WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.620 Tyrian Church, and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you this morning. As many of you know, 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:11.599 two weeks ago, Jim Franks and I were in Birmingham, Alabama for our denomination's 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:18.219 national gathering, where we vote on all sorts of church business. And I know some of you are 00:00:18.219 --> 00:00:22.980 interested in that, and some of you, it would put you to sleep at the very beginning if I were to 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:27.600 cover anything. So I'm more than happy to talk about it. If you want to know more, you're free 00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:31.179 to email me, and I'll send you some links of summaries and overviews of what happened 00:00:31.179 --> 00:00:37.120 during that time. Unfortunately, when we came back, we and many other people who were there 00:00:37.120 --> 00:00:43.719 brought back COVID with us, so I was very sad to not be with you all last week. Of course, 00:00:43.760 --> 00:00:48.640 I don't preach the Sunday after General Assembly, so Jonathan had already been scheduled to preach. 00:00:48.700 --> 00:00:55.100 He had not been scheduled to baptize, though. And I was very, very sad to miss the baptism of Ethan 00:00:55.100 --> 00:01:02.120 Peter's, but so glad to have the series with us as members of our congregation. And I'm glad to be 00:01:02.120 --> 00:01:07.700 back with you all this morning and able for us to look together at what God has to say to us 00:01:07.700 --> 00:01:13.219 in his Word. We're continuing our series in the Gospel of Mark. You'll remember that the Gospels 00:01:13.219 --> 00:01:20.200 tell the story of Jesus in his life and his death and his resurrection. And as we've been going through, 00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:23.659 I've been presenting these two questions to you over and over. The first question is, 00:01:23.659 --> 00:01:30.920 who is Jesus? And the second question is, how do we respond to him? Now, I've been asking this 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:36.579 question, and I've been pointing out to you that the text asks this question from time to time, 00:01:36.599 --> 00:01:43.780 but there's one person who has not asked this question yet, and it's Jesus. In this passage, 00:01:43.959 --> 00:01:49.759 Jesus is finally going to turn his gaze to his disciples and ask them for the first time to answer 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:57.260 and tell him who it is that they think he is. In fact, this passage serves as the hinge on which 00:01:57.260 --> 00:02:03.500 the two doors of the Gospel of Mark turned. Gospel of Mark is 16 chapters. We're in chapter 8, 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:08.580 and if you're better at math than I am, you might have figured out that we're right in the middle. 00:02:10.219 --> 00:02:17.020 And so the first half of the Gospel of Mark builds up to this point, and then we're going to have a change 00:02:17.020 --> 00:02:22.140 in the way the story operates after this point. In other words, this is a watershed for the Gospels. 00:02:23.080 --> 00:02:30.960 It's where Jesus finally pushes the disciples to actually answer this question, who it is that he is. 00:02:31.460 --> 00:02:36.219 It's with that, I invite you to turn with me to God's Word. We're reading in Mark chapter 8, 00:02:36.300 --> 00:02:41.920 verses 27 through 30. You can turn with me in your Bible. You can turn on your phone. 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:47.959 You can turn in your worship guide. No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's Word. 00:02:48.699 --> 00:02:52.959 And God tells us that his Word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold, 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:57.679 and sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb. 00:02:57.959 --> 00:03:01.279 And so that's why we read now Mark chapter 8, starting at verse 27. 00:03:01.979 --> 00:03:06.959 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:12.180 And on the way, he asked his disciples, who do people say that I am? 00:03:13.260 --> 00:03:19.600 And they told him, John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, and others one of the prophets. 00:03:20.439 --> 00:03:24.719 And he asked them, but who do you say that I am? 00:03:25.740 --> 00:03:28.620 Peter answered him, you are the Christ. 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:33.600 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:38.719 And I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's Word. 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:47.639 Our Father in heaven, we praise you and thank you for bringing us here together as your church this morning. 