What is a Christian: By Declaration

Father, we thank you, Lord, for tonight and the opportunity you give us to study your Word. Truly, Lord, it is a great blessing to be able to examine the text of Scripture and to realize that you have spoken very clearly without any confusion, without any kind of mishaps. It's all the truth of the living God.

And because of that, Lord, we can take it for what it is at face value, that it's a holy Word of God, and therefore it speaks to every aspect of our lives. And it moves us on to maturity because it does a great work in those who believe. So we're asking that tonight, Lord, as we study it, you do a great work in all of us, that truly we would come to understand the beauty of your character and that we would truly be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ as we understand what Christianity is all about. So we thank you, Lord, in Jesus' name, Amen.

The question is, what is a Christian? What is a Christian? That's the question.

And the answer has been seen over the last couple of weeks by looking at the Christian's decision. That's Luke chapter 9, verse number 23. That is, that he decides to follow Christ, to take up his cross and deny himself.

And then we saw what a Christian is by looking at the definition of a Christian. That's Philippians chapter 3, verse number 3, that the marked one, the true believer, is one who worships God in spirit, who glories only in Christ Jesus, and takes no confidence in his flesh. And then we looked at the Christian and his description.

That was last week, 2 Corinthians 5:21, that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

So the description of a believer is that he is in Christ and Christ is in him. Tonight, we're going to look at the Christian from the perspective of his declaration. In other words, all true believers declare the same thing.

That is, they declare the identity of the Messiah and they declare the ministry of the Messiah. In other words, they understand who he is and they understand what he did. In other words, they make a declaration without any reservation, without any hesitation, and without any question.

And they make that declaration with true conviction, passion, and resolution. In other words, they know exactly who Christ is and they know exactly what Christ came to do. So a Christian is known not just by his decision, not just by his definition and description, but by his declaration.

To understand that, turn with me in your Bible to Luke's Gospel, the ninth chapter. Luke chapter nine. And in the narrative of Luke chapter nine, Christ is going to ask a question and that question centers around his identity.

And then he's going to give some instruction and that instruction centers around his ministry. Everything about the Christ focuses in on who he is and what he did. And all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, who truly and genuinely know who he is, have the same declaration about his identity and his ministry.

So it's a very familiar narrative to us, but I think that it will open your eyes to many things this evening. In fact, we're going to help you understand why is it those who are closest to you are the furthest from the kingdom. We're going to help you understand why your father or your mother, your brother or your sister, your aunt or your uncle, your son or your daughter refuse to believe the things that you believe.

In spite of overwhelming evidence, in spite of the very clear indicators of Scripture, what is it that keeps them from embracing Christ as their Messiah? What is it that keeps them from understanding the things that you understand? What keeps them from gripping the glorious gospel of Christ that you have completely and totally absorbed yourself in? We're going to answer that question for you this evening. But first, Luke chapter 9, verse number 18 says, And it happened that while he was praying alone, the disciples were with him, and he questioned them, saying, Who do the people say that I am? They answered and said, John the Baptist. And others say, Elijah.

But others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again. And he said to them, But who do you say that I am? And Peter answered and said, The Christ or the Messiah of God. But he warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone, saying, The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised up on the third day.

Christ asked the most valuable question ever, the most important question that could ever be asked. Who do you say that I am? If you answer it correctly, then your soul will live in delight. If you answer it incorrectly, your soul will be damned forever.

So you must answer the question correctly because it deals with the identity of who Christ is. Once you understand who he is, then you can begin to understand what it is he does or what it is that he did. Now in Luke's gospel, it's important to realize where you're at.

What's happening here in the gospel? Why is the question asked at this time? Luke is building toward this crescendo of who is Christ. What is his identity? Everything about the gospels centers around the identity of Christ. John's gospel talks to us about his deity, that Jesus is God in the flesh.

Matthew's gospel talks to us about his royalty, that he's the king of Israel, the king of the universe, and he has a kingdom that he presents. Mark's gospel talks to us about his humility, that he's a great and wonderful servant. And then of course Luke's gospel talks to us about his humanity, that he's God in human flesh.

