Who Do You Say Jesus Is? | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

I'm overjoyed. I'm just filled with joy this

afternoon because I get to be with family who love God.

I hope you feel the same way about me.

I hope you see me as family. I see you all as family.

And so this feels as much as it is a service, this feels like

home. And I thank God for that.

And we come to the word of God together in Mark Chapter 8.

Mark 8 · chapter mention

So meet me there in verse 27, Mark 827.

We shouldn't be people of fear, but there is such thing as godly

fear and there is such thing as holy anxiety.

And so as we read these verses, I also want to pray and ask the

Lord to help us with this message, because I really do not

want to do anything apart from the power of the Holy Spirit.

And I I'm sure you don't want anything to be done apart from

the power, the grace, the wisdom, the love of the Holy

Spirit. And so we will ask him to help

us with these verses, that our hearts would be transformed as a

result of what God has to say. Mark 827 And Jesus went on with

his disciples to the villages of Cesarea Philippi.

And on the way he asked his disciples, who do people say

that I am? And they told him, John the

Baptist and others, say Elijah and others one of the prophets.

And he asked them, But who do you say that I am, Peter?

Answer them. You are the Christ, and he

strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

Pray with me, Lord, help us even in this very moment.

Realize who we are praying to, who it is that is hearing us as

we seek You. Help us realize that you are the

living one, that you are holy, that you have created all

things. You have entered into your

creation. You have saved humanity, and

Lord, you will return as judge and you will reign forever and

ever. Help us realize that this is all

about you. Everything, the universe,

everything that we know comes back to you.

And so this is a holy moment. We thank you that you've given

us eyes to see. We pray that you would give us

more ability to see and that we would be transformed further

into the very same image that we are beholding.

This is our heart cry together as a church.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

I'm not sure if you're aware, but you will be now that we've

reached the milestone in the book of Mark.

And the reason why we've reached a milestone is because we've

technically arrived at the center point, the halfway mark

of this awesome gospel account. And the text before us, in a

sense, is really the pinnacle. It's the pinnacle of Mark's

testimony about Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

You can almost say that it's the climax.

It's the high point of this riveting report of the Messiah,

and you can also say that it's a significant hinge to the overall

story because a lot of things are going to change from this

point. From this point.

One of the things that Jesus is going to do that he hasn't

really done before is emphasize and prepare his own disciples

concerning his death and his resurrection.

You're going to see that even immediately after these verses.

And so we see that this is a turning point, not just in our

own reading of the story, but even in the ministry of Jesus.

And the Spirit of God massively puts this at the center.

You know, we should be more than excited of the fact that we've

made it this far and that we've crossed this significant point,

but we should also relish at what it is that we see here at

this threshold. What what is it here that Jesus

is conveying? What is it here that the Holy

Spirit is trying to trying to say at the the core of what Mark

is writing about? And really what we discover at

this pivotal juncture is 1 simple thing.

A question asked by the Lord Jesus.

A question, Not just any question.

Let me say this the most important question that can ever

be asked. There are a lot of inquiries

that you will make in this life. You've probably received wisdom

from a father, a mother or a friend, a mentor of some sort,

to make sure that you ask certain questions concerning

your life concerning other people, because those answers

will determine so much and the lack of clarity can cost you so

much. But there is no more significant

question than what we have here in this text.

Nothing more vital, more crucial, more important than

knowing the answer to what it is that Jesus asks.

And why is that? Why does this question operate

in a class of its own? Well, for one, because of its

universal relevance. This question applies to

absolutely everyone. Every man, every woman, of all

cultures, of all societal classes.

It cannot be ignored. And if you choose to ignore it,

if you choose even today to be nonchalant, if you choose to be

like this, this doesn't seem relevant to me.

Even that willful ignorance has consequences, and so this is

binding on all of humanity. This is a question that all of

us in this place and beyond this place will be accountable to.

And so this has a universal cross generational cross

cultural application. It's not an invitation for a

consideration, whether you're interested or not.

It applies to you whether you care about it or not.

Why is that? Because you see how 1 responds

to this question. As I said, even if it's absolute

indifference, we'll frame the trajectory of the rest of your

life. And not only will it frame the

trajectory of the rest of your life, it will determine your

life to come. So we might understand this to

be of most importance. We're not dealing with a

secondary subject. We're not dealing with some kind

of lighthearted thing that we can debate about.

