Who Do You Say I Am? Part 4

Dale McDonald: Welcome to Atlin Family Church Engaged Faith I apologize I haven't been mentioning that in the last few parts of this message. we are in part four, I think, of a message on relationships. And if you've been following along, we've talked about how important it is to have relationships. with each other, but more importantly to slow down and develop those relationships. I'd mentioned God his primary method of getting things done is through each other, like through me, through you. and obviously you have a different sphere of influence. you're around different people than I am is another way to put it. And so each one of us have a a ministry that he's given us. If we're a Christian, then we've entered the ministry that he started many, many years ago. it's very important that we find out what that is for for ourselves. It and you may not be called to the fivefold. you may be in the workplace. That's okay. one is not more important to the other or less important. it's doing what God has called you to do within his plan for your life. That's what's important. And with this message, it's about the relationship, not to lessen how you see others based on what you've heard, or if you haven't taken the time to develop that relationship, because you may miss a blessing that God is going to give you through that person. So I know I've touched on this a lot and went over it quite a bit in the last session, so not gonna dwell on that. where we did get to in the last session. is seeing Jesus and knowing who Jesus is. When Jesus asks the question, Who do you say I am? We need to know the right answer. We need to know for ourselves, we need to ask ourselves that same question. and if we don't have a confident knowing awareness of who he is, then that's okay. At least you know that now. And you can take steps to learn and to to develop that relationship as to who He is. and I'd mentioned in the last session, it's really no different today with anyone that doesn't know Jesus in a personal way. You know, when we'd read Matthew sixteen and and Peter was just getting asked that question, who do you say I am? it doesn't change the power of God if we get it wrong. It doesn't change who He was, doesn't change all the promises that He has for us. But what does change is it shuts the door for us receiving from Christ, receiving the answer to prayer, receiving the blessing that I'll use myself. He would do through me to you. You may be at home praying, Lord, I have this situation. please help. however you word your prayer, he may choose to use our ministry to help you get the answer from Him It all works together. But when we don't have a a clear understanding to of who Jesus is and it shuts that door, we may struggle for, months, years. I know many people have, because they do not know who Jesus is and they do not know who they are In Him We need to know the truth about Jesus. Lots of information out there. not all of it's true. Only the Bible is true. So where I left off, is some people, unfortunately, they cancel Jesus. As a term that we use today or we hear online, I hear things like Jesus didn't solve my problems, or he didn't solve all the world's problems, hunger and on and on and on. So, you know what, I'm just gonna cancel him. You have just overrode the creator of the universe and shut the door to any blessing that He could want to give you. I don't understand, I can't comprehend, other than only people that are truly deceived would have that mindset. Because when you get a taste of the truth, there's no looking back. as The Word said that I read earlier in the sessions, when you know the truth, the truth will set you free. It's not what the world has said, it's not what your experiences have told you or you thought was the truth. It's only the word of God and who Jesus is and your comprehension of that, that is where the rubber needs a road, that's The Truth that you need to develop to get the best version of yourself. So getting on with the message, I wanna say here, the life we live, it's really a test. What do you mean by that? it's a test of, we're humanity, we're created, born and then life happens, but it's really what we do with that life, it's the questions we ask, what we act on, who we become, that's the test. And Matthew sixteen is referring to the only answer to the question of life. it's answering the most important question Who do you say I am? So reading on in Matthew, Simon Peter answered, You are the Messiah. The Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus replied, You're blessed, Simon, son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Wow, like I mentioned in the last session, Peter must have as he was saying it, he probably thought, he didn't even know that. It just came through Revelation, so it kind of was a a new new thing to him. But You know, he was able to articulate it that like, Wow, you are the Messiah, Son of the Living God You know, and he realized at that moment, I'm sure, that he had a full knowledge that he only received because he spent time with the Word, Jesus at that time, and he built that personal relationship. He knew who Jesus was. And so we have that same opportunity today. When we invest time in God's word, the Bible, and in prayer, to Abba Father, it's Jesus speaking to you. when you open the Bible, Jesus is speaking. We can get to know him. We can develop that relationship. So I'll read the scripture again simply because I want you to hear it, see it, and most importantly, get it. Jesus replied, You are blessed, Simon, son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. That's revelation. That's information coming downloaded, if I may, directly from God to our spirit, and then he realized it. in his his knowing, his brain. it's so wonderful when we we experience that and we read Peter did at that moment and he was probably so excited, I can just imagine. So, in other words, Peter didn't base who Jesus was to him based on what others had said or based on what maybe he had even experienced in his life up to that point. He based his belief system on revelation that he got from God as to who Jesus was. And then from that point on, I'll insert, his life was probably never the same. Because he truly got to know Jesus. And probably at that point it it was a whole shift in the relationship, knowing that he wasn't just a carpenter. He wasn't just Mary's son. He wasn't just a prophet. Even though he was all of the above, he knew him as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, the Christ. Wow. I truly believe that Peter had up to that point an ordinary, normal life. But after that revelation he experienced, the supernatural power of God began working through him, as we see in scripture. So it changed the direction, it changed his perception. Everything hinged on who he knew that point. Who Jesus is We we can't comprehend that with our human brain. But if you didn't already know it, you can receive that revelation as well. We all can. If we truly seek Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He speaks to us. He speaks for our spirit. And then from our spirit it becomes a knowing. We can understand, we can get to know his voice, we can recognize that voice. And then most importantly, we can act on it, which will completely change our lives as we know it. So, going on, the church is built on the rock of that revelation, that truth. the Bible talks about that Jesus is the rock. He is the head of the church. And he was referring to the revelation that God the Father in heaven had revealed to Peter. So as he mentioned, or the scripture mentions, You did not learn this from any human being. The fact that you are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. That