WEBVTT 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:05.280 Thank you for joining us on the CCW podcast. 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:11.119 Make sure you connect with us on social media to stay up to date on ministries and events happening at CCW. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:15.039 We hope you're encouraged, inspired, and motivated by today's message. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:19.199 To find out how to connect with us, keep listening after the message ends. 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:28.800 Morning, CCW. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:38.159 I have been looking forward to this much longer than you as God began to speak to me over this vision in July. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:42.799 And so I am pumped about this morning and hope that you are. 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:55.920 If you turn your Bibles to the book of Mark, and as we do, I'm going to ask the team to put up a slide that can give you a glimpse shot of the vision that the Lord gave me for the church this year. 00:00:56.560 --> 00:01:02.479 The vision this year is called Gospel, the Gospel on the Ground. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:15.439 And I wanted to give you, I'm going to be explaining this more in weeks to come, but the gospel on the ground is a call to our church to have a gospel-centered, a more gospel-centered focus. 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:18.879 And you say, well, I know we're a gospel preaching church. 00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:23.040 I'm talking about each and every member being a minister this way. 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:24.640 And God gave me a few things. 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:28.640 You can see those arrows that I'll go through this series talking about. 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:33.840 But one of the things that we're going to do, we're going to have gospel evangelism training. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:37.519 I went through a video study with James Merritt that's fantastic. 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:40.799 Now I love for every member to take part in these. 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:42.079 We'll do them throughout the year. 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:43.439 We're going to have a campaign. 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:48.879 So your connect groups and Sunday school classes, those are going to matter. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:54.959 Okay, so we're going to run a campaign, a gospel campaign, challenging members to be inviters. 00:01:55.200 --> 00:02:04.400 Now listen, everybody gets thrown back in concern when you say gospel, as if how am I going to be that person that just cold turkey shares it to my neighbor to their face? 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:05.760 That's not what we're talking about. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:11.120 We're looking at a campaign, a way of you having opportunity to share your testimony. 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:13.599 It's real hard to argue your testimony. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:14.000 Okay. 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:18.960 Opportunities for you to pray with people, coworkers, people at your hobby, the gym. 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:20.639 And we're going to train through that. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:21.840 We're going to have a campaign through that. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:32.319 Some evangelistic Sundays are going to be more focused this year, and we're going to talk about those and be ready and hopefully be inviters for those events. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:36.800 And then some servant evangelism outreaches are going to be peppered throughout the year. 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:45.599 Those are four grounds that I feel like if we push further, this church has no option but to be more gospel-oriented throughout the year. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:55.680 So we're hoping for that strength and that we would be able to say we were in 25 for the glory of God and the call of God, the gospel on the ground at CCW. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:01.520 So that said, Mark chapter 8 in your Bibles. 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:05.520 I wanted to start this morning with the most important question. 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:15.280 This summer, as God was preparing my heart, I came across some church visions and it asked a question of those preparing a vision. 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:26.719 And it said, if you had one more year to tell your church anything, what would you pick as the most important thing to teach your church? 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:29.360 And God began to burden my heart with that. 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:34.000 My heart is this, and if if you want a pastor with a different heart, let me tell you, this is my heart. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:36.400 I want to see lost people come to Christ. 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:45.520 If I had to tell you the most important thing as a church, I want to see people that do not know the Lord one day to have a relationship with the Lord. 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:52.080 And then I want to see, secondly, people who know it and have it to grow with it and to share it. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:54.719 And so that to me is the most important thing. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:04:00.960 But in Scripture here, in Mark chapter 8, there's this big question that we're going to get to. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:05.280 Undoubtedly, in your life, you have had big, large questions. 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:11.039 Some of you students, this question is coming and it's not gonna stop until you land somewhere. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:12.960 What is next for you? 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:15.759 What college will you choose? 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:19.519 Big life question, and it is a big question. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:26.959 One of those big questions for people today was this: Will you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:28.800 That's a big question. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:33.600 Bigger and more nerve-wracking on the other side, Benji, was what will she say? 