This is something that demands a personal verdict.

This is something that will determine life or death.

What is that question? Verse 29.

And he asked them. But who do you say that I am?

That's the question. Let's frame it this way.

The most vital question that you can ever be asked, the most

important question that you can ever answer, is this.

Who is Jesus Christ to you? Who is Jesus Christ to you?

How would you answer them? What comes to mind?

What springs up in your heart? Is there peace?

Is there anxiety? Is there certainty?

Is there confusion? How do you respond to that

question? Who is Jesus Christ and how you

answer that question will ultimately affect so many

things. One, it will affect and

determine who you are and what you will experience.

Again, not just in this existence but in an eternal one.

And I want to just for the sake of time, tell you that that

question being answered will determine two massive realities

2 Just two. I'm giving you two points today.

I'm not refreshing 2 points today.

Two things that answering this question will ultimately

determine. But before that, let's glean a

little bit around this. Let's go back to verse 27.

I can't help but smile when I read the location of this

conversation. This is when Jesus went on with

his disciples to the villages of Cicero, Phillipa, and on the way

he asked his disciples. On the way he asked.

So think about it. We're about to engage in this

deep, selfreflecting spiritual conversation, and Jesus is

engaging with his disciples. Not in the context of a

classroom, not in the context of a synagogue or a sanctuary.

He's, he's doing this on route. He's doing this while he's

walking and while he's traveling and while he's transitioning

with his boys, with this group of men.

And I looked at and I stepped back and I just reflected on

that simple phrase. He asked this on the way.

And my mind, perhaps yours did, to race to a particular passage

that is very, very familiar to you and I.

In Deuteronomy Chapter 6 and verse 6, the God of Israel

Deuteronomy 6 · chapter mention

instructed his people, upon entering into the Promised Land

something so important. And these words that I command

you today shall be on your heart.

I pray to God that God's word has your heart, shall be on your

heart, not in your head, not in your notebook, not in your

phone. On your heart shall be on your

heart. And now what?

From there you shall teach them diligently to your children, and

shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk

by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise.

Now the the direct application is obvious, right?

It's a call for parents to disciple their children by

rehearsing the promises of God, the commands of God, the

warnings of God, upon a condition that you first have it

in your heart. Children not interested in

hypocritical parents. Anyway, it's on your heart.

As a parent, and it from your heart, you seek to impress it on

the hearts of your little ones. That's the that's a direct

context. But the principle can be

borrowed. It can expand and extend beyond

that. What's the principle of this?

What's the wisdom of God? What's his heart?

For this set of instructions, I believe it's this.

Seek to connect all of life with the word.

Seek to connect all of life with the Word.

Don't limit discipleship to an official weekly one hour lunch

with a colleague or pastor. Trust and aim for something more

than a few minutes of prayer with your children or with your

spouse before you put your head on the pillow.

Those are all wonderful things. But there's something more.

There's something more that God is asking if there's some.

There's a greater experience of the word of God and of mutual

encouragement, and it's found in this.

What Deuteronomy is saying, essentially, is learn to

conversationally apply God's commentary into all settings of

life. Isn't that wonderful?

So when you're driving in the car with a loved one, bring it

up. Bring up how the word on Friday

night or on Sunday morning was preached into your soul, and

there's something that touched you.

Bring it up while you're driving, while you're sitting at

that dinner table with your family, oh oh, would you?

Would you Just for fun, while you're eating and laughing and

talking, bring up a random quiz and ask them a question from

something that you read in your personal devotions?

When your child knocks on your door, when your friend or

someone a sibling calls you with a distressing situation, Please

don't let your counsel, don't let your exhortation be void of

the the scriptures. Have an example.

Ready. Have an exhortation ready.

Seek to saturate life with the word of God while you're

playing. While you're eating, while

you're traveling, while you're on vacation, seek to bring God

in it. And this is the kind of

lifestyle that we should have not official gatherings and

meetings. And we turn it on and turn off.

No. While you eat and while you walk

and when you rise and when you lie down.

And I can't help but think that Jesus here is indirectly

modeling that with his own disciples, as a leader, as a

friend. Here they are walking and

traveling, and here he is asking them a question.

Here he is guiding them concerning A revelation about

himself. That's a footnote.

And so we asked. While they're on their way,

Jesus gives a more general question before he gives a

personal one. Who do people say that I am?