was the the download that changed everything. And with the revelation of who Jesus was and really is, He is still alive, He is still the same, He is still the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Peter and all the other disciples at that time, plus the early church of that time. And and get this, plus you and I today we are all able to continue the ministry of Jesus with that revelation of who He is. the reality is we are The Church we are the body of Christ. If we truly know who Jesus is, we become part of his body. So reading on in Matthew upon this rock, I and I'll add this revelation I will build my church. All the powers of hell will not conquer it. I'll give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. Now that's starting to talk about the authority that's given to us when we have that revelation of who He is. and who we are In Him it's another teaching. but it needs to start with the relationship you have and I have with Jesus, knowing who He is. The Church THE CHURCH capital church was conceived in the disciples' hearts the moment they got that revelation. That's where it all started. The ministry of Jesus was transferred. You know, he was still with the disciples for a while until he was crucified and rose again. He's now with the Father, sit on the right hand of the Father, as the scripture says. But the ministry that He started continues continued to the through the disciples, continued through the early church. continues through The Church today, anyone that is part of his body and has the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. So important that we get that, that we get, who He is and not what we've heard He was or is. Maybe you haven't got had that revelation yet. You're still learning. That's okay. We're here to help. Stop in Sunday ten AM. a little bit of self marketing there. go to our website, atlinfamilychurch dot ca, reach out to us and we can certainly help you get to know the Christ, Jesus through the scripture of course. your life will never be the same. when we know Him as Our Savior we're saved for eternity with Him That's just part of who He is. When we know Him as Our Healer we have healing for our bodies. When we know Him as Our Provider then we have prosperity in every area of our life and our finances. When we know Him as Our Deliverer We know that whatever life throws at us, we are delivered from it. I've mentioned that in in other parts of this message. And here's a good one. I mean they're all good. But when we know him as Our Creator we begin to understand our own bodies, but we also begin to understand the world around us. it all starts to fit together as that puzzle of life forms such a beautiful picture when we know who He is and we develop the relationship with Him and we begin to know Him as our Lord then we will have the confidence to go to him, to seek his wisdom. in everything that we do, we'll walk in the fullness of life. Instead of just barely getting by and getting beat up from every direction we'll finally start to experience the life that He had for us from the moment we were born. But as human beings, sometimes we we don't get it, I guess. the school of hard knocks, I've heard that. You probably have as well, but when we do get it, such a great place to be. He really has the plan, from the time we were born, if we'll just take that time to develop that most important relationship with Him I'll say this, in our lifetime we'll never get to know the fullness of who Christ is, but we can certainly start. That's what I'm encouraging to you with this message. Start to get to know who Jesus is. Can't say it enough. especially if you have had wrong information, especially if you've had wrong experiences that didn't turn out to your expectation. maybe you didn't have prayers answered to your expectations either. That's probably you have been, you know, either deceived or misinformation or you didn't know Jesus to the extent you needed for that situation. we'll finish in with a couple of my well, they're all my favorite scriptures, but Hebrews thirteen, eight through nine, New Living Translation, we read, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So don't be attracted by strange new ideas. And I touched on this earlier. He he is alive. His ministry that we read about in the Bible hasn't changed. He has the same message. He's the same yesterday, today and forever. And g right it stops with that and says in verse nine, do not be attracted by strange new ideas. And unfortunately the world we live, the internet, even some churches that we've heard about. They're overflowing with strange new ideas or wrong traditional teachings about who Jesus was. You'll never get to know him if you're under wrong teaching. That's simple. and here's another thing, don't take the teacher's word. Read your Bible, see if it is truth. Sometimes tradition is taught, as I mentioned in one of the other sessions, sometimes religion is taught. to try to bring people closer to leadership, right? build their church sort of thing. so bringing people in. that's what religion is. It's it's a distraction from the truth. and the the only truth that will heal you and save you in this life and forevermore is the truth that Jesus speaks in the Bible. It's where the rubber meets the road. Who you and I say Jesus was and is today, it affects all of our life experiences on earth and our eternal destiny. So again, if Jesus asked you today, Who do you say I am? Seriously, what would you say? You need to ask you know, look look in the mirror maybe and ask yourself, who do you say he is? it truly does matter to ourselves and to others. You know, we it's no secret. We we live in a lost and dying world all around us unfortunately. who we see Jesus as matter. And who d who do people see when they see us? Who do they believe we are? for me, I want to have a confident assurance. I want to have a true revelation of who Jesus is. And you may ask what what is a confident assurance Well, it's defined as a state of absolute certainty and secure trust where there is really no room for doubt or hesitation. When you have a confident assurance, you aren't just guessing or hoping things will work out. You possess an unshakable conviction of what you read in the in the word as truth. And that's where you can apply your faith then. Because you know that you know. I've heard some people put it that way, you know that you know, that's truth, and you can apply faith. And when you apply your faith and act on it, things happen. whatever miracle you need or healing you need or whatever it may be. So when Jesus asks you, but who do you say I am? As he just like he asked Peter, will your answer be Jesus? I believe you are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God? Because that is the right answer. you may have heard this message today and you're not sure what you believe. That's okay. We all started somewhere. I suggest starting with saying and believing that Jesus, you are the Messiah, the Christ. what that is is the Christian declaration of faith in Christ Jesus. It's getting it inside and saying it out our mouth and believing it. So I'll close today with the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God, loves you, and he is your friend Wow. That may be hard to comprehend for some, but it's the truth of the word of God. we can be friends with the creator of the universe. Jesus. I'll just finish Have any questions about this or any other messages or teaching that we have, reach out anytime and I'll do my best to answer quickly and scripturally. We really want to get to know you and hear what God's doing in your life. reach out via our website, atlinfamilychurch dot CA we'll see you in the next message. God bless.