Master and my God, assist me
to proclaim the glories of thy name." Matthew
chapter sixteen. Matthew chapter sixteen. A very familiar passage, one
we've looked at together several times. Look at verse 13 with
me, Matthew 16, verse 13, when Jesus came into the coast of
Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciple. They were
walking along. And he asked them, saying, Whom
do men say that I, the son of man, am? Now this is certainly a relevant
question in light of all the controversy right now
in our day, all these controversial books and movies out. Isn't this a relevant question? It certainly didn't bring this
message with that in mind, didn't plan it. I didn't plan it, but it came
up, didn't it? Right at this particular and
relevant time. Whom do you say that Jesus is? Jesus of Nazareth. This is the question and the
issue. It always has been. And it always will be one. Who is Jesus of Nazareth now,
if he is who and I don't say this with doubt, but I'm just.
As posing a question, if he is who this book says he is, and
this whole book testifies of him. If he is who this book. Says he is in the world. Contrary
to what men say, the world is in a great deal of trouble. But if he's not, then he's the
greatest imposter to ever walk this planet. And the greatest
hoax has been perpetrated upon mankind since the history of
the world, and the longest, an ongoing hoax. and millions upon billions of
people are greatly deluded by this imposter. Well, whom do you say that Jesus
of Nazareth is? Now, let me say this. Let me start by saying this.
And the Lord did not ask this because he was concerned. He did not ask this because he
was concerned about what folks thought about him. No, no, no. He's asking this. Not really asking it, he's just
stating a question, proposing a question in order for these
to examine themselves, these his disciples, to examine themselves
as to what they really thought about him. Believe. And let me
say this, what I think about Jesus Christ and what you think
about Jesus Christ or what anybody thinks about Jesus Christ has
no bearing whatsoever on who he is. None. It doesn't matter
what anybody thinks about or says about it. Any man's opinion
about it. What so-and-so says about it
doesn't amount to a hill of beans. Does it? Does it change the fact
of who he is? A man can't add to him, can't
take away from him. It doesn't change a thing. Vicki,
that needs to be said from the outset, doesn't it? What we think doesn't matter.
concerning him, but now what we think, what we say, who we
say he is, whom we believe he is, proves whether we have this thing
called eternal life, because this is life eternal, that they
might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom God
sent. What we say, what we believe
in our heart about him, proves whether or not we know God proves
whether or not we have eternal life proves whether or not we're
the children of almighty God whom he reveals the sun to but
no man knows of some of the father or the father of the sun. He
doesn't have the sun will be. It's that important it's that
important that's why this is the question man is still the
question who do you say that Jesus of Nazareth is that man
who lived on this earth son of man that's what he said the son
of man this man that seems to be born of woman the son of man
this you think is a human being. Who do you say he is. Let me say this before we go
any further. It doesn't this is not a merely
merely a head of things oh well I think he's I think he's. That's
not when we talk about. proving whether you have eternal
life. The devils believe there's one God. And from. Not believe in fact. It's not
merely a head believe or mental ascent you can you can convince
people of things in their head. That's not salvation salvation
the hard work. It's a heartfelt. Soul persuasion
it's a heartfelt assurance. Belief persuaded as Paul said
I know whom I have believed and not he knew what he believed
and he could he could articulate what he believed but what he
believed was a home he said I know whom I believe and persuaded
that he he all his persuasion all his assurance. was in a person. I know whom I have believed,
and this is a heartfelt soul persuasion of a person, a love
for, to be loved with a person, love of a person, be united to
a person, bound to a person, submit willingly, submitted to
a person, trust in, belief upon, dependence upon, soul cast upon. Someone I hope you'll take the
time to read the article in the book. And I thought about this. Well, if
you don't read the article in the bulletin, I hope you'll listen
to this. Better yet, yeah, better yet,
just listen to it. Whom do you say that Jesus of
Nazareth is? Who do you believe in your heart?
Now I thought about this. No human being has ever went
around asking people that. Do you ever ask anybody that,
Stan? You ever go over to your neighbor's
house and say, pardon me, Bill, who do folks say that I am? You ever do that, Dan? What would
be the point? Kevin, have you ever asked the
men at work, who do y'all say that I am? It'd be silly, wouldn't
it? What do you mean, who are you?
