What Say You (Part A)

The more people saying that I am continues in verse 28 so they answered John the Baptist, but some say Elijah and others. One of the prophets guessing about Jesus Christ is never going out of style is here to this day, and we are supposed to be part of the processes of God and making sure people don't have to guess about him that we inform them who he is, according to the Scriptures. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now, here's Pastor Rick in Mark chapter 8 as he begins his message. What say you, you're in the gospel according to Mark chapter 8 and take verses 27 through 38, L Jesus and his disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi on the road.

He asked his disciples, saying to them with you who do men say that I am so they answered John the Baptist with some say Elijah and others. One of the prophets, he said to them, but who do you say that I am Peter answered and said to him you are the Christ, then he strictly warned them that they should tell no one about him and he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him when he had turned around and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter saying get behind me Satan you are not mindful of the things of God the things of men. When he had called the people to himself with his disciples also, he said to them, whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospels will save it for what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul for whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his father with the holy angels. What say you, that's the title of this message and we go right to verse 27 there being a lot of material here now Jesus and his disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road. He asked his disciples, saying to them who do men say that I am this Caesarea Philippi to the north and Israel's territory. In fact, this is the northernmost limit of our Lord's travels recorded in the Scriptures about 2025 miles north of the Sea of Galilee and we are about eight days or so away from the transfiguration will get that in the next chapter. You don't know what the transfiguration is a what's meant by that and will see you here next week.

It says here on the road but that's not while they were walking and talking.

Luke tells us that it happened, as he was alone praying that his disciples joined him and he asked them, saying who do the crowds say that I am and so on the way up towards the Caesarea Philippi. These events are taking place and there was the Lord.

Praying and I would imagine the disciples sort of like little children get older, restless how long the undertaking, so they just will have interrupt him. It says here in verse 27 he asked his disciples, saying to them who do men say that I am that is the third time I've read that phrase and it is of course one of the most if not the most significant question ever asked a human being.

The father tells us what his view is which is the one that counts. This is my beloved son, so that's what the father knows about Jesus the Christ.

But this most important question of all. Mark is careful to deal with it. The first verse of the gospel of according to Mark and there we read in Mark one verse one the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God, well if he is God the son of God, he is God the son is divine. Cannot say it in this context like this about anybody else is ever been is exclusive to Jesus Christ were disliked for this will just have to dislike us because truth stands for what it is and we accepted and this is what makes a distinction between the true believer and false one, or an unbeliever Lord wanted to hear his disciples voice their opinion on this matter, who are people saying that I am continues in verse 28 so they answered John the Baptist, but some say Elijah and others. One of the prophets guessing about Jesus Christ is never going out of style is here to this day, and we are supposed to be part of the processes of God and making sure people don't have to guess about him that we inform them who he is, according to the Scriptures well. Many felt the John the Baptist was Elijah and John the Baptist of course declined that he did not not, or should I say disclaimed. It is, I'm not John the Baptist. Some transfer their identification from John the Baptist's will. Jesus must now be John the Baptist. This kind of thinking crept into the Jewish thinking because there were those that were writing these mythological things about the Jewish religion, and many people were picking it up.

What we have that today we have people writing books that are kooky and many people picking them up and reading them and then treating it as though this is the gospel in Goa, so it is true. And so when you step away from the Scriptures.

Well, when you're in the Scripture you have to be careful step away and read all the materials you have to be careful.

Also you have to make sure those authors. Their doctrine is consistent with what the doctrine of the Bible is says here in verse 28 and others, one of the prophets, some of the of the other people something while your Elijah some sake you are John the Baptist. Some say your Jeremiah. Some say your somebody else any of his other prophets. Elijah particularly falls into this group because Elijah is the prophet that never died. Jewish prophet that never died, and according to Malachi's prophecy in chapter 4. Elijah will return in the last days so you could see where they would make that connection, but you did, you cannot see how they could stand by the writings that were coming up at this time. At one point had even said that Jeremiah and Isaiah would come and help Ezra. This was back in the days of Ezra.

Again, these are mythological writings of the Jews, but they they sort of gain some momentum amongst the people and crept into their thinking and this is what caused the rumor mill about Jesus Christ to produce these wrong ideas. The prophets were prominent in Scripture and their prominent to us.

They have never been preeminent.

They would never accept that they were.

They were very quick to exalt Yahweh.

