Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church,
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee, would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. The text that we are going to
use this morning for our message is Mark chapter 8. I have a message
that will apply to you particularly this morning. This applies to
me. It applies to each one of us individually and I believe
you'll see immediately why I say that. In Mark chapter 8 verse
27 says, And Jesus went out and His disciples into the towns
of Caesarea Philippi. And by the way, he asked his
disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist. But others say, Elias or Elijah,
and others, one of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom
say ye that I am? WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM? NOW, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT
OTHER PEOPLE SAY. MANY PEOPLE SAY MANY DIFFERENT
THINGS. WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, WHEN
IT COMES DOWN TO THE SALVATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL SOUL, EVERY
INDIVIDUAL SOUL MUST INDIVIDUALLY STAND BEFORE GOD. AND AT THAT
EXACT MOMENT IN TIME, IT WILL NOT MATTER WHAT ANY OTHER PERSON
HAS TO SAY. IT WILL NOT MATTER WHAT ANY OTHER
PERSON BELIEVES. THIS IS GOING TO BE BETWEEN YOU
AND GOD. THIS IS BETWEEN ME AND GOD DIRECTLY. SOME PEOPLE, WHEN ASKED THAT
QUESTION, WHOM DO YOU SAY? Some people will answer, well,
my, my mother always told me that doesn't matter. Some people
will say, well, my grandparents always said that doesn't matter. And listen to this one. Some
people will say, well, my preacher says that does not matter. That does not matter. In that
great day, the question will be asked to each one of us individually,
what think ye? Whom do you say that he is? Ultimately, all that matters
is what has God said in his own word and what is our response
to that. WHAT DOES GOD HAVE TO SAY ABOUT
IT? AND WHAT IS OUR RESPONSE TO THAT? HERE'S THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION OF THE DAY. WHOM DO YOU SAY THAT HE IS? WHO DO YOU SAY THAT HE IS? THIS MESSAGE IS FOR ONE PERSON
AT A TIME. WHOM DO YOU SAY? WHAT THINK YE
OF CHRIST? WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST? Verse
27 it says, AND JESUS WENT OUT AND HIS DISCIPLES INTO THE TOWNS
OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI, AND BY THE WAY HE ASKED HIS DISCIPLES,
SAYING UNTO THEM, WHOM DO MEN SAY THAT I AM? THAT'S HOW HE
STARTED HIS QUESTION. WHOM DO MEN SAY THAT I AM? AND
THEY ANSWERED JOHN THE BAPTIST, BUT SOME SAY ELIJAH, AND OTHERS
ONE OF THE PROPHETS. SOME THOUGHT THAT OUR LORD WAS
JOHN THE BAPTIST REINCARNATED. JOHN THE BAPTIST COME BACK FROM
THE DEAD AND THE REASON THEY BELIEVE THAT IS BECAUSE OUR LORD
WAS VERY BOLD IN HIS PREACHING JUST LIKE JOHN. SOME THOUGHT
HE WAS ELIJAH OR ONE OF THE PROPHETS BECAUSE OF THE MIRACLES THAT
HE DID. AND IN THEIR MIND THAT WAS A
HUGE COMPLIMENT. IN THEIR OWN MIND, THEY WERE GIVING THE LORD
A GREAT COMPLIMENT. AND IF SOMEBODY SAID THAT ABOUT
ANOTHER MAN, IF SOMEBODY SAID, NOW THAT MAN RIGHT THERE IS JOHN
THE BAPTIST. THAT'S THE MODERN DAY ELIJAH. THAT WOULD BE A HUGE COMPLIMENT.
BUT THAT IS NOT A COMPLIMENT TO THE LORD OF GLORY. NOT AT
ALL. IT IS AN INDESCRIBABLE DISGRACE
TO COMPARE HIS GLORY TO A MAN, ANY MAN. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO
THE MAN IS, HOW GREAT WE SEE THE MAN TO BE, IT MAY HAVE BEEN
A COMPLIMENT IN THEIR EYES. THEY MAY HAVE MEANT IT TO BE
A COMPLIMENT, BUT IT'S A CRIME WORTHY OF DEATH. THAT'S THE TRUTH.