Everybody knows who you are. Well, it's very obvious who you
are. We know who you are. We know your father, your mother,
you know, your sisters and brothers. We know you're this and that
and the other. We know you. Are you kidding? You're the son
of man. Who do you say that I am? The
son of man I am. Human being. What are people
saying about me? Well, who cares? Of course we
know who you are. We know what you are. You're
just a man like we are. See, it's a pointless, it's a
mute point isn't it? It's a pointless question. It's pointless for
any human being ever to ask that question. Isn't it? We're all just alike. It is just a pointless question
for us to ask, but now he said. He said. Who do men say that
I, the son of man, this man, am? Now this is the issue. Turn with
me to John chapter seven. John chapter seven. Folks, I
am going to try my best to make this as brief as possible, but
this is the issue, isn't it? John 7, this is the issue, this
is the question, it always has been, always will be vital and
eternally important. And I thought about this too.
Shouldn't it make people stop and think? It ought to make people
stop and think. Just stop and ponder. that after 2000 years, 2000 years
later, the whole world is still in an uproar about this man that
lived way back then. Shouldn't that make people just
stop and think, well, maybe he, maybe he is who he said he was. Barbara,
do you follow that, what I'm saying? Shouldn't it make folks
stop and think, why are people still all over the world? divided over and get an uproar
over it upset about this man that lived two thousand years
ago especially if he's dead and gone. What does it matter. Alexander the Great he's dead
and who gives a flip about that. Does it matter what he did not
one bit. Does it just name somebody history
that I could care less about it. Care less what they accomplished
or did or said. Care less what they said. Could
care less. But now, who do you say that I am? John
7. You see, there's always been
differing opinions, hasn't there? Then and now. Verse 40. John
seven, verse forty through forty three, many of the people, therefore,
when they heard this saying, they heard him speak. They said
of a truth. This is the prophet. Others said
this is the Christ. Some said Christ come out of
Galilee. If not, Scripture said the Christ cometh on the seat
of David out of town of Bethlehem where David was. So there was
a division among the people because of him. Over him, who is. And well, just across the page
on nine, just one page over John nine, verse sixteen. Some of
the Pharisees said, this man's not of God, he keepeth not the
Sabbath. You know, anybody that's that
that arguing about the Sabbath now doesn't know God, huh? They don't know Christ. He's
not God, he doesn't keep the Sabbath. Then you're not of God
if you don't know that he is the Sabbath. Is that too hard? Oh no, he reveals that to all
his people. The Lord of Sabbath. Oh, he's not of God. He can't
keep the Sabbath. Others said, how can a man that's
a sinner do such a miracle? And there was a division among
them. Read on. They said to the blind
man, this blind man had just healed, they said, what do you
say about him? He said, well, he's a prophet. He didn't know
him until the Lord came to him personally and said, do you believe the
Christ? Well, there was a division. Now, more than ever, there's
a division, isn't there? Go over back to our text in Matthew 16. Now, more than ever, since there
are more people than ever, more religions than ever. I don't
know how many denominations there are in so-called Christianity
alone. Hundreds. It always amazes me, amuses me,
how many different names that people come up with for the church. Lighthouse, Holy Lighthouse far
removed Emanuel some church of God Jerusalem way across the
church this this this church church back then wasn't denominated
the true church never was denominated or have something to. to distinguish
this little group as being the church, as opposed to this little
group over there. No, no, no, no. They were just
called, Tammy, the church. The church which was at Jerusalem.
The church which was at Philippi. The church which was at Thessalonica.
The church. They all believed the same. One
Lord, one faith, one baptism, one father, one... All believed
the same. Common faith. They all believed
the same one. They did not differ. And all things come, especially
the common thing, the Church. If we ever build a new building,
I think that's what we'll call it, the Church, which is at Rocky
Mountain. That's the most biblical name
of all. Church of Christ really is a good name, Church of God,
but boy, they blaspheme that, haven't Well, now more than ever, since
there are more men, more people, more religions, as time goes
on, there are more opinions and divisions. Who is Jesus of Nazareth?
