Sermon Tone Analysis

Today there is a faulty perspective of Jesus that is extremely dangerous and seductive.

This is exposed by David Platt in his book Radical.

In a blog David wrote,

We American Christians have a way of taking the Jesus of the Bible and twisting him into a version of Jesus that we are more comfortable with.

A nice middle-class American Jesus.

A Jesus who doesn’t mind materialism and would never call us to give away everything we have.

A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts.

A Jesus who wants us to be balanced, who wants us to avoid dangerous extremes, and who for that matter wants us to avoid danger altogether.

A Jesus who brings comfort and prosperity to us as we live out our Christian spin on the American Dream.

Any fair and honest reading of Scripture will reveal that this is not who Jesus is and not what Jesus demands.

Jesus says, “Die and then follow Me.”

Today’s text provides the answer to three crucial questions: Who is Jesus?

What did He come to do?

What does He expect of you?

It is the beginning of the “Great Discipleship Discourse” (8: 31– 10: 52), in which three times Jesus predicts His passion (8: 31-33; 9: 30-32; 10: 32-34).

Immediately following each time, He instructs them concerning true discipleship and what it means to truly follow Him because they just do not get it!

In today’s text (8:32), Peter tries to correct Him on what kind of Messiah He will be.

In 9:34, they are debating greatness in the kingdom.

And in 10:37, James and John preempted the others in asking to sit on His right and left in the kingdom.

Our text is a simple explanation of what the normal Christian life looks like.

You Must Know and Personally Confess Who Jesus Is

Jesus takes the Twelve north for a time of private instruction.

Caesarea Philippi is an unlikely location for the first human proclamation of Jesus as the Messiah.

It represents the outer regions of paganism, idolatry, and hostility to the Hebrew faith.

We are at a crucial turning point.

Jesus takes the Twelve north for a time of private instruction.

Caesarea Philippi is an unlikely location for the first human proclamation of Jesus as the Messiah.

It represents the outer regions of paganism, idolatry, and hostility to the Hebrew faith.

We are at a crucial turning point.

As Jesus brought gradual physical sight to the blind man of Bethsaida (8:22-26), He will now bring gradual spiritual sight to the disciples concerning who He is and what kind of Messiah He will be.

There Is an Inescapable Question

Jesus asks a straightforward question, a question the Twelve have pondered since He calmed the sea in 4:41: “Who then is this?”

Jesus asks a straightforward question, a question the Twelve have pondered since He calmed the sea in 4: 41: “Who then is this?”

The disciples give the popular opinions making the rounds (cf.

6: 14-16).

Some agreed with Herod Antipas that He was some kind of reincarnation of John the Baptist.

Others judged He was Elijah, the prophetic forerunner before the eschatological “Day of the Lord” (; ).

Still others made a simpler claim: “He is one of the prophets,” perhaps the One promised by Moses (,).

These were favorable assessments to be sure.

Each is positive and affirming, much like those who today would applaud Him as a great moral teacher, the example all should emulate.

They honor Him but misrepresent Him.

They applaud Him while denying who He really is.

This

The disciples give the popular opinions making the rounds (cf.

6:14-16).

Some agreed with Herod Antipas that He was some kind of reincarnation of John the Baptist.

Others judged He was Elijah, the prophetic forerunner before the “Day of the Lord” (; ).

Still others made a simpler claim: “He is one of the prophets,” perhaps the One promised by Moses (,).

These were favorable assessments to be sure.

Each is positive and affirming, much like those who today would applaud Him as a great moral teacher, the example all should emulate.

They honor Him but misrepresent Him.

They applaud Him while denying who He really is.

This inescapable question demands an accurate and acceptable answer.

“Who do people say that I am?”

There Is One Acceptable Answer

Jesus shifts the question to His disciples.

Jesus shifts the question to His disciples.

Accurate declarations of who Jesus is have been given at the beginning of this Gospel by Mark the narrator: “Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (1: 1); God the Father: “You are My beloved Son; I take delight in You!” (1: 11); and demons: “the Holy One of God” (1: 24), “You are the Son of God” (3: 11), “Jesus, Son of the Most High God” (5: 7).

At the end of this Gospel, a Roman centurion will say, “This man really was God’s Son!” (15: 39).

At the center of Mark’s Gospel, the voice of Peter is added: “You are the Messiah.”

This is the one and only acceptable answer.

Peter and the Twelve reject the prevailing opinions of the crowds and religious leaders (note their negative evaluation in 3: 22), and so must we! Popular and trendy views of Jesus must always surrender to the clear and consistent witness of Scripture.

James Edwards is right: “The categories of John the Baptist or Elijah or one of the

Accurate declarations of who Jesus is have been given at the beginning of this Gospel by Mark the narrator: “Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (1: 1); God the Father: “You are My beloved Son; I take delight in You!” (1: 11); and demons: “the Holy One of God” (1: 24), “You are the Son of God” (3: 11), “Jesus, Son of the Most High God” (5: 7).

At the end of this Gospel, a Roman centurion will say, “This man really was God’s Son!” (15: 39).

At the center of Mark’s Gospel, the voice of Peter is added: “You are the Messiah.”

This is the one and only acceptable answer.

Peter and the Twelve reject the prevailing opinions of the crowds and religious leaders (note their negative evaluation in

), and so must we!

and so must we!

Popular and trendy views of Jesus must always surrender to the clear and consistent witness of Scripture.

James Edwards is right:

“The categories of John the Baptist or Elijah or one of the prophets are no closer to the real Jesus than are the various ‘Jesus’ figures of historical criticism or Enlightenment rationalism or feminism or Aryan and racist theories or the Jesus Seminar or the various sociological models in our day” .

Resist the trends!

Stand on the Word against these faulty assaults!

Personally, publicly, and even proudly declare your allegiance to Jesus proclaiming He is the Son of God, the Messiah, the One and Only Savior of the world.

You Must Learn and Affirm the Ways of God and Not Man

has led to the confession “You are the Christ.”

will lead to the confession “You are God’s Son” and reveal the kind of Messiah He will be— a suffering Messiah, something hinted at in 1: 11 and 2: 20 but now made plain.

has led to the confession “You are the Christ.”

will lead to the confession “You are God’s Son” and reveal the kind of Messiah He will be— a suffering Messiah, something hinted at in 1:11 and 2:20 but now made plain.

The first half of Mark focuses on who He is.

The Gospel tells us the King has come!

Our response is to repent and believe.

The first confession comes from an insider when Peter says, “You are the Messiah!” (8:29).

The second half focuses on what He came to do.

The Gospel tells us the King must die!

Our response is to take up our cross and follow Him.

The climactic confession comes from an outsider— a Gentile, a Roman Centurion: “This man really was God’s Son!” (15:39).

has led to the confession “You are the Christ.”

will lead to the confession “You are God’s Son” and reveal the kind of Messiah He will be— a suffering Messiah, something hinted at in 1: 11 and 2: 20 but now made plain.

The first half of Mark focuses on who He is.

The Gospel tells us the King has come!

Our response is to repent and believe.

The first confession comes from an insider when Peter says, “You are the Messiah!” (8: 29).

The second half focuses on what

A King who dies is not what they expected or wanted.

It is, however, what they desperately needed.

God’s Ways Are Often Hard but Clear

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Jesus begins a new chapter in the disciples’ education.