Why You Need To Know Who He Really Is Series

I Am Jesus

Why You Need To Know Who HE Really Is

Video – Who Is Jesus? (Sermon Spice, first 3:15 of video)

(also note that whenever you see this in my notes..." [Tim...] - this is a time when i call out different people by name before I make the statement. I find that this helps people to stay involved)

Jesus’ ministry was really heating up… Luke talks about this temperature rise in the 8th and 9th chapter of His Gospel. In these chapters we see;

• Jesus teaching about a farmer sowing seed onto various types of soil… (the – hard, rocky, weedy and good soil, by the way which type of soil are you?)

• In these chapters we see Jesus - waking up from a nap to calm a violent storm

• Casting a legion of demons out of man

• Raising Jarius a synagogue ruler’s 12 year old daughter from the dead

• Healing a woman who had been sick (bleeding) for 12 years

• Feeding 5,000+ people with a young boys sack lunch

• In these chapters we see Jesus teaching about how we must deny ourselves and pick up our cross daily in order to follow Him.

• In these chapters we see Him being transfigured on a mountain, in front of Peter, James and John…They see His glory and they see Him taking with Moses and Elijah.

• We see Him responding to the pleas of a troubled father to cast the demon out of his young son

• We see Him teaching about how the greatest in His kingdom is like a little child.

• And we see an entire town refusing to welcome Him

UNDERSTAND - the great year of Jesus’ popularity was drawing to a close. Jesus was now entering the 3rd and final year of His earthy ministry -- and even now the dark storm clouds of opposition are clearly visible on the horizon... IT - was time for lines to be drawn, sides to be chosen and decisions to be made. AND - there was one central question in the minds of every one from the adoring multitudes, the frightened religious aristocracy and the still struggling disciples… “Who is this man Jesus?” Luke writes;

Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

- Luke 9:18-20 (NIV)

Prayer…

[Tim…] – throughout your life you have been and you will be asked many questions. NOW - some questions are not really that big of a deal? LIKE…

• Paper or plastic?

• Regular or decaf?

• Hot or mild?

• Smoking or non smoking?

• Medium or well done

• Coke or Pepsi

AND – other questions are pretty important, LIKE…

• Where are you going to college?

• What career to you want to pursue?

• Who are you going to marry?

• How many children are you going to have?

• Are you going to fight to restore that relationship or just give up?

ALL – pretty important questions… BUT UNDERSTAND – there is one central question that we all must; deal, wrestle and struggles with for our entire lives… IT IS – a question that was asked 2,000 years ago… AND IT IS – a question that continues to be asked today by that Galilean carpenter… “Who do you say I am?”

[Tim…] – the most important question that you will ever be asked… AND – the most important answer that you will ever give… IS – to that VERY question. Who do you say that Jesus is….?

THIS MORNING - we kick off our sermon series; I Am Jesus…

• It’s a series that we have been talking about and looking forward to for several months

• It’s a message series that is going to last all of 2005

• And it’s a message series that is going to change lives in radical and unbelievable ways… In fact it is going to transform them… something entirely different is going to emerge.

AND LISTEN - some of the lives that will be changed are in this room right now… (hey take a moment top look around this room… Listen – some of the people you just looked at will not be the same this time next year…)

AND – some of the lives this message series is going to radically transform… Have never even been in this room before. (Hey turn around and look at the chairs in the back of this room… This time next year there will be people sitting in those chairs whose lives will be changed. AND - some of those changed lives just might be; your neighbors, co-workers, family or friends…