A Most Important Question
Apologies for the inconsistent audio
Introduction
- Jesus asks the most important question ...
- ... about eternity
- Reading Luke 9:18-36
- Who do the people of Cardiff say Jesus is? (v18-19)
- Different things - examples
- The people of Israel:
- John the Baptist risen from the dead - his message was repent
- Elijah risen again - the Elijah figure was actually John the Baptist
- One of the prophets risen again
- What about you?
- Jesus has put His disciples in the spotlight
- Peter answered - the Messiah
- It was not flesh and blood that revealed this - but God the Father
- If you do not know - ask God
- Jesus warned the disciples not to reveal this to anyone (v21)
- They understood who He was
- They did not understand what He had come to do
- They had a militaristic mis-understanding
- Jesus explained His mission (v22)
- To go to the cross
- The only way to save sinners
- To be rejected, crucified and to rise on the third day
- To follow Jesus (v23)
- You must deny yourself
- It is not self-denial but deny self
- Not putting ourselves but Jesus first
- Jesus first, others second, yourselves last
- You must daily take up your cross
- Dying to your old life
- A decision to follow Jesus
- Daily because there is no place for 'me' time
- Become His disciple
- Christianity is all about Christ - not about us
- It is not a wealth, health and prosperity gospel
- Infact, they could not get rid of Jesus fast enough
- Our lives (v24)
- You can try and get away with life - but lose it
- Whoever loses His life for Jesus will save their life
- Selfishness is not the way to happiness
- Consider the spiritual dimension
- Consider the math
- Worldly profit (v25)
- Example of St Tropez
- We are body and soul
- Our soul is eternal
- If we gain everything in this world - our soul is still more valuable
- The price of our soul was the price Jesus paid to redeem it
- God laid down His life to redeem us
- We should ask Jesus to show us the value of our soul
- Our worldly attitude (v26)
- If we are ashamed of Jesus in this life - He will be ashamed of us in eternity
- Our attitude to Jesus in this life will determine His attitude to us in heaven
- Some people will get it / be saved before Jesus even dies (v27)
- God will break into some peoples lives
- Personal testimony and example
- The Christian life is not boring!
- We do not see and then hear - we hear and then see
- The transfiguration (v28-29)
- His deity begins to shine through
- The apostles begin to see God's unapproachable light
- The appearance of the prophets (v30)
- Revealed to the apostles by the Holy Spirit
- They are reflecting the glory and splendor of Jesus
- Moses and Elijah speaks about Jesus' work of salvation
- Peter's reaction (v32-33)
- It is good to be here ... let us build three shelters
- Jesus is not on the same level of Moses and Elijah - He is the Son of God
- Peter did not understand what he was saying
- God the Father's presence (v34-45)
- This is my Son - listen to Him
- Listen to Jesus
- Jesus remains (v36)
- Moses and Elijah had returned to heaven
- Jesus commanded them to silence until He had risen from the dead
- Jesus' Crucifixion was special - the who and the why
- In His one life and one death - the forgiveness of sin
- Ask Jesus to save you today