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:56.319 And I'm telling you, it was pretty nerve-wracking for this guy because uh the week of the wedding, I was talking to Heather and I was inviting the guys that were coming, and we had uh the men that were in the wedding, the wedding party, and then I had people coming from Delaware to Tennessee, and I had begun to plan a trip to the blue hole. 00:04:56.480 --> 00:05:09.199 The blue hole was a place where you could hike down about a mile through the woods, and there was this 20 to 30 foot spot of water that you could jump off of rocks about 10 foot high out of the water into it. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:14.160 There was a cliff if you were brave enough to climb up on the other side that was probably 20 feet. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:19.439 And then there was a tree on the cliff that was about 35 feet that you could crawl out. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:30.879 And leading to the wedding, one of the reasons why I was standing at the altar so nervous, Heather said to me, What are you guys gonna do when you gather together your your bachelor party? 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:37.439 And you know, we're Christians, so we don't do certain things, and I'm like, well, I'm trying to be quiet about it. 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:44.079 And she said, whatever, I don't care what you do, as long as you don't do something dumb like go to the blue hole. 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:53.120 And I can't remember, I should have asked her, I can't remember if I told her then or if I was quiet about it. 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:55.120 Um, but I do know this. 00:05:55.439 --> 00:06:02.000 She knew a day or two before we went, and she knew that I was going and I was planning on going. 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:08.720 And so, what you do before you say I do, you make that woman you're supposed to marry upset with you. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:11.759 That makes you really nervous at the altar. 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:19.199 And the last thing her granny, the matriarch of the family, said to her was now, Heather, you don't have to go through with this. 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:26.000 And so I stood there with her uncle as the minister, going, Oh, I hope she says yes. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:27.839 That is a big life question. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:30.560 Praise God that you said yes. 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:33.759 Um job offers. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:37.680 Some people this year are gonna have a big job opportunity. 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:40.800 Will you accept this pet position at this pay? 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:42.240 That's a big life question. 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:46.480 Some people, God may say, will you move in this year? 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:50.160 I didn't know this was such a big life question, but do you want a pet? 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:53.680 It has become a big life question in my house. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:58.959 And maybe y'all got a pet in 24, and it's like having a kid all over, okay? 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:04.160 Politics, growing up, are you gonna be a Democrat or Republican? 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:09.920 Because Democrats have to think this way, and Republicans have to think this way, and you gotta check this, right? 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:12.800 Big life questions if you're gonna do these things. 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:18.000 Well, look at Mark chapter 8, verse 27 through 30. 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:21.680 The most important question. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:32.079 Now, Jesus and his disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea, Philippi, and on the road he asked his disciples, saying to them, Who do men say that I am? 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:37.600 So they answered John the Baptist, but some say Elijah, and others one of the prophets. 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:42.639 He said to them, But who do you say that I am? 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:43.920 Pray with me. 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:50.800 Father, we love you, and we are so thankful for this church family. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:08:01.680 I'm thankful, God, for what it means to be here, what it means to the people that have put their heart and soul in this, in loving you. 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:08.800 And God, I pray that in 2025, as Pastor Dave shared, that this is more than just a statement. 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:18.399 God, that it becomes a part of our heart and our feet and our going and our doing, Lord, that we would be carriers of the gospel on the ground. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:22.000 Lord, open our hearts to what you have to say through your word. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:24.639 And I pray for just a few minutes, God. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:30.079 Lord, that everyone would be able to be in tune with what it is that you have to say to them. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:32.399 We love you, Lord, in Jesus' name. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:33.360 Amen. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:38.879 Letter A this morning is this Who is Jesus to the world? 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:40.799 Who is Jesus? 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:45.840 You see Jesus teaching here, and we learn through Jesus' teaching. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:55.120 By the way, people debate about different types of pastoring, preaching, shepherding, and the forms, and this is my uh analysis of that. 00:08:55.279 --> 00:09:02.720 Jesus taught, and if you look at how he taught, he taught great with parables, word pictures, and questions. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:13.279 And Jesus is teaching, and no doubt had authority with his voice on scripture when we go through text, but Jesus always taught with parables, word pictures, and questions. 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:16.240 And the nature of this question is important. 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:19.919 He says, Who do people say that I am? 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:22.080 The meta question. 