00:03:48.099 --> 00:03:53.959 And we thank you that in the midst of our confusion and questions in this life, 00:03:54.579 --> 00:03:57.280 you speak to us as a Father. 00:03:57.439 --> 00:03:59.639 You provide us with instruction and clarity. 00:03:59.639 --> 00:04:04.039 We ask that you would do that again this morning by your Word. 00:04:05.019 --> 00:04:07.379 That you would show us Jesus. 00:04:08.519 --> 00:04:10.419 You'd grow us in our knowledge of him. 00:04:10.500 --> 00:04:12.739 And even more than that, you'd make us look more like him. 00:04:13.619 --> 00:04:15.879 We thank you that you do this by your grace. 00:04:16.019 --> 00:04:19.659 And so we don't have to worry about earning it or deserving it. 00:04:19.740 --> 00:04:23.899 But instead, we ask for all of these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. 00:04:24.519 --> 00:04:24.819 Amen. 00:04:24.819 --> 00:04:25.000 Amen. 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:26.000 Amen. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:33.100 Some of you may remember all the way back to 2006 00:04:33.100 --> 00:04:38.899 when there was this great cinematic masterpiece that was released called Talladega Nights, 00:04:38.980 --> 00:04:40.040 The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. 00:04:41.100 --> 00:04:46.519 And it tells the story of a NASCAR driver named Ricky Bobby who's played by Will Ferrell. 00:04:46.839 --> 00:04:52.139 And he happens to be the number one NASCAR driver until he's defeated by another French driver. 00:04:52.139 --> 00:04:55.099 And the rest of the movie sort of explores the drama surrounding this. 00:04:55.599 --> 00:04:58.860 Now, I want to say up front, I'm not recommending this movie to you. 00:04:59.979 --> 00:05:02.759 So if you watch it, don't come back and complain to me. 00:05:03.579 --> 00:05:11.399 But it has become famous for one scene near the beginning of the movie that helps us understand this passage. 00:05:11.620 --> 00:05:14.860 Ricky Bobby's sitting around the table with his family. 00:05:15.039 --> 00:05:17.060 He's going to say grace to pray for their meal. 00:05:17.060 --> 00:05:22.300 They've gathered some dominoes and some Taco Bell and some other fast food around their table. 00:05:22.860 --> 00:05:25.199 And he begins his prayer by saying this, 00:05:25.399 --> 00:05:27.579 Dear Lord, baby Jesus. 00:05:28.519 --> 00:05:32.420 He says that a couple times until his wife finally interrupts him and says, 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:35.579 Sweetie, Jesus did grow up. 00:05:36.420 --> 00:05:38.500 You don't always have to call him baby. 00:05:39.139 --> 00:05:42.100 It's a bit odd and off-putting to pray to a baby. 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:44.680 Well, Ricky Bobby's offended by this. 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:49.600 And he says, Well, look, I like the Christmas Jesus best, and I'm saying grace. 00:05:49.780 --> 00:05:56.579 When you say grace, you can say it's a grown-up Jesus or teenage Jesus or bearded Jesus or whoever you want. 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:01.600 At that point, the prayers interrupted for them to begin sharing their favorite versions of Jesus. 00:06:01.780 --> 00:06:02.899 One of their children says, 00:06:03.019 --> 00:06:07.139 I like to picture Jesus as a ninja fighting off evil samurai. 00:06:07.139 --> 00:06:11.319 Then Ricky Bobby's buddy, Carl Naughton Jr. says, 00:06:11.399 --> 00:06:17.180 I like to think of Jesus like with giant eagle's wings and singing lead vocals for Leonard Skinnerd, 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:21.500 with like an angel band, and I am in the front row. 00:06:23.099 --> 00:06:24.620 Now, this story is ridiculous. 00:06:25.860 --> 00:06:27.000 The prayer is ridiculous. 00:06:27.339 --> 00:06:30.659 The idea of comedy is that it always reveals something true. 00:06:30.759 --> 00:06:32.019 That's part of what makes it funny. 00:06:32.019 --> 00:06:35.199 And here, there's a few things that story teaches us. 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:40.259 First, everyone has to answer the question of who Jesus is. 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:47.060 Everyone has to answer the question of who Jesus is. 00:06:47.319 --> 00:06:52.740 I've been telling you over and over since last year that that is the main question of the Gospel of Mark, 00:06:52.799 --> 00:06:55.539 that we have to answer Jesus' identity, 00:06:55.540 --> 00:07:01.379 and that it's something that we bring from the inside of the text and it comes out. 00:07:01.520 --> 00:07:05.520 It's not something that we take from the outside and we impose on the text. 00:07:05.819 --> 00:07:11.100 This is a question that Mark, the author of this Gospel, wants us to answer. 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:14.460 We've seen the question asked in chapters 1 through 8. 