“Who Is Jesus?”
Pastor David Moore
Old Testament reading: Psalm 2:1‐12
Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and his anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, with trembling kiss his feet, or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way; for his wrath is quickly kindled. Happy are all who take refuge in him.
To confess publicly that Jesus is God; the One who created all, who is over all, who has always been God, and will always be God, and there is no one like Him. He was and is the Lord, the King, the Son of God, Son of the Living God. ~D. Moore
New Testament reading: Matthew 16:13‐20
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do the people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then He sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah.
No where in all the Bible does Jesus talk about what people should believe about Him. Jesus tends to show people rather than tell people. ~D. Moore
To confess Jesus is the “Christ” is to say that He is the ultimate King, the ultimate anointed one of God. Christ is God’s answer to humanity. ~D. Moore
It is one thing to get the idea of who Jesus is, it is another to fully believe, with everything we are, that this Jesus loves us so much that He allowed people to kill Him so that His blood could cover all our sins. ~D. Moore
John 1:12‐13: But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
John 15:16: You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.
2 Timothy 1:10: but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
And the power of death has been out to get Christians for thousands of years now, and faith in Christ continues. People in history were fed to lions, were set on fire, and were beaten to death. People in the world today are ostracized from their neighbors and their governments, are penalized in various ways because of their faith in Jesus, but faith continues. The gates of hell haven’t prevailed yet, and will not, because Christ is with us, it is Christ who builds His church. And you, my friends, are part of this great enterprise. Let’s make sure our lives are useful and are used to the building of God’s Kingdom here on earth. ~D. Moore
This week: Pray and meditate on the significance of our relationship with Christ. Be listening to Christ in how we can participate in building God’s Kingdom.