The Christ Confessed/The Son of Man Explained

This morning to get our minds into gear let’s consider three questions. The first two are on your sermon notes.

As we ask these questions, let’s think not of the answers that would come from a wide cross section people on the street - all ages.

Who do people say Jesus is?

Is versus was.

George Barna - Market Researcher in religious beliefs and behavior

92% of all people believe Jesus was a real person

% range - 87% millennials - born 1981 to 1996/96 % Elders

56% - Jesus was God - 52% Jesus sinless

1/4 of younger generations - 26% - Jesus a spiritual religious leader like Mohammed or Buddha.

Son of God, son of God, prophet

Certain segment - Don’t know. Don’t care. Religion and politics private! Doesn’t matter.

Might be part of an eclectic spiritual buffet from which they pick and choose believing that most of are some value and truth is determined by the user.

What did Jesus come to do?

Teach/disciple

Live an exemplary life

Be a prophet, renew Judaism

Energize and encourage His oppressed country men/women.

3. If you learned something new/true about Jesus would you allow it to change your life?

Over the last 40 years Stanford University carried out at least two comprehensive case studies to access the willingness of individuals to change their minds after having been clearly shown that the conclusions they had made were wrong.

In totally blinded scenarios the group were given 25 suicide notes - some real, some written for the study.

Those in the case study were asked to decide which were true notes and which were fabricated. Within a short time period of those who had submitted their decisions some were told that they were very accurate. Others were told they very inaccurate. After a bit all were asked to comment on what might have contributed to their insights or lack thereof.

After a while those overseeing the study, confessed that there was really no insight accuracy pattern in the study, they had given false information as to their insight prowess.

The vast majority of the case study participants refused to believed that they had been duped.

“Even after the evidence “for their beliefs has been totally refuted, people fail to make appropriate revisions in those beliefs,” the researchers noted.” - Stanford Studies - New Yorker Magazine - Feb 27, 2017

The writer of Proverbs pointed that out - ;

Proverbs 14:12 ESV

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Proverbs 14:12 ESV

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Proverbs 14:12 ESV

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

The Gospel of Mark The Great Discovery (Mark 8:27–30)

It is an amazing thing that it was here of all places that Peter saw in a homeless Galilaean

We live in a broken miss informed world. In the accurate information vacuum we need to be able to ask and answer crucial questions accurately, that is Biblically. When considering these questions and answers, it is essential that we remember and remind each other that sincere conclusions or a consensus of opinion should ever be see as the only determination of what is right and wrong.

As with His disciples, Jesus would remind us who He is and what He came to do. To that end, Jesus prompted a confession and provided further explanation.

The Christ Confessed -

Context - 8:27

“Who do people say Jesus is?” - 8:27-28

“But who do you say I am?” - 8:29

Jesus’ command - 8:30