Introduction
In the 16th chapter of Matthew, we find Jesus and the disciples traveling into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, and as they were going along, Jesus paused and asked the men a couple of intriguing questions. First He wanted to know who everyone was saying He was, and then He wanted to know who they thought He was. Jesus already knew the answers to those questions, but He wanted those men to think through them. The questions are 2000 years old, but they still need to be answered today by every one of us. Jesus already knows what you think. He already knows who He is to you, but do you know? The most important things we’ll ever do in this life and the most important decisions we’ll ever make hinge on those questions, so in today’s message, let’s answer three questions related to this subject, "Who is Jesus?"
WHO DO PEOPLE SAY HE IS?
It’s likely that if Jesus were still living among us today, He would be considered a criminal. Everyone would be mad at Him…
· The FDA for turning water into wine without a license
· The EPA for killing fig trees
· The American Medical Association for practicing medicine without a license
· The Department of Health for asking people to open graves, for raising the dead and for feeding 5,000 people in unsanitary conditions
· The NEA for teaching without a certificate
· OSHA for walking on water without a lifejacket and other unsafe boating practices
· SPCA for driving hogs into the sea
· The National Board of Psychiatrists for giving advice on how to live a guilt free life
· The NOW for not choosing a female apostle
· The Interfaith Movement for condemning all other religions(1)
At least the evangelicals wouldn’t be mad about Him driving a gas guzzling SUV! The disciples told Jesus that some people thought He was John the Baptist. Others thought He was Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. In other words, He was a good man, a religious man who did great things and taught well, but surely not God or the Son of God. Things haven’t changed much. Some people today still think Jesus was just a prophet – the Muslims for example recognize that He was a good teacher and a fine religious leader, but surely not the only begotten Son of God. It is ironic that while people think Jesus taught great things and taught the truth, they miss that one of His fundamental teachings was His deity. How can they say He taught the truth and yet deny what He taught? The Mormons teach He was a son of God, but just a son like you and me. Some think He was a nut, an exhibitionist, a psycho looking for fame. To others He’s just a myth, a figment of our imagination. He’s a crutch for weak-minded people.
Maybe He was a great historical figure. He was certainly a good man, a good teacher, a man of character and integrity. He can be any number of things to an endless number of people, and it is easy to become appalled at what many think about Jesus. He was hated and ridiculed then and He is hated and ridiculed today. I found a t-shirt the other day that had Jesus hanging on a cross, and it said underneath that He did what He did to pick up women. I was on the Internet and dropped in on some chat rooms and watched as people threw His name around and was reminded that when Jesus asks the question, "Who do people say that I am?", to most people He is anything but a Savior, let alone the One to whom they will give an account.
People always have and always will be confused about who Jesus is. They want to mock Him and abuse His name and blaspheme it, but when He comes back it’ll be a different story. Revelation 1:7 says,
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him…"
They can mock and blaspheme today – they are no different than the people who crucified Him, but there’s coming a day when they’ll be weeping in repentance and He’ll not hear it. The people of Noah’s day laughed and mocked, but there was great weeping when the water burst forth. The problem isn’t that Jesus hasn’t made Himself known to man, but that man has made it a point not to know who He is. One lady said that for years she tried to make herself fit her religion, but then she found a religion that would fit her. Paul said that such thinking would mark the latter days. Men and women would have "a form of godliness, a form of religion, but denying the power thereof…ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
Well listen, that’s all fine. We all know that Jesus is blasphemed world round, so the more important question for us is this…
WHO DOES THE BIBLE SAY HE IS?
Is Jesus just a prophet? Is He just a good man? Not hardly! What did Peter say? "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." I’m glad Peter never went to seminary. If he had, he might have answered Jesus by saying, "Why Jesus, you are the eschatological manifestation of the imago dei." Then Jesus would have said, "I’m what? What did you just call me?"(2)
Peter said, "You are the Christ." In other words, you are the Messiah, the Anointed One of God. The name Christ is the official title of our Lord, occurring 514 times in the New Testament. It means that He was anointed or consecrated to His great redemptive work as Prophet, Priest, and King of his people. He is Jesus the Christ. To believe that "Jesus is the Christ" is to believe that He is the Anointed, the Messiah of the prophets, the Savior sent of God, that He was, in a word, what He claimed to be.(3)
He went on to say that He was the Son of the living God. He recognized Jesus for who He claimed to be. Jesus truly is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One, the only begotten Son of the living God, not a dead God but a living God! But even these things are just the tip of the iceberg concerning the person of Christ. He was all of that and so much more! It is a tragedy that most people who fill the pews only see Jesus as a Savior – somebody to give them fire insurance and keep them out of hell. Listen, if you’re a child of God and you’re growing in your relationship with Him, He’ll be more than that to you.