00:07:14.540 --> 00:07:17.660 Remember, chapter 1, Jesus is doing these mighty works, 00:07:17.820 --> 00:07:18.560 and the people say, 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:19.520 What is this? 00:07:19.900 --> 00:07:21.460 A new teaching with authority. 00:07:21.459 --> 00:07:23.819 Mark, chapter 4, 00:07:24.219 --> 00:07:26.719 The disciples see Jesus' great power, 00:07:26.899 --> 00:07:30.259 and we're told they were filled with great fear and said to one another, 00:07:30.479 --> 00:07:35.519 Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey him? 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:39.620 Not only do we see the question asked, we also see it answered. 00:07:39.740 --> 00:07:43.159 There's various characters who believe that they know who Jesus is. 00:07:43.639 --> 00:07:48.339 The unclean spirits in Mark, chapter 3, tell him that he is the Son of God. 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:51.299 So the demons seem to understand something, 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:53.560 that the disciples are still working to grasp. 00:07:53.980 --> 00:07:57.540 Later in Mark, chapter 3, the scribes provide their own answer. 00:07:57.960 --> 00:07:59.600 Jesus must be demonic. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:04.020 That's the only way he would be able to perform these miracles. 00:08:04.600 --> 00:08:05.720 Mark, chapter 6. 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:09.180 Remember, Herod has an answer to who Jesus is. 00:08:09.259 --> 00:08:12.860 He believes he's John the Baptist raised from the dead. 00:08:12.860 --> 00:08:18.680 It's with that question asked over and over, answered over and over, 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:23.759 that we finally get to this point where Jesus is willing to turn his gaze to the disciples 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:24.879 and ask personally, 00:08:25.240 --> 00:08:28.020 Who is it that people say that I am? 00:08:28.100 --> 00:08:30.259 Verses 27 and 28. 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:32.480 And they give him a variety of answers, 00:08:32.580 --> 00:08:34.840 some of which we already saw in Mark, chapter 6, 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:38.820 about these ideas that are circulating of who this man could be 00:08:38.820 --> 00:08:43.280 who's able to perform these miracles and demonstrate this sort of power. 00:08:44.120 --> 00:08:46.000 John the Baptist is one of the ideas. 00:08:46.220 --> 00:08:49.379 Maybe that's because there's some similarities in their message. 00:08:49.940 --> 00:08:53.680 Maybe it's because both Jesus and John the Baptist are baptizing people. 00:08:54.139 --> 00:08:56.379 Maybe it's because they both preach repentance. 00:08:56.379 --> 00:09:01.240 Maybe it's because Herod has already suggested this as an answer. 00:09:02.439 --> 00:09:03.000 Elijah. 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:06.360 Maybe they're suggesting Elijah because in the Old Testament, 00:09:06.519 --> 00:09:07.960 in Malachi, chapter 4, 00:09:08.299 --> 00:09:11.639 we're told that before God's day of judgment and salvation, 00:09:12.360 --> 00:09:15.220 the prophet Elijah is going to return again. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:19.840 Maybe they're saying this because Elijah, like Jesus, performed miracles. 00:09:20.019 --> 00:09:22.279 So they're looking for these figures that make sense 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:24.440 of the kind of power that Jesus has. 00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:28.880 And then they simply give this broad category of one of the prophets. 00:09:29.700 --> 00:09:33.720 Jesus is so powerful, he must be an Old Testament figure 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:36.460 who's returned to the world. 00:09:37.780 --> 00:09:41.360 And so there's a sense in which here they've given a good assessment. 00:09:42.180 --> 00:09:43.580 These are positive figures. 00:09:43.760 --> 00:09:45.540 Elijah's a good person, not a bad person. 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.340 They're not committing the error of the scribes 00:09:48.340 --> 00:09:50.320 of saying that Jesus is demonic. 00:09:50.920 --> 00:09:53.800 John the Baptist, that would be a good person to emulate. 00:09:53.799 --> 00:09:56.859 Prophets, people that we look back to and listen. 00:09:57.879 --> 00:10:01.419 The problem is not that their assessment here is good. 00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:04.079 The problem is that it is insufficient. 00:10:05.419 --> 00:10:09.819 They believe that Jesus is a prophet. 00:10:11.879 --> 00:10:14.639 Muslims also believe Jesus is a prophet. 00:10:16.459 --> 00:10:18.939 Good, not enough. 00:10:19.439 --> 00:10:21.219 Incomplete, insufficient. 00:10:21.220 --> 00:10:23.660 They call him a prophet. 