Peter’s Confession and Our Cross

The real follower of Christ is not to be a follower of Strauss or one who flees from the humiliation and the suffering that is involved with being the Christian chapter 9.

Jesus made it clear to his disciples what he required to take up the cross and follow what does that mean France in the 21st century. What does that look like today today on Renewing Your Mind, Dr. RC Sproul continues his first fiber series from the gospel of Luke and will be in the passage that makes the requirements for the Christian life perfectly clear in this brief text. There is an echo of the question that we looked at recently that had haunted King Herod, where he was troubled by the reports coming to him of this man who was going about the countryside healing people at performing amazing miracle and you remember how terrified he was when he considered the possibility of though this might be wasn't some profit was Elijah coming or worst of his nightmares would've been that it was the reappearance of John the Baptist, whom he had executed and now that same issue is brought up by Jesus to his disciples when they came to him while he was alone praying and he said to them, who do the crowds lay that I am you have your ear to the ground you're aware of the scuttlebutt that is being discussed among people in the nearby villages what they say about me and so they answered and said John the Baptist and father say Elijah, and still others say that one of the old prophets as a risen again and Jesus receives this information without any substantial comment is as if he were to say well that's interesting information, but my concern right now is not so much what people out there are saying about me, but I want to know what you think. Who do you say that I as I was thinking about this text. This week I was thinking about our nation, the people who live in it and I made this assumption. I assume that every sentient adult in this country has at least enough information about Jesus there from no other source but from those messages that come across through the extended Christmas season each year so that every adult person in this country certainly has by now formed some opinion as to the identity of Jesus and I was wondering what is that identity that they've assumed what they think about Jesus. They think she is simply a mythological character from antiquity to the echo some of the liberalism of a century ago that Jesus was a prophet or a great ethical teacher. What kind of opinion, do they have of him and I didn't have the opportunity to canvas everybody in America and get the results of that but I encountered a friend the other day who I have known for many years and I would have to describe them in the following manner. He's a man who wouldn't be caught dead in a church building, unless he were coming to pay his last respects to one of his friends who would die. The only time I think I've ever seen him in churches for a funeral. He's a man who's one of the most profane man that I know whose vocabulary is regularly laced with blaster mates and though I know that he personally has a high regard for May and I trust that he loves me. Nevertheless, his favorite past time in my presence is to mock me for my religious convictions. Whenever he walks in the room where I am. He raises his hands and says, praise the Lord. RC this is the way he likes to tease me and to mock me. So I thought it would be a good candidate to ask his opinion of Jesus.

So I said to him candidly, I said Burke, the devil made me do it. I said to my said you know I have a sermon this Sunday and I ask you to give me some help on it is a little bit surprised that I was seeking information for my sermon from him but I said I'm speaking on this passage were people were asked their opinion of Jesus. And I said to him, as I said you already. I know that everybody in this country has some opinion of Jesus and I'm just curious what your opinion is who you really think that Jesus was going to respond in his normal silly manner, but rather, he became somewhat sober by the question.

They said well if you were meant to think about this a fair enough. So about four hours later I saw him and I said, have you thought about the question I asked you and he said actually says I've thought about very little else in the last two hours and I come to a conclusion as to what I think about Jesus much more what you think of and he looked at me and he said I think so. I think that he's the son of God, that God sent into the world become ocular with a feather because that's the last answer I expected to come from him because if I've ever met a man who would presume not to think that Jesus was the son of God, it would have been this man and so indeed that gave me pause and I said how is it possible that somebody could come to the conclusion that Jesus is really the son of God and behave like this man does possible and is like contemplating my own question I thought of two personages immediately who have manifested that possibility. Clearly, by their behavior. The first one of course is Satan himself. There's nobody in the universe who knows more clearly the identity of Jesus than Satan. Satan knew during Jesus entire earthly ministry, whom he had to deal with the new that this was the incarnate son of God and as much as the understood that intellectually be aided passionately. You know who Jesus was, that he is not interested in following him only in destroying him again in the biblical record. The first personages who recognize the deity of Christ behind the hidden veil of his humanity were the very demons from hell. So for them it wasn't a problem of a lack of knowledge of his identity. It was a lack of affection for the one who was the son of God, but that Satan and we put him in a separate category. What were talking about this morning or not angels are fallen angels and their perception of Jesus, but rather about human bank. So then I thought of another person that I knew who was convinced that Jesus was the son of God. And yet, despite that knowledge was altogether unconverted and on regenerate and I'm speaking now.

Of course, the first person because the day before my conversion to Christ the day before I was regenerated by the Holy Spirit. If you would've asked me RC sprawl. What's your opinion of Jesus, who do you think that he was I would have been on hesitant in my response and would have said will clearly the sum I believe that in my head, but there was an ounce of affection in my heart for the one whom I believe to be the veritable son of God, thinking that through even more. I began to wonder how many people up there have that same country victory understanding of Jesus intellectually while their hearts are so far removed from him. Then of course I began to think of the precious people whom I love so dearly, who make up this congregation and thought again of the great St. Augustine's definition of the church as a corpus per mix them a mixed body. Augustine was simply reflecting on the teaching of Jesus himself said among the assembly, there will always be tears among the we.

There will be the unconverted among the converted and who knows who they are. I don't have the ability to read anybody's heart anymore than any person has the power to read my heart. I don't know who in this building is sound really and truly converted and who remains unconverted and on their way to everlasting torment. I don't know who in this group today are truly lovers of Christ and those who merely offer the service of their lips said I don't know your souls.

But you should you should know the state of your heart. I should be able to know the state of my heart. And even if I'm unsure about my state. I know that the Scriptures tell me that I am called to make my calling sure that the assurance of salvation is a real possibility.

