Who Do You Say That I Am

Introduction

In today’s world we have so much stress put on our identity, who we are, and what is our status in society. How do you respond when someone asks you who are you? The average person responds to that question by telling the other person what they do for a living. We often define who we are by what we do. In our society who we are seems so important. When we stand in a line at the grocery store we can see on the magazines the who’s who in the celebrity world. Many idealize sports stars, fortune 500 presidents and many others. In our society we have become obsessed with titles. In Fact, some have gone through great lengths to embellish their titles to glamorize or promote who they are.

Here are some I have found:

1. Colour Distribution Technician – Painter & Decorator

2. Domestic Technician – Housewife

3. Highway Environmental Hygienist – Road Sweeper

4. Gastronomical Hygiene Technician – Dish Washer

5. Media Distribution Officer – Paper Boy

6. Sanitation Consultant – Toilet Cleaner

7. Garboligist – Garbage man

In Matthew 16:13-20. When Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi and He asked the Disciples this question: Who do People Say that I am? I want to look at that statement “Who do people say that I am” Who is this Jesus? The Disciples responded by saying some say; John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. The Scriptures are full of descriptions of who this Messiah is. I have four “who” questions I want to explore the first being the question that Jesus asked His disciples: “who do people say that I am” Let’s look who did people say that Jesus was and is.

I. Who do people say that I am?

Isaiah (Isaiah 9:6)

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The angel to Mary (Luke 1 :30-33)

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Nicodemus (John 3:1-2)

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Nicodemus called Jesus a Rabbi and a teacher that comes from God.

The disciples (Mark 4:41)

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Barclay notes that for us today Jesus brings us peace in our storms of sorrows, problems and in times of anxiety. Even our storms today obey Him.

The Samaritan women (John 4:19)

Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.

Judas (Matthew 27:4)

After betraying Jesus and realizing what he had done, Judas stated in Matthew 27:4: “I have sinned...for I have betrayed innocent blood.

God the Father (Matthew 17:5)

At the transfiguration a voice came from the clouds and said: “This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased, listen to Him”.

Throughout Scriptures there are numerous descriptions of who Jesus this is.

Here has been a few confessions of many confession in the Bible about who this Jesus is.

II. Who do you say that Jesus is?

This leads me to the second “who” question. In verse 15 Jesus asks his disciples another question. Yes it is similar to the first question, but yet completely different. In verse 13 Jesus had asked who do people say the Son of Man is, but here in verse 15 Jesus asked his disciples “who do you say that I am?” Jesus took a broad question and brought it down to the personal. “Who do YOU say that I am? He was not looking for what other had said, but Jesus was looking for an “I believe statement”.

Jesus is looking for a real and personal response form us. Jesus is not looking for what our parents believed about Him. Jesus is not looking for what our pastor believes about him and He is not looking for what we read about Him in the numerous books that are out there. Jesus wants to hear who we say that He is!