III.THIS IS a PIVOTAL QUESTION A. It Is an INDIVIDUAL Pivotal Question. B It Is an IMPORTANT

WHO IS JESUS

I.THIS IS A PERPETUAL QUESTION – “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am” A. Some thought of JESUS’ MESSAGE and, so they said “John the Baptist.” B. Some thought of JESUS’ MIRACLES, and so they answered Elias [Elijah]. C. Some thought of Jesus’ MINISTRY, and they answered Jeremias [Jeremiah].

II.THIS IS A PERSONAL QUESTION - “Whom say ye that I am” A. Peter’s confession is DECISIVE in SPEECH. 1. Marvelous in its CONCISENESS 2. Marvelous in its COMPREHENSIVENESS B. Peter’s confession is DIVINE in its SOURCE 1. The confession comes not byhuman SPECULATION. 2. The confession comes by Divine REVELATION.

III.THIS IS A PIVOTAL QUESTION A. It is an INDIVIDUAL pivotal question. B It is an IMPORTANT pivotal question.

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There was a chauffer whose job it was to drive a famous scientist to a series of presentations as he talked about his new discovery. After several days, the two began to become pretty good friends even though the scientist taught bio-chemistry at a major university and the chauffer had not even finished high school. One day after about the twentieth presentation, the chauffer jokingly turned to the scientist and said, "Professor, I believe I've heard your speech so many times, I could give it myself."

"You're on," said the chauffeur.

Before they arrived at the next location for another presentation, the two exchanged suits. When they arrived, the chauffeur was dressed in a tuxedo and was seated at the head table. The professor, with chauffer's cap in hand, sat quietly at the rear of the room. When it came time for the program, the host introduced the chauffer as the famous professor. He stood up and gave the speech flawlessly. There was a standing ovation when he was finished.

Afterwards the host walked to the lectern and said, "Since we have a little extra time, let's have some questions and answers for the professor. The chauffeur stood there dumbfounded. He pondered the first question. He didn't have a clue about the question much less the answer. He cleared his throat in nervousness. He thought and thought. He considered pretending he was sick. Then he had a better idea. He took a deep breath, stood as tall and straight as he could, stepped to the microphone and said, "That's just about the dumbest question I ever heard. In fact it is so dumb I bet even my chauffeur could answer it."

We are going to look at a question today that only you can answer it. You cannot hand it to anyone else!

The question we are going to look at is an important one. Not all questions are important. Some are trivial.

The Lord Jesus has been teaching His disciples. They have heard the Lord Jesus teach. They have seen the miracles which He has performed. They have watched Him closely. Now, examination time has come.

The Lord Jesus is going to basically ask them one question and in the answer to that question everythingis going to be pulled together.

Heaven andhell are wrapped up in that question. Your eternal destiny hinges on your answer to that question.

WHO IS JESUS

I.THis is a perPETUAL question

It is a recurring question. This is a repeated question. It is a continual question. It is a question that was asked in the past and is still being asked today!

Well, if Jesus of Nazareth is just a historical figure, a religious leader, a zealous martyr, then there is no reason to give Him any more attention than any other influential figure of the days gone by. However, if He is God’s Son, then everything changes. If He is the only begotten of the Father, then we had better give Him our undivided attention and our undying allegiance.

How a man defines Jesus makes all the difference in time and eternity. How a person answers the question put forth in this text is the single issue upon which destinies are made and eternities are mapped.

Everybody has an opinion about who Jesus is.

This is a perennial question. Many have asked it before.

Varying responses are seen as to who Jesus is.

When Jesus appeared on the scene, no-one could deny that there was something special about him. He taught with authority. He healed the sick. He calmed storms, and then he claimed the power to forgive sin.

Jesus didn't hesitate to break the cherished traditions of the Jews. He even associated with the wrong kind of people, sinners.

Now, Jesus knew what men thought about Him, but He wanted out of the disciples' mouth a clear statement of the wrong answer.

When asked who people thought He, the Son of Man, was, the disciples ran through the list of opinions.

The general consensus was he was he was either John the Baptist, Elias or Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

A.Some thought ofJesus’ MESSAGEand,so they answered“John the Baptist.”