Let me tell you from from this point, Jesus is an insecure.

He's not asking for what the recent polls are concerning his

popularity. He doesn't have this nagging

desire to know that people are liking him more today than they

did yesterday. He could care less.

Here's Jesus asking this question, and the disciples are

fully aware of the popular opinions that are circling, and

so they don't hesitate to give him the report.

Some say you're John come back to life.

Some say you're like Elijah. People that can't really

comprehend you being the Messiah that they believe the Messiah to

be. So they try to fit you into the

mold of the one who's coming to usher in the great and awesome

day of the Lord. Others are content to just put

you in a class of any one of the prophets of old.

And all those different shades of answers, though they may be

different, have one thing in common.

They're all wrong. They're all wrong.

They all missed who Jesus was. And again, Jesus isn't just

curious of what's happening around in the neighborhood.

Jesus is preparing his disciples to answer a question and he's

using that first question as a backdrop to challenge them for

the next question that will demand an answer.

And the challenge of asking what do other people and what are

other people saying about me Is a challenge for you and I as

well and preparation to answer that question for ourselves.

What do I mean? Well, here here's the idea.

The disciples and resurfacing what is being said are now ready

to make their own confession and they have to determine will the

variety of the popular and prevalent ideas of who Jesus

Christ is shape what I believe Jesus Christ to be.

In other words, before you can even answer the question who is

Jesus Christ, you have to 1st identify the source of your

answer, what you believe about the person of Jesus Christ.

Where does that come from? Where does it come from?

Is it a secondary source? Is it something that you heard

from others? Is it something that was

regurgitated? Where does that source of who

Jesus is come from in your mind and your heart?

Let me tell you something that I've heard over the years and

it's immediately a flag. Well, to me, Jesus Christ is.

Unless you're about to follow that up with what you believe

the Bible says, you're already in the wrong direction.

But if you're confident even today, as you're hearing me

preach, that your comprehension of Christ is established from

the one place that it should, the only place that it should

the Word of God, then be prepared to believe and follow a

Jesus that most of the world disagrees with more than that

most of the world hates with all of their hearts.

This is what he's saying. He first presents or ask them to

represent what the people are believing, and in front there

saying, okay, now what do you believe?

Is what you believe shaped by what they believe?

And if it's not, are you prepared to believe the truth

even though the rest of the world doesn't agree with you?

And Peter answers you're the Christ.

He's right. Jesus praises him in Matthew.

But what's at stake here? A W Tozer said.

What comes into our mind when we think about God is the most

important thing about you. What comes into your mind when

you think about God is the most and not your salary, not your

looks, not your body, not your health, not anything else.

The most important thing is when you think about God, whatever

comes to your mind, that is the most important thing about who

you are. And I told you that there are

two, two things, two things that come to my two reasons why

answering the person of Jesus Christ and his identity is

absolutely crucial. And these are pretty obvious.

The first one probably more than the second.

The answer to that question will ultimately determine one's

eternal destiny. Turn with me to John 823 to 24

and listen to what Jesus says. Concerning how important that

answer is. John 823 to 24 Jesus is dealing

with the hostile Jews, and he said to them in verse 23.

You are from below. I am from above.

You are of this world. I am not of this world.

I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you

believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

Unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees, and he gives him a

solemn warning. And interestingly, the word He

in the Greek is not included. So it more accurately reads For

unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.

That is an absolute claim to Deity.

Jesus ascribing unto himself the name and the identity that

exclusively belongs to the God of Israel.

Unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.

But notice also the link between the necessity of believing who

he is and who he said to be, and determining that determining

your everlasting fate. For unless you believe I am who

I claim to be, you will die in your sins.

And if you die in your sins, you die with condemnation to die

free from my sins. Listen to this is contingent

upon my belief in the right Jesus.

To die free from my sins is contingent upon my belief in the

right Jesus, not just Jesus. Massive implication for our our

world today. Think about the millions of

Muslims, the millions of Mormons, the hundreds of

thousands of Jehovah Witnesses, the secularist, the humanist,

the philosophers, the psychologists who have no

problem claiming a Jesus, but is he V Jesus?

There's a big difference. Just the other day I checked my

mail and and the mail was a personal letter.

It was handwritten line paper with a pamphlet in it.

Nice handwriting, nice calligraphy, I had to admit.