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:24.559 That is the question about the question. 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:27.919 Why did Jesus ask this question? 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:29.919 Who do people say that I am? 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:40.799 Maybe it was because in verse 30 and 31, he strictly warns them, it says, that no one should tell about him, and began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected. 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:48.320 He knew that there was a time coming that the people would finally have enough of this story and put him or take him to the cross. 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:50.159 But was that it? 00:09:50.480 --> 00:10:01.039 Was it because he wanted the disciples to reflect on the difference in their experiences with Jesus from those who didn't have inside experiences? 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:09.679 The question, who do men say that I am, is the topic of a doctrine called Christology. 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:18.879 And this question separates Christian ideal from every other religious and cultic persuasion. 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:20.960 Who do they say that I am? 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:25.279 See, to the Muslim, Jesus Christ was a prophet. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:29.039 To the Hindu, Jesus Christ is just one of many. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:31.679 To the Buddhist, he was an enlightened figure. 00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:34.639 To the Sakhist, he was a spiritual guide. 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:41.840 To the Mormons, Jesus Christ was a mortal man who was a brother of Lucifer and he became a God, but not eternal. 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:46.720 To the Jehovah's Witness, he was created by God as the archangel Michael. 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:49.840 To the science movement, he was a teacher of science. 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:52.639 I want you to see this chart of religion as the world. 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:53.679 Why is all that important? 00:10:53.919 --> 00:11:09.039 Because the world we live in that's composed of seven to eight billion people, as you categorize it and chart it and see where Christianity lies with other religions, it's important that you understand why the gospel on the ground is so important. 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:15.039 Christianity takes up 2.4 billion of the world's population. 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:20.720 And I want to add to you about 1.3 billion of that is Catholicism. 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:28.080 The Islam persuasion, about 2 billion, so it's inching up. 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:37.440 There's a non-religious category, atheistic, whatever you want to call it, 1.2 billion, Hinduist, 1.2 billion, Buddhist, 5 million. 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:39.840 And on and on this goes. 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:49.360 There's 17 million Mormons, 8.5 million Jehovah's Witnesses, and we go down that path and we see that the world is very divided on this question. 00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:52.559 Who do they say that I am? 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:57.519 And I want to ask you today to reflect inwardly. 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:01.519 Who do you say that Jesus is? 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:03.679 It's an important question. 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:08.000 Well, Peter answers the question there in Mark chapter 8. 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:09.440 Look at what he says. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:13.919 Peter answers and said to him, You are the Christ. 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:17.120 I need you to see something in Matthew 16. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:19.600 I want you to turn over there. 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:21.679 Mark, we'll find out next week. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:33.200 We're going to talk about the book and the author and the differences of this book, not this week for Vision Sunday, but in Mark, he moves immediately, quickly. 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:37.759 And so there's some details that you may not get from Mark that other authors will give. 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:47.200 And the same persuasion, the same topic, Matthew 16, verse 17, or 16, Simon Peter answers, said, You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:51.679 Verse 17, I want you to hear what Jesus says back to him, because it's going to matter for later. 00:12:51.919 --> 00:13:00.639 Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:05.840 He says, God, only by God are you able to understand this. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:10.080 So Peter is getting a little pat on the back. 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:13.279 Only God could give you information like this. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:21.840 And I will say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I'll build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. 00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:24.799 Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:28.000 And so in this moment, Peter answers a question. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:28.960 He gets up. 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:31.519 You got it, Peter. 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:38.080 But then he continues, Scripture says, Who is Jesus to you? 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:39.759 He answered it that way. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:41.759 First he said, Who do they say that I am? 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:44.799 Then he says, Who do you say Jesus is? 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:49.600 So we can look at that chart and say, This is what the world says of Jesus. 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:51.039 Who do they say that I am? 00:13:51.200 --> 00:13:58.080 But then we have to look inwardly as Jesus goes from broad to narrow and he says, Who do you say that I am? 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:02.240 This is vital to the doctrine of soteriology. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:04.559 That is the doctrine of salvation. 