IT IS A CRIME WORTHY OF DEATH TO BRING GOD'S GLORY DOWN TO
THE LEVEL OF A MAN. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS
EVERY DAY IN CHURCHES EVERYWHERE. MEN AND WOMEN ARE BRINGING GOD'S
GLORY down to the level of a man. They're bringing God down to
their own level, lessening Him, and it's an abomination. It is
an absolute abomination. May God keep us. I pray He might
keep you and keep me both from lessening Him, bringing Him down,
lowering Him in our own eyes. If you have your Bible there,
turn with me to Romans 1. In Romans 1 verse 18 says, FOR
THE WRATH OF GOD IS REVEALED FROM HEAVEN AGAINST ALL UNGODLINESS
AND UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OF MEN WHO HOLD THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. They have a copy of the Bible,
but they don't see the truth of it. They hold the truth in
unrighteousness. Because that which may be known
of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead,
so that they are without excuse." Just look at this amazing world.
The amazing galaxies. Men and women are without excuse.
We're all without excuse. The glory of God. The majesty
of God. The highness of God. And it says in verse 21 that they're
without excuse because that when they knew God, they glorified
Him not as God. Not as God. NEITHER WERE THANKFUL, BUT BECAME
VAIN IN THEIR IMAGINATIONS." EVERYTHING IN THEIR IMAGINATIONS
STARTED TURNING TO THEM. VAIN. ALL ABOUT ME. AND IT SAYS, THEY WERE NOT THANKFUL,
BUT BECAME VAIN IN THEIR IMAGINATIONS, AND THEIR FOOLISH HEART WAS DARKENED. PROFESSING THEMSELVES TO BE WISE. AND THAT'S WHAT MEN DO. They
love to profess themselves to be wise. They believe that they
understand this God, this almighty, eternal God. And they believe
that they can manipulate God. All they have to do is will it
and God will do what they want Him to do. And it says in verse
22, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. AND
CHANGED THE GLORY OF THE UNCORRUPTABLE GOD INTO AN IMAGE MADE LIKE TO
CORRUPTABLE MAN, AND TO BIRDS AND FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS AND CREEPING
THINGS." THIS MAN, JESUS CHRIST, IS NOT JUST A MAN. HE IS NOT
JUST A MAN. OVER IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 12, MATTHEW
12, OUR LORD IS SPEAKING HERE AND HE SAID IN VERSE 41, THE
MEN OF NINEVEH SHALL RISE IN THE JUDGEMENT WITH THIS GENERATION.
IN THE JUDGEMENT EVERY SOUL IS GOING TO RISE AND STAND ON THIS
EARTH AGAIN. AND HE SAID, THE MEN OF NINEVEH
SHALL RISE IN THE JUDGEMENT WITH THIS GENERATION AND SHALL CONDEMN
IT BECAUSE THEY REPENTED AT THE PREACHING OF JONAH. GOD SENT
JONAH TO NINEVEH AND THEY REPENTED AT THE PREACHING OF JONAH AND
HE SAID, BEHOLD, A GREATER THAN JONAH IS HERE. SPEAKING OF HIMSELF. HE WENT ON TO SAY IN VERSE 42,
THE QUEEN OF THE SOUTH SHALL RISE UP IN THE JUDGEMENT WITH
THIS GENERATION AND SHALL CONDEMN IT, FOR SHE CAME FROM THE UTTERMOST
PARTS OF THE EARTH TO HEAR THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. AND BEHOLD,
A GREATER THAN SOLOMON IS HERE. SOLOMON, GOD MADE HIM TO BE THE
WISEST MORTAL MAN ON EARTH. AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST SAID,
A GREATER THAN SOLOMON IS HERE. THOSE WHO SAID HE WAS JOHN THE
BAPTIST OR ELIJAH OR ONE OF THE PROPHETS THEY GAVE HIM THE HIGHEST
HONOR THAT YOU COULD GIVE TO A MAN. BUT HERE IS THE IMPORTANT
THING TO UNDERSTAND. THEY MISSED IT. THEY MISSED IT. AND THIS IS A FEARFUL THING.
I DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT. I DO NOT WANT TO MISS CHRIST
AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO MISS CHRIST. THESE MEN, THEY WERE
COMPLIMENTING JESUS, THE ONE THEY KNEW TO BE JESUS. THEY WERE
COMPLIMENTING HIM. THEY WERE TRYING TO HONOR HIM
IN THE BEST WAY THEY KNEW HOW. BUT THEY MISSED IT. THEY MISSED
IT. AND TO MISS CHRIST, IF A MAN
OR A WOMAN MISSES CHRIST, HE OR SHE WILL MISS SALVATION. TO
MISS CHRIST IS TO MISS SALVATION. NOW IF YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLE, HOLD
YOUR PLACE HERE IN MATTHEW AND LOOK BACK AT THE TEXT. IT SAYS
IN VERSE 27, AND JESUS WENT OUT AND HIS DISCIPLES INTO THE TOWNS
OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI, AND BY THE WAY HE ASKED HIS DISCIPLES,
SAYING UNTO THEM, WHOM DO MEN SAY THAT I AM? AND THEY ANSWERED
JOHN THE BAPTIST, BUT SOME SAY ELIJAH AND OTHERS ONE OF THE
PROPHETS. AND HE SAYETH UNTO THEM, BUT
WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM? AND PETER ANSWERETH AND SAYETH
UNTO HIM, THOU ART THE CHRIST. THOU ART
THE CHRIST. NOW WE KNOW THAT PETER GAVE THE
RIGHT ANSWER BECAUSE OF WHAT OUR LORD SAID IN MATTHEW'S ACCOUNT.
IF YOU LOOK BACK AT MATTHEW, THIS TIME, CHAPTER 16. THIS IS
THE SAME ACCOUNT, MATTHEW 16, VERSE 13. WHEN JESUS CAME INTO
THE COAST OF CAESARIA PHILIPPI, HE ASKED HIS DISCIPLES, SAYING,
WHOM DO MEN SAY THAT I, THE SON OF MAN AM? And they said, Some
say thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, and others Jeremias,
or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom
say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and
said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. AND 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. BLESSED ARE YOU, HE SAID. BLESSED
ARE YOU. HE SAID, PETER, YOU'VE HAD THE
TRUTH REVEALED TO YOU. You've had the absolute truth
revealed to you, and flesh and blood didn't reveal it. That's
of God. He said, God, my Father, has shown you something. God
has taught you something about who this man Jesus, that people
call Jesus, who this man Jesus really is. He's the Christ. HE'S THE CHRIST. NOW, LET'S SEE
WHAT THAT MEANS, OKAY? THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. AND LET'S
SEE WHAT THAT MEANS. IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 1, THE WORD
CHRIST, THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD CHRIST IS THE MESSIAH. THE DEFINITION IS THE ANOINTED
ONE. THE DEFINITION IS EMMANUEL. THAT'S WHAT CHRIST MEANS. EMMANUEL. ALRIGHT, NOW MATTHEW 1 VERSE
21 IT SAYS, AND SHE SHALL BRING FORTH A SON, AND THOU SHALT CALL
HIS NAME JESUS, FOR HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS. NOW ALL THIS WAS DONE, THAT IT
MIGHT BE FULFILLED, WHICH WAS SPOKEN OF THE LORD BY THE PROPHET,
SAYING, BEHOLD, A VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND SHALL BRING
FORTH A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMANUEL, CHRIST. THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME CHRIST,
WHICH BEING INTERPRETED IS GOD WITH US. GOD WITH US. ISAIAH CHAPTER 9 VERSE 6 SAYS
A CHILD IS GOING TO BE BORN. A SON IS GOING TO BE GIVEN. A MAN IS GOING TO COME FORTH. YES, AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED
WONDERFUL COUNSELOR THE MIGHTY GOD. THAT'S HIS NAME. THE EVERLASTING FATHER. THINK ABOUT THAT. Think about
that. A little baby is going to come
forth and God Almighty said, this is what I want you to call
his name. The Everlasting Father. The Prince of Peace. Well, now
wait a minute. Is he a man? One hundred percent. One hundred percent. Man sinned against God. SO MAN
HAD TO DIE. IN ORDER FOR GOD TO BE JUST AND
RIGHT AND HOLY, MAN HAD TO DIE. MAN SINNED. SO GOD BECAME A MAN. GOD MADE HIMSELF TO BE A MAN. WELL NOW, IS HE REALLY A MAN?
