathered, a young pastor and deacon from Alexandria named Athanasius emerged as one of the clearest voices for truth.

Though he was not yet forty years old, he had a deep conviction that the Scriptures plainly taught Jesus is fully God and fully man.

One by one, many leaders tried to compromise or soften their stance, fearing political backlash or the loss of influence.

But Athanasius refused to budge.

When someone challenged him, saying, “Athanasius, don’t you know the whole world is against you?” he calmly replied, “Then I am against the world.”

That simple statement wasn’t arrogance—it was courage born from knowing who Jesus truly is.

Athanasius believed that if Jesus were not fully God, then He could not be our Savior, and the gospel itself would collapse.

History would remember him as “Athanasius contra mundum”—“Athanasius against the world”—a man who stood almost alone, but stood firmly, because he knew the answer to Jesus’ question: “But whom say ye that I am?”

Following Jesus’ steps sometimes means standing apart from the crowd.

C. The Confession of the Christ

So the question is asked…and Peter answered boldly, “The Christ of God.”

This was not just the right answer—it was a confession of faith.

By calling Him “the Christ,” Peter declared that Jesus was the Anointed One, the promised Messiah sent to save.

Matthew’s account adds that Jesus said this truth was revealed to Peter by the Father in heaven, not discovered by human reasoning.

True confession of Christ comes from a heart opened by God’s grace.

It is a Spirit-given conviction that changes everything about how we live.

Once we recognize Jesus as the Christ, we can no longer treat Him as an optional influence—we must follow Him as Lord.

When missionary C.T. Studd left behind wealth, fame, and a promising athletic career to serve Christ in Africa, he did so because, in his own words, “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.”

III. His Cross in Submission

21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; 22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

Once the disciples confessed Jesus as the Christ, He did something they weren’t expecting.

He didn’t call them to take up political positions or prepare for a military victory.

Instead, He began to reveal a path of rejection, suffering, and death.

Following His steps would mean walking toward a cross, not away from it.

But in doing so notice two things:

A. The Secrecy He Required

21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;

After Peter’s confession, Jesus charged them to tell no man that He was the Christ.

This may seem strange—wouldn’t He want everyone to know?

But Jesus was working according to the Father’s timetable, and He knew that premature public declarations could stir political uproar before the appointed time.

He wasn’t here to be a political Messiah who would overthrow Rome; He came to be the suffering Messiah who would conquer sin.

Walking in His steps means trusting God’s timing as well as His plan.

There will be moments when God calls us to wait, to hold back from acting or speaking until His moment arrives.

Isaiah 55:8–9 reminds us that His ways and thoughts are higher than ours.

Isaiah 55:8–9 KJV

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.

B. The Suffering He Revealed

22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

Jesus spoke plainly—He must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day.

The disciples had pictured glory without grief, a crown without a cross, but Jesus shattered that illusion.

He used the word “must,” showing this was not optional—it was the divine plan of redemption.

Isaiah 53:5 says,

Isaiah 53:5 KJV

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.

The road to our salvation was paved with His suffering.

Following His steps will sometimes lead us into situations that are costly and uncomfortable.

If our Lord embraced suffering for the sake of God’s will, we cannot expect to avoid it entirely.

Missionary James Calvert was warned not to go to Fiji because the cannibals would kill him.

His reply was simple: “We died before we came here.”

That is the heart of discipleship—counting ourselves dead to comfort, reputation, and even life itself, so that Christ may be glorified.

Conclusion

In this passage, we have followed Jesus through three powerful moments.

We saw His compassion in service as He welcomed the weary, fed the hungry, and provided more than enough.

We heard the disciples’ confession of the Savior, moving from the opinions of the crowd to a personal declaration that He is the Christ of God.

And we listened to His call to the cross, revealing that following Him means embracing His path of sacrifice and submission.

The same question He asked His disciples is the question He asks us tonight: “But whom say ye that I am?”

If He is truly the Christ to you, that reality will change everything about how you live.

You will serve others with His compassion, confess Him with boldness, and follow Him even when the road leads to sacrifice.

In 1939, as World War II was beginning, King George VI of England addressed the nation in a time of fear and uncertainty.

He quoted words from a poem by Minnie Haskins:

“I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year,

‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’

And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the hand of God.

That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.’”

Following Jesus is exactly that—putting your hand into His and trusting Him to lead, even when the path is unclear or costly.

Tonight, will you put your hand into His?

Will you follow His steps with compassion in service, conviction in confession, and courage in submission?

If you have never confessed Him as Lord, you can do that tonight.

If you have confessed Him but have been holding back in service or sacrifice, you can surrender that tonight.

Let’s answer His question not just with our lips, but with our lives.