Joel. And I read it and it was a

handwritten letter from somebody in the neighborhood who was a

Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witness.

Inviting us and praising us for being new in the neighborhood

and asking us to join them in one of their conferences.

And they had the pamphlet for it.

Zeal. Passion, Sincerity.

But it doesn't matter which Jesus are you speaking about.

And this should motivate us to know what makes the true Jesus

different from these damning variations and to lovingly,

informatively present the true Jesus so that people would be

saved. This is the condition that

Christ sets. You must believe that I am He, I

am who I say I am. If you reject the clear

revelation of I am, then you do not have eternal life.

And I hope we know that it's not enough for somebody, as I said,

to include Jesus Christ in their belief system, which Jesus you

believe is a difference maker. Now it would be wrong for us to

interpret what Jesus is saying here as this, That in order to

be saved you have to have this ability to sophistically

articulate his nature, his attributes, his works.

It's it's not a quiz here. G's not saying if you don't

impressively explain the complexities of my nature then

you won't pass. And if you don't pass then you

don't get heaven. That that's not what Christ is

communicating because you'd be Mason on the people feel

intimidated that just because they may not be able to conjure

up until lace and to present a truth determines the depth of

their spirituality. I know a lot of people who can

explain things very, very well, but their character doesn't

display Christ like this at all. And I know people who are

illiterate and they are more Saints than the PhD.

This Jesus insane here that you have to you have to be able to

explain theology and doctrine to a certain level if you're going

to be accepted. What he is saying is you have to

be willing to wholeheartedly embrace what has been clearly

made known to you in the one place where you can really know

him. But to what extent, right.

Pay attention to this To what extent?

What do I need to believe about Jesus in order for me to be

saved? What is it about his person?

What is it about his attributes? What is it about his work?

OK, Jesus, Believe in what? What?

What about him? What's demanded of me?

What truths must I acknowledge and submit to?

Have you ever asked that question?

Have you ever been asked that question?

If you remember here, you you, you probably have caught on that

when we interview you, we ask you to explain what you believe,

because what you explain reveals whether or not you have the true

Jesus or not. And it seems intimidating,

right? Like, do I have to memorize

certain things? Do I have to cover systematic

theology from beginning to end? Do I need to have the

eschatology in place? Do I need to have my right view

of this in place? What is demanded of me to know

that my name is inscribed in the Lambs book of life?

That's the question I want to answer, and I believe there's

one verse that eloquently and sufficiently supplies what we

need to know. And you know, you probably

memorize it. We don't even have to turn it,

we can all just quote it together.

But maybe you haven't seen it in this light in Romans 10/9.

What does Paul say that you need to do to be saved?

Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and

believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you

will be saved. You will be saved.

So how do we do this? Usually when we tell somebody to

invite somebody to be saved, we haven't.

We usually quote that verse and we haven't repeat that verse or

just ask him. You know, believe in your heart

that God raise him from the dead.

But if you really pay attention to this verse, there are two

categories Paul is defining. 2 categories about Christ that

must be acknowledged in order for one to assure themselves of

salvation. 2 Categories. I hope you never forget it.

The first category deals with the nature of Jesus Christ.

That is what he says here. Confess with your mouth that

Jesus is something, He is someone.

He occupies a certain position. Jesus is Lord.

That is his nature, that is his prerogative and not just the

nature of Jesus. Now the second category, the

mission of Jesus, which is inferred by this that God raised

him from the dead, that God raised him from the dead, which

implies something about He came into this world to do something.

He accomplished something, and God approved of it by

resurrecting him. And So what does it take?

What is it about? He that I must believe well, has

to deal with His nature, and it has to deal with His mission.

And listen if you don't understand what is required of

you concerning His nature. In other words, if you

misunderstand or skew key components of who He is, then

that will ultimately affect the mission part.

Let me give you an example. If I don't believe that Jesus

lived a sinless life, then how can I also claim that his

sacrifice satisfies in light of the requirement of what a

sacrifice that atones demands? If he did have blemish, if he

did have spots, if he did have error, then the nature of Jesus

Christ and my understanding will affect the mission of Jesus

Christ. It affects the mission of Jesus

Christ and it affects my salvation.