Well, in verse 14, they said, the disciples said to him, some
say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, that's Elijah the
Tishbite, the greatest prophet to ever live, perhaps, the one
who went up in a chariot of fire, Scripture says. That's where
that term came from. Elijah ascended in a chariot
of fire, or in a whirlwind. up into heaven, and he's been. An object of man's adulation,
ever since you. Elijah, some say there are larger,
better than even better than John, and some others say Jeremiah's
are one of the proper, perhaps Samuel. Jeremiah. Now, if he if he were John, come
back from the dead. If he were. That'd be amazing,
wouldn't it? A man like John. John was the greatest man born
of woman then. Still a sinner. But if he were John, come back
from the dead, that would be impressive, wouldn't it? That
would be amazing. But what would that mean to us? If he were John
the Baptist, what would that mean to you and me? What good
would that do? Rebecca, what good would that
do you? You admire John? I admire John. But what good
would that do us? Because they killed him. Well, say he were Elijah or Jeremiah
or someone like Moses. What if he were Moses reincarnated? What would that mean to me? It would mean absolutely nothing. Nothing. And who do men say that
Jesus Christ is now? That's what we need to get to. Who do folks say that he is now?
And there's a great division in it. They say many good things.
What these men, what people were saying about him then was they
were saying great things about him. great man like old Nicodemus
said no man can do what you do if God's not with you're a man
come from God. That's not enough. That's not enough. That's not high enough. You're
a great man. That's not great enough. That
won't do me any good. They say now he's a great teacher.
He was. He is. But Gandhi was a great
teacher. They say he was a great leader.
They say he is a great leader, was a great leader. Well, so
was Mohammed. You know, Mohammed probably has
more followers now than anybody. Mohammed, a great
speaker. Some came back saying nobody
ever spoke like him. Great speaker. So was Adolf Hitler. Well, a great miracle worker. Greatest man to ever live. So. What good does that do me? But now, all right, now the Lord
turns to. Peter and us, Peter, he turns
to all the disciples, verse 15, he saith unto them, but whom
say ye that I am. Who do you say that I am? And
Simon, this is one time he spoke up when he should have. This is one time he opened his
mouth when something good came out of it. This is one time when
he stood and spoke on behalf of all of God's people everywhere. He said, in verse 16, Simon said,
Thou, not I believe, not I think, not we hope, not he said, Thou
art the Christ. The son of the living God. He said that full assurance,
absolute conviction, as if there's no question about it, nobody,
no argument, this is it. Thou art the Christ, the son
of the living God. Now turn quickly with me to Isaiah
25, Isaiah Chapter 25, this is one of my
favorite, favorite, favorite scripture. This is my. Profession of faith, confession
of faith. Well, what Peter said is. I believe
and I'm sure that he is the Christ, Peter said, the our the. Christ, Melanie, the that means
you're the only one. My. but the only one there is
no other there is no other are you afraid to say that before
this. Muslim world. The price what is price may. Price means the one prophesied
of God the long awaited Messiah everybody looking for a Messiah
Savior a set one one sent from God this book testifies of a
Messiah coming where he'll come from The sea, the tribe he'll
come from, seed of David and so on, prophesied of old. Scripture
says he'll be the prophet, priest and king of his people. Prophet,
priest and king says he'll be prince and ruler and a savior.
Scripture says he'll be lord and master, king. Scripture says
he's the holy one of Israel. Scripture says he's the righteous
servant of God. Look at this. And every Jew Every
Jew of old knew, based upon this scripture and many others, Isaiah
9 that we just read, verse 6. Every Jew knew and believed that
the Christ was none other than God with us. That's what Emmanuel means. Look at Isaiah 25. I wish I could
read all this chapter. He'll swallow up death. Verse
nine, it shall be said in that day. What day? The day he comes.
Lo, this is our God. What do you say about Jesus Christ?
He's my God. That's what old Thomas said.
My Lord and my God. This is our God. We've waited
for him. And he, is this your confession supposed to stand?
He! Who? My God, will, not try, not might, will save. When we say Jesus, and we say
Jesus, it's a blessed name, it's a glorious name, and we know
what it means. We do it, we say it in glory
of His name, don't we? We know his name means Jesus,
because God said it did, and God sent him to do this, save
his people. That's what his name means. For
the glory of his name, the honor of his name, we call him Jesus. He saved us by the sacrifice
of himself. Amen. And try to. What do you
all say out there about your Jesus? Well he made an attempt,
he did all he could, he put a down payment down, he tries to save,
he wants to save, he's standing outside right now hoping you'll
let him in and let him save you. What do you say? He's saved us. That's my Jesus. He's not a try to be a savior,
he's a savior. He didn't make an attempt, he made an atonement. He's not a wanna-be, would-a-be,
will-a-be, hope-to-be, but he is who he is. That's why he always
says, I am. I am that I am. Doesn't matter what you think,
what men say that he is. He that cometh to God must believe
that he is. Is what? That he is. Not what you plan to make him,
not what you let him be, but what he is. You understand that?
