Who Do You Say He Is?

Series: Things Jesus Wants Us To Know
Part 8 - - Who Do You Say He Is?

Luke 9:7-26

INTRO: Do you ever take a Red-lettered Bible and marvel at the words of Christ? Does His wisdom contained therein reach you like none other? Well, this is what I am trying to do with this series, let us see what He wants us to know from His Word.

Six weeks ago I started a series entitled "Things Jesus Wants Us To Know. We have been working through the Gospel of Luke. We have learned that He proclaimed He was the Son of God. Also, that Satan Can Be Defeated Through Jesus. He wants us to follow Him completely. We need to take time out for God while we can. We saw that Jesus wants us to think about how we plan and live our lives. For Easter I jumped ahead in the book of Luke and we looked at a time just after the resurrection (yes He died - but He lives). Last week I looked at Luke 9 where Jesus sent out His disciples. We saw His instructions given to the twelve to totally trust in Him, as they were about to face society as representatives of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Today I want to continue in Luke 9. We see here Jesus take some time out to question Peter and the others about who people thought Jesus was. More importantly, He asked Peter point-blank, " But whom say ye that I am?" I think we can learn from this today, that it is important, not who or what others are saying about Christ, but what we are saying about Him.

First, let's read from Luke 9 starting in verse 7.

Luke 9:7 - 26 ⁷Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;

^{8And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.
^{9And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.
^{10And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
^{11And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
^{12And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
^{13But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.
^{14For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
^{15And they did so, and made them all sit down.
^{16Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
^{17And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
^{18And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
^{19They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
^{20He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
^{21And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;
^{22Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
^{23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
^{24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
^{25For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
^{26For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.
When we look at this scripture, we can see that Jesus was…
More than a dead predecessor - 7

John had paved the way for Him
John had give His life for truth
The words of truth from John had touched a heart where we would think no light could enter

More than a former prophet - 8

Jesus was more than a prophet greatly respected by the Jews
Jesus was more than a teacher
Jesus was more than a well-schooled speaker

More than a curiosity or a fad - 9c

Even in His ministry, there were those who stood on the fringes
There were those who only wanted the blessings and not the obedience
This was meant to be a lifetime commitment not a Band-Aid or crutch

More than a worker of miracles - 10-17

Yes He performed miracles
Yes He helped them physically
But, He changed lives - He can yours too

More than an image concerned, politically correct, revolutionary thinker - 18, 19

He wanted to know their response to Him
What is your response to Jesus?
Do you know Him?
Do you recognize Him as God's Son?
Do you, have you called upon Him for salvation?

There are some things we can readily see about Jesus that I think He wants us all to know. We see that He is a…
Proclaimer to be heard above all others - 7a

Herod "heard" of Jesus
We need to hear from Jesus
He calls out to us with His ministry
He calls out to us with His Word
He calls out to us through His Holy Spirit
He calls out to us though His disciples of today

Puzzlement to many who but only peek at His life and being - 7b-8

Herod was perplexed because He only listened to what others said
Herod was perplexed because he was haunted by his sins
Herod was perplexed because he placed too high values on organized religion
Herod was perplexed because he placed too high a value on individuals (Elias)
Herod was perplexed because he failed to do more than just "peek" at Jesus
Have you only peeked at Him or have you called upon Him for your salvation?

Pattern to which we need to strive to copy - 10-11

The disciples were fulfilling the job He gave them earlier in verses 1-6
He had been showing them what He could accomplish in the earlier chapters
He had been healing, even raising the dead to life
He can make s difference for our "dead" lives today
He can heal our many infirmities of our body and spirit today

Provider for those who seek His touch - 12-17

They were seeking Him
He was available
They had needs only He could meet
He met their needs

He is to be our…
Patsy for our sins - 22

Substitute in our place
Supreme sacrifice given
Schimazel (like from the Laverne and Shirley Show)

So, when we look at this what does He want to happen in our lives?
He wants us to be…
Properly convinced He is the Messiah (more than just a peek) - 23
Personally acquainted with His saving grace (His grace is extreme)
Know Him as the…
Paramount influence in our EVERYDAY lives
Perfected in Him (saved, forgiven, walking in obedience)

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 042207am}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}