If I don't believe that Jesus Christ is God, then how can I

also understand that the infinite payment for humanity,

sin, can be sufficiently taken care of because it requires an

infinite person to pay for it? So I'm just giving, and I can

give you 10 other examples that if I don't have the accurate

understanding of who He is, then I can't also have the confidence

in what He has done. And if I don't have confidence

in what He has done, that I don't have confidence for

salvation. And so concerning who He is in

connections, especially to what He has done, is what is

necessary for me to be at rest. And knowing that I am accepted

in the beloved. So his nature, but then his

work. What do you believe Jesus Christ

has done? And what do you believe about

the implications of what he's done?

You know it well. He came into this world through

the moon of a virgin. He lived the perfect life.

He died a real death. He was buried.

He was raised. And when he was raised, it was

God signed to the world that he has accepted what he has done in

his life and in his death. And it's a sign of hope for the

repentant believer that you also can expect a resurrection like

his his nature and his mission. So if you can understand those

two things on a foundational level concerning the ultimate

mission, then you can be secure. This is what it means to confess

with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, and to believe

in your heart that God raised him from the dead.

This is what John says at the end of his gospel, that he has

written these things that you may believe Jesus is the Christ,

the Son of God, and that by believing in him you would have

everlasting life. I have to believe he's the Son

of God, and then I have to believe that him being the Son

of God, he came into this world for something.

And so it is quite simple. It is quite simple.

And I'm sure there are many questions.

Well, what about the secondary issues?

What about the other aspects of the nature of God?

Based on what I see from the scripture, this this is what

suffices. And if there's anything that's

brought further from that basic truth that is clear in the word

of God that a person would deny, then there are more questions I

need to be asked about what they truly believe.

So a person can say I believe I I believe in who Jesus is and

what he has done, but I don't believe in the Trinity.

OK, now we got to pause here though the train has been

clearly proven in the word of God.

Not that you may not have to be able to explain, but if you

clearly deny that there is the Person of the Holy Spirit once

has been made no to you, then we got to sit down and we got to

have a conversation. So what is this about?

Listen carefully that this is where a lot of people get in

trouble. So are you saying that with

Jesus says in John eight that if you unless you believe that I am

he, you will die in your sense that everything depend upon my

salvation is a Creole confession?

Are you saying that what makes me saved is the acceptance of

certain facts? Yes and no, Yes and no.

And this is where, again I say people are dangerously deceived

because they've made a confession.

They have a wonderful ability to explain.

Historical Jesus Theological Jesus, Practical Jesus.

But at the end of the day they will stand before Jesus and

he'll say I never knew you. What?

What kind of confession is Christ after?

Well, go back to Mark and you'll understand.

And Mark eight in the same place where he says.

But who do you say that I am? Scroll down in the same context

and see what he says in verse 34 of Mark 8, Mark 834 And calling

the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, if

anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his

cross and follow me forever Would save his life, will lose

it. But whoever loses his life for

my sake and the Gospels will save it.

For what is a profit a man, if he gains the whole world and

forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in

return for his soul? Here's what I'm trying to

illustrate to you. Jesus has a certain quality of

confession in mind. The confession about his nature

and his person is a confession of truth, but it's also

confession of surrender. I am making my allegiance to

this person once this revelation has been made known to me.

And so to say, I believe in his nature and I believe in His

work, but I don't die to myself as a result of that truth.

Your fate is no different than the Jehovah's Witness.

Your fate is no different than the Muslims.

It's no different because Jesus clarifies here that there is a

standard in this confession. There's a transformation that

occurs. Yes, confess with your mouth

that Jesus is Lord, but not just in an objective way.

Is he your Lord? If he's the Lord, is he your

Lord? Now?

You can't make up, and you can't deny that He's the Lord.

But it's up to you to make him your Lord.

And so this confession, the confession, is connected to

conviction and ultimately consecration.

Transformation. That's the gospel.

Determining who Jesus Christ is will determine your eternal

fate. But secondly, to answer that

question will not only determine the life to come, it will

determine. This is fascinating.

The depth of your transformation.

The depth of your transformation.

So once you ask the question and you receive the foundational

knowledge, and then you embrace it of who Jesus Christ is, you

have to also understand that there's a deeper understanding

of Christ that awaits you. And the deeper understanding of

Jesus Christ that awaits you is dependent upon you answering

that question again and again and again and again.

What do I mean by that? To ask the question Who is Jesus

Christ? And to answer it rightly is

wonderful. But you don't stop asking it.