And yet all the gospels point to the identity of Christ. In fact, this is how John sums it up in John chapter 20. He says, therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book, but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

John says there are so many other miracles that Christ did that are not recorded here, but these have been recorded that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, and that believing the fact that he is the Messiah, you will have life in his name. You see, it's absolutely essential that you understand that Jesus is the Messiah. Can one be saved and not believe that Jesus is the Messiah? Answer, no.

John just told you these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the son of God, and that believing that fact you'll have life in his name. You cannot be a Christian and not believe that Jesus is the Messiah. To be a Christian means I declare the fact that Jesus Christ is God's Messiah.

That's very, very important to understand that. You see, because he really is truly God's Messiah. He is not Israel's Messiah, and he's not your Messiah.

He's God's Messiah. That's Peter's confession in Luke 9. You are the Christ of God. You are the anointed of God.

You are the Messiah of God. Simeon says the same thing in Luke chapter 2. I have seen the Lord's Christ. I have seen the Lord's Messiah.

Same thing Peter says in Acts chapter 3 when he says that God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets that his, that is God's Christ, God's Messiah would suffer, and he has thus fulfilled that. You see, the Messiah is God's Messiah. You didn't anoint him.

God anointed him. You didn't appoint him. God appointed him.

He is God's Messiah. He is God's anointed. Very important to realize that because you cannot become a Christian unless you understand who Jesus Christ is.

It's all about his identity. He is the Messiah of God. He's God's Messiah.

So in the context of Luke chapter 9, Christ asks the question, what is the popular opinion of who I am? Matthew's account says, what do people say, or who do people say the son of man is? Doesn't say that in Luke's gospel, but in Matthew's it does. Very important to understanding the question. What is the popular opinion of who I am? And then he says, but who do you say that I am? What's the personal opinion? Because you see, the popular opinion is wrong.

Well, some say you're Elijah, but no one's saying that you're the eternal one. Some say you're John the Baptist, but no one is saying you're Jehovah God. Some say you're one of the prophets, but no one's saying that you are the prophet that was prophesied in the book of Deuteronomy.

Everybody's saying that you're great, but nobody's saying you're God. That's the popular opinion. So Christ says, but who do you say that I am? Because when you stand before Christ, your parents won't be with you.

The crowds won't be with you. It'll be you and the Lord. And you have to give an account for who you say the son of man is.

And does that account match what the Bible says about Jesus Christ our Lord? Now, this is very important because Luke is building toward this question, building toward this scenario. When Christ asked, who do men say that I am? This is life's most important question, because you can't ask, what must I do to be saved? Unless you ask, who is the son of man? One flow flows out of the other. So Christ asked the question, but Luke has been building toward this because every chapter leading up to Luke chapter nine speaks to us about the identity of Christ, who he is.

That is just so important to understand. In fact, it says in Luke one, when the angel Gabriel came to Zacharias, he told him in verse number 17, it is he who will go as a forerunner speaking to Zacharias about his son, John the Baptist. He will be the forerunner to the Messiah.

So in chapter one of Luke, we have the announcement about the forerunner is going to come before the Lord. And then you have Gabriel's encounter with Mary. He tells Mary that you will conceive in your room, bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great. He will be called the son of the Most High God. So everything is about the identity of the Messiah.

Then Mary writes this song and Zacharias writes this song under the inspiration of the scripture to talk to us about the Messiah, his identity and his ministry. Then you move into Luke chapter two and then the angels come to the shepherds and they declare very loudly the identity of the Messiah. For unto you this day in the city of David has been born a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

They understand that the Savior has been born, the Messiah is here. So they go to Mary and they proclaim the same thing. They declare the same message to Mary.

And then you have the encounter with Simeon. And Simeon recognizes that this is the Lord's Messiah. Again, he is identified by Simeon.

