Building The Church On Your Confession

July 15, 2012

Morning Worship

Text: Matthew 16:13-20

Subject: Who Jesus Is

Title: Building the Church on Your Confession

I have been talking a lot about revival. I will continue to talk about it because we are in revival mode in this church. There is a level of expectation among many of you as we continue to wait for more dynamic manifestations of God’s Spirit among us. As we anticipate a new and fresh outpouring of the Spirit and open ourselves to whatever God desires to do in our lives, we invite a newness and freshness into our midst like we have never seen before.

In order for that to happen we need to have a new and fresh understanding of God’s Word. How many of you can honestly say that you have a clear understanding of the things that God's Word says about your life? And that is why we have church. God has sent me here to open the Word for you so the Holy Spirit can give you those revelation moments.

Amos 18:11 says, “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD,

“when I will send a famine through the land—

not a famine of food or a thirst for water,

but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.

I believe this is where America is today concerning God's Word – even Christians. New Age teachings have crept into the church. Social doctrines have invaded the body. Last week the Episcopal Church voted to bless same – sex unions in the church. In other words, to have wedding ceremonies for same – sex couples. Other denominations deny the power of God through His Spirit and reject the gifts as being outdated. Some churches claim final authority over the scriptures. Watered down gospels, entertainment oriented services and a lack of call to holiness invades the church. Why? It is because the Jesus that some people are worshipping is not the Jesus of the bible.

The Jesus of the bible is the One who is in agreement with the God of the Bible who has written this book through His Holy Spirit. In John 14:9 Jesus said, …Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.

Romans 10:17 in the NIV, Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. The previous verses in Romans tell us that our faith is expressed by our confession.

I want to show you today that the coming revival will be built on the truth of God's Word and our confession of that truth. We must build the church by our confession.

Read Matthew 16:13-20

I believe this is God's Word…

I believe it is for me…

I accept it as mine…

And I appropriate it to my life today…

I. WHAT DOES THE WORLD THINK ABOUT JESUS? 13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” If you asked that question today you would get a variety of answers.

God or Man?

Who Jesus Was

Jesus' Purpose

Resurrection

Happened?

Buddhism

Man

Wise and enlightened man who taught similar things to the Buddha.

To teach humanity wisdom and the way to enlightenment.

Not addressed

Christian Science

Man

Wise man especially attuned to the divine Christ.

To teach humanity, heal, and overcome death.

Yes

Hinduism

Views vary

Incarnation of God akin to Krishna, or wise man.

Not addressed

Not addressed

Islam

Man

True prophet sent by God, but superseded by Muhammad.

To reveal God's will in a progressive revelation that ended with Muhammad.

No

Jehovah's Witnesses

An archangel

Son of God, Word of God, God's first creation, Archangel Michael.

Teach about God, provide a model for right living, die sacrificially for human sin.

Yes

Mormonism (LDS)

Man

Son of God, Savior, originally one of the spirit beings that all humans used to be. Has a physical body.

To teach about God, provide a model for living, die sacrificially for sin.

Yes

I want you to look at the response that the disciples gave Jesus. 14They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Things aren’t much different now than they were then… except that we have 2000 years of bible study that we can look back on to help us understand who Jesus is. The Jews of Jesus’ time also had nearly 2000 years of ancient writings to study that would show them without any doubt what the Messiah would be like. Now, I have said all that to say this: Too much of the world’s view of who Jesus is has entered into the church and the picture of the biblical Jesus has become distorted. So the Jesus we see portrayed today is a Jesus who saves, but that’s it. He’s not the healer, provider, deliverer… So if those who trust in Christ as their Savior confess Him as savior, what will they get? Salvation! But if they deny Him as healer, provider, deliverer, what will they get? Nothing! That brings us to the next question Jesus asks.