Test Sermon

Labeling Jesus

The Need To Label

In our last session, we covered identity and how labels get put on us and how to properly label ourselves:

People love to label things. Animals might, but mainly people

Who loves to organize? Especially with printing label makers?

We eventually get to the point of just throwing everything into the Miscellaneous box.

We need to put labels on people to properly identify them:

Martin Luther King Jr.

Adolf Hitler

Michelle Obama

Thanos

Christ

We HAVE to properly label people and things! And therefore, we have to properly label Jesus/Christianity.

In our last session, we covered our identity in God:

How we find our true identity in God

How we find our true purpose in God

How we find our true place in God

But too often, it seems we can take for granted all the talk and pouring into and all that good stuff.

We need to be more intentional in our identity politics.

It is not enough for us to tell you who God says you are

It is not enough for us to tell you who we believe you are

It is not enough for us to tell you how wrong the world is about who you are

We NEED to keep the main thing the main thing (what Adam and Eve should have done) and teach you WHO God is and about this life that He calls us to live!

“The Real Jesus”

Pastor Jonathan Stockstill wrote a book where he covers the need for Christians to know who Jesus is:

Christianity has become cultural, but Christianity is more than a cultural belief

We have people saying “Christian” words (gospel groups at the Grammys)

Doing “Christian” things (Christmas giving, easter, charity, etc)

Christianity has become about life coaching, financial well being, business and intellect IQ, edutainment

Christianity is about belief and relationship with Jesus

So for us to truly refine and develop our understanding of who we are, we need to know who Jesus is.

You only know someone through knowledge, time, trust, experience, etc.

So how do you label Jesus?

Identity Check

Who is the Father? Who is the Son? Who is the Holy Ghost?

Matthew 16:13–17 ESV

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say 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 replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 3:16–17 ESV

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

John 14:16–17 ESV

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

Who is the one that claimed to be sent by the Father?

Who is the Father who sent the Son?

Who is this Comforter that the Son said would come?

How Jesus centered is our Christianity? How anchored are you to the truth of Christ?

Pray that as the men on the way to Anais were revealed to the real Jesus is, Who God is, that we would also be revealed to the real Jesus.