And then you come to Anna. She identifies him by proclaiming to everybody who he is, the Messiah. And then you come to an encounter in Luke chapter two at the end of Luke, the second chapter, where Christ himself is now 12 years of age.

And it's the only encounter we have of Christ between his birth and when he's 30, and that is at the age of 12. And he's going to speak. And what Christ says is the most important statement he ever makes.

What Christ says in Luke chapter two is the most important statement that he will ever make as the Messiah on this planet. Remember, he's lost. When he's lost, his parents leave Jerusalem without him.

They come back to find him. He's in the temple. He's having this encounter with the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the scribes.

He's asking them questions. They're asking him questions. And they come and find him.

And they say, where have you been? We've been looking all over for you. And what does Jesus say? Don't you know? I must be about my father's business. This is the most important statement that Christ ever makes.

And he does it at age 12. And the Bible says that Mary is confused, and so is Joseph, because he's making this declaration about his identity. I'm not your son, Mary.

I'm not Joseph's son. I am my father's son. I am the son of God.

He makes it very clear. You see, they know he's virgin born. They know he's the son of the Most High.

They know his whole life of perfection up to this point. But they're still confused about the identity of the Messiah as he says, I must be about my father's business. That's very important.

Because you see, 151 times Christ refers to the God of heaven as his father. 151 times. That's very, very important.

Why? Because there are 39 books in the Old Testament. And of those 39 books in the Old Testament, there is only two times that the God of heaven is referred to as father. Only twice.

But not in a personal sense, only in a national sense, that he is the father nationally over Israel. There are 15 other times in those 39 books that he's referred to as a father indirectly. But never would a Jew refer to the God of heaven as his personal father.

Jesus is the first to do so. Because he recognizes and understands that his father in heaven, he is one with. That's very, very important.

So if you go with me over to John chapter 5, all this is defined for you. Remember in John 5, we're at the pool of Bethesda, the house of mercy. And at this pool, there's this belief that if an angel comes and stirs the water, the very first sick person in the pool is healed.

Okay? Now, that's not true. It's just what they believed. But we know that Jesus is the ultimate healer.

He's called Jehovah Rapha in Exodus chapter 15, the Lord, my healer. So we know that God's a healer. And there's a man that's been paralyzed for 38 years.

38 years. And Christ asked him, do you want to be made well? Do you want to be healed? Well, of course he does. He tells him to take up his pallet and walk.

The problem is, it's on the Sabbath day. And the Pharisees, they go crazy over this. They go bonkers.

Not the fact that the guy's healed, but that he's walking with his pallet on the Sabbath day. And they're incensed. So they ask him, who healed you? He says, Jesus healed me.

And so when you pick up the narrative in verse number 17, it says, or Jesus answered them, that is the Jews. Now in John's gospel, the Jews are always the leadership of Israel. They're not the nation itself.

The Jews in John's gospel are always referred to as the leaders, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the scribes. So he says these words, my father is working until now, and I myself am working. Great statement.

Now listen to what it says. Verse 18, for this reason, therefore, the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God his own father, making himself equal to God. When Jesus says that he is the son of God, when Jesus says that the God of heaven is my father, he is making himself equal with God.

And every Jew knew that. That's why they wanted to kill him. In fact, if you go over to John chapter 10, in John 10, it says this in verse number 30, I and the father are one.

The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, I showed you many good works from the father. For which of them are you stoning me? The Jews answered him, for a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy.

And because you, being a man, make yourself out to be God. See, the Jews knew that when Christ claimed that the God of heaven was his father, he was claiming equality with God. No Jew in the history of Judaism would ever call the God of heaven their father, because they are not equal in nature to God.

But Jesus is. That's very important. That's why he's called the son of God.

In fact, the confession that Peter makes in Matthew's account of what Luke is talking about in Luke 9 is, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. Very, very important to realize that. Now remember, in the Old Testament, there's a phrase, sons of God.

In the Old Testament, the sons of God are always angels. In the New Testament, the phrase, sons of God, is used also. That's always referring to believing Jews or believing Gentiles.

