Who do you say that I Am?

 

 

"Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, "Who do people say that I am?" They told Him, saying, "John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets." And He continued by questioning them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter *answered and *said to Him, "You are the Christ." And He warned them to tell no one about Him.

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s."

Mark 8:27-33 

Good Morning my beloved,
 
We welcome you to worship in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are so glad that you could be here with us today, whether it's your first time or you are a faithful member of our family in Christ. I am amazed that we are reaching people and places never before imagined. For many, it's the first time, they've encountered Jesus. If God is using this ministry to impact your life, please write and let us know, we'd love to hear from you.

We all make hundreds, if not thousands of decisions every day, some are insignificant without having to consider all possible outcomes, like how you spend your time and energy, while others can have lasting implications, because every decision we make is a decision to not to choose another option. In fact, every decision we have made up until this very moment has shaped our lives. However, there is no decision that is more important than the question Jesus poses to His disciples in our text today. It is a question that everyone must answer, in fact, it is impossible to avoid. And, how we respond will have eternal implications. It’s interesting that Jesus brings up the question of such eternal significance in Caesarea Philippi, a region that was steeped in idolatry and pagan religion. It was there that Herod the Great had built a marble temple to encourage the worship of Caesar Augustus who was also called the 'son of god'. It was Herod's son Philip the Tetrarch' who changed the name to Caesarea to honor Caesar, attached it to his own name and further adorned the temple, making it even more elaborate with a magnificence that was well-known.

 

Caesarea Philippi, located about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee, at the base of Mt. Hermon, was home to one of the largest springs feeding the Jordan River, making the area very fertile and attractive for religious worship. But the most compelling thing about Caesarea Philippi, it was the perfect place for Jesus to ask His disciples the obvious fundamental question, "Who do people say that I am?" because  men had a distorted perception of who He really was. Even those of His own hometown rejected Him when He equaled Himself to God, in fact, they wanted to kill Him by throwing Him off a cliff.

 

For the past 2 1/2 years, these twelve men and others have been following Jesus, they heard His teaching, witnessed His many miracles, hoping and believing He was the Messiah, the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises. They already confirmed His deity after He walked on water they now affirm He is Messiah. The problem is there is still tremendous confusion about the plan. I believe many Christians face the same dilemma, when God's plan doesn’t look like we expect and we want Him to spell out everything.  Faith can be messy and often requires us to step forward in faith, trust His sovereign plan. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Sometimes, we forget that we don’t have to know what the future will hold.  

 

Let us pray

Heavenly Father, 

Father, we are so thankful for Your Word. How it speaks to our hearts today with such relevance as many face the same issue of having a distorted perception of Who Christ really is. Lord, I pray that Your people would be faithful to pray for their leaders to be committed in proclaiming Your Word and hold them accountable to live by the standards that You set forth in Your Word. And that Your undershepherds would be faithful to pray for Your Word to permeate their hearts and minds of Your people and hold them accountable to live a redeemed life, not to entertain the old way of life. Father, I pray that Your Church would not be deceived about the true nature and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do Your work in our hearts and move Your church toward a greater love and obedience. All for Your glory and for Christ's sake. In His name we ask and pray

Amen

 

Today's Message: Who do you say that I Am?

 

As we continue to work our way through the Gospel of Mark, we come to an intimate moment between Jesus and His disciples. Open your Bible to Mark chapter 8 and follow along with me as I read, this compelling passage. Mark 8:27-33.

 

"Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, "Who do people say that I am?" They told Him, saying, "John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets." And He continued by questioning them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter *answered and *said to Him, "You are the Christ." And He warned them to tell no one about Him.

 

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s."

 

Let's look at verse 27, "Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, "Who do people say that I am?" Jesus went out, along with His disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, we can conclude from the previous passage that they were in Bethsaida, where He concluded His healing ministry, a town familiar to all of them. Now they are moving north to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, although still in the territory of Galilee, mostly occupied by Gentiles, it was connected with idolatry, and blasphemous against the True and Living God. So it was the perfect location for Jesus to ask His disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" The word people is the Greek noun "ánthrōpos," which is the generic all inclusive term for mankind

 

Luke 9 tells us it happened while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him. Matthew tells us He asked "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" The messianic title that Daniel used to refer to our Lord in Daniel chapter 7. So when we read a particular text of Scripture, we can't assume that's all that was said, but a summary of what was said. In fact, John 21:25 tells us, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they *were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself *would not contain the books that *would be written." Therefore, we can assume that applies to all the profound things He said as well. By the way, Jesus already knowing the hearts of men knew what they thought of Him, just as He knows our hearts today. So He knows whether you have truly confessed Him as Lord and Savior or are just going through the motions.

Verse 28, "They told Him, saying, "John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets." Matthew tells us some even say that He's Jeremiah. Their responses were different but all

fall short of the Truth, revealing a common tragedy that is being repeated even today, reducing Jesus to nothing more than a mortal man, rather than Who He says He is. Jesus didn’t fit the popular highly developed messianic concept of the Old Testament Who reigns in Israel and dominates the rest of the world, although they all agreed He came from God. Like many today who have a false perception of Christ, and moral quality of a Christian’s life, believing He is too loving and accepting to punish sin, they were spiritually blinded. There's a great deal of that occurring in the church today even though Scripture is clear that we cannot continue to give ourselves to the practice of habitual sin and assume we will take part in the Kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." There is a lot of controversy about the word "arsenokoités," translated homosexual, but it clearly refers to a sodomite, someone who engages in the act immoral sexual intercourse between persons of the same sex. Unrighteous is of course referring to anyone in violation of God's standards. God's Word commands sexual purity and that you abstain from sexual immorality and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching. Tragically, Hell will filled with people who have a wrong view of Who Jesus Christ is, because false teachers have manipulated the Truth! The Gospels were written so that you might believe, trying to destroy the Scriptures is a satanic enterprise.

