April 16 – Easter Sunday 2017 – “But What About You?”

Easter Sunday – Matthew 16:13-17

:

or transmigration of souls, was a pretty common known and recognized Pharisaical doctrine.

– In Isaiah 40:3, the prophet writes about a person in the desert who prepares the way for the Lord. This prophecy foreshadowed the life of John the Baptist, who played an important role in preparing the groundwork for the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus was born shortly after John the Baptist about 2000 years ago.

The New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John include details about John the Baptist. In Matthew 3, for example, we are told that John the Baptist preached in the desert of Judea and that he baptized Jesus. In John 1:29-34, John the Baptist announced that Jesus is the Son of God, and that he is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

– About a hundred years had passed in ancient Israel since the time of King David, who had set a high standard of faithfulness and integrity in serving the one true 

. Now a wicked king named Ahab did more to provoke God to anger than all the kings of Israel who had come before him (1 Kings 16:33). The date was around 870 B.C.

The apostasy during Ahab’s reign was the result of many years of corrupt kings and increasing evil, until wickedness filled the land. A majority of the people had yielded to Satan and his demons through their worship of the Canaanite gods Baal and Ashtoreth. Still, God had declared that there were 7,000 persons in Israel who had not worshipped Baal during that very wicked time (1 Kings 19:18).

– 26 times used and explained the word salvation.

– prophesied to the Jews in Judea and in captivity. Jeremiah worked during the years that the  Babylonian captivity started. The kings in Judah at that time were Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah. Jeremiah wrote between 627 and 585 BC. Other prophets who wrote during his time were Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Ezekiel and Daniel.

– Ezekiel prophesied during the reigns of Zedekiah (King of Judah) and the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar.

The prophet Ezekiel’s name means “God strengthens” or “strengthened by God.” His prophecy greatly focused on temple worship and the priesthood. Throughout the book there is emphasis on the necessity of punishment for sin so that God’s grace can be seen. There would be a time when God would restore a small remnant of His people to Himself. Ezekiel concerned himself with reminding the people of their sins which brought judgment, but that God would keep His covenant with the people of Israel.

– though we call him a prophet today, he did not hold an official position as a prophet. Therefore, in the Hebrew Bible he is classified in the books of poetry, or the books of writings. We know much about his personal life and the story of him being thrown into a 

. What many may not realize is that he was an old man by the time that event took place. Certainly he was as old as 80 and maybe up to 90 years old.

The book was written to encourage the exiled Jews. The theme of the book is the sovereignty of God; that He will judge the wickedness of the world and restore His people according to His promises.

– Jonah lived during the reign of Jeroboam II which spanned the years 786-746 BC.

Jonah was sent to prophesy to Nineveh. The prophecy centers on the fact that God will provide forgiveness to other nations if they will repent and turn to Him.

– The nation of Israel had turned away from God. Micah’s message was one of judgment, but also of hope. If Israel would repent and turn to God, there would be mercy and hope for the nation. However, judgment was sure if there was no repentance. The problem was not that Israel refused to worship—they seemed to be completely caught up in religious ritual—the problem was that their worship was not directed towards God. They worshiped for the sake of ritual, not for the sake of God. God wanted faithful and humble living before Him, not outlandish worship directed elsewhere (Micah 6:8).

: Jesus asks the disciples,

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?

Let me give a common understanding and then a more sophisticated historical understanding.

The common understanding is that “Son of God” implies his deity—which it does—and that “Son of Man” implies his humanity, which it does too.

He was a son of man, that is, a human being. And he is the Son of God, in that he has always existed as the Eternally Begotten One who comes forth from the Father forever. He always has, and he always will. He is the Second Person of the Trinity with all of the divine nature fully in him.

He is born of a virgin. He had a human father but he didn’t have sex with this virgin until Jesus was conceived. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the virgin Mary. Thus he is human—fully human. The Bible wants to emphasize that he is fully human.

So that’s the common understanding: he is both divine and he is human—two natures, one person.

The more sophisticated and important historical insight is that the term “Son of Man” doesn’t merely align him with humanity. It is probably taken from Daniel 7. And if you read that chapter you’ll see that the Son of Man is a very exalted figure: not just a human figure but an exalted figure. It was Jesus’ favorite self-designation.

If you do a study of the term “Son of Man” in the Gospels you’ll see that he didn’t refer to himself most often as Son of God but as Son of Man. He said things like, in 

, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” So he calls himself Son of Man very often.

He was born of a man. And there’s no offense there: who isn’t a son of man? But those with ears to hear could hear Daniel 7, in which he was claiming a very exalted role in the history of redemption. And he meant to do it.

Jesus was very subtle in that he was always opening his identity to those with eyes to see, but he wasn’t opening it so blatantly that everybody would come and make him king. He had to steer a very narrow course in disclosing his identity, not just openly saying, “I’m the Messiah, I’m the King of the World. Come and acknowledge me as King.” He didn’t talk like that.

: Have you ever wondered who had/has the advantage in faith, whether those who we present to see his ministry and miracles or us now who have the historical narrative and Word?

: All that to say, I don’t believe it was so much the first question that Jesus asked was what he was fishing for.

I think it was the second, where he turns to the disciples and asks, “but whom do you say that I am?” (

Peter’s response in verse 16, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

–

{khris-tos’}

Christ = “anointed” 1) Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God 2) anointed

– zao {dzah’-o}

1) to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead) 2) to enjoy real life 2a) to have true life and worthy of the name 2b)active, blessed, endless in the kingdom of God 3) to live i.e. pass life, in the manner of the living and acting 3a) of mortals or character 4) living water, having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul 5) metaph. to be in full vigour 5a) to be fresh, strong, efficient, 5b) as adj. active, powerful, efficacious

: Today it doesn’t matter as much who I think Jesus is, or who others think Jesus is, It’s more important that you know and decide who Jesus is.

– Two witnessing the very same thing, but with two totally different decisions.