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:27.940 They don't realize that he is the prophet. 00:10:29.680 --> 00:10:34.139 And so with that, Jesus turns his attention to his disciples. 00:10:34.340 --> 00:10:34.980 Verse 29. 00:10:35.620 --> 00:10:38.320 Okay, I've heard what people are saying about me. 00:10:38.440 --> 00:10:40.379 What do you think? 00:10:41.160 --> 00:10:43.340 Who do you say that I am? 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:47.360 You've seen firsthand my miracles and my teaching and my power. 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:48.800 You've walked with me. 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:52.460 You have the evidence to assess the case before you. 00:10:53.560 --> 00:10:58.779 And it's with that that Peter finally gives the correct answer. 00:10:59.639 --> 00:11:01.879 You are the Christ. 00:11:04.680 --> 00:11:09.800 Now, many people, as it's been said, may confuse the word Christ as Jesus' last name. 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:17.000 But in fact, the word Christ means something very specific and particular about who he is. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:21.819 When I was in college in my junior year, I think it was the spring of my junior year, 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:25.959 I took a class on the early history of Christianity. 00:11:26.819 --> 00:11:29.759 You've heard me tell the story if you were in the new members class recently. 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:33.740 And I also told you in that class, fair warning, I was going to use it again. 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:38.919 And at the very beginning of the class, the very first class, the professor took the role. 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:43.439 But before he took the role, he wanted to make sure we had something very clear up front. 00:11:44.100 --> 00:11:46.639 He said, we're going to talk about Jesus in this class. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:52.600 Now, some people believe that he is the Christ, which means anointed one. 00:11:53.399 --> 00:11:56.580 Other people do not believe he's the Christ. 00:11:57.319 --> 00:11:59.019 Everyone agrees that he's Jesus. 00:11:59.019 --> 00:12:06.100 Now, this question of whether he's the Christ or not is not a question we're going to answer in this class. 00:12:06.819 --> 00:12:11.980 And so I'm going to ask you all in this class to only refer to him as Jesus. 00:12:13.259 --> 00:12:14.899 At that point, he took the role. 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:19.019 And my last name, starting with a C, I was pretty early on. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:21.519 And he came to me and he called Matthew Capone. 00:12:21.579 --> 00:12:25.960 And I raised my hand and he said, are you related to Al Capone? 00:12:25.960 --> 00:12:31.180 And I didn't have a great answer at that point in my life. 00:12:31.220 --> 00:12:33.060 As a 20-year-old, I was still trying to figure it out. 00:12:33.139 --> 00:12:37.220 Now, I tell people, in my family, we say the past is the past. 00:12:40.220 --> 00:12:44.460 But in this point, when I was 20 years old, I said, honestly, I don't know. 00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:46.100 I'm not sure. 00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:50.500 And he said, no, you have to know. 00:12:51.060 --> 00:12:56.240 You cannot tell me you don't know whether you're related to Al Capone or not. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:01.080 I was a little sassier as a 20-year-old. 00:13:01.419 --> 00:13:04.940 And so I turned to him and I said, some people say yes. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:07.120 And some people say no. 00:13:07.740 --> 00:13:10.980 But that's not a question we're going to answer in this class. 00:13:14.840 --> 00:13:16.279 He was speechless. 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:22.659 But he brought up for this this important category. 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:25.579 Everyone recognizes Jesus as Jesus. 00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:28.559 Some people say he is the Christ. 00:13:29.179 --> 00:13:30.279 Some people don't. 00:13:30.860 --> 00:13:33.199 Christ means anointed one. 00:13:33.299 --> 00:13:36.159 It means someone who's had oil poured on them. 00:13:36.220 --> 00:13:37.459 That's the meaning of anointed. 00:13:38.459 --> 00:13:44.480 People who were anointed in the Old Testament were prophets and priests and kings. 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:50.600 But there were not just prophets and priests and kings in general. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:55.600 There was also the prediction in the Old Testament, the promise and the prophecy, 00:13:55.779 --> 00:14:01.820 that there would come a figure who was the prophet, the priest, and the king. 00:14:03.180 --> 00:14:07.560 This is the one that's referred to by the Jews as the anointed one. 00:14:07.659 --> 00:14:13.580 It's the kind of figure that's spoken of in Psalm 2 that John read for us earlier this morning. 00:14:13.580 --> 00:14:18.460 We see it in Psalm 110, Deuteronomy 18, 2 Samuel 7. 00:14:18.580 --> 00:14:26.259 There's this promise over and over again of this figure who's going to do things that no human would be able to accomplish. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:31.259 This is the person who's going to fulfill all the longings of Israel. 00:14:31.580 --> 00:14:36.660 This is the person who's going to bring God's promises to bear on the world. 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:39.560 He is the one. 00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:45.099 In other words, when we use the word Christ, when Peter says, 00:14:45.459 --> 00:14:50.919 you are the Christ, he is saying, unlike all these other people who are giving guesses about you, 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:52.739 I don't believe you are a prophet. 00:14:52.979 --> 00:14:54.399 I believe you are the prophet. 00:14:54.599 --> 00:14:58.279 I don't believe you are a king, but I believe you are the king. 00:14:58.539 --> 00:15:00.639 I don't believe you are a priest. 00:15:00.839 --> 00:15:03.319 I believe you are the priest. 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:07.660 That is what it means to be the Christ. 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:11.860 Who is Jesus? 00:15:12.780 --> 00:15:20.300 Jesus is the one who has come fully and finally to fulfill all the promises and the expectations of the Old Testament. 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:28.020 He is the one who makes every other prophet, priest, and king unnecessary and obsolete. 00:15:28.019 --> 00:15:34.059 And so how do we respond to him? 00:15:36.980 --> 00:15:40.699 We respond to him by answering this question. 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:46.000 Everyone has to answer what Jesus asks in this passage. 00:15:46.699 --> 00:15:50.240 Who do you say that I am? 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:55.919 Now, if you are a Christian, you might be thinking, okay, great. 00:15:56.340 --> 00:16:00.720 This passage then has nothing more to say to me because I agree with Peter. 00:16:01.320 --> 00:16:03.919 I believe, too, that Jesus is the Christ. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:06.259 So I finish any work that I have to have. 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:09.919 This passage has nothing else to speak in to my life. 00:16:10.680 --> 00:16:12.080 The problem with that is this. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:18.180 We have to read verses 27 through 30 along with verses 31 through 38. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:24.780 Those two passages, the 31 through 38 we'll talk about next week, are meant to go together. 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:26.759 They complement each other. 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:28.740 They help us understand one another. 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:36.200 Peter gets the right answer, and he has no idea what he's talking about. 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:42.980 In the very next section, Peter begins to tell them what it's going to mean for him to be the Christ, 00:16:43.140 --> 00:16:46.460 and what it's going to mean is that he's going to suffer and die. 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:52.160 And Peter rebukes him, and Jesus tells him, says, 00:16:52.280 --> 00:16:53.900 Get behind me, Satan. 00:16:58.800 --> 00:17:01.879 In other words, Peter knows the right answer. 00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:07.660 He still needs to learn who Jesus is. 00:17:09.380 --> 00:17:13.000 I told you we're going to learn a few lessons from Talladega Nights. 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:18.000 The first one is that everyone must answer the question of who Jesus is. 00:17:18.579 --> 00:17:26.480 The other answer, the other lesson that we learn is that we love to have a Jesus who aligns with us 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:28.359 and our preferences and our desires. 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:33.779 Carl Naughton Jr., when he's giving his answer about who Jesus is, says this, 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:38.179 I like to picture Jesus in a tuxedo t-shirt 00:17:38.179 --> 00:17:44.639 because it says, like, I want to be formal, but I'm here to party too. 00:17:45.379 --> 00:17:49.419 Because I like to party, so I like my Jesus to party. 