You do, don't you, Deborah? You come to Him believing, trusting
Him that He is who He is, not what you decided to make Him
be or let Him be. You don't come to anybody for
salvation that you're going to let do anything. If you're the
lost one, Kellie, if you're the lost one, you don't let somebody
save you. You holler at them to help to save you, don't you?
If you're down in a pit, desperate, hope, you know, you don't let
somebody save you. How ridiculous can you be? Huh? There's a man out there that's
dying. I mean dying. Down on the ground. Somebody comes up and I want
to save you if you'll let me, if you'll just let me. How ridiculous
can you be? That's the most absurd thing
I've ever heard of. When we were without hope, when we were without
strength, beggar on a dunghill, enemies against God, Died in
trespass and sin, the Savior came. Lost sheep ready to go
over the cliff. The good shepherd came. The chief shepherd came. Found
his sheep. They didn't find him. He's not
lost. He found them. What's he do?
Come on, follow me now. Oh, won't you follow me? Please,
come on. He's not following me. What's he do? Mac, what's he
do? What did He say He did? Pick them up. I don't want to go. You're coming.
Pull on His shoulder. And where does He take them?
All the way. Not halfway. And set them down
and see if they'll walk. Isaiah 46 says, I'll carry you
to your hoary head. Roberta, He's still carrying
you. You're still underneath the big arm. What do you say? That you're
Jesus? Honestly, people, the average
person out there would listen to this and say, that's not mine.
I don't believe we got different gods. That's absolutely right.
Absolutely right. It's always been that way. That's
not my Jesus. He loves it. That's right. You've
got another Jesus. I hate to say it. No, I don't
hate to say it. I hate it for you. But I love
it for me. And God's people. You say that
I am. Not that I will be. You see that, Irene? You do,
don't you? Who do you say that I am? Thou art the Christ. And when
Peter says the son of the living God, you know, we call him the
son of God. Scriptures call him the son of
God. And then here we read, or Isaiah, we read he's God. No. A child is born, a son is given,
that son is with the father in the beginning of Proverbs 8,
but his name shall be called the everlasting father, the mighty
God. Well, is he the God or the son
of God? Yes. I don't understand. I don't either. You see, he who thought it not
robbery to be equal with God. He said, You call me Lord and
Master. You say, well, so I am. What? Lord. There in Isaiah 25,
it says this is the Lord, capital L, capital O, capital R, capital
D. That means Jehovah. He always
does, all the way through the Old Testament scripture. All
the Jews said this is Jehovah. Jehovah is coming to earth. Jehovah. I am a Jehovah's Witness. Aren't
you? I am a Jehovah's Witness. And
you can't tell I'm one because of the way I dress. My suit's
not blue. Or because I go door to door.
Christ didn't tell me to do that. But to everyone that asks me,
I'll tell them. I am a Jehovah's Witness. Who? Jesus Christ is
Jehovah. Oh, He can't be. And they argued
that with me one day. How can... He never said He was
God. He didn't to you. He didn't say it to you. But
to all whom the Father reveals Him, they know Him as God manifest
in the flesh. Who you say that I am? Well,
you're God. Do you realize what this was
like for these men standing there looking at a flesh and blood
man their same age or maybe even younger than they? Standing there
looking at him, a Jew, just a man, a plain ordinary man without
any religious Garments or anything off and I said, you're God. And that's what people think
today. No way. Jesus of Nazareth, he wasn't
born and they're trying to disprove his virgin birth. You'd be surprised
who doesn't believe in that and be surprised. Martin Luther King
didn't believe that. And on and on it goes, didn't
believe that. That man doesn't deserve the
name Martin Luther. On and on it goes. You're God. Explain that. I can't. Why do you believe that God said
it? Why do you believe it? He told me. He revealed himself
to me. I know he's God. You can't convince
me otherwise. They tried to tell Paul, and
I'm going to renounce this, renounce it. They tried to tell Peter,
renounce this, Jesus, renounce it. Don't preach anymore. And
they said, we can't help it. We can't help it. John said,
We can't help but speak the things we've seen and heard. John said,
We've heard him, we saw him, our hands have handled him. What,
John? Who, John? Life! Light! Where am I? Well, I was over
in Isaiah and Matthew somewhere. They said, Thou art the cry.