But the son of God is a title reserved only for the Messiah of Israel. And when it says that Jesus is the son of God, the word for son is huiŏs. Very important, because huiŏs never refers to the origin of an individual.

Huiŏs always refers to equality of nature and position. Jesus is never called the little born one of God. That would be the word brephos.

He's never called the little child of God. That would be teknon. But he's called the son of God, and the word for son is huiŏs, and it never refers to the origin of anything.

It only refers to equality of nature. It refers to the position of privilege. That's very important.

So not only is Jesus called the son of God, he's also called the only begotten, right? The monogenēs. But that doesn't mean that he is begotten of God in terms of being born or created. No, he's called the monogenēs, and that is a word that deals with preeminence or the son of choice.

It's like Isaac was the monogenēs. He was the only begotten of Abraham. But he wasn't the only son of Abraham.

He wasn't even the oldest son of Abraham. Ishmael was. But Isaac was the only begotten son. He was a son of choice. He was a son of privilege. He was the select one, the unique one.

That's what monogenēs means. Jesus is also called the firstborn of creation, the prototokos. That doesn't mean he was the first one ever created, because he wasn't.

He was never created. He's the eternal God. But he is the prototokos, meaning he is the, of all those ever created, he is the preeminent one, Revelation 1:5 says he is the firstborn of all those who are resurrected.

That doesn't mean he was the first one resurrected. It means that of all the people that will ever be resurrected, he is the preeminent one. That's what prototokos means.

These are things you need to know when you talk to Jews or when you talk to Jehovah's Witnesses, because they can't refute that. They can't defend that. They don't know what to say when you begin talking to them like that, because they can't answer those questions.

But you see, it all goes to the grammar that describes the identity of Christ, that he is the son of the living God. So Christ comes and asks the question, who do men say that I am? And this is so important, because as you go through the gospel of Luke, he's always declaring his identity. In fact, if you go back to Luke chapter three, in Luke chapter three, you have the ministry of John the Baptist, and John the Baptist calls him the expected one.

And that was a title from Psalm 118 and Psalm 40 to talk about the coming Messiah. And so he identifies him as the expected one. And his baptism in Luke chapter three, it says, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove and a voice came out of heaven.

You are my beloved son and you I am well pleased. So again, his father in heaven identifies him as his beloved son. As you go on to chapter four, listen, even the devil knows the identity of Jesus.

It says in verse number 3, and the devil said to him, since you are the son of God, tell this stone to become bread. So the testimony of the devil affirms the identity of the Messiah. He truly is the son of God.

And then you go to verse number 34 of chapter four, and listen to what the demons say. Let us alone. What business do we have with each other? Jesus of Nazareth, have you come to destroy us? I know who you are.

You are the Holy One of God. So again, there's a declaration of the identity of the Messiah by the devil, by the demons, by John the Baptist, by Mary, by Anna, by Simeon, by Zacharias. It just keeps coming over and over and over again.

Even, even Peter in Luke chapter five says, go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man. And then even over in chapter, chapter seven, at the healing of the widow's son of Nain, they understand that God has visited his people when the widow's son of Nain was resurrected. And then of course, John the Baptist again calls him the expected one.

All these things are happening all the while during Jesus's ministry. And yet still people don't understand who he is. And the question comes, how do they not get it? How do they not grasp it? In fact, if you go back to Luke chapter, chapter five, the Pharisees ask this question, who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? And then you come over to chapter, chapter seven.

And they ask the same question again, who is this man who forgives sins? And then even the disciples, chapter eight, who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water to obey him? Even Herod in the ninth chapter of Luke, who is this man about whom I hear such things? See, that's the question. That's why Jesus asked, who do men say that I am? Because all throughout his ministry, people are asking, who is this guy? Who is this Nazarene? Who is this one claiming to forgive sins? Who is this one? Satan knows who he is, the demons know who he is, but the people around Israel, they have no idea who Jesus is. In spite of all the miracles, in spite of all the messages, they still don't grasp the fact that Jesus is the son of the living God.

