March 16, 2010, Luke 9

Key verse: 

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God."

(Luke 9:20 NIV)

Central Truth:

It doesn’t matter what other people think about Jesus; what is important is that you know Who He is.


WHO'S THAT GUY ?

“Who’s that guy? Where did he come from? Who’s that guy? Where can I get one?” This is one of the lines from a song from the movie Grease 2. Yes, sad I know, but many of you were singing this with me as you read it! The thing is, this is what everybody wants to know about Jesus. Who is he?

Jesus asked Peter who the crowds thought He was. The answers were sketchy: John the Baptist, Elijah, or a prophet. Our culture shares a little of the same view as Peter’s did. He’s labeled as a good man, prophet, lunatic, or even a fairy tale or mythical character. The Bible gives many different names for Jesus such as "I Am” (John 8:58), “Image of God” (2 Cor. 4:4), “Immanuel” (Mt. 1:23), “King of the Jews” (Mt. 27:11), “King of kings (1 Tim 6:15; Rev. 19:16), and Lamb of God (John 1:29) - to name a few.

How did Jesus describe himself? Jesus often refers to himself as "the Son of Man." The title “Son of Man” implies Jesus’ humanity and also connects him with the prophecy in Daniel 7:13-14 announcing the Second Coming of the Christ. In John 14:6, Jesus proclaims “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This is very exclusive. He didn’t claim to be “a” way or “a” truth or “a” life, but the one and only of all of those. He also claims to be the only way to get the God. Pretty big words for a carpenter

The thing I tend to cling on though, is when Jesus turns to Peter and asks “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Jesus is personal, relational, and gut-wrenchingly to the point. At the end of days you and I will have to answer this question. Our very lives depend on our answer and what we’ve done with it in our heart. It’s really not enough to just believe and label Jesus as the Son of God according to James 2:19 andMatthew 7:22-23. We must really know Him, intimately. How do you get to know someone intimately? You spend time with them, talk to them, listen to them, and enjoy their presence.

How do you honestly answer this question? If Jesus were to look straight into your eyes and into your soul, how would you respond? Is He a “good man” or a children’s Sunday school character? Is He just someone to talk about on Sundays in front of your church friends or community group? How real is He to you? How you answer this question determines how you spend eternity. Who do you say He is?