Since Jesus preached repentance, some thought Jesus was John the Baptist raised from the dead.

However, Jesus was a far greater preacher than John!

B.Some thought ofJesus’MIRACLES,and so they answered Elias [Elijah].

He raised the dead as Elijah had done years before. However, a greater than Elijah was Jesus.

C.Some thought of Jesus’MINISTRY, and they answered Jeremias [Jeremiah].

Jeremiah was the weeping prophet and was known for His tears; Jesus was known for being moved to tears. He was moved with compassion as He beheld the multitudes as sheep without a shepherd. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus.

Apparently, the people could not agree on who or what this Jesus was. In reality, this has been the case for some 2,000 years. It is a perpetual question among men as to who Jesus is.

To have said the things that Jesus said, He was either a liar, a lunatic, orthe Lord.

Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian said of Jesus, “..there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure.”

Napoleon said "I know men, and Jesus Christ is no mere man."

He has been called “Superstar."

He is viewed today as

•a great man of history

•a great teacher

•a great man of power

•a great philosopher

•a great man of spiritual insight

Far too many view Jesus as only a man, but He is far more than that!

All of the afore mentioned may be nice, butthey are insufficient to identify Jesus properly.

II.THis is a peRSONALQUESTION -“WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM”

Jesus is not concerned about public consensus; He is concerned about PERSONAL CONVICTION!

One thing is clear…we can never make a true decision about who Jesus Christ is by taking a poll of the people; however, the important things is not what others say, but what do you say as to who He is.

You can't avoid the question.

Peter answered and said, “THOU ART THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.”

It matter not what others said, Peter knew who Jesus was. It has been over 2000 years, but THIS IS STILL THE CONFESSION OF THOSE WHO KNOW WHO JESUS IS.

A.Peter’s confession isDECISIVEin itsSPEECH.

It is emphatic. It is absolute.

"Thou art the Christ."

“the son”

“of the living God”

Add to the emphatic character of the position of the pronoun “THOU.”Peter’s confession was very dogmatic.

1. Marvelous in its conciseness

2.Marvelous in its comprehensiveness

Jesus wasthe one we've been looking for... you are theanointed one.You are the one who is all the embodiment of all of our hopes and all of the promises. You're it!

You are not only Son of man, but Son of God. You are not only God, but the living God, as opposed to the dead idols. Our God is a living God.

B. Peter’s confession is DIVINEin its SOURCE

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven."

It wasn't Peter’s reasoning;itwasn’thissuperior intellect. It is God who discloses His Son to the human understanding.

1.The confession comes not by human SPECULATION

2. The confession comes by Divne REVELATION.

God has to reveal it.

It was not a matter of HUMAN REASONING; it was a matter of HEAVENLY REVELATION.

God lifted the veil and allowed Peter to see who Jesus was!

Spiritual learning depends on illumination from God. Peter was just a fisherman but he knew more that all the learned religious leaders of his day.

III.THis is a pIVOTAL question

If Jesus is what He claimed to be, what His disciples affirm Him to be, and what the Word of God declares Him to be, then what you think of Him, and what you personally believe about Him is of the utmost importance.

Heaven and Hell depend on your answer to this question. So much swings on your answer to this question!

Your recognition of who Jesus will mean the difference between guilt and forgiveness, sinner and saint, lost and saved; heaven and hell.

A.It is an INDIVIDUALpivotalquestion.

Years ago, a writer sent a manuscript to a publishing company, in hopes of having his book published. In the book, the writer had included numerous quotes from other authors. A few weeks later, when the manuscript came back, the publisher included this note, “Too many quotations. We want to know what you think.”

BIt is an IMPORTANT pivotal question.

No question or no issue is more important than a proper definition of Christ in your life.

The entrance to heaven has but one question, but it is a question of unparalleled importance – whom do you say that Jesus is?

Conclusion

A Hindu man once asked the famous missionary E. Stanley Jones, "What has Christianity to offer that our religion does not?"

Jones replied, "Jesus Christ!"

Whom do you say that Jesus is?

Your answer matters! It matters more than anything else in this world. No one can answer it for you.

“...if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved,” (Romans 10:9).

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