Who Jesus Is

Introduction

Luke 9:18–27 NIV

18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” 19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” 20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” 21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

Exodus 5:1–2 “Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’ ” Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.””

3 Truths that build on each other

Jesus the Curiosity

Luke 9:18–19 NIV

18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” 19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

There is a large segment of Israel that is interested in Jesus but doesn’t understand who he is

The things Jesus does are undoubtedly interesting

Imagine the rumor mill churning as Jesus performs miracles

The spectacular nature of Jesus ministry results in large crowds

47x in Luke (3x other crowds)

Though the crowd found Jesus attractive, they don’t recognize who he is.

The crowds view of Jesus

A great teacher

A prophet

They’re even willing to hear his rebukes

Application

Are you following the culturally acceptable Jesus?

False conceptions of Jesus

A Jesus who is a terror to your enemies

A Jesus who welcomes your sin

This text is not content to leave Jesus as a curious and influential prophet

Jesus the Christ

Luke 9:20 NIV

20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

Peter gives a better answer

Literally: The Christ of God

Anointed

In the OT prophets, priests, and kings are anointed

Jesus brings all three offices together

In the expectation of 1st century Judaism the kingly aspect is important

There was a king but he was a puppet of the Romans and not a good king

The term establishes Jesus as the fulfillment of OT expectation

It anticipates a triumphant restoration of the nation

It will become one of the dominant titles for Jesus in the Epistles

Peter is speaking the truth

In Matthew’s account Jesus calls Peter blessed for his declaration

This anticipates Jesus as conquering king, which is true, but Jesus isn’t ready to be conquering king

Jesus the Crucified

Luke 9:21–27 NIV

21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

Jesus accepts and develop’s Peter’s claim with two warnings

Warning about the Path Jesus will Walk

A Warning about Secrecy

Jesus warns them to keep this to themselves

Jesus work will declare his identity rather than Peter’s words

Jesus will not keep his identity secret, but he will have it revealed at the right time

Jesus doesn’t reject a political position as king, but focuses on the timing of that revelation

He has things to accomplish before consummating his kingdom

A Warning about Suffering

Luke 9:22 NIV

22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

The path in front of Jesus is one of long term triumph but short term suffering

4 ideas

Suffer

Be rejected

Killed

Resurrected

Consider the importance of accomplishing these things before the inauguration of his kingdom. For the kingdom to be good news it must come after the cross.

Revelation 20:11–15 NIV

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Jesus’s path is one of suffering and glory, but he’s not the only one

The Path the Disciples will Walk

Luke 9:23–26 NIV

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

The disciples path will match that of Jesus

You can imagine the disciples thinking that following Jesus is the path to an easy life

Jesus removes that notion

The path of the disciple is the path of the cross

Cross: Public suffering for the purpose of shame and deterrence

Jesus refers to discipleship as a life of carrying the means of your own execution

Jesus call to take up the cross isn’t without benefit

Save their life - “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

Not lose their self - “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? “

Jesus warns that this is a requirement of discipleship

Shame and glory are opposite extremes

Jesus followers will experience shame here, but they must not be ashamed because glory is coming

Conclusion

Jesus ministry was one of suffering with an eye toward eventual glory

Philippians 2:6–11 NIV

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

If that is the path of Jesus ministry, it is the path of those who follow him