They still don't grasp the identity of the Messiah. And you cannot be saved unless you know who he is. You cannot.

And that's so important. That's why every Christian has the same declaration. They declare his identity, that he is the son of the living God, and they declare his ministry, that he came to die for the sins of man.

They understand that. And they declare it loudly without any reservation. The Old Testament is filled with the arrival of the Messiah, and who he would be.

There was no excuse for Israel to miss it. You can go all the way back to the prophet Isaiah, who says these words, for a child will be born to us, a son will be given, and the government will rest on his shoulders, and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. This is what his name is called.

Remember, God doesn't have names, plural. Jesus doesn't have names, plural. He only has one name, and it manifests itself in different attributes.

It manifests itself in a multitude of character references. But he doesn't have names. His name will be called Wonderful.

His name will be called Counselor. His name will be called the Mighty God, the El Gabor. So the son given is God, El Gabor.

He's also the Father of Eternity, or the Everlasting Father, or the Originator of Eternity. To be the Father of something would mean to be the Originator of something, and so he's called the Father of Eternity. He is the Originator of Eternity.

The only one who can be the Originator of Eternity is somebody who is eternal, so he is the eternal God. He is the El Gabor. He is the son that's given.

So it's unmistakable in the Old Testament. In fact, it says over in Isaiah 44, verse number 6, these words. Isaiah 44, verse number 6, Thus says the Lord, thus says Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, or Jehovah Sabaoth.

Wait a minute, you have two Jehovahs. How can you have two Jehovahs? There's only one, unless the two are one. That's very important because he says, look, thus says Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of Armies.

I am the first, and I am the last, and there is no God beside me. So there's only one God, but he manifests himself as Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts. He manifests himself as the King of Israel because that's Jehovah is.

That's very important. And so it's unmistakable that there is a Redeemer, that Redeemer is the first and the last, that Redeemer is God in the flesh. Same thing is true over in Zechariah chapter 12, when God says, I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication so that they will look on me whom they have pierced.

Now that's a great question. How do you look upon a God who is a spirit who has been pierced? Because every Jew knows that God is a spirit, and Jehovah God is speaking. So he says, I will pour out on the house of David the spirit of grace and supplication and they will look on me, this is Jehovah speaking, whom they have pierced.

So you ask a Jew, when was the God of heaven pierced? That's a great question. How will they answer that? It says, and they will mourn for him. Well, who's the him? I thought it was you're going to mourn for me, the one who was pierced, but you're going to mourn for him.

Who is the him? It's the Messiah, the Messiah of Israel. You will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son and they will weep bitterly over him. You see, the triune nature of God is explicitly identified all throughout the Old Testament.

In fact, it says down in chapter 13, verse number seven, awake, O sword against my shepherd. Why? Because the shepherds of Israel led the nation into pagan idolatry. They led them away from the Lord.

So God says, I'm going to send my shepherd. And so he says, awake, O sword against my shepherd and against the man. Now the phrase, the man is not an ordinary man.

He is a supernatural man. He is a unique kind of man. It says my associate in Hebrew, it means my equal awake, O sword against my shepherd, the man who is my equal.

Well, who is that? That's the Messiah. And it says this, declares the Lord of hosts, strike the shepherd that the sheep may scattered. It speaks of the death of the shepherd, the death of the man, the death.

It was one who was equal with the God who was speaking Jehovah himself. So all throughout the Old Testament, everything pointed to the identity of the coming redeemer, the Messiah of Israel. So you come to the New Testament and you read to, for instance, the gospel of Luke and everybody in the chapters are pointing towards the identity of this Messiah, who is the redeemer, the son of God, the Holy one of Israel, the most high God.

And that's the same guy spoken of in the Old Testament. But the question still arises, who is this man? Why don't they get it? Why don't they understand it? Why can't they digest it? Why can't they wrap their arms around it? How do they miss it? How do your friends miss it? How does your family miss it? When you explain it to them so clearly, and you know who Jesus is, how come they don't grasp the identity of the Messiah? So Christ asked the question, who do men say that I am? And they're responding by saying, look, you're not normal, you're abnormal. Why? Because you're like one of the prophets who was risen from the dead.