Once you believe it, you keep asking it in.

In fact, as a true Christian, your quest for the rest of your

life is discovering more and more and more of the person of

Jesus Christ. Who is he?

Who is he? When Paul encountered Christ on

the road to Damascus, he asked this question.

Who are you, Lord? Who are you Lord?

And you can ask that from a introductory standpoint, but I

can guarantee you that you will continue to ask that if you're

really born again. Why?

Because the same Paul who said at the beginning facing Christ,

who are you? Lord was the same one in

Philippians 3 who said, oh, that I may know him and the power of

his resurrection. So Paul didn't stop asking the

question when he met Christ, the real Christ, the true Christ,

the Messiah, he lived to discover more of him.

And so this question that Jesus says, But who do you say that I

am? Yes, it's the entry point, but

it's also the essence of your Christian existence.

But Lord, I I thank you. I know your nature, I know your

work, I know what you've done. I know who you are to save me.

But Lord, who are you? I want to know you.

I want to discover more of you. I want to joyfully investigate

your glories and listen that hunger and that discipline is

the primary means of your supernatural transformation as

an individual. Let me prove it to you.

You know this. I'm bringing very familiar

passages to you in 2nd Corinthians 318 causes and we

all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord, are being

transformed into the same image from 1 degree of glory to

another, for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

This is one of my personal favorite verses about

sanctification. Beholding the glory of the Lord

is not a one time thing, it's a continual act.

That's actually the tense of the verb.

And being transformed from 1 degree of glory to another is

also a continuous consequence, not a one time reality.

And notice what Paul is saying here.

He's saying that when you behold the glory of the Lord, there is

a reward as a result of you choosing to fix yourself on who

he is. So you know what that tells me?

Christian transformation is not by you behaving, it's by you

first beholding big difference. People get it the opposite.

People believe If I'm a Christian, I must.

If I want to strive for more Christ like this, I must behave

true. But if you want to really,

really behave, you will. First, behold, the art of

beholding the glory of God is virtually lost.

It's virtually lost. And yet Paul says here that it

is the instrument. It is the force that remodels

you and renews you from the inside out.

So if you fail to behold his glory, you will not become what

he wants you to become. No wonder you're exhausted.

No wonder you're discouraged. You've made your Christian life

all about behaving. Just do this.

Don't do this. And when you don't do the thing

that you're supposed to do, or you do the things that you're

not supposed to do, just try again.

You're exhausted. No wonder you're miserable.

Why? Because you didn't realize that

what the Holy Spirit's inviting you is to behold before anything

else. Behold, what are we beholding?

What aspect? What aspect of the glory of God,

The glory of God is so hard to describe.

What aspect of his glory? His heavenly glory?

His divine glory? His creative?

What about his glory? You know Paul actually gives the

answer. Go to 2nd Corinthians the same

place. Not three, but chapter four.

Look at verse 6. This is the glory that Paul has

in mind for you to behold to put before the eyes of your heart,

and to absorb with affection and attention.

Second Corinthians 4/6 For God, who said, Let light shine out of

darkness, has shown in our hearts to give the light of the

knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

What? What am I pointing my eyes to?

What aspect of God's glory? The face of Jesus Christ?

The exact imprint of his nature, the perfect reflection of the

glory of the Father, is found in the face of the Son of God.

What Paul wants you to behold, day in and day out, is the face

of the Savior. And as you behold that face, and

as you admire that face, and as you study that face, something,

if your heart is truly transformed, will begin to yearn

for that face to be mirrored on your face.

And we're told in Saint Corinthians 318 that this comes

by the Spirit. This comes from the Lord, who is

the Spirit. When he realizes that this

precious soul has been transformed because he, he knew

who Jesus Christ was and is, and what he has done for him is now

seeking to behold, he will honor that pursuit.

And he will imprint on you the image of the very thing that you

cherish and relish in more than anything else When you read your

Bible, which is the canvas, the portrait frame of where the face

of Jesus Christ has shown when you read it, please, please hear

me. Please.

Are you looking for the glory of Jesus?

I'm not talking about? Are you looking for things to

glorify Jesus? I'm not asking if you're looking

for things. I'm asking are you looking for

the When I say glory, I'm talking about His beauty, His

Majesty, His splendor, His awesomeness, His Holiness.

Are you trying to behold that, or are you just looking for

doctrine? Big difference.