The Bible says that Jesus is…
· Your Lord
· Your Comforter
· Your Advisor
· Your Mediator
· Your Advocate
· Your Strength
· Your Inspiration
· Your Protector
· Your Provider
· Your Shepherd
· Your Master
· Your Peace
To Abraham He was the ram. To Israel He was the lamb. To Ruth He was a Redeemer. To Nehemiah He was a Master Builder. To David He was the Tender Shepherd. To Solomon He is the Wise and All-Knowing God. To Amos He was the Burden Bearer. To Malachi He was the Sun of Righteousness with healing in His wings. To Mark He was the Suffering Servant. To John He was the Light of the world. To Paul He was a Wonderful Savior. Listen, I could go on and on and on. Who does the Bible say Jesus is? We don’t have time to say it all!
If you really want to know who Jesus is, then you need to get into the book that identifies who He is! We’ve considered who other people say Jesus is, and more importantly we’ve considered who the Bible says Jesus is, but now let’s consider the third and most important question of them all.
WHO DO YOU SAY HE IS?
A lot of people name the name of Jesus, but what does that really mean for you? The devil names the name of Jesus, but what does that mean? The devil is not an atheist. He knows that Jesus is real, and in fact knows that Jesus created him. He knows there is a God, but operates as if there were no God. He believes in God, but he doesn’t love Him. He knows he will give an account to God, but he persists in his rebellion toward Him. He acknowledges God, but he doesn’t glorify Him.(4)
Listen, what am I getting at? It’s just this: that what we’re seeing in modern Christianity is some sort of pseudo Christianity. It’s a bumper sticker Christianity. It’s built on Six Flags and Pizza Hut. It’s a feel good, all for show, no substance kind of faith that leaves me wondering whether most so-called Christians really know Jesus or not. We may not be atheists, but we sure act like it too much of the time.
If Jesus walked with us each day of our lives, if Jesus went to work with you tomorrow and in the middle of the day asked you, "Who do you say I am?", you’d probably respond with something like Peter said, "Well you’re my Lord and Savior!" In his message titled Practical Atheism, Harold Vaughan says this,
"There are few that deny God with their lips, but millions who deny God with their lives. Belief in God is at an all-time high while morality is at an all-time low. Our currency states, “In God We Trust,” but our policies prove we trust anything but God. Our denominations claim to represent God, but in principle and practice are actually opposed to God. Our conservative churches claim to believe the Bible, yet very few obey the black and white injunctions it contains. Christians in America have a high regard for the Bible, but only thirty-eight percent read it weekly. In reality most professing Christians have no more regard for the Bible than junk mail - they don’t even read it!
· Atheists live as if there were no God, so do practical atheists.
· Atheists do not pray, practical atheists seldom pray.
· Atheists do not study the Bible; neither do practical atheists.
· Atheists do not hide the Word of God in their hearts; neither do practical atheists.
· Atheists boast they can get along without God. Practical atheists do little more than pay God a Sunday call.
· Atheists do not lay up treasure in heaven; neither do practical atheists.
· Atheists do not set their affections on things above; neither do practical atheists.
· Atheists don’t lead their families in devotions; neither do practical atheists.
· Atheists are concerned with those things that can be seen, heard, and felt; so are practical atheists.
· Atheists have little concern for others; so it is with practical atheists.
· Atheists live for today; so do practical atheists.(5)
Is any of this getting your attention? Who is Jesus to you? Is He just along for the ride? Is He in your life so you can enjoy that warm fuzzy feeling when you need to feel better? Who is Jesus to you? Is He your Lord? Where’s the proof? Is He your Burden Bearer? Then why do you fret and worry like you do? Is He your Master? Then why does He only get an hour of passive sitting a week? Listen, Jesus wants to be real in your life but its up to you whether He will be or not. He wants to consume your life and in so doing He wants to give you life – not the existence that so many people are settling for, Jesus wants to give you real, abundant, vibrant life that makes it worth getting up in the morning to see what great things the day brings forth!
He wants to bring you joy! He wants to bring you peace! He wants to bring you healing and wholeness! You can’t go around making Jesus fit into your little box of convenience and comfort. He won’t fit. He won’t conform to your image. You can deny Him all you want, but you’ll answer for it. You’re the one who must conform. It is you that must change. It is you that must surrender. You see, Jesus already knows who you think He is – He is asking you this question today so you might recognize whether He has the preeminence in your life like He deserves!