And so here as these disciples are telling Christ with everybody is saying about him. They are bringing up these prominent people, but that the people of failing to understand that he, Jesus is preeminent self existent. The Messiah is self existent because he's the son of God, he is God the son without parallel amongst all created beings, angels, spiritual beings, human beings you, you know, Franklin beans, all of them to equate Bhutto or Confucius or Mohammed with Jesus Christ as a mark of utter spiritual blindness and if you claim to be a Christian. Don't you ever back down from that no matter what they were just men and they were sinners at that they were born sinners and they died sinners. They were born in need of a Savior and they died in need of a Savior and we Christians, we never apologize for these facts. Jesus alone is the express image of God is with these men were getting will they ever really figure it out. Yes, they will Hebrews chapter 1 neuritis is God who had various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets of the right of the Hebrews are saying we have now Scripture, God speaking to the prophets and the prophets of course speaking to the people but he says has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the world is pretty intense saying Jesus Christ made the world is saying that when we open our Bibles to the first verse we read in the beginning God created from nothing, the universe, the heavens and the earth is Jesus Christ doing Yahweh of the Old Testament is Jesus Christ.

In the New Testament right of the Hebrews continues. He says who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged else and set down at the right hand of Majesty on high seat Jehovah's Witness will have no excuse standing before God, because this verse takes away their corrupted thinkings as well as the Mormons and anybody else who denies that Jesus is God the son, and Jesus, we come to know God, not anybody else we come to know about God, we come to know about Christ through the Christians. Yes, but we do not look at a Christian and know God not like you do with Jesus Christ mind of Jesus is the mind of God. His father, no one else come close. The character of Jesus is the character of God.

It is sinless. It is perfect in every way these other men who started those other schools of thought and religions. They were again they were sinners and they were falling so to look at Jesus Christ as to look at God John's gospel chapter 1 no one is seeing God at any time, the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father. He has revealed him look at Christ, we see God. I take so much relief from that. Because, never was there ever someone as pure and is merciful and loving at the same time, there were other opinions though than these voiced by the apostles. There were the scribes and the Pharisees who said that Christ was a deceiver.

Matthew's gospel chapter 27. This is after the crucifixion they speaking to pilots or we remember while he was still alive. How that deceiver said after three days I will rise.

Well, everyone is entitled to your opinion of Christ are just not entitled to be right unless it matches the revelation given to us in Scripture is basic Christianity ready we all need a dose of basic Christianity sometime and this is it. Without this you are not a Christian without understanding the Jesus Christ is perfect is a Savior of the world is God come in the flesh. How do you belong to Christ because anything short of that is to refuse the revelation of Jesus Christ is to disagree with the Bible verse 29 he said to them, but who do you say that I am and Peter answered and said to him you are the Christ. So Christ here dismisses all those wrong opinions are. I hear you Jeremiah lies okay who you say he still does this still ask anyone that comes in contact with the gospel of Jesus Christ must face this question. Who do you say that he is were not allowed to speculate about his identity because it is revealed. That's why be different if he had no record, no revelation will statement but we have it so to continue to speculate as to his who he is, is to reject in his face, his own revelation so we don't we don't reject, we receive it. He alone is the promised one, the Messiah, Christ, the anointed, the chosen of God, Messiah, to Israel, Savior of the world.

Not that all in the world to say but they can be. So we listen again.

He said to them, but who do you say that I am. What say you, what say you about the Christ with your life and how do you how do you claim what you believe with your life or is it just talk.

Is it just a philosophy with you in our workplaces and classrooms who do we say that Christ is, by the way we carry ourselves and our friendships when we say that Christ is are we unforgiving towards our friends. Are we selfish a week.

Is it just about me and not really the other person, or is it a mutual experience. What about in a marriage. How's that going in Christ who you say that I am in your marriage. What say you, is he indeed Lord of the home.

Are you attempting to walk together because to can't list they are agreed. Are you savage with your spouse unforgiving on loving computer. A lot of them are when you will then create a condition by which even God can help.

Peter tells us, if you pulling these stunts in your marriage, your mom, your prayers are blocked. God's not listening because you're playing him as we would say you're mocking him about in the church who do you say that I am when you go to church. Are you one that is trying to live out the gospel or are you trying to cover your flesh and pretend that you are about in the pit of hardship and suffering.

When nothing is going your way who you say Christ is then she still Lord of all or is he a failure to you about in the good times life is going very nicely.

Who do you say that Christ is then I think these are very important questions. I would hope every Christian would stand up and say amen these questions must be asked and the answers must be carried out in action as best we can.

We fail, sometimes it that these of course true trip.

Christian does determine determine to fix it, to repair in some way. At some point.

What say you, Christ is with your life.