That's what it says in Luke 9. Remember, Elijah's dead, Jeremiah's dead, John the Baptist is dead. You're Elijah, you're John the Baptist, you're Jeremiah, or you're one of the prophets who've died and you've risen again. Because what you're doing is not normal.

You're raising people from the dead. You're causing the blind to see, the lame can walk. You're causing food to be multiplied.

You're feeding thousands upon thousands of people. Everything you do is miraculous. It's amazing.

So you must be supernatural. But no one's saying you're the Messiah of Israel. No one is saying you're the God of Israel.

No one is saying that you're the Son of God. Why not? How come they're not saying that? Well, the answer lies in the 12th chapter of John's gospel. So turn to John chapter 12.

And you want to know the answer as to why those children of yours who were raised in a Christian home don't embrace Jesus as their Lord and Savior. You want to know why the neighbor that you've been witnessing to for years and years and years doesn't become a Christian. You want to know why you have witnessed to your parents for years and they have yet to embrace Christ as their Messiah.

How could that possibly be? When you explain to them over and over again the overwhelming evidence that Jesus is exactly who he says he is in the Scriptures, and you read to them the gospels, but yet they still do not believe. How does that possibly happen? When you come to John chapter 12, you're on Tuesday of Passion Week. In John chapter 12 earlier, on Monday, he rides into Jerusalem on the backside of a donkey.

That's called the triumphal entry. If you've been with us for a long time, you know it's on Monday, not Sunday. It's very important to realize what the text says.

It's on Monday he rides into Jerusalem on the backside of a donkey, and they praise him as the Son of David. They praise him as the King of Israel. Hosanna! Save now! They're all ecstatic and excited about Jesus coming into Jerusalem.

That's earlier in chapter 12. But then as you read on, and Christ begins to foretell his death, because you see not only is his identity important, but his ministry is important. Why? Because his ministry flows from his identity.

Only one person can die for your sins. I can die. I can shed my blood, but my blood does nothing for you.

My blood's only good for me. My blood is no good for you. But when Jesus dies and sheds his blood, he provides forgiveness for all those who believe in him.

That's very important to understand that. And so it says in verse number 34 of John 12, the crowd answered him, we have heard out of the law that the Christ, the Messiah, is to remain forever. The Messiah is going to live forever.

Why? Isaiah 9:6. He's the everlasting Father. He is the originator of eternity.

He is eternal. All throughout the Old Testament it points to the eternality of the Messiah. So they say to Jesus, we have heard that the Messiah is going to live forever.

You're talking to us about dying. You're saying that you're the Messiah. But how can that possibly be? You're going to die.

The Messiah is not going to die. He's going to live forever. How can you say the Son of Man must be lifted up? How can you say that? Now, that's important because the phrase Son of Man used 80-plus times by Jesus to define who he is because it would reference Daniel 7, 13 and 14.

And every Jew knows about the vision that Daniel had of the coming Messiah in the flesh, one like a Son of Man descending from heaven. So Jesus would always use the phrase the Son of Man to identify with Daniel 7 because he really is a Son of Man descending from heaven. That's who he is.

And so now they come back to him and say, wait a minute, the Son of Man is the Messiah and he's supposed to live forever. But you're telling us that you're the Son of Man and you're going to be lifted up. You're going to die.

You're going to be crucified. So here comes the question, who is this Son of Man? Same question. It's the same question over and over and over again all throughout the Gospels.

Who is Jesus? That's why Christ asked the question, who do men say that I am? It is the important question ever asked and ever answered. Answer it correctly, it delights your soul. Answer it incorrectly, it damns your soul.

It is life's most important question. And they're still asking it three days before they crucify him. Who is this Son of Man? They still don't get it.

They still don't know who he is. So read on. So Jesus said to them, for a little while longer the light is among you.

