1/31/12 THE CHRIST OF GOD

Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Luke 9:18-27     Key Verse: 9:20

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am? Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

Dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you for helping me to know you and to know your grace, love and wisdom. Thank you for guiding my heart to knowing which way to go in life. Thank you for showing me the most fruitful and satisfying way. I thank you for showing me where and how I should be pouring out my energies. I pray that you bless all of here to enter through the gate, Jesus and have life to the Full. Please bless the ecumenical/missional cohort at Wheaton. Help us to broaden our perspective and our understanding of you, the church and the mission of Jesus. Grant Dr Amstrong wisdom to lead the group. Please grant me one word of God, through this passage. I thank you and I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Part 1. Jesus is the Christ of God (18-20).

Verses 18-20 read, “Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” 19 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.” 20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am? Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

After prayer, Jesus had a discussion with the disciples. The disciples answered the objective question. They talked with the crowds and knew what they said. These crowds came and went, but did not really know Jesus. That is like today. People have so many opinions about Jesus. They think he is a good man, a religious leader, a deceiver, a sect leader, an angel of God, one of several gods and so on. We should not be so surprised that people are confused about Jesus today. The general populace has always been confused about Jesus. Why? Because they do not come to Jesus through the word of God. They do not subject their own ideas to the teaching and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. We need to really humble ourselves to subject our own ideas and our own prejudices to Jesus and the Gospel. We tend to elevate our own opinions above all other things. But this pride and keeps us blinded as to who Jesus truly is.

Coming up with the correct answer, to this subjective question required faith and inspiration and a personal relationship with Jesus. The disciples knew who Jesus was as they experienced his power, of grace, the forgiveness of sins, and his fulfillment of Scripture. To know Jesus requires commitment and devotion and a personal experience with Jesus.

Jesus has revealed his power and grace to me. He has revealed his power and his grace to me in so many ways. Lately he has revealed his grace to me through his provision for me and my family. Jenn has a scholarship from NIU. We have jobs and a home and two vehicles that work. Thank God! He has revealed his grace to me through helping me have victory over relationship problems, and over feelings of fatalism and despair. He has given me wisdom on how to relate to my kids with their growing independence. Jesus also forgives me of my sins daily and gives me strength to carry on each day, giving me strength to work, to read, and serve, when all I want to do is give up. Thank you Jesus. You are my life source and my strength. You are the Christ of God…my Christ.

Part 2: The Son Of Man Must Suffer (21-27).

Verses 21-27 reads, “Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

Jesus acknowledged their answer. He added to their knowledge that he is the Son of Man who must suffer much, be rejected, be killed, and then rise in three days. This was the way for him to give life. It was not an easy thing for Jesus to be my Savior. It took an amazing amount of suffering. The grace I have received is costly. Jesus had to suffer much because he was going against the grain. He was going against the culture of the day. He was fighting evil with love. There is no other way. If you just “go with the flow” then the world would love you as its own, but we will accomplish nothing of lasting worth and value. Jesus brought the Gospel into this dark world. It required his ultimate sacrifice. Thank you Jesus for your love and grace on sinners like myself.

To follow Jesus we too are called to share in his suffering. To follow Jesus requires such “life-giving” effort. We are called to deny ourselves and pick up our own crosses and follow Jesus. As we deny ourselves and learn of Christ, we meet him more deeply and gain eternal life. How true it is that if we love our life in this world we will loose life. If we take the way of ease and comfort and self-preservation, we actually loose the life. We feel meaningless and fruitless. But if we deny ourselves to live by the truth of God then there is true joy and satisfaction. There is eternal fruit born in our lives to the glory of God. I must take up my cross of Bible study and pray and reading and preaching and providing for and taking care of my family. Jesus will give me strength to do so. He always has and he always will.

What good is it to gain the whole world and forfeit our souls? We don’t live long enough to enjoy the world anyway. We must give our live to live for Jesus Christ. It is the wisest choice.
When we give our lives to Jesus people will think we are foolish. But it is the best choice in life. It is wisest choice. We must live to please God and not people.

Prayer: Lord, you are my Christ! Thank you for dying for me and opening up heaven. Help me deny myself daily and follow you.

One Word: Jesus is my Christ