Are you looking for platitudes? Are you looking for practical

wisdom? Those things are fine.

But if you're not looking for the face of Jesus Christ, you

will not be transformed the way he wants you to be transformed.

This is the point that I'm trying to get at.

And as I thought about this is, well, how can I exemplify, How

can I explain this in practical terms?

I don't want to sound poetic. I don't want to sound

theoretical. I want to be real.

I I like practical. I like handson.

I like examples. So I'll give you one.

I'm personally, I'm reading the book of Matthew.

I'm in the Gospel of Matthew. And I mean how much more can you

get the face of Jesus Christ and then the gospel accounts, right.

So there I am, looking at Jesus, reading about Jesus.

Things that I've like you familiar with, but asking the

Lord continue. Lord, I want to see, and maybe

I've seen it before, but remind me.

I want to see the glory of Jesus.

I want to see facets of who He is that I haven't seen before,

and not just the things that we might know.

As glorious as those things is right.

That concerning his entrance to this world and his sinless life

and his sacrifice on the crosses, resurrections,

ascension. No, no, I want to see all that.

He is everything, everything that's been inscribed here in

the world. Let me see the glory of Jesus

Christ and I'll give you an example.

This is just for my personal reading, and I hope that it

gives you an idea of what it means to behold the glory of

Jesus. And if from beholding that glory

your heart is inspired to imitate that very same image

that you are admiring and loving and worshiping, go to Matthew

17. This is what I my reading of

this week. I want to just give you

inspiration. Matthew 1724 to 27 When they

came to Copernium, the collectors of two, the two

drachma tax went up to Peter and said, Does your teacher not pay

the tax? He said yes.

And when he came to the house, Jesus spoke to him first,

saying, What do you think, Simon?

From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax?

From their sons, or from others? And when he said from others,

Jesus said to him, Then the sons are free.

Pause. Here's what's happening.

People are coming. The Jews are asking Peter, hey

you're you're a rabbi there. Does he pay the temple tax?

Does he pay the tax that funds and supports the temple, the

activity and the sustenance of the place of worship.

And Peter says yes. And he goes back to find Jesus,

Jesus, omniscient. He doesn't have to wait for

Peter. He goes, hey Peter, I heard the

conversation, by the way, and he asked this important question.

He says when the kings of the earth, when they take toll or

tax, do they take it from their sons or from others?

And Peter answers, rightly, goes others, he goes, and the sons

are free. What is he saying?

I'm not required to give the temple tax.

Do you know why? Because it's my father's temple.

In fact, the temple points to me.

In fact, I'm greater than the temple.

So I'm not required to give this because I'm above it.

It's actually all for me. So the sons are free in the same

way in the world today, a king wouldn't tax his family, he

would tax the citizens of the land.

I'm exempt from this Peter, and he establishes that truth.

You say? Is that where you see the glory

of Jesus? Well, you could.

But look at verse 27. Jesus continues, however, not to

give offense to them. Go to the sea and cast the hook

and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its

mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them

for me and for yourself. And that's where I saw the glory

of Jesus Christ, you said. Where I say, however, not to

give offense to them, the glory of Jesus Christ.

Sing, brother. I don't get it.

Don't you see it? Here's a man who establishes

before Peter and before us that he is free from this duty, and

yet he is operating with a different frame of mind.

Here's Jesus saying I'm surrendering my right for the

sake of a greater cause. And though I am not obligated to

do this, I want to do this. Do you know why?

Because Jesus knows how to choose his battles.

Do you know why? Because Jesus is not needlessly

offensive. Do you know why?

Because Jesus is extremely wise. How is he wise?

He already has enemies, and he gave Peter a revelation about

himself. I am the son of the one who owns

this temple. Did other people have that

revelation? No.

That other people get that explanation?

No, they didn't get that explanation.

And if they did, they most of them didn't want to believe it.

So what is Jesus saying? Why create more controversy than

necessary? Why create a fence and give more

ammunition to our enemies? This is not an evil thing per

se. This is a neutral thing.

And because of that, not to offend them.

Let's just give the tax. That's glorious.

That's glorious. And I'd behold.

And I look at that and I go, Lord, I want to be like that.

I want to be like that. I don't want my existence to

orbit about about my rights, everything revolving around what

I believe that I should have and all these things.