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:11.679 Other than Christology, soteriology is the next biggest difference in all of world religion. 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:15.919 Soteriology asks, What do we do with Jesus? 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:18.399 What do we do with Jesus? 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:21.840 And your answer, I want you to take a few seconds. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:23.919 What do you do? 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:27.279 What do you have to do personally with Jesus? 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:36.000 Not your church, not your grandmother, or your grandfather, or the way you were brought up, not Sunday morning. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:41.519 What do you personally have to do with Jesus day in and day out? 00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:43.759 I want you to think about that for a moment. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:52.559 Not your spouse, not your pastor or your small group. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:55.120 What have you to do with Jesus? 00:14:57.200 --> 00:15:02.799 Because with that question, I want to give you something that I think everybody needs to know. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:10.639 You've probably heard this, or some have heard this, that we live in the most unchurched county in all of Alabama. 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:15.440 70% now, it used to be higher when I first arrived here, so that's good. 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:23.200 But 70% of the people of this county, Shelby County, do not belong or go to the church. 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:25.200 And this meta question. 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:27.360 Why would we ask this question? 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:28.879 Who is Jesus to you? 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:37.759 Because how you answer that question affects what happens in your county and the way that this church approaches this world. 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:47.120 Mark 16, 15 later, Mark, Jesus would say, now go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:51.440 And the church here, the church is the center of that gospel. 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:58.559 If the salvation of every man depends on Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, then who is he to you really? 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:09.120 If Jesus is who he says he is, if he is God in the flesh, then how is it that 70% of our county is unchurched? 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:13.360 Who is Jesus really to you? 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:24.799 There was confusion, at least, uh, to people in northern Israel, says they were in Caesarea, Philippi, and Peter was asked this question, who do they say that I am? 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:28.399 And there was some confusion, but I want you to think on that question. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:31.759 Who really is Jesus to me? 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:32.960 That's the question. 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:36.080 Point two is the teaching, the most important teaching. 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:38.960 Look at verse 31 to 33. 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:39.919 He continues. 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:46.480 It says, And he began to teach them after that many things. 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:57.679 He taught them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and he had to be killed, and after three days he would rise again. 00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:00.879 He spoke this word openly. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:07.519 Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, but when he had turned around and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:10.799 Letter A is this the gospel will. 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:14.079 The most important teaching is that of the gospel will. 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:18.319 It starts out with this interesting phrase, the Son of Man. 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:21.440 The Son of Man must be rejected. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:28.000 It's an important phrase that in Mark you need to pay attention to because it's used 14 times in the book of Mark. 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:34.160 And Jesus uses it most often of himself, and the reason for it is kind of interesting. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:40.720 He uses this phrase to refer to his humanity and also his divinity. 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:45.039 He was always and always will be the second person of the Trinity. 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:50.000 He humbled himself for the glory of God and salvation of man, but he used this phrase. 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:53.359 And it was a subtle way of saying who he was. 00:17:53.440 --> 00:18:01.119 He didn't come on the scene and say, I am the Messiah of men, I am the Savior of men, the salvation of men. 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:03.119 He says, I am the Son of Man. 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:06.559 It's not an uncommon thing for you to call yourself a human. 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:08.720 For some of you. 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:19.839 But he was telling them something that was different, and it was this truth of his divinity and manhood hidden in plain sight. 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:21.279 The Son of Man. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:29.279 And the weight of that, Jesus knew and was humbly sharing this miraculous truth. 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:38.400 Because in Daniel chapter 7 was a prophecy that was going to be fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:40.319 And it was an exalted position. 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:44.960 This is what Daniel 7, 13 and 14 says about the Son of Man. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:50.000 It'd be good if you mark this in your Bible if you want to go back, Daniel 7, 13 and 14. 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:58.960 It says, And coming, and behold, like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven, he came to the ancient of days. 