WHO IS THIS JESUS? (Outline)
September 7, 2008 --
PENTECOST 17 --
Mark 8:27-33
INTRO: Out walking you notice someone in the distance. As they come closer you recognize an ac-quaintance or a close friend. There is a feeling of joy at seeing your friend. A family member may call. You are happy to hear his/her voice on the other end of the line. When we hear a name mentioned in conversation we react. The early disciples preached about the name of our Savior, Jesus the Christ. It was a simple message that we still and always need to hear. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved"(ACTS 4:12). Jesus is the Way, and the Truth and the Life. Today we return to the basics of Christianity and the very foundation of our faith. We ask ourselves:
WHO IS THIS JESUS?
I. Identify this person.
II. Identify his purpose.
I. IDENTIFY THIS PERSON
A. Verse 27 describes where Jesus is going. Caesarea Philippi is 30 miles north of Capernaum.
1. Capernaum was the northwest coastal town on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus did ministry.
2. Jesus asks his disciples what the popular opinion of the people is concerning him.
B. Verse 28. The public opinion of Jesus is very, very favorable. They compare Jesus to great men.
1. John the Baptist the great prophet of the day. Elijah the great prophet of the Old Testament.
2. Many felt both of these men would return some day. Or may be Jesus is another prophet.
C. Verse 29a. Jesus is concerned what his disciples think. “What do YOU think?” Jesus asks them.
1. Verse 29b. Peter responds with the correct title, the Christ. Jesus is the Messiah (Christ).
2. Jesus is the anointed (Messiah = OT / Christ = NT). The Holy Spirit revealed this to Peter.
3. Verse 30. They are to remain quiet. The time for Jesus’ death had not yet come.
D. Who is this Jesus? Today many would have different opinions about Jesus. Even the non-Christian religions look at Jesus as good. Muslims recognize Jesus as a prophet. Buddhists would agree that Jesus was a man who lived a good life. These are all worldly opinions of the man Jesus. To confess that Jesus was God’s Son, well—that takes faith. It was the challenge that Jesus faced all of his life. After all the Savior of mankind did not look any different than the people of his day. Even after doing miracles Jesus’ divinity was challenged. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary…?"(MATTHEW 13:54b, 55a). The divinity of Jesus is still under attack in our day and age. Though often denied this Jesus is true Man and true God.
E. Scripture is clear about teaching that the Christ is God’s Son. As God’s Son Jesus lived a life that was without sin. As the Son of Mary and Joseph Jesus was able to die on the cross. Humanly or reasonably thinking this can be a difficult teaching to comprehend. By grace the Holy Spirit plants the word of God in our hearts so that we know and believe this Jesus is the Son of man and the Son of God. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time"(1 TIMOTHY 2:5,6). Note that the death (testimony) of Jesus was given in its proper time—God’s time according to his will. Jesus is the one God and man.
F. Who is this Jesus? This is the most important question that anyone will ever have to answer in his lifetime. This is a question that takes faith to answer correctly and confidently. Praise God that he is the one who works this faith in our hearts and lives to boldly confess that this Jesus is my Savior, the Savior of mankind. "That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved"(ROMANS 10:9,10).
WHO IS THIS JESUS?
This Jesus is true Man and true God.
This Jesus is the Lord.
This Jesus is my Savior and the Savior of mankind.
The Holy Spirit reveals this truth to us in his word.
II. IDENTIFY HIS PURPOSE
A. Verse 30. Jesus reminds the disciples not to tell anyone. Jesus does not need angry enemies yet.
1. The disciples still did not truly understand the mission of the Christ, his purpose.
2. Verse 31. This was shocking news for the disciples. Jesus would be rejected and killed.
3. Worse yet, the leaders of the church would be the ones rejecting and condemning Jesus.
B. Verse 32. Jesus hid nothing from the disciples. Still, it did not make any sense to them.
1. Peter rebukes = scolds Jesus. Peter tries to keep Jesus from coming to any harm.
2. A few short verses after confessing Jesus as the Christ Peter rebukes this same Messiah.
C. Verse 33a. With the same word Jesus now rebukes Peter and the other disciples for their thinking.
1. Verse 33b. Satan was tempting Peter and the disciples. Satan was to be banished from them.
2. Jesus explained their reaction to this news, verse 33c. They were thinking wrongly.
D. All too often our thinking is wrong. Let’s face it we spend more time in this world than in the church. We may read more information and articles pertaining to this life than study God’s word pertaining to our eternal life. By nature our thinking is more earthly than divine. This world, our life, and our sinful natures are no friends to divine thinking. This earthly thinking is part of our sinful nature. "The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time"(GENESIS 6:5). All our thinking, words, and actions are tainted by sin. Left on our own we would only do evil all the time. Thank God this Jesus, the Christ changes all that.
E. Jesus’ singular purpose for living was dieing. By his death Jesus would free all mankind from the power of death. By his death Jesus would destroy the grip of Satan. This was Jesus’ purpose. For our sakes Jesus became poor so that we might become rich. Time and again Scripture testifies to this vital fact of faith. Witnesses during the time of Jesus testified to Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, and our Savior. "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’"(JOHN 1:29). John willingly pointed his disciples to the One who was truly the Lamb of God. John’s disciples left to follow and become Jesus’ disciples. Our Lamb of God takes away sin!
F. The challenge before us is great. We constantly struggle against the evil that is alive and well in this world. We bravely battle the pet sins that infect our lives. We have to tell Satan over and over to “Get behind me!” As believers we live our lives as followers of Christ. We do not do this on our own. Rather, faith comes by hearing and the message is heard through the word of Christ. We change our worldly thinking by focusing on this Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, and our Savior. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"(HEREWS 12:2). We face different crosses to bear in our lives. They all pale in comparison to the cross of Christ. There Jesus breathed his last and declared: “It is finished.” Looking at Jesus we see that he did all of this for the joy set before him – our salvation.
CONC.: WHO IS THIS JESUS? This is really the question of the ages and for the ages. Many look at Jesus as a good man, great teacher, preacher, and maybe even a miracle worker. Many see Jesus as a man. By faith we know, believe, and confess that Jesus is true Man AND true God. This is the leap of faith that is freely worked in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We identify Jesus as Savior, our Savior. Jesus is the world’s who lived, died, rose again. These are the things of God that we focus on during earthly lives. "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us"(1 CORINTHIANS 2:12). WHO IS THIS JESUS? This Jesus is true Man, true God. Our Savior freely gives us forgiveness, eternity, and joy. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
SERVICES: 1:00pm @ NCF Min.(Sat) / 12:00pm @ NCF Medium (Sun) / 9:30am @ Redeemer (Sun)
BIBLE STUDIES: TUES. -- 6:00pm (Min) + 7:30pm (Med) @ NCF /
10:55am @ Redeemer (Sun)
/ Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM + www.kqnk.com
PENT. 17 readings:
GENESIS 50:15-21;
ROMANS 14:5-9;
MATTHEW 18:21-35;
(PSALM 103)