The Israelites, weary of waiting for Moses, fashioned a golden calf to suit their own tastes. This forbidden misrepresentation of God was their attempt to pare God down so He was manageable. They sought to reduce God to a visual image because He could be controlled more easily. The contemporary corollary is “Wal-Mart Religion.” It’s cheap. It doesn’t cost anything. Wal-Mart religion is easily accessible¾you don’t have to part with your sins to obtain it. You can opt out for carnality anytime. Is there not something about God and His holiness that makes men very uncomfortable? Everybody wants a god who will do things for them¾not a God who can do things to them!(6)
Listen, who is Jesus? He’s everything you’ll ever need! I know you – you have needs just like the rest of us. You long for someone to love you, but you’re looking for it in all the wrong places. You’re crying out for somebody to notice you and say to you that you mean something to them, your husband or wife or kids or parents. You’re screaming from the inside and you’re empty and hurting and no one in your life is filling that emptiness you feel. You live in a house full of people, yet you’re all alone. You want security, you want assurance that things are going to be OK, but your marriage is being shaken, your finances are unstable, your job is bleak at best so no matter where you turn there is insecurity. You long for forgiveness, for someone to take hold of you and look at your life and say its going to be alright.
I think about our young people – you’re growing up in homes where divorce is commonplace, mom and dad are fighting, drinking and carelessness are the norm. Last night a young girl of 11 or 12 was in our church crying because her daddy was drinking again. You want somebody who will love you and never walk out on you or place unfair demands on you or ever betray you. Well I ask you – who is Jesus? He’s the only one who can ever meet all those needs in your life, and its time you quit looking in all those wrong places and begin to recognize Him for the great loving God He is and run to Him, cling to Him, give your life to Him!
· He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life.
· Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.
· Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest.
· Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King.
· Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons.
· Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears.
· Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.
· Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd.
· Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death.(7)
Conclusion
Who is Jesus to you? Is He your magic genie or is He the Christ, the Son of the living God in your life? Is He your sugar daddy in the sky? Or is He God, the Lord and Master of your life? You call on His name – you talk about Him with favor, but who is He really part of your everyday life?
Some of you in here today don’t know Him at all. Oh, you know His name. You know what He’s done and you know the Bible stories, but you don’t know Him. Like the many ideas about who Jesus is in the world, there are innumerable ideas about how to be saved today and whether we even need to be or not. Let me address you for a moment about salvation. Peter said to the Lord, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." "You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of the living God." John said,
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…" Why? To be the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior! "that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life!"
Salvation isn’t about church, it isn’t about being good, it isn’t about tithing, nor is it about being better than anybody else. Salvation is about your soul and its eternal destiny and your acknowledgement of who Jesus Christ is. The Bible says that when a person dies their body is laid to rest but their soul goes either to heaven or to hell, depending on the decision you make in this life concerning Jesus. You see, it still boils down to who Jesus is in your life.
In Luke 19:10, Jesus said, "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." He’s looking for you! He’s seeking after you! He wants to save you! Here’s the problem so far as I see it though – most people, maybe you – don’t realize just how desperately they need Jesus. You need Him more than you’ll ever know. Why do you need Jesus? The Bible says you need Him because you’re a sinner. You are morally deficient in every way. You may be able to pull off good works occasionally, but even your attempts to be good and win God’s approval are seen as detestable in His sight. "Our righteousness is as filthy rags…" the Bible says.
What does all of this mean for you? It means that you need to recognize that you are a sinner, that you were born in sin and you willingly choose to sin, and more than that, recognize that your sin offends God. "The wages of sin is death…" God despises sin, but He loves you. Now you might say, well I believe God to be a God of love. He could never harm me because of His great love, but you are wrong. God is a God of love, but He is also a God of justice. His holy and righteous nature demand justice. God cannot wink at sin. He cannot overlook it, not for the best of men. To overlook sin and let any man slide would be a slap in the face of the Christ who died for you. God demands payment for sin, and Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, shed His blood to make that payment. It is up to you whether you receive that payment or not. You can refuse it and in essence say to God, "No thanks, I’ll pay my own way."
Those are the words of a fool who will spend eternity in hell. Admit to yourself and to God you are a sinner. Receive God’s gift of eternal life by simply confessing your sin to God and by placing your faith in Christ alone for your salvation. Who is Jesus to you? You can walk out of here today with Jesus as your Savior, or you can walk out of here with Jesus as your Judge, it is your choice.
If you are a child of God, you may need to repent today. Have you reduced God to some sort of idol? Have you made Him fit your image? Can you say with Peter that He is the Christ? The Son of the living God? Who has Jesus been to you? And who will you allow Him to be today and in the days to come? The choice is yours to make.
Works Cited
1. Nadasi, John, http://www.sermoncentral.com/contributor_sermon.asp?SermonID=49631&
ContributorID=6268&NameFirst=John&NameLast=Nadasi&ImageName=6268john+portrait%2Ejpg&ImageHeight=266&CN=Eads+Haswell+UMC&CWeb=
2. ibid.
3. http://www.studylight.org/dic/ebd/view.cgi?number=T818
4. Vaughan, Harold, http://christlifemin.org/newsletter_2001-3/practical_atheism.htm
5. ibid.
6. ibid.
7. Gregory of Nazianzus, A.D. 381. http://www.christianglobe.com/Illustrations/theDetails.asp?
whichOne=j&whichFile=jesus