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:13.039 And they brought him near before him, and then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, and all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him, and his dominion would be everlasting. 00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:17.519 This prophecy was a big prophecy about an exalted position. 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:25.920 So when Jesus said, I am the Son of Man who's going to suffer, it was a much bigger deal than just saying, I'm just a human being. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:35.759 And Jesus said it 14 times that Mark recorded all throughout the Gospels, the Son of Man, the perfect flesh sacrifice for the tainted flesh. 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:40.559 Well, it doesn't stop at just the Son of Man, it says he must suffer, be killed, and resurrect. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:55.759 And I want to tell you about the suffer, the suffering, the killing, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, because the Old Testament boasts some 300 plus prophecies that would be fulfilled by the suffering, the death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:19:55.839 --> 00:20:00.079 And I want to tell you about 300 prophecies years before coming to truth. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:04.880 Eight of 300 of those prophecies coming to fruition. 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:09.920 The chances of eight of them is one in one trillion. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:12.160 Do you understand? 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:14.799 300 prophecies have been fulfilled. 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:17.680 Eight of them, 300, 1 in 1 trillion chance. 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:20.000 It would be like this a man said this. 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:34.400 It would be like a blind man going to the state of Texas and the state of Texas being full, two feet deep of silver dollars, and a blind man finding in the state of Texas one silver dollar with one black dot on it. 00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:44.240 That would be the chances of eight of 300 prophecies of the Old Testament being fulfilled in the death resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:46.160 I thought about this. 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:48.640 I love the Red Sox. 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:50.559 I'm sorry. 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:52.240 Forgive me. 00:20:52.640 --> 00:21:00.319 But if I told you the Red Sox were playing tonight, one that'd be a miracle because it's not even spring season yet. 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:09.279 But if I told you they were playing, and then I told you they were gonna win or lose, and I got that right, and I told you the score, you'd say, huh, that's pretty impressive. 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:10.640 He got all those things right. 00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:22.160 And if I told you a second night they were gonna play, and I told you they were gonna win or lose and got it right, and I told you the score a second time, you'd say, Pastor Rick's little twilight zone, this is getting weird. 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:29.839 Third time, and you would say, honey, I don't know if we've been gambling in a while, but I think we're gonna start gambling on the preacher. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:32.480 Because he's hitting it every time. 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:38.240 The likelihood of these resur of these prophecies being fulfilled. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:42.160 And then it makes me think about these disciples who he's talking to. 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:46.720 You know, people are not willing to die for something they do not believe in. 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:54.400 But the disciples willingly gave up everything in this life because they believed Jesus died and was alive. 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:57.119 I want you to tell you a little bit about the disciples. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.519 Peter and Andrew, they were crucified. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.920 Thomas died by spear. 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:05.200 Paul and John the Baptist were beheaded. 00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:08.240 Think about what they gave. 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:14.000 They gave their life on this earth, but they gave their death because of this man. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:18.720 Further, when you think about it, nobody really hates a dead man. 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:22.559 When a dead man is gone, all hate has passed, right? 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:24.240 Hate is forgotten. 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:27.839 Yet Satan still hates Jesus Christ. 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:30.720 And the demons hate Jesus Christ. 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:34.319 And there is a world that hates Jesus Christ. 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:36.720 What about the picture of baptism? 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:41.920 If Jesus didn't die and resurrect, we would go to baptism and we were just dunk, right? 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:45.759 In symbolism of Jesus' life. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:51.680 And in fact, one time there was a young lady, and I forgot the next words that were coming. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:53.519 And I said, buried in likeness of his death. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:23:00.400 Oh! Raised! She got extra baptized. 00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:02.559 Don't judge me. 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:05.920 I know you remember everything, don't you? 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:13.359 But if Jesus does not suffer, die, and resurrect, then eat, drink, and be merry, because this is all there is, right? 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:15.119 This is all there is of it. 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:16.480 We go to the dust. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:18.880 And if that's just it, then that's just it. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:22.799 But I want to tell you what Hank Hanagraff had to say about these disciples. 