Who Do You Say I Am?

Rev. Dr. Buford Edwards II

Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

Luke 9:18–27

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1/16/2022 Morning Worship

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Introduction

Good morning and welcome back!

This morning, if you will turn in your Bibles to Luke 9.

This morning we are going to be looking at a very familiar passage of Scripture.

And just for reference and if you want to look at this more in depth, in addition to Luke 9, this account can also be found in Matthew 16 and Mark 8.

And what is going on is the disciples and Jesus have been traveling about from town to town spreading the gospel and although some time had passed chronologically, Scripture had just recorded Jesus feeding the 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fishes, which was a great miracle.

Also, looking at the parallel gospels, Jesus also gives a blind man his sight during this time by basically spitting in the man's eyes.

And it was these miracles that solidified in the minds of the disciples just who Jesus actually was.

And where we are this morning starts at Bethsaida but now the disciples and Jesus had moved on to a different town.

Matthew and Mark record that Jesus and the disciples had now entered the towns of Caesarea Philippi and this is where we will pick up this morning.

So, if you have found Luke 9, you can read along with me, starting in verse 18.

Luke writes . . .

Scripture Focus

Luke 9:18–27 NIV84

Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” 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.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

People Have Many Opinions About Jesus

Now, like I said this is a very familiar passage that deals with the true identity of Jesus Christ.

And it starts out . . .

Luke 9:18–19 NIV84

So Jesus had removed himself from the disciples and the hoards of people to go and to pray.

He had grown weary of all the hubbub that was going on and needed some time to recharge and to reconnect with the Father.

And that it itself is a good lesson for us as well.

Just think about it for a second. Do you ever feel that way?

The weight of the world is on your shoulders and you just need some quiet time.

Some time alone with God.

When I read passages like this and really think about it, if Jesus needed this time alone with the Father, how much more do I need it?

And now this wasn’t just a normal and scheduled “prayer time.”

That time that we all are supposed to be setting aside each day on a regular schedule to spend with God.

And this isn't a time to go and to make a bunch of requests to God.

This is a time of re-connection and communion with the Father on high.

When was the last time we did that?

I think that it is very important that we explore that within ourselves.

Because lots of times we feel things sort of slipping away from us, or we feel ourselves slipping away from God.

And we have to ask ourselves, why?

What is the reason behind that?

It's not because God had went anywhere, but it boils down to because we have abandoned that time of connecting with God.

So, when things are going against us—take a step back and examine the time you are spending with God.

At any rate back to our account here, Jesus had been out praying and He senses that the time had come to ask His disciples some important questions.

It's time they learn some things about Jesus and about themselves.

So, I picture Him turning to them and asking the question Who do the people say that I am?

Now, was Jesus asking this because he cared what the world thought?

No, not really.

He was using this so the disciples would begin to think and explore within themselves who Jesus was.

After all there are a multitude of opinions of who Jesus is even today.

Some say he was:

A great teacher (The Buddhists and Hindus will tell you this)

A prophet (The Muslims even say this)

A Con Artist

A myth (which is historically NOT POSSIBLE)

Just a man

And the list goes on and on and on.

However, in Luke's account, the disciples say . . .

Luke 9:19 NIV84

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.”

So, the people were saying that Jesus was a risen prophet, maybe John the Baptist, maybe Isaiah, maybe even Jeremiah.

However, no one was saying He was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Savior of the Universe, the Son of God.

And that is the same the problem we have today.

People want to come close and attribute Jesus to something or somebody great, but no one wants to acknowledge who He really is.

Why is that?

Because they don't know Him.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 NIV84

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

They are blinded by Satan, blinded by the flesh, in many cases we have the blind leading the blind and all of them are falling over into the ditch!

Who Do We Say He Is?

It doesn't end here though.

Jesus wanted to know from them.

These are supposed to be His disciples.

So, He wanted their answer!

So, He asks them a question . . . .

Luke 9:20 NIV84

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

The most important question that can ever be asked.

Who do you say that I am?

And right now, here at the Stanford Church of the Nazarene on January 16, 2022, do we know the answer to that question?

Because for us, if we don’t know the answer it doesn’t matter what the disciples had to say.

DO WE KNOW WHO JESUS IS?

You may say "The Son of God" or "The Savior" or "The Messiah" but that's just an answer because of something we've been taught.

We can give any answer we want, but do we believe it?

So, the question is not really do you know WHO He is, but rather DO YOU KNOW HIM IN YOUR HEART?

That is what Jesus is getting at.

That is what Jesus is really asking them.

Peter knew the answer.

Peter tells Him, THE CHRIST OF GOD!

Matthew 16:17 NIV84

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

This is what I'm talking about.

It wasn't because Peter had been taught from some scribe or church leader.

It wasn't because Peter read it in the newspaper.

It was because God had revealed it to him in his heart.

John 6:44 NIV84

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

So, I pose the question church, who do you say Jesus is?

Not in your head, but in your heart.

WHO HERE WILL JOIN ME AND SAY THAT HE IS THE CHRIST?

With that settled then, what are we going to do about it?

What Are We Going To Do About It?

In verse 23 Jesus tells them plainly . . . .

Luke 9:23 NIV84

Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Are we prepared to do that?

Are we prepared to deny our wants, wishes, and desires for His?

Are we willing to give up our hopes and dreams of the flesh, for His Will?

Are we willing to die to self daily?

And people will come and say “Yes” to all of those questions and they will mean it.

But something happens.

That something is life.

It slows us down, stops our growth, puts out our fire and zeal for the Lord.

We all need to be reminded that this is not just a one and done come down to the altar on a whim decision.

This is a life changing decision, that will forever mold our paths.

It will change us, if we are sincere.

So we need to consider how serious we are about it all.

Coming to Christ is not about a “get out of Hell free card.”

It is about turning your life over to Jesus Christ.

Which means you cannot be consumed with the flesh or the things of the world and think that you can also serve God.

Luke 9:24–25 NIV84

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

And in Matthew . . .

Matthew 16:26 NIV84

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

And Paul to Timothy . . .

2 Timothy 2:3–4 NIV84

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.

And it is also not a “serve Christ when it’s convenient” relationship either.

We are either all in or all out, which is exactly what Jesus is talking about in Luke 9:26 . . .

Luke 9:26 NIV84

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.