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. THE ETERNAL ONE. THINK ABOUT
THIS. THE ETERNAL ONE. NO BEGINNING. NO END. The Eternal One was born. The Complete One, God needs nothing. The Complete One grew. The All-Knowing learned. Amazing, isn't it? The Prince
of Peace, Absolute Peace, labored suffered, grieved. The one who will not slumber,
slept. The one who needs nothing, hungered
and thirsted. The sinless one, the sinless
one was made to be sin. LIFE HIMSELF, LIFE, THE SOURCE
OF ALL LIFE, DIED. HE ACCOMPLISHED THE SALVATION
OF HIS PEOPLE THE ONLY WAY THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH
IT. GOD BECAME A MAN. SOMEBODY WILL SAY, WELL, WAIT
A MINUTE THEN, IS HE GOD? YOU JUST SAID HE WAS ONE HUNDRED
PERCENT MAN. IS HE GOD? ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. NOT FIFTY-FIFTY. HE'S NOT FIFTY
PERCENT MAN AND FIFTY PERCENT GOD. HE IS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT
MAN AND ONE HUNDRED PERCENT GOD. HE IS THE ONLY GOD. THERE IS
NO OTHER. THE ONE WHO CAME. THERE IS NO
OTHER. THE WHOLE TIME HE WAS A CHILD,
HE NEVER STOPPED BEING THE MAN. THE WHOLE TIME HE WAS A SERVANT,
HE NEVER STOPPED BEING THE KING. NEVER. THE WHOLE TIME THAT HE
WAS ON TRIAL, HE NEVER STOPPED BEING THE JUDGE. THE WHOLE TIME
HE LAID IN THAT GRAVE, He never left the seat of His throne.
Never. Somebody will say this. This
will be the response for someone. They'll say, I don't believe
that. I hear what you're saying and
I don't believe you. He can't be both. He can't be
100% man and 100% God. He can't be a child and God Almighty
at the same moment in time. That's impossible. I don't believe
you. THE SAD RESPONSE IS, WELL, THEN YOU'VE MISSED CHRIST. IF
I SAY, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, THEN I HAVE MISSED CHRIST. I'VE MISSED CHRIST. THAT'S WHAT
IT MEANS TO SAY, THOU ART THE CHRIST. MAN BELIEVES HE SEES
GOD AND UNDERSTANDS SOMETHING OF GOD AND HE BELIEVES HE SEES
JESUS AND HE UNDERSTANDS SOMETHING OF THIS MAN JESUS. BUT WHERE
MANY WOMEN GO WRONG IS THEY'VE MISSED THE CHRIST. THEY'VE MISSED
THE CHRIST. AND THERE'S NO SALVATION FOR
A SOUL THAT MISSES CHRIST. BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED. LORD MEANS, THE DEFINITION OF
THE WORD LORD MEANS SUPREME IN AUTHORITY. SUPREME IN AUTHORITY. IT MEANS THE CONTROLLER. IT MEANS THE SOVEREIGN. IT MEANS THE RULER. IT MEANS GOD. THAT'S WHAT LORD
MEANS. GOD. JESUS MEANS SAVIOR. IT'S THE NAME OF HIS HUMANITY. LORD IS THE NAME OF HIS DEITY.
SAVIOR IS THE NAME OF HIS HUMANITY. IT MEANS HE IS THE ONE WHO HAS
THE RIGHT TO REDEEM BECAUSE HE'S A MAN. CHRIST MEANS HE IS THE
ABSOLUTE UNION OF BOTH. HE IS WHERE GOD AND MAN MEET. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO SAY HE
IS THE CHRIST. HOW CAN A SINNER BE JUST WITH
GOD? I MEAN A REAL SINNER. HOW CAN
A SINNER BE JUST WITH GOD? ONLY IN CHRIST. ONLY IN CHRIST. HOW CAN A SINNER FIND FAVOR WITH
GOD? ONLY IN CHRIST. ONLY IN THE GOD-MAN,
THE PERFECT MAN, THE SINLESS ONE. I COULD NEVER DIE FOR YOUR
SINS. I HAVE MY OWN SINS TO DEAL WITH.
BUT HE IS THE ONLY ONE, THE ONLY SINLESS ONE WHO WAS ABLE TO TAKE
THE SIN OF ANOTHER UPON HIMSELF AND DEAL WITH THEIR SINS AND
WIPE THEIR SLATE CLEAN. AND BACK IN OUR TEXT HE'S GOING
TO TELL US HOW HE DID IT. VERSE 27, HE ASKED THEM, WHOM
DO MEN SAY THAT I AM? AND THEN IN VERSE 29, HE SAITH
UNTO THEM, BUT WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM? AND PETER ANSWERED AND
SAID UNTO HIM, THOU ART THE CHRIST. AND HE CHARGED THEM THAT THEY
SHOULD TELL NO MAN OF HIM. AND HE BEGAN TO TEACH THEM THAT
THE SON OF MAN, THE TRUE MAN, MUST SUFFER MANY THINGS, AND
BE REJECTED OF THE ELDERS, AND OF THE CHIEF PRIESTS, AND SCRIBES,
AND BE KILLED, AND AFTER THREE DAYS RISE AGAIN." He told them
as God's Redeemer what He was going to accomplish for fallen
man. He plainly told them. He said God has chosen some. OUT OF THIS SINFUL RACE, HE'S
CHOSEN SOME TO HAVE MERCY ON. HE'S GOING TO HAVE MERCY ON SOME.