00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:34.160 He said, in the span of a few hundred years, a small band of seemingly insignificant believers succeeding in turning an entire empire upside down. 00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:49.680 As has been well said, they faced the tyrant's brandish steel, the lion's gory mane, and the fires of a thousand deaths, because they were utterly convinced that like their master, they would one day rise from the grave as he did. 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:56.000 See, these disciples, they bought into this, and I want to ask you this question. 00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:58.000 Have you? 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:01.279 Who is Jesus to you? 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:08.319 Because this gospel will says that he had to die, he had to suffer, and he had to resurrect. 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:12.079 But it's going to ask more of its followers. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:14.880 Letter B is this, God's will. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:32.000 Halfway through verse 32, then Peter took him aside and he began to rebuke him. 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:34.079 Man, I had to underline that verse. 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:36.079 I want you to think about that verse. 00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:47.359 But when he had turned around and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind me, Satan, for you're not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men. 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:50.319 This scene is something. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:57.119 And we're told that Peter was impetuous and brash, but Peter took Jesus. 00:24:57.519 --> 00:24:59.119 He took him, it says. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:02.880 And that word is, it's hard to say, but it's pros Lembano. 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:11.599 And it's the idea that he took him by the hand, and then it says another word you need to know, he rebukes Jesus. 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:18.799 That word as epitomeo, and it means to tax with fault, to reprove sharply. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:23.759 Why did Peter speak to Jesus like this? 00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:28.079 Because Peter's rebuke was based on Peter's understanding. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:30.400 He knows who this is. 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:31.920 He's just said it. 00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:33.839 You are the Christ. 00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:39.359 He knows who he is, but this proves his impetuous nature his way. 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:51.119 But can you imagine the moment a man took God in the flesh, pulled him aside, and rebuked him, charged him with fault, it says? 00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:53.839 Peter took him and brought him aside in this way. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:26:02.640 It made me think about, yeah, I worked, Heather and I worked with teenagers a lot of years, but the hardest thing for me to sort of take, some of y'all got it. 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:07.279 I would tell people, people can work with teenagers and they probably have a certain gifting. 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:10.480 People can work with children, probably have a certain gifting. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:15.440 When it came to children in a certain context, I struggled mightily. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:20.480 And it was a silly context, but there was a child named AJ. 00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:25.519 And it was time we for a couple of years led what was called like the junior church. 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:28.400 And I said, All right, everybody, stand up, we're gonna sing. 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:32.720 AJ sat there. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:33.920 He wasn't getting up. 00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:38.559 So I did what I was taught in uh well, they the substitute teaching class. 00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:41.759 I watched the videos, they said, come and stand by the kid if they're acting up. 00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:43.359 They'll likely change their behavior. 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:46.319 So I stood by AJ and I began to sing. 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:47.839 Nothing. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:51.759 And I was like, AJ, everybody here is looking at you. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:52.960 You need to stand up and sing. 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:54.160 He said, I'm not singing. 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:56.559 And I was like, AJ, you need to stand up. 00:26:56.640 --> 00:26:58.640 We're saying I'm like starting to boil. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:01.759 I'm like, this is a 10-year-old, and he will not listen. 00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:05.279 I have the power to do things that I would not do, but I have the power. 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:07.039 I'm like, AJ, stand up. 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:09.680 And he was like, you don't know what's going on. 00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:13.359 And I'm like, I don't, but you can stand up and sing. 00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:17.200 And in that moment, I felt like I was just boiling. 00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:18.400 And I'm like, I can't. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:26.160 If kids can't listen to a simple stand up, like if they can't do that, then I'm gonna have a problem in this area of ministry. 00:27:26.960 --> 00:27:27.279 Okay? 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:29.359 This was not hard. 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:38.559 And I thought about God in human flesh has all authority and teaches. 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:42.240 They have seen Jesus do great miracles by this point. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:48.720 And Peter had the goal within him to correct God in human flesh. 00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:49.759 Can you imagine? 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:52.559 Now wait just a second, Jesus. 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:54.960 Whew. 00:27:56.079 --> 00:27:58.000 It says he rebuked him. 00:27:58.559 --> 00:27:59.039 Why? 00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:02.240 I said there was something about his understanding. 