Walk while you have the light so that darkness will not overtake you. He walks in the darkness, does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become sons of the light.

Christ says that he's the light of the world. In John chapter 1, he's the light that enlightens every man in the world. So Christ says, while the light is among you, for a little while longer, three more days, believe the light while you can.

Because there's coming a day where the light will no longer shine and you'll be in darkness. So believe in the light because the Son of Man is the light of the world. And so it says in verse number 36, the latter portion, these things Jesus spoke and he went away and hid himself from them.

That's a very dangerous place to be when Jesus, the light of the world, hides himself from you. Why would he do that? We don't. But though he had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in him.

He had done everything for three years. There is no doubt who he is, but they're still asking the same question. Who is the Son of Man? And so while he did all these things in front of him and them, they still were not believing in him.

This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, which he spoke, Lord who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For this reason, they could not believe. Notice, they would not believe. Now they cannot believe.

Their willful rejection of the Messiah led to their judicial rejection by the Messiah. Because they willfully rejected him as Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David, Messiah of Israel, God's Messiah, because they willfully rejected him, now they are judicially in a state of rejection forever, for God has turned out the lights on them. Because they would not believe, now they cannot believe.

That's what Jesus says. So are we done? For Isaiah said again, he has blinded their eyes and he has hardened their hearts that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart and be converted, and I heal them. These things Isaiah said because he saw his glory and he spoke of him.

Nevertheless, many even of the rulers believed in him, but, big but, because the Pharisees, they were not confessing him for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. So here comes the answer as to why the people you witness to, family, friends, relatives, do not believe. Next verse.

For they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. That's why your friends and family do not believe. They love the approval of man more than they love the approval of God.

Put it this way. The affirmation of a false system is more valuable to them than the transformation by a true Savior. The affirmation of a false system is more valuable to them than the transformation by a true Savior.

They love the approval of men. They love the recognition that they receive. They love to be accepted by men.

See, unbelievers love the praise of man. Unbelievers love the acceptance by man. The unbelievers love the approval of man.

They love the affirmation of man. They love the recognition of man. They love that.

That's the characteristic of the unbeliever. The believer doesn't care about that. He just cares about being approved by God.

Pleasing God. Let me illustrate this for you further. Turn to John chapter 9. Go back a couple of pages.

John chapter 9. In John chapter 9, you have a man who's been blind from birth, who is healed by the Lord, who can now see. The problem is Jesus healed him on the Sabbath. Again, the Jews, the religious establishment, is furious.

Instead of praising God that a man who's been blind from birth can now see, they're angry at the fact that this man was healed on the Sabbath. And they want to know who did this. So he explains to them, who did this? And so, it says in verse number 18, the Jews then did not believe it for, believe it of him, that he had been blind and had to receive sight until they called the parents of the very one who had received the sight.

And questioned him saying, is this your son who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see? Verse 20. His parents answered them and said, we know that this is our son, and we know that our son was born blind. We know that for certain.

But how he now sees, we do not know. Or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him.

He is of age. He will speak for himself. These are the guy's parents.

And your parents love you. They want to protect you. They want to make sure they speak for you.

And so the Jews say, this is your son. Was he born blind? Yes, he was. So now how can he see? We don't know.

Ask him. Why would they say that? Read on. His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews.

For the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him to be Christ, the Messiah, he was to be put out of the synagogue. For this reason, his parents said, he is of age. Ask him.

The approval or the affirmation of a false system was more important to them than the transformation by a true Savior. That is the only biblical reason given as to why people do not believe. They would not believe.

So now they cannot believe. Very important. And because they cannot believe, there has been a judicial rejection, and they did not believe from the very beginning.

Why? It is because they did not want to receive any kind of rejection from their friends, or from their relatives, or from those who are higher up. They loved the approval of the world. They loved the approval of man.

They loved the recognition they received from man. They don't want to give that up. So therefore, they will not capitulate to the Christ.

Matthew's account says these words, who do you say that I am? Peter says, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Now listen carefully. Jesus says, blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah.

