WHO DO YOU SAY THAT HE IS?

PROCLAMATION

“ ‘But what about you?’ He asked.  ‘Who do you say that I am?’  Simon Peter answered, ‘You are The Messiah, The Son of The Living God.’  Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for that was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven.’ ”   Matthew 16:15-17 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to the Apostle Matthew.  The Pharisees and the Sadducees came to Jesus to test Him by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.  Jesus refused to give them a sign and left them. (Matthew 16:4)  He warned His disciples to guard against the teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. (Matthew 16:5-12)  Then He asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I The Son of Man am?”  After they had given Him various answers, He then asked them, “But whom say ye that I am?” (Matthew 16:13-15)  Peter said, “Thou art The Christ, The Son of The Living God. (Matthew 16:16) 

APPLICATION

Jesus, The Christ, knows who He is, and He is not seeking our validation of His existence.  It is not important to us who others think that He is.  All that matters for each of us individually is, with respect to our salvation, who is He to us.  We must believe and confess that He is who He says that He is. (John 10:36-38)  If we confess and believe, we will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10)

JESUS THE SON OF GOD PUT ON HUMANITY

PROCLAMATION

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph … had in mind to divorce her quietly … an angel of The Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘… what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.’ ”  Matthew 1:18-21 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  The first Bible Book of The New Testament, Matthew, begins with a presentation of the genealogy of Jesus, The Christ and The Messiah.  The Apostle Matthew starts with Abraham, the father of the faithful, and goes to Joseph, the husband of Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, The Christ.  Each male father figure in the forty-two generations was listed.  There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen additional generation from David to the exile in Babylon, and then fourteen generations from the exile to the birth of Christ. (Matthew 1:17)  However, this omits the twenty generations before Abraham beginning with Adam.  While Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, Mary’s father Heli, the grandfather of Jesus, (Luke 3:23-38) was a direct descendant of David.  After Matthew links Jesus to David and to Abraham, he goes on to describe the immaculate human conception of Christ by The Holy Spirit of God.  He also describes how Joseph, Mary’s husband, had to be convinced to keep Mary as his wife. (Matthew 1:18-24)

APPLICATION

As a believer our salvation is based upon the acceptance of the virgin conception, the virgin birth, and the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ, as truth.  We also accept that Jesus, The Christ, is the promised seed of Abraham, the promised Messiah.  The virgin Mary’s Son was conceived by The Holy Spirit of God and they called “His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)  God, The Son, put on human flesh and dwelt among us.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)  “And The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)  If we confess with our mouth that Jesus, The Christ, is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, then we will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

WHO IS JESUS TO YOU

Proclamation:

“Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Cesarea Philippi.  On the way He asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’  They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’  ‘But what about you?’ He asked.  ‘Who do you say I am?’  Peter answered, ‘You are The Messiah.’”  Mark 8:27-29 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Mark.  This is part of the gospel as he received it from the apostle Peter.  Mark begins this chapter by recounting the events related to Jesus, The Christ, and His feeding of the four thousand people. (Mark 8:1-13)  Afterwards, Jesus questioned His disciples regarding what they had just witnessed, and what they had previously witnessed. (Mark 8:14-21)  After He healed the blind man in Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26) Jesus asked His disciples who do the people say that He is, and who do they say that He is.  Peter said, “Thou art The Christ, The Son of the living God.”  Jesus responded to Peter by saying that flesh and blood did not reveal that to him.  His answer was revealed to him from heaven by God, The Father. (Matthew 16:16-17) 

Application:

People have said all kinds of things about Jesus, The Christ, and who He is, and how He does the things that He did.  There are those people who deny His very existence.  Even today, some people have said that He was just a man; others have said that He was a good man; and still others have said that He was a prophet.  However, who the people say that He is does not change who He really is.  The most important question is: “Who is Jesus to you?”  Your answer to that question will speak volumes regarding your relationship with Him, and will identify where you will spend eternity.

