Who Am I
Lu 9:18 And it happened as He was alone praying, the disciples were with Him. And He asked them, saying, Whom do the crowds say that I am?
19 Answering, they said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah, and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.
20 He said to them, But who do you say that I am? Answering, Peter said, The Christ of God.
Today we are looking at Who do Men Say That Jesus Is
I am sure if I asked 5 of you that question I would get 5 different answers.
The bottom line to “Who You Think Jesus Is” depends on the relationship that you have with Him.
The setting of the scripture was where Jesus was teaching on the hillside and 5000 men and perhaps 15000 people were gathered to hear what Jesus had to say.
It was getting late and instead of sending this large crowd away hungry, Jesus decided to feed this enormous crowd.
So Jesus did what was necessary to feed this crowd. He did not call for a Caterer to come and serve. He called for what was available in that group of people. It was not much.
Lu 9:13 He said to them, You give them something to eat. And they said, We have no more than five loaves and two fish,
17 And they ate and were all filled. And there was taken up twelve hand baskets full of fragments of that left over to them.
Jesus blessed the 5 hushpuppies and 2 sardines and it was more than enough 12 picnic baskets were left over for midnight snacks.
God will always supply enough if you give it to him.
This was the setting that Jesus asked
“Who do the crowds say that I am”.
I. Who do the Crowds Say Jesus is.
Lu 9:18. And He asked them, saying, Whom do the crowds say that I am?
Today is Super Bowl Sunday. It is also when we celebrate February birthdays and anniversaries.
Today if you watch and listen you will find the crowds expressing “Who they say Jesus is”
To the drunk exasperated football fan Jesus may be no more than a swear word.
To the College student that has Idolized Tebow and his prayer it may be no more than a magic symbol.
Tomorrow as the kids go back to school.
Jesus is a threat to the school and its system. The students dare not wear a shirt with the name Jesus on it because it could cause the school to be sued. You sure cannot carry a Bible.
The disciples told Jesus what they were saying.
V 19 they said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah, and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again
Let me tell you what they meant.
Jesus was a Powerful Preacher just like John the Baptist.
Now that would make me feel good, if you told me that.
* John the Baptist had already been beheaded.
Jesus was a powerful preacher but He was and is so much more that that.
If you only see Jesus as a good teacher, great philosopher, then you don’t know Who He Is
but some say, Elijah,
Some think Jesus was a miracle worker.
Many today think of Jesus as the one that walks on water—He did.
They may remember that he healed the blinded eyes—He did and still does.
They may remember him as one who calms the storm—and He does
They had just filled their tummies with hushpuppies and sardines and so they were sure he was a miracle worker.
If you only Know Jesus as a supplier for all your psychical needs, a Genie in a bottle, You don’t know really Jesus.
Some thought Jesus was a great Prophet.
one of the old prophets has risen again
The crows no doubt heard Jesus talking about the last days
Many today talk about Armageddon (Money problems) or (Nuclear War) but never about Jesus that can get you out of that mess.
II. Who Do You Say I am
V. 20 who do you say that I am?
Jesus is interested in your Thought about who He Is.
Our thoughts about people are formed by our exposure to them.
We see actors on screen and we think they would be the sweetest people or that they would be the meanest people.
That is because you have not been personally acquainted with them.
I was taken Deep sea fishing by a large supply company because I was building houses in Ft Worth. On the trip was a Dallas Cowboy football Player (Chuck Howley)
Before I fished with him and saw him sea sick I thought he was a rough, tough guy, a superman. Afterwards I had more respect for him. To see him a normal big guy and still play at the high level he played.
Being personally acquainted let me know WHO HE WAS.
Jesus asked two questions.
1. Who do they say I am,
We saw their understanding of who he was to them.
They were impressed and thought Him a great guy, but did not know WHO HE WAS.
It was all based upon hearsay.
2. Who do you say I am?
That question was posed to some one that had seem all the things that Jesus had done.
*Yes they saw water turned into wine,
*Blinded eyes opened
*Sickness healed,
*Calming of the storms,
*Dead raised, and
* 15000 people fed with 5 hushpuppies and 2 sardines.
They also saw Him Pray, Go to Church.
WHO WAS HE?
Peter who was a professional Fisherman was a little unlearned about his temper, and his mouth.
He was the first, loudest the boldest came up with the answer.
The Christ of God
He was saying “You are the Anointed One with the Anointing to do all the things we have seen you do.”
III. How Did He Come up With the Answer?
A Personal Relationship is the only way.
It is not where you were born,
How much TV you have watched,
How many times you have come to Church,
How many Church rolls you have signed
How many miracles that you have seen,
How many books you have read.
To Know Who Jesus Is requires a Personal Relationship.
If you depend upon what others think and others say it will only be a distorted view.
If you think Jesus is only
• a swear word
• a phrase on a T shirt
• a good teacher
• a Great philosopher
If you have been convinced that Jesus is a magic genie who beckons to every call you will be disappointed.
IV. Who Is Jesus To You?
Lu 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
This is what Jesus said.
preach the gospel to the poor
Jesus come to minister to you today
No matter your financial condition.
No matter your riches
He is here to heal broken hearts.
heal the brokenhearted
If your Husband, wife or kids have disappointed you or broke your heart. Healing is what He does
He is here to set you free from whatever has you held captive.
deliverance to the captives
Are you captive to a bad attitude?
Bad temper
Bad habit
Jesus come to set the captive free.
He is here to open your eyes to those that do not see
recovering of sight to the blind
I am amazed at the people that cannot see the Joy of being a real Christian.
Someone said there is none so blind as those that will not see.
Jesus is willing to remove that blindness.
He is willing to heal the physical eyes as well.
Jesus is here to deliver those that have been crushed.
set at liberty them that are bruised,
Have you been crushed because of money problems?
Crushed because of health problems
Crushed because of some horrible news.
Jesus sets people free from theses things.
Jesus is here to tell you things are looking up
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
-He was talking of the year of jubilee, when all, both debtors and servants, were set free.
If you have lost buildings or lands or family Jesus is saying now is the time to receive it back.
closing
This is Who Jesus is.
He is not who others says he is to you,
He is Who He is to you, through that personal relationship with him
I am excited that Jesus is all the things He said about Himself
-Lu 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
He said that was why he came. Looking for those that have not found Him in all the things and places they have looked