00:17:51.059 --> 00:17:55.539 We could take that phrase and fill it in with whatever our desires and loves are. 00:17:55.539 --> 00:18:00.480 I like X, so I like my Jesus to love X. 00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:04.440 Many people love therapeutic Jesus. 00:18:04.639 --> 00:18:09.399 Therapeutic Jesus only says comforting and kind words. 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:15.279 Maybe he rebukes bad and evil people if they're really bad and really evil, 00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:19.559 but he would never discipline someone he loves. 00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:29.679 I like comfort and reassurance, so I like my Jesus to be full of comfort and reassurance. 00:18:30.919 --> 00:18:33.759 Some people aren't given in to therapeutic Jesus. 00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:38.200 Maybe, and this is maybe a little too close to home, they love American flag Jesus. 00:18:39.259 --> 00:18:42.019 American flag Jesus loves guns. 00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:45.119 And he's mainly concerned about freedom. 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:51.460 In fact, he loves freedom so much that it is even more important than holiness. 00:18:53.420 --> 00:18:55.000 Now, don't hear what I'm not saying. 00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:57.420 It is a great thing to love your country. 00:18:57.420 --> 00:19:04.120 It's a great thing to celebrate and desire freedom. 00:19:06.300 --> 00:19:12.380 And we have more in common, or we should have more in common, 00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:16.740 with our brothers and sisters, Christians in other parts of the world, 00:19:17.100 --> 00:19:21.880 than we do with Americans who don't love and follow and obey Jesus. 00:19:21.880 --> 00:19:30.780 We want to see Jesus for who he is. 00:19:31.280 --> 00:19:33.980 We don't want to be like Carl Naughton Jr. and say, 00:19:34.760 --> 00:19:38.220 I like America, so I like my Jesus to love America. 00:19:39.120 --> 00:19:39.720 No. 00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:42.100 We conform ourselves to Jesus. 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:44.560 We don't ask him to conform to us. 00:19:45.620 --> 00:19:47.560 Some people love liberal Jesus. 00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:52.259 A liberal Jesus is a great example of sacrificial love. 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:56.759 In fact, he is a model that we can use for the way to live our lives. 00:19:57.679 --> 00:20:01.019 Now, a liberal Jesus didn't die for us. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:06.339 In fact, whether or not he rose from the dead is sort of an unhelpfully relevant question, 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:08.399 because that's not really what we're after. 00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:11.339 What we're after is inspiration and motivation. 00:20:11.339 --> 00:20:18.519 And liberal Jesus, he turns tables when it's people we don't like, 00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:22.859 and he mainly heals and forgives. 00:20:23.919 --> 00:20:27.939 Liberal Jesus is only concerned about sin when it comes to self-righteous people. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:34.919 But he is rarely, if ever, concerned about our sin. 00:20:34.920 --> 00:20:39.440 And so if you're a Christian, 00:20:41.220 --> 00:20:45.180 the urgency of this passage for you is this. 00:20:45.320 --> 00:20:52.940 Keep coming back over and over to the scriptures to learn who Jesus really is. 00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:59.580 Peter knows the right answer and is deeply confused. 00:20:59.579 --> 00:21:05.119 We, as we follow after Jesus, much like Peter, 00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:12.279 can know the right answers and be terribly far away from what the Bible presents. 00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:16.579 Jesus is going to spend this next half of the Gospel of Mark 00:21:16.579 --> 00:21:20.919 helping his disciples understand who he actually is, 00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:22.659 what he actually loves, 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:25.879 how his mission actually works. 00:21:25.880 --> 00:21:34.020 We come back to the scriptures over and over to be challenged again and again 00:21:34.020 --> 00:21:39.660 to know and understand and love Jesus more and more. 00:21:41.560 --> 00:21:44.560 What does it mean that he is the Christ? 00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:48.740 Now, if you're not a Christian, 00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:54.140 you also have to answer this question. 00:21:54.140 --> 00:22:01.500 You cannot avoid what Mark is pressing us towards in this Gospel. 