00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:07.440 You see, the kind of messiah, now I want you to reflect on this. 00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:09.839 What kind of savior do you want? 00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:17.200 The kind of messiah the Jews were hoping for did not match the criteria that Jesus just presented to Peter. 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:21.759 Peter said, No, certainly not the Messiah. 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:27.200 The Messiah has come to save us from Roman political power. 00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:29.440 We've seen your miracles. 00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:32.160 We're gonna live better because you're here. 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:36.079 Certainly not suffering and persecution and death. 00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:41.920 Peter says, Jesus, what are you saying? 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:42.720 No. 00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:46.319 Don't say that. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:49.440 Church, I want you to hear me. 00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:58.319 Being a Christian is the best life that you can have in this life, but it comes packaged with God's will, not your will. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:00.960 Peter was struggling with that. 00:29:01.119 --> 00:29:04.960 The gospel is God's will, not our will. 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:10.720 The error of many is wanting our will with God's blessing, and we pursue our wants. 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:16.640 And as an afterthought, we say, Oh, by the way, God, would you bless this that I'm going to do? 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:22.559 I need your mighty hand over this that I'm I've decided to do. 00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:30.319 Never asking or wanting or wondering what of it is God's will, or searching the scriptures. 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:31.759 Is this job supposed to be? 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:33.839 God, speak to me for this job. 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:39.519 God, speak to me for this marriage or this college, or God speak to me about this next step of ministry. 00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:42.400 Show me in your word, show me, God. 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:46.559 It's this door open, and God, now bless. 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:48.000 Because that's what you do. 00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:50.799 You're a Messiah who blesses my wants. 00:29:51.119 --> 00:29:54.559 And Peter wasn't understanding, he wasn't grasping. 00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:57.119 Peter said, Don't say that. 00:29:57.279 --> 00:30:03.119 And he was sincere, but he was sincerely wrong. 00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:05.440 He was short-sighted. 00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:10.079 He couldn't see something that it's interesting. 00:30:11.920 --> 00:30:15.279 I can't imagine that in this context he could understand it. 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:21.279 He could not see that Jesus must die, and then that Jesus said the impossible would happen. 00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:25.279 He said, I must suffer and die, but I'm going to resurrect. 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:31.839 And when you think about suffering and dying as we know it with resurrection on the other side, it doesn't hit the same way. 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:33.359 We go, yes. 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:39.680 And Peter went, no, because we've seen and know the glory of the power of the resurrection. 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:42.400 And Peter, we want to jump on his case here, right? 00:30:42.559 --> 00:30:45.200 But he says, no, no, no, no, suffer and die. 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:52.400 I don't think he understood what resurrection was. 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:56.000 So he rebukes Jesus harshly. 00:30:57.039 --> 00:30:59.599 And then Jesus comes back at him. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:00.960 He doesn't leave it there. 00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:08.079 Jesus rebukes Peter more harshly than Peter rebuked Jesus. 00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:10.400 Look at these penetrating words. 00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:14.960 In my Bible, it's the start of the red letters. 00:31:16.640 --> 00:31:20.160 I said, get behind me, Satan. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:24.319 You're not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men. 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:29.039 Get behind me, adversary. 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:31.039 That's what the word Satan means. 00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:35.839 Thou savorest or cares not on the things of God but of man. 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:45.359 Commentators would say they don't believe that Peter knew that he was being used in this moment of Satan and his thinking. 00:31:46.240 --> 00:31:49.359 But when God speaks, his word speaks. 00:31:50.480 --> 00:32:01.440 And if we present opposition by life or lip of what this book says, because we're settled in our plans, then God will rebuke. 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:07.839 There's this daunting sentence that may be a sentence that separates half this group of people today. 00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:10.480 A daunting sentence. 00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:19.759 Because I think about who Peter was. 00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:21.039 Peter was a follower. 00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:23.519 Peter would tell you, I love Jesus. 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:25.359 I'm following Jesus. 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:28.160 And God told me to live this life. 00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:34.319 And he said, Jesus said, You care, hear this. 00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:40.400 You care more about the things of man than the things of God. 00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:48.960 You, Peter, in this moment want Jesus to fit into your planes. 00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:51.680