AND THIS IS HOW HE'S GOING TO DO IT. THE PERFECT MAN IS GOING
TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY. AND VERSE 32 SAYS, HE SPAKE
THAT SAYING OPENLY AND PETER TOOK HIM AND BEGAN TO REBUKE
HIM. HE DIDN'T WANT HIM TO DIE ON THAT CROSS. But when he turned
about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get
thee behind me, Satan, for thou savourest not the things that
be of God, but the things that be of men. He said, This is of
God. A man is doing this, but God
is doing this. God was in Christ, reconciling
the world to himself. THE ADVERSARY DID EVERYTHING
HE COULD DO TO TRY AND STOP CHRIST'S REDEMPTION OF HIS PEOPLE. BUT
HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL. HE COULD NOT BE STOPPED. HE COULD NOT BE STOPPED. CHRIST ACCOMPLISHED FULLY, COMPLETELY
THE SALVATION OF HIS PEOPLE. AS A MAN, HE LAID DOWN HIS OWN
LIFE AND AS GOD, HE RAISED HIMSELF FROM THE DEAD. HE WAS THE JUDGE
THAT REQUIRED THE SACRIFICE IN ORDER FOR MAN TO BE SAVED. HE
WAS THE JUDGE THAT SAID A SACRIFICE MUST BE MADE. HE WAS THE PRIEST
THAT OFFERED THE SACRIFICE AND HE WAS THE SACRIFICE HIMSELF.
THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO SAY, THOU ART THE CHRIST. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS. IT MEANS
HE IS ALL. HE IS ALL. START TO FINISH. CHRIST IS ALL. I NEED A SACRIFICE. CHRIST IS ALL. I NEED A HIGH
PRIEST. CHRIST IS ALL. CHRIST IS ALL. NOW LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION. DO YOU BELIEVE THIS? DO YOU BELIEVE THIS? SEEING WHAT
GOD HAS SAID ABOUT THIS MAN JESUS, DO YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR HEARTS
THAT HE IS THE CHRIST? HE IS THE CHRIST? GOD MANIFEST
IN THE FLESH? IF YOU DO, THEN I WANT YOU TO
SEE FIRST JOHN, CHAPTER 5. LOOK WITH ME AT I JOHN 5 VERSE
1. IT SAYS, WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH
THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST IS BORN OF GOD. WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH THAT JESUS
IS THE CHRIST IS BORN OF GOD. FLESH AND BLOOD DIDN'T REVEAL
IT TO YOU, GOD DID. GOD DID. VERSE 20 SAYS, AND WE
KNOW THAT THE SON OF GOD IS COME AND HATH GIVEN US AN UNDERSTANDING,
THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM THAT IS TRUE, AND WE ARE IN HIM THAT
IS TRUE, EVEN IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. THIS IS THE TRUE GOD
AND ETERNAL LIFE. THAT'S A WONDERFUL VERSE, ISN'T
IT? JESUS CHRIST, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE TRUE GOD. AND JESUS CHRIST IS ETERNAL LIFE. NOW, WE KNOW WHAT MANY PEOPLE
SAY. PEOPLE SAY ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
PEOPLE COME UP WITH ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN REGARD TO THE WORD
OF GOD, WHAT HE HAS TO SAY ABOUT JESUS THE CHRIST. BUT HERE'S
THE QUESTION. WHAT DO WE SAY? WHAT DO WE SAY? WHOM DO WE SAY THAT HE IS? OH, MAY GOD GIVE US A HEART TO
TRULY SAY, THOU ART THE CHRIST. WE BELIEVE, LORD, THOU ART THE
CHRIST, GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH. TILL NEXT WEEK, MAY GOD BLESS
HIS WORD TO OUR HEARTS. You have been listening to a
message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign Grace
Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this
message or to hear other messages of Sovereign Grace, you can write
to our physical mailing address at 905 Yadkin Street, Kingsport,
Tennessee 37660 or log on to our website at ksgctn.org. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 10.45 a.m., and 6 o'clock
p.m. Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m. Please tune in next week for
another message of God's free and sovereign grace.