00:22:01.600 --> 00:22:06.060 You cannot avoid what Jesus is pressing these people with. 00:22:06.259 --> 00:22:09.259 Remember, I mentioned a long time ago that it's been pointed out 00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:10.840 that as the Gospel of Mark continues, 00:22:11.020 --> 00:22:13.060 as the story approaches the end, 00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:17.400 the people in the middle who don't seem to have made their minds up about Jesus 00:22:17.400 --> 00:22:19.400 disappear from the plot line. 00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:24.160 And what we see are either people who are loving Jesus and following after him 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:27.160 or people who are hating him and opposing him. 00:22:27.540 --> 00:22:31.000 The point of that in the narrative is to point out for us 00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:34.560 that as we learn and know more and more about Jesus, 00:22:34.560 --> 00:22:37.220 we have to pick one of two camps. 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:41.060 We are either for him or against him. 00:22:41.059 --> 00:22:44.779 We either obey him or rebel. 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:49.039 Part of the reason this question comes in chapter 8 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:52.619 is that finally the disciples have had enough information 00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:54.319 to be able to make an assessment. 00:22:54.679 --> 00:22:56.079 They've heard Jesus' teachings. 00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:57.720 They've watched his healings. 00:22:58.039 --> 00:23:00.879 They've understood the way in which he's cast out demons. 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:08.440 We today in 2022 have seen even more. 00:23:09.420 --> 00:23:15.960 We today in 2022 have even more information about who Jesus is. 00:23:16.420 --> 00:23:19.720 We have even less of an excuse than the disciples. 00:23:20.040 --> 00:23:23.540 We have an even greater responsibility to answer this question. 00:23:24.140 --> 00:23:26.660 In his book, Hope in Times of Fear, 00:23:26.660 --> 00:23:30.460 Tim Keller makes this argument that it is impossible for us 00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:36.940 to simply dismiss the historical claim that Jesus rose again from the dead. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:40.279 And he presents these two facts together. 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:43.940 First, the empty tomb in which Jesus' body was not found. 00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:48.759 And two, the hundreds of people who claim to have seen Jesus alive. 00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:53.460 And he makes the point that we can refute either one of those claims, 00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:56.960 but we cannot refute both of them together easily. 00:23:57.600 --> 00:24:03.220 In other words, we must wrestle and grapple with the historicity 00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:05.460 of the events of the Christian faith. 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:09.819 You are not able intellectually to be honest on the one hand 00:24:09.819 --> 00:24:14.140 and on the other hand to dismiss the historical claims of Christianity. 00:24:15.140 --> 00:24:16.200 He says this, 00:24:16.200 --> 00:24:40.920 Peter made this confession for the disciples having seen in part what Jesus did. 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:47.920 We answer this question knowing it in full. 00:24:50.420 --> 00:24:54.920 And so Jesus demands an answer from anyone and everyone. 00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:59.220 There is no lack of evidence. 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:01.560 You must respond. 00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:05.080 Who is Jesus? 00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:09.500 Is he the Christ or is he not? 00:25:09.500 --> 00:25:11.500 He is the Christ or is he not? 00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:16.799 It's become common in our culture to use the phrase pleading the fifth, 00:25:17.079 --> 00:25:18.539 which refers to the fifth amendment. 00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:21.539 It's the idea that if I don't want to answer a question, 00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:25.599 I don't have to because I don't want to incriminate myself. 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:33.039 The problem with pleading the fifth is that it applies to witnesses in a courtroom. 00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:37.859 You are not forced to testify against yourself. 00:25:37.859 --> 00:25:44.419 Pleading the fifth, however, does not apply to judges and jurors. 