We say with Simon, We say with all of God's disciples Christ
Christ cycle. We say about the Christ the son
of the living God why I hear it. We call him the son of the
living God. That means the bodily offspring. This is the best way that I believe
it can be explained to you God's people explain that. Juanita
the reason he's called the son of God. Is because he's the only
big gotten the only bodily offspring the only seed of the only issue
from God he a body has now prepared me a child is born with the sun
is given he's God without beginning without end without birth without
death But God became a man. This is the best thing to do,
and God had a son. My father had a son, had three
sons. All right, we're all sons of
our father. We're sons of men, of a man. Well, God had a son. But now all us boys, we're human
beings. We're equal, really, with a father,
aren't we? We're equal with the same substance,
same essence. Same flesh and blood right now
I am fifty years old. My father's been sending me old
stuff he had when he began years ago and he was twenty four years
old. And I'm twice as old as he was
then. I'm more of a man now than he
was when he began. Right. So the point is I'm equal
with my father. I'm just as much a man as he
is. No less no less a man. Right. Jesus Christ is God son of God
but he's not less than God we're sons of God we're less than God. We're not the express image were
created in the image. a new creature in Christ Jesus
we're all made to look like him. Quite often the oldest son the
firstborn most resembles the father right maybe that's when
the you know the seed is the strongest perhaps that's a good
illustration and. God has won the cotton is the
express image of God equal to what he is God. Is that did that
do any good? That's the best I believe can
be done. But we're still like the young preacher said, said,
I'm going to confound the scriptures this morning. You can expound, well, the son
of God, that's who he is. Thou art the Christ. And our
Lord said to him and says to all who confess what Peter did.
Verse 17. He said unto him, Blessed art
thou, Simon. Simon, Simon, Simon, Simon. Simple,
sinful Simon. Ron the Lord always called him
Simon. Why? That's his name. He's just a
man. Just a fallible, fickle, finite,
failing man. He kept proving that, didn't
he? Just a man. Simple, simple Simon. Poor Simon. Simon bar Jonah. Son of Jonah. Dan borrowed. Our. Blessed art thou, Simon,
you son of. A human being for flesh and blood. Have not revealed it unto thee.
But my father, which is in heaven. Revealed who I am. Oh, you're
so blessed. And aren't we so blessed here?
More blessing in it. Well, as blessed as anyone. Highly favored, we're all Mary's
in here, we've been highly favored among women. Mary, oh, you're highly favored
among women. Blessed art thou, Mary. Flesh
and blood didn't reveal it to you. No preacher, no whatever. Look, the Father did. What? Out of what? this is all your salvation and
a change in mind. And he called him something different
from then on until he failed. Our people see first. See. Now Wednesday night is a really. Pick your curiosity and your
attention. This passage, you've looked at
this before. From Cephas, that means rock, Satan. Lord called him a rock. And then
a few minutes later, called him Satan. Now, buddy, that's us. You come
Wednesday night and I think you'll get some comfort. from this, from Cephas to Satan.
How can he be both? All right, let's sing a closing
hymn, doesn't y'all? Number 13 is what it is. Number 13 in the green hymnal.
Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty, King of creation. We'll sing
the first and last verses of hymn number 13. Let's stand. Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation. O my soul, praise Him, for He
is by health and salvation. All ye who hear, now to his temple
draw near, Join me in glad adoration. Praise ye the Lord, O let all
that is in me adore him. All that hath life and breath
come now with praises before Him. Let the amen sound from
His people again. Gladly foray, we adore Him. I'm trying to get to know you,
but you don't know me. I'm trying to get to know you,
but you don't know me. I'm trying to get to know you,
but you don't know me. I don't know. I'm going to do this for a long
time. I'm going to do this for a long time. I'm going to do
this for a long time. I'm going to do this for a long time. I'm
going to do this for a long time. I'm going to do this for a long
time. I'm going to do this for a long time. I'm going to do
this for a long time. I'm going to do this for a long
time. I'm going to do this for a long time. I'm going to do this for
a long time. I'm going to do this for a long time. I'm going to do
this for a long time. I'm going to do this for a long time. I'm going to do
this for a long time. I'm going to do this for a long time. I'm going to do
this for a long time. I'm going to do this for a long
time. I'm going to do this for a long time. I'm going to do
this for a long time. I'm going to