We able to treat someone like trash and then go kneel before the throne of God and thank him for all of his blessings in outline. After we been accursed to somebody else are we to soggy with the self-willed, defiant spirit to hate our own flesh and sin. We Christians, we don't love our sin were bitter towards it, but there are those that have heard these kind of messages for so long. So often there are no longer moved by they will get up they will go home and will make no effort to answer the question, who do you say that I am with your life. This is why God is given the church preaching because where else can you hear this. Maybe there's a person in your life that you just will not forget where you can hear anything from them. Maybe there someone else you don't respect maybe you don't like them because they don't agree with you.

One thing that you want them to agree with you so you can hear from them but then you come to a church are almost forced to sometimes as public opinion. What were your children say what were your parents say what will other save you don't go to church you go to church and the Holy Spirit comes to say to you.

You say you say to me that I am the Christ, to someone loving towards those I need you to love your so hateful to those who have not hurt you. What am I supposed to do with you.

Well, having already asked what others thought. He now asked his disciples the question and he forces us to think the question narrows everything down to me it doesn't say what is the person next to you think. What does your child think what do you think I'm talking straight to use as the Holy Spirit is interested in what we think about him because he wants us in heaven, not held a very simple but complex. All that's the story of the Bible from cover to cover God saying to man. I want you with me in heaven, not I do not want to see you in hell that you will have it your own way.

If you insist so are there any here who care more about being liked by people than being liked by Christ. We talk about God loving us with dizzy like you are you doing things.

As you know I love you. You're a sinner and I understand this the way you carry yourself wounding every body you come in touch with makes it very difficult to like you, you younger or I don't know about that but let's just start with the younger ones.

You may be so preoccupied with what everybody else thinks of a by your age that what about what Christ thinks what about saying look I care what others think to appoint.

The point is, when they want me to depart with Christ. I don't care what they think takes guts to do that takes a backbone we sell them here there for free. You come up and you tell the pastors at the end of service I have this need. I am not standing up for Christ. I know backbone they will pray with you. God will give it to you or you can continue to do what you been doing and not have and continue to not have it.

But when the question comes to you. Who do you say that I am being honest, Peter answered, he tells us here in verse 29 said to him, Peter answered and said to him you are the Christ and all that is implied by that title, the anointed one, and no other. There are lesser anointed ones.

King David was anointed king Saul was anointed as men go, this one is the anointed of God that all the prophets spoke up and what Peter what he said right here is here to be read to the end of time by anybody that will come and read it and then they have to react to it either receive it or reject it does really no middle ground. Sometimes it's a process. Sometimes it's instant, but the passion for which he had got the Christ you cannot read Peter's words and not miss his enthusiasm. You cannot miss that this man is excited because his come in touch with truth, a truth that is undefiled is not marred by opinion is just straight out, true reality, of course, they had seen Christ do things that flashed before them to say he's not like any of us who can this be stops. The weather is no one like him. But now, now, it's beginning to crystal a lot now. It's beginning to be tied into what God the father has said to the prophets.

Now there clear the strain on this is a declaration that he is different. Anybody else Matthew 1617 Jesus said this is why Peter you're getting this question right or flesh and blood is not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven.

God the father has given you the ability to see this and that was true of Peter and the disciples with him and that's true to this very day.

It is been true, down through the ages is God taking away the blindness, but only to a heart that's willing to receive it. Matthew adds that this confession. This realization that Christ is indeed all that the prophets were speaking of, and more is foundational to salvation, and so of course, in Matthew tells the story.

He says Peter these are the keys.

This is the foundation this is the rock of our faith. This recognition of who I am without it there is no foundation is no structure.

You must have it.

We train our children from the very beginning to understand is nobody like Christ is nobody like Christ when we get to heaven whole man at first sight of the one was unlike anything we've ever seen.

When Peter died and Paul they got to heaven they saw Christ like that never saw him before but they were ready they were prepped by the spirit of God and so will we. We see him now way to we see him then verse 30 then he strictly warned them that they should tell no one about him seems counter to to logic while you are here to show us you're the Christ what you want to tell anybody.

It's a strict command is as he strictly warned them don't upset the rhythm of coming events which are the processes of God because people of that complicated. I cannot just go on a straight walk to the temple and declare that I am the Messiah is a reality that the curse in this world. His caused everyone to have to address. Even God himself so will of course alert subjects himself to this he doesn't have to. But does there be plenty of time for them to tell of this experience with Jesus Christ to the Holy Spirit. When the spirit comes at Pentecost.

The gates swing open. They'll be able tell everybody but it will be full out will not be easy to move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio.

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