Who Do You Say That I Am?

Preach for a Year #2 Whom Say Ye that I Am?

Whom Say Ye That I Am?

Series on the Cross

Matthew 16:13–19

I. Introduction

A. Jesus Takes the Disciples on a Retreat

1. Our Lord’s demanding schedule

a. Made long journeys to meet the needs of people

b. Crowds pressed and stared and questioned

c. Held debate with critical and scheming opponents

2. He sat weary by a well; fell asleep in a storm

3. To cope with His load, He took mini-vacations

4. The retreat at Caesarea Philippi was the most notable of these

B. Revelations Made on This Ten-Day Retreat

1. His deity was revealed and confirmed

2. His plan to found the church was explained

3. His disciples were prepared for His approaching death

4. Questions raised and answered there that still matter today

II. Body

A. The Public Response to Jesus (vv. 13–14)

1. “Whom do men say that I am?”

2. In answering, the disciples left out some negatives

a. Some said He was a glutton and a winebibber (Matt. 11:19)

b. Some said He was demon-possessed (John 7:20)

c. Their silence on negatives is a good lesson for us

3. Some thought He was John the Baptist

a. Especially Herod (Matt. 14:2)

b. Probably because of strong preaching against sin

4. Some thought He was Elijah

a. His miracles

b. His fearless rebuking of hypocrites in high places

5. Some thought He was Jeremiah: His compassion; His tears

6. Some thought He was one of the other prophets

B. Peter’s Response to Jesus (vv. 15–17)

1. “But whom say ye that I am?”

2. The disciples were forced to make a decision

3. Peter speaks: “Thou art the Christ …”

a. Peter does not wait for a consensus to answer

b. Thank God for those who make decisions

4. Peter’s confession the result of more than weighing facts

a. There had been a work of God in his heart

b. William Clow: “Between verdict and confession there lies a religious experience”

c. This is more than mental assent: it is faith

C. Our Personal Response to Jesus (vv. 15–17)

1. All are faced with this question today

2. We are more privileged than the disciples

a. Christ had not yet completed His ministry

b. He had not yet died on the cross … nor risen

3. But the same Lord works in our hearts to bring us to faith

III. Conclusion

A. Our Lord’s Response to Peter’s Faith (vv. 18–19)

B. When We Receive Christ, We Get in on His Plan for Our Lives

C. What Is Your Response to the Lord’s Question?

Whom Say Ye That I Am?

Matthew 16:13–19 NKJV

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Series on the Cross

Jesus Takes the Disciples on a Retreat

A. Jesus Takes the Disciples on a Retreat

A. Jesus Takes the Disciples on a Retreat

Our Lord’s demanding schedule

Made long journeys to meet the needs of people

Crowds pressed and stared and questioned

Held debate with critical and scheming opponents

He sat weary by a well; fell asleep in a storm

4. The retreat at Caesarea Philippi was the most notable of these

Here he takes a mini retreat at Caesarea Philippi

A pagan city near the head of the Jordan river

In Phillip’s territory

A metropolis of mostly non Jewish people

away from the crowds of critics and schemers

away from the press of needy people and followers

Revelations Made on This Retreat

His deity was revealed and confirmed

His plan to found the church was explained

His disciples were prepared for His approaching death

Questions raised and answered there that still matter today

Matthew 16:13–14 NKJV

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

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Who do men say that I Am?

The Public Response to Jesus (vv. 13–14)

“Whom do men say that I am?”

In answering, the disciples left out some negatives

Some said He was a glutton and a winebibber ()

Some said He was demon-possessed ()

Their silence on negatives is a good lesson for us

We don’t need to repeat every negative thing we hear

Some thought He was John the Baptist

Especially Herod ()

Probably because of strong preaching against sin

Jesus, like John was very critical of sin and demanded that people repent

Some thought He was Elijah

His miracles

His fearless rebuking of hypocrites in high places

While Jesus was kind and filled with compassion, He did not hold back criticism when it was needed

calling out the scribes, pharisees and lawyers

Also rebuking cities that did not repent

Some thought He was Jeremiah:

Perhaps for His compassion; His tears

Some thought He was one of the other prophets

And today, throughout the world, there are still so many opinions about who Jesus Christ is

A historical figure who died

a make believe character, like santa, the the myths

a famous teacher from the past

and so many others

Matthew 16:15–17 NKJV

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Who Do You Say That I Am

Peter’s Response to Jesus (vv. 15–17)

“But whom say ye that I am?”

The disciples were forced to make a decision

Every person must work out his own salvation -

My confession of Christ cannot save you

Peter speaks: “You are the Christ …”

Peter does not wait for a consensus to answer

if you wait for the crowd to get saved you will most likely end up in hell

Thank God for those who make decisions

Peter’s confession the result of more than weighing facts

flesh and blood had not revealed this

he didn’t figure it out on his own, or through human reasoning

There had been a work of God in his heart

William Clow: “Between verdict and confession there lies a religious experience”

This is more than mental assent: it is faith

Our Personal Response to Jesus (vv. 15–17)

We are all faced with this question today

We are more privileged than the disciples

Christ had not yet completed His ministry

He had not yet died on the cross … nor risen

But the same Lord works in our hearts to bring us to faith

Our Lord’s Response to Peter’s Faith (vv. 18–19)

When We Receive Christ, We Get in on His Plan for Our Lives

Who Do You Say That I Am?

What Is Your Response to our Lord’s Question?