I don't want that. Lord, help me live like you

lived based upon A cause greater than myself, to live not for my

rights, but for my testimony. And even if I have to give up my

right for the sake of my testimony, then so be it.

Do you see how that works now? You see something glorious about

Jesus Christ and from seeing how awesome it is, you now want to

imitate it. And that's a Holy Spirit thing.

The Holy Spirit doesn't just show it.

The Holy Spirit inspires you and says strive for that and I'll

empower you to do it. So I look at Jesus here and I

say, oh, I want that for myself. This is glorious.

OK, let me give you another example.

This one came to mind this morning in John chapter 8.

John 8 · chapter mention

Notice what happens to Jesus and John 8.

He's again with the religious leaders and they're going back

and forth, and Jesus is just making one good point after the

next, to the point where these men get so frustrated they

insult Jesus. Whenever somebody insults you

personally in a debate or an argument or a conversation, it

means that they don't have substantial arguments left just

to give you a hint, right? And so they now begin to hurl

insults to Jesus and John 848 the Jews answered him.

Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a

demon? Jesus answers, I do not have a

demon, but I honor my father and and you dishonor me.

Glory, Glory, Glorious Jesus saying, What are you talking

about? This is not describing the

eloquent doxology that Paul tends to give in his letters of

his creative power and of his Lordship of the universe.

Where's the glory? Oh, it's there.

So here's what they say. You're a Samaritan.

And hey, are we right in saying you also have a demon?

Okay, when you're saying you're a Samaritan, you realize the

relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans, right?

That's not. That's not a compliment by any

means. They actually put Samaritan in

the same category as a demon. Are we not in your you're a

Samaritan. You're false.

You're you're you're off and and on top of that you probably have

a demon with it. You're saying what's the glory?

Did you see Jesus's answer? Jesus answered.

I do not have a demon. But he doesn't address the

Samaritan part. He doesn't.

He doesn't defend himself when they called him a Samaritan when

it came to the demon? Yes.

You're saying why? Because Jesus is glorious, and

Jesus in his glory, in his humanity and his service to God.

He knew that criticisms would come, and he knew which

criticisms to answer and which ones to ignore.

He knew which ones were important to address for the

sake of the validity in the testimony of his ministry, and

which ones to just fall off his back.

There are some accusations worth defending, and there are some

that are not worth defending. I look at Jesus and Johnny and I

say that's glorious. And I say, Lord, I want to be

like that. I want to be like that.

Serve God long enough. Serve God long enough in the

front lines. You're going to know slander.

You're going to know accusations.

You're going to know gossip. You're going to know false

reports. So how do you imitate the glory

of Jesus? Well, I see it here.

He knew what to say, to defend when he needed to defend, and he

knew what to ignore, because it had no value in addressing

beholding the glory of the Lord, beholding the glory in the

obvious and the not so obvious, and in the Holy Spirit.

As He sees you engaging with the glory of the Lord, He assures

you now I'm going to make you like that very thing.

Not in His divinity, not in His exclusive prerogative, in His

moral majesty. I'm going to Polish you, I'm

going to chisel you. But you can't become unless you

first behold. So the question Who is Jesus

Christ is essential for your salvation, and it is inseparable

from your sanctification. You keep asking who is Jesus

Christ? And I pray leaving this place

you have a fresh lens to read your Bible.

And as you read your Bible, you're looking for the glory of

Jesus Christ in the Epistles and the proverbs in the Old

Testament and the Gospels. Jesus, I want to see your glory

and I want it to rub off on me. I want to become like the very

thing I'm beholding. Lord, we ask that you would help

us arrive there from 1 degree of glory to another.

We thank you that it is not an instantaneous work.

It is something that takes a lifetime.

You open our eyes in one season, and the next you open our eyes

again to something that we didn't see in the previous one.

But Lord, we just pray that there will be this new ambition

to ask the question, who is Jesus Christ, not just in his

nature and his mission concerning the gospel, but

concerning his person, his character, his attitude, his

example? And so for the person here who

has not answered the first type of question concerning their

redemption, may they ask it and know the answer to it and be

saved today. And for the person who has the

confidence that they have the right answer to who is Jesus

Christ, may they now be excited to know that there's so much

more to know about him. We worship you in this house

today, giving you all glory and honor in Jesus name, that name

that saves, that names, that transforms.

Amen. Amen.

Let's stand and worship the Lord.