You are blessed. Why? Because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you. But my Father, who is in heaven, revealed this to you.

Monumental statement. You cannot convince somebody that Jesus is the Son of the living God. No matter how hard you try, no matter how great your argument, no matter how well versed you are in scripture, you cannot convince them.

Peter made the great confession, this great declaration about the identity of Christ, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And the only way he could do that was not because somebody in human flesh convinced him that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus made that statement.

Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you. Nobody of a human nature revealed this to you, Peter. But my Father, who is in heaven, He revealed it to you.

Wow. Nobody can confess Christ as Lord unless the Father reveals Christ as Lord to them. The Father must do that.

If someone does not believe in the deity of Christ, you're not going to convince them that Christ is God in flesh. You can't. God has to work in their heart.

God has to reveal it to them. That's why salvation is the work of God and not a work of man. Yes, we preach the gospel.

And yes, God uses His word in the lives of people to open their hearts. But God does all that. We do not.

We are vessels. We are spokespeople. We are preachers of the good news.

But it does not depend upon me in order for you to be saved. That's God's work. And only God can reveal to you His identity.

Life's most important question, who do men say that I am? Without the Christ, it's not the living God. Note this. Matthew chapter 11.

Verse 25, at that time, Jesus said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants, to babes. Yes, Father, for this way was well pleasing in your sight. Why did God reveal himself to some and not to all? Because this was his good pleasure.

That's why. Verse 27, all things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal him. Wow, what a statement.

The only people who come to know Christ are the ones to whom God reveals himself to them. That's it. But the question still remains, who do you say that I am? Why? Because, look, he goes right into verse 28, from divine election to human volition.

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find a rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

God gives an invitation to all. Come. Come to me, all ye that are labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you rest.

But you can't come, or you won't come, unless the Father has revealed himself to you. So, therefore, the Christian's declaration is this, Jesus Christ is God's Messiah. He is the Son of the living God.

Every believer declares that loudly and clearly, without reservation, because they know. And not only that, they also declare the ministry of the Messiah. For back in Luke chapter 9, Jesus says this, he warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone.

Why? Why not tell everybody that Jesus is the Messiah, the Messiah of God? He says, don't tell them that. Why? Because they have a misconstrued idea of who the Messiah is. Instead, tell them 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 raised up on the third day.

Every believer declares the centrality of the cross. They'll speak, first of all, about the necessity of the cross. He must suffer.

Then they'll talk about the certainty of the cross, because it is going to happen. Then they talk about the brutality of the cross, because he will be scourged, he will be mopped, he will be beaten, he will be killed. And then they always talk about the victory of the cross.

He will rise again on the third day. The identity and ministry of the Son of God is a declaration that every believer makes without reservation, without hesitation, and without question. Why? Because it is their absolute conviction of who Jesus is.

And that conviction becomes their confession and declaration. And that's why they proclaim it loudly. That's the gospel.

That's the message that we have. And every believer declares that. Not only does he make a decision to follow Christ, not only is he defined by those who worship God in spirit, those who take no confidence in the flesh and glory only in Christ Jesus, and not only are they described as being in Christ and Christ being in them, but they make this declaration publicly and loudly that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God.

And he is the only one who could die for your sins. He did it at Calvary. And he rose again the third day because he's the victorious warrior over sin, death, and Satan.

On top of that, he's coming again. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for today.

We thank you for the opportunity you give us to study your word. Pray, Lord, that we would all understand the great declaration of Peter and the apostles, and come to realize who you are and what you've done, and that we'd live in the light of your glorious kingdom. Our prayer, Father, is that we would truly honor you as you live each day.

Thank you for your word. Thank you for its clarity. Thank you that when we read it, we can understand it because we're children of the living God.

You've opened our hearts. You've helped us to see who you are. We grasp your identity.

And our prayer, Father, is for those close to us, our family, our friends, our work associates, our teammates, our classmates, that as we speak forth the gospel, they would come to understand who you are and what you did for the glory of your kingdom. In Jesus' name, amen.