 

Verse 29, "And He continued by questioning them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter *answered and *said to Him, "You are the Christ." The word continued is the verb "eperōtáō," meaning to interrogate or demand, to press further. Peter, the established spokesperson for the group, offered one of the most profound statements in all of Scripture. According to Matthew he declared Jesus was in fact "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Luke says "The Christ of God." Up to this point, they've been fluctuating because He doesn’t fit their preconceived theological view of the Messiah, not to mention He’s hated by the religious leaders of Israel. It's not hard to understand their confusion, if you will remember even John the Baptist, who was His forerunner, got confused. And though they struggled with doubts, they were mostly convinced or they wouldn't have abandoned Judaism and followed Him for over two years. But, at last, the Truth of His deity and messiahship is now settled. Jesus poses this same question to His disciples today, may we never find ourselves to be guilty of believing Jesus as less than He really is! Are you willing to recognize Him as the Lord of your life as well as Savior? According to Matthew 16 "And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." To make that confession requires divine intervention, it isn't the result of human reasoning. In John 6:44, Jesus said "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul writes "No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit." And Romans 10, says "Salvation only comes to those who confess Jesus as Lord."  It's devastating that many professing Christians claim Him as Savior, but deny the Lordship of Christ in their lives.

 

Peter writes in 2 Peter 3:17-18, "You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." Nobody can be convinced of the Truth unless the Holy Spirit reveals it to him. That's the reason for everything I preach, that you might hear the Truth and believe. Everybody wants to believe that Jesus is something other than He says He is, the same holds true today.

 

Matthew 16 gives us more details of the conversation between Jesus and Peter, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." In saying "Upon this rock," Jesus is simply saying upon Peter's confession, the divine truth that comes from heaven, I will build My church. Peter's confession by divine revelation would serve to bring the church into existence when impelled by the Spirit he would speak at Pentecost, becoming God’s instrument to bring many Jews to faith. Peter was the first to understand and to declare openly the revealed truth about Who Jesus is. Divine Truth allows you to unlock the kingdom of heaven, to speak on the authority of God's Word to say "You shall be loosed from sins," or "You shall be bound in sins," based upon what Scripture says. If you confess your sins and embrace Christ as Lord, your sins are forgiven. If you're unwilling to do that, your sins are not forgiven and you are bound in your sins.

Verse 30, "And He warned them to tell no one about Him." It may seem counter-intuitive that Jesus would question the disciples about His true identity, and then warn them not to tell anyone, that's because it wasn’t the full message. You have to remember that the Jews had a warped view of the Messiah, and it was because of that warped view, the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus. After feeding the five thousand, they even tried to make Him king by force. Jesus didn’t want the disciples began to proclaiming He is the Messiah because the time would soon come when they would be expected to preach the Christ of the cross, and He still needed to go to Calvary and bear the sin of the world, which becomes evident in the next verse. God fully declared that Jesus was His Son in the resurrection in an incredible display of divine power and divine approval.

 

Verse 31, "And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." This became the theme of teaching. In Mark chapter 9, He tells them, "The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later." But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him." And in chapter 10, He said "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again." It was prophesied the Messiah would suffer and die in Isaiah 53, obviously they didn’t think of that.

 

Unfortunately, Peter's confession doesn’t mean that they didn’t doubt the plan, they didn’t fully understand all that lay ahead. In fact, they really struggled with it. Today, we understand that Jesus had to be crucified for the forgiveness of sin, the cross reminds us of how wretched we are and the high price Christ paid for our sins. And through His death, burial and resurrection we have the promised hope of eternal life. I personally find it reprehensible that so many professing Christians continue to live openly sinful lives, abusing the love, grace and mercy of God, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish the church from the world.

Verse 32, "And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him." He was stating the matter plainly, so there’s no question about the plan, the problem was they couldn't accept it, so Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. Matthew tells us what he said, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You." The word rebuke is the verb "epitimáō," to give you a better understanding it's the same strong language Jesus used in Matthew 17 to rebuke the unclean spirit to come out of the boy. That's pretty brash even for Peter! It's shocking just how fast Peter went from being a rock to being a stumbling block just after Jesus said He was going to die.

 

That brings us to verse 33, "But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s." That will stop you dead in your tracks! When we insist on accomplishing our own will, setting ourselves against God's divine will, you are a stumbling block to the divine purposes of God. As Christians, we must great care to fight against taking up Satan’s agenda. That's why we must confront false doctrine and those who seek to corrupt the church by teaching heresy. In Luke 11:23, Jesus said "He who is not with Me is against Me." You are either on God's side or you’re on Satan’s side, there's no middle ground. If the church is not functioning as the Church of Christ, it's influencing the church for evil, you're putting yourself in the place of Satan. 

In Closing..

Condoning sin and immorality has become a major problem in the church today, in fact, in many cases, it's

even celebrated. It's easy to get caught up in the temporary pleasures of this world, but when do give into temptation, we're straying into forbidden territory. That's why we must set our minds and our affections on things above, not on things on the earth. There's no temptation on this earth that's worth your soul! Jesus says, "To deny yourself and take of your cross." Denying yourself means to refuse to associate with your former self. Don't fall into Satan's trap, thinking there's not going to be a payday for your sinful behavior.

We cannot remain in that sinful condition that we once were, we have to get our spiritual life under control. If we have been regenerated, we've been given a new life, so we might walk in newness of life, blameless and innocent, children of God, and then lead others to righteousness.

 

May it be so..

And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen

 

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