00:25:44.420 --> 00:25:50.680 If someone's a judge in a case, that judge does not get to say, 00:25:50.800 --> 00:25:51.240 you know what? 00:25:51.660 --> 00:25:53.620 I'm kind of tired of looking at all this evidence. 00:25:54.140 --> 00:25:56.620 You want me to say whether this person's guilty or innocent? 00:25:56.779 --> 00:25:57.320 Well, you know what? 00:25:57.420 --> 00:25:58.300 I plead the fifth. 00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:01.200 No, it's out of context, right? 00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:02.180 It doesn't make any sense. 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:04.000 It doesn't apply to that situation. 00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:05.400 The same for a juror. 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:07.240 If you're in a jury room and there's 12 of you 00:26:07.240 --> 00:26:10.740 and you're supposed to come to a verdict about a case that you've heard 00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:14.740 and everyone else has voted yes and you're the last juror and they turn to you, 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:16.000 you know what you don't get to say? 00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:18.480 I plead the fifth. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:24.120 Judges and jurors have to look at evidence and provide answers. 00:26:24.500 --> 00:26:28.579 Brothers and sisters, what Mark is doing in his gospel is the very same. 00:26:28.839 --> 00:26:31.740 He is not calling you to testify as a witness. 00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:38.579 He is saying, you must sit in judgment over the facts and reach a conclusion. 00:26:39.059 --> 00:26:43.039 You must look at the evidence and say yes or no. 00:26:43.339 --> 00:26:48.220 You must be able to come and proclaim innocent or guilty. 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:56.680 We must, you must answer this question once and for all. 00:26:56.980 --> 00:26:59.319 Who is Jesus? 00:26:59.319 --> 00:27:05.480 Is he the Christ or is he not? 00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:09.299 Verse 29. 00:27:10.220 --> 00:27:13.539 But who do you say that I am? 00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:14.759 Let's pray. 00:27:16.500 --> 00:27:20.879 Our Father in heaven, we praise you and thank you for the instruction 00:27:20.879 --> 00:27:25.059 and the encouragement that you have given us in your word. 00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:30.859 We ask that you would help us to see Jesus for who he is more and more. 00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:34.639 Ask that you would help us to love him more and more. 00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:38.419 Father, we ask that you would search and pierce our hearts, 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:43.519 that we would not be able to rest until we're able to answer with clarity and certainty 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:45.619 who Jesus is, 00:27:45.980 --> 00:27:48.720 whether he is the Christ or not. 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:52.360 We thank you for those of us who believe that as we come to you, 00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:57.680 we have confidence knowing that he is a prophet and a priest and a king on our behalf. 00:27:58.120 --> 00:28:00.839 And so we ask these prayers in his mighty name. 00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:01.440 Amen. 00:28:03.120 --> 00:28:05.279 I invite you to stand for our closing hymn. 00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:05.360 Amen. 00:28:05.360 --> 00:28:05.440 Amen. 00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:05.500 Amen. 00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:05.559 Amen. 00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:05.640 Amen. 00:28:05.640 --> 00:28:05.940 Amen. 00:28:05.940 --> 00:28:07.500 Amen. 00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:07.559 Amen. 00:28:07.559 --> 00:28:09.500 Amen. 00:28:09.500 --> 00:28:09.559 Amen. 00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:09.640 Amen. 00:28:09.640 --> 00:28:10.500 Amen. 00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:11.500 Amen. 00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:13.500 Amen. 00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:14.500 Amen. 00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:15.500 Amen. 00:28:15.500 --> 00:28:15.559 Amen. 00:28:15.559 --> 00:28:15.640 Amen. 00:28:15.640 --> 00:28:15.660 Amen. 00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:15.680 Amen. 00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:15.700 Amen. 00:28:15.700 --> 00:28:15.740 Amen. 00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:15.759 Amen. 00:28:15.759 --> 00:28:15.779 Amen. 00:28:15.779 --> 00:28:15.819 Amen. 00:28:15.819 --> 00:28:15.860 Amen.