THE STONE THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CORNERSTONE

Proclamation:

“He went on to tell the people this parable: ‘A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away a long time.  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.  But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  He sent another servant … He sent still a third … I will send my son … they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.  What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?’ … ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone … anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.’”  Luke 20:9-19 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  As He was teaching and preaching in the temple, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders came to Him and questioned His authority to do the things which He did. (Luke 20:1-8)  He answered them then He returned to the people and told them this parable, the parable of the tenants. (Luke 20:9-19)  Afterwards, He answered their questions regarding the paying of taxes to Caesar (Luke 20:20-26) and regarding the resurrection and marriage. (Luke 20:27-40)  Then Jesus asked them a question, “Why is it said that The Messiah is the Son of David?” (Luke 20:41-44)  While they pondered that, He warned the people about the teachers of the law. (Luke 20:45-47)

Application

In this parable the owner of the vineyard represents God, the servants that He sent were the prophets, and the son represented Jesus, The Christ.  Jesus was telling them that He was going to die, and that although they rejected Him, He would be triumphant. (Psalm 118:22, Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17-19, Acts 4:11, and 1 Peter 2:7)  We are indirectly responsible for the death of Christ.  However, if we believe, repent, and confess, we can throw ourselves upon The Rock of our salvation, the cornerstone which they rejected, and be saved.  Those upon whom The Stone comes down on will be crushed on judgment day as the great image was crushed in the dream that Daniel interpreted. (Daniel 2:34-35)  If The Rock is our foundation then we will be saved. (Luke 6:48)  

SAVE US SO THOSE OF US YOU LOVE MAY BE DELIVERED

Proclamation:

“But for those who fear You, You have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.  Save us and help us with Your right hand, that those You love may be delivered.”  Psalm 60:4-5 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This psalm is thought to be a literal reference to the dismay of the people over a military battle lost (Psalm 60:1-3) and a subsequent victory over them. (Psalm 60:8)  It is also thought to be a prophetic reference to the coming of Christ. (Psalm 60:4)  The banner here is thought to be a reference to The Messiah, who will be the standard or ensign of Israel in the last days. (Isaiah 11:10-16)  Jesus, The Christ, came into the world so that the people of God, those who believe and fear Him, and whom He loves, could be saved and delivered.

Application:

Jesus, The Christ, came into this world to save us because we were all lost in sin. (Matthew 18:11, John 1:29, and 1 John 2:2)  Only those of us who believe in Him will be saved and delivered. (John 3:16)  Once we are saved our job is to praise Him and to tell others about Him.  We are to go forth into the world and spread the gospel to the lost. (Matthew 28:19)  We are to invite them and compel them to come to The Lord. (Luke 14:21-23)  We are to hold Christ up for the world to see, by our words and our behavior, and He will draw them to Himself. (John 12:32)  Those who were invited and chose not to come will remain lost for eternity. (Luke 14:24)  However, in order for us to do God’s work, we will need God’s help. (Psalm 60:12)  We are in a battle with Satan for the lost in this world. (Ephesians 6:12)  We need to put on the whole armor of God in order to stand tall in this battle. (Ephesians 6:11-18)  By doing so, in the end we will be victorious. (Romans 8:37-39)

BLESSED ARE ALL WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN THE LORD

Proclamation:

“Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.  Serve The Lord with fear and celebrate His rule with trembling.  Kiss His Son, or He will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for His wrath can flare up in a moment.  Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”  Psalm 2:10-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

The human author of this psalm is unknown but it was clearly written under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God.  The author may have been King David as he is said to have spoken the words in verses one and two of this psalm. (Acts 4:25)  This psalm also serves as an introduction to the psalms.  Whereas psalm 1 refers to “two different ways” for individuals to respond to The Lord, psalm 2 follows it with an application to nations and their leaders.  It begins with human rebellion, (Psalm 2:1-3) followed by God’s reaction (Psalm 2:4-6) and His divine decree. (Psalm 2:7-9)  It ends with a statement of individual human responsibility.  The leaders of all nations are warned that all of the people must serve, worship, and submit to The Lord or they will incur His wrath.  Those who put their trust in Him will be blessed. (Psalm 2:10-12)  Those who don’t will be destroyed.

Application:

The Lord God is the sovereign ruler of all and we are instructed to obey His commands.  The message to us is that those who do not obey Him will perish. (Psalm 1:6 and Psalm 2:12)  This psalm deals with the triumph of The Messiah and His rule over all.  It offers us a warning that all those who oppose Him will be broken into pieces like fragile pottery. (Psalm 2:9)  Only those of us who trust in The Lord will find refuge, peace, and a safe haven in Him.  Blessed are all of those who put their trust in Him. (Psalm 2:12)