And not only a possibility, but an obligation for every Christian. So before I go on in this text. Let me ask you who do you think he is, and had the question I always ask that and what difference does it make to you. Jesus is the son of God and he is that he is supremely worthy of our adoration of our worship and of our devotion to him with our whole heart and soul and to understand the meaning of the assertion that he is the son of God is to enter into the supreme state the felicity and of blessedness you remember in Matthew's account when it was Peter who answered the question.

Who do you say that I am Peter said, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God to which Jesus replied last said are you, Simon bar Jonah flesh and blood does not reveal this to you but my father is in heaven. And then he went on the safe, and thou art Petross the rock and on this rock I will build my church really understands that Jesus is the son of God, not simply in a tickling intellectual manner, but if it's my understanding that you grasp in its entirety.

Then Christ would say to you, I sent you for. There is no greater blessing dear friend than to know the son of God.

So after this confession. Jesus warned and commanded them to tell no one. There is not yet the hour to make the truth of that affirmation public. But he went on to say this, the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raise the third day. This is one in Matthew's account, Peter. The rock became Peter the marsh after Jesus said that's a wonderful affirmation and confession of faith. Blessed are you, Simon bar Jonah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah not understand. It's time for us to leave this place and go to Jerusalem where I'm going to suffer and die at the hands of the religious leaders there and Peter said no Lord forbid it, Lord. Five minutes after he makes a great confession he makes the worst confession where he presumes to tell Jesus that Jesus is not allowed to do what ESA do not want us to understand how Jesus put this to the disciples. Immediately after this confession carefully didn't say he didn't say well fellows it's time for us to make a trip to Jerusalem. I know that there some folks unhappy with us. There and I'm not sure what were going to get ourselves into.

Probably nothing serious will happen but maybe it will will just have to wait and see my beloved. That's what he didn't say what he said was this the Son of Man will suffer may suffer might suffer no, the son of man must, must, that's necessary. There is no other possibility.

I'm going by divine sovereign constraint has been absolutely has to happen to my mission.

The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected and be killed, and be raised and then he said this is not a solitary venture I'm telling you these things not because I want your compassion or your soulless or your comfort or your sympathy, but I'm telling you this so that you understand what it will mean if you follow me for a set of anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Maybe it's that part that people who come to the conclusion the intellectually that Jesus is the son of God that they don't want to hear that. I want to embrace the consequences that FISA sets forth anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and I want to comes right down to it, you are the deny Christ and follow yourself or you deny yourself and follow Christ because you can't follow Christ and yourself. If you desire. If you want to come after me, then deny yourself and take up your cross.

Every now and then there's the situation requires it didn't come to hear what the Bible doesn't say let them take up his cross daily and follow me and really to take up the cross daily. This take up our Lord's cross daily to identify with his humiliation. Even our baptism, which signifies many things.

Among other things, that it signifies is are being buried and raised together with Christ and is the apostle Paul tells us unless were willing to involve ourselves with the humiliation of Jesus. We won't experience involvement with his exultation, but to be a follower of Christ is not the be a follower of self or one who flees from the humiliation and the suffering that is involved with being the Christian Jesus then tells the grand paradox for whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it in one sense, beloved to be a Christian is to have a throwaway life. At least that's the appearance that if I were to be a Christian. I have to throw away my life, but the from a my life for Christ is a fire in my life forever for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and is himself destroyed or lost elsewhere. He said what profit would gain.

As it you look at the bottom line you look at the debits and credits. The assets and the liabilities Jesus speaking in economic language here in terms of profit. What person goes in the business not try to achieve a profit of a dozen achieve a profit is not going to be in business very long so we are concerned about profit Jesus and okay what if you gain a new car and you lose your wife.

Some people might think that's a double profit but for most, it would be a negative balance or what if you got a new house or an inheritance or let's stop thinking about these paltry matters of cars and money. What if you gain the whole world, but the price tag was your soul is what will a man give in exchange for so what profit is a true man if he gains the whole world is the cost of this whoever is ashamed of me and my words of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his own glory and his father and of the holy angels and by the grace of God finish the text all the way to verse 26 when a sober warning that is from Jesus.

If I confession before men, he will confess me before his father. If I say to my friends. I love Jesus.

I believe Jesus is the son of God, and are prepared to follow him. Whatever cost it is. If I say that admitting that and do that that Jesus will say to the father. I love arson. He's mine. But if I am ashamed of Jesus. If I try to harbor a secret faith, but I don't want anybody to know about it less they'll think I'm strange or weird or foolish. If I'm ashamed that he says when the father brings up my name Farsi scroll Jesus is yes I know use father. I'm ashamed to imagine anything worse so I leave you this day with the same question with which we started thinking and what to do what you say. Who do you think he is. He knows we live in a culture that has been turned upside down. It is a temptation to be ashamed of Christ. Dr. RC Sproul's message today is an important reminder for us were glad you joined us today for Renewing Your Mind as we continue Dr. Sproles verse by verse sermon series from the gospel of Luke were examining the historical and theological context of this book written by the physician and historian who traveled with Jesus. Luke's account is riveting and let me recommend that you request.

Dr. Sproles commentary on Luke's gospel just open to the pages dedicated to the passage, Dr. spell covered in today's message and the insight was so helpful and I think this resource will be a great addition to your own Bible study toolbox requested today with your donation of any amount or offices are closed today. Of course, but that you can give your gift to make your request online@renewingyourmind.org and let me thank you in advance for your generosity to look at your ministries. We have been a listener supported outreach of winter for more than 25 years were grateful for your faithfulness to make sure that Renewing Your Mind stays on the year. Glad you joined us today and I hope you make plans to be with us again next Lord's day is Dr. scroll preaches on one of the most dramatic moments in the life and ministry of Jesus, the Transfiguration is next Sunday.

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