WHO ARE YOU FOLLOWING?
People’s Church San Diego: Easter 2023
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is? ‘Well, they replied, “Some say John the Baptist; some say Elijah; and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?’” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:13-16
WHY IT DOES MATTER TO SAY WHO JESUS IS
“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
WHY SHOULD YOU FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST?
I. BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS… HE IS GOD
Because He is God:
1. He is all-knowing.
“You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.” Psalms 139:4
2. He is everywhere.
“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” Psalms 139:7-10 (NLT)
3. He is all powerful; He has unlimited power.
“Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty; the LORD, invincible in battle.” Psalm 24:8
4. He never changes; His character never changes.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
5. He is full of perfect unchanging wisdom.
“Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” Romans 11:33
6. He is faithful; He is infinitely unchangingly true.
“Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.” Deuteronomy 7:9
7. He is a Good God Infinitely unchangingly kind, and full of good will.
“Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” Psalms 34:8
8. He is just; He is infinitely unchangeably right and perfect in all He does.
“He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!” Deuteronomy 32:4
9. He is Merciful, Compassionate, and Kind.
“For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” Romans 9:15-18
10. He is gracious infinitely inclined to spare the guilty.
“The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.” Psalms 145:8
11. He is loving; Infinitely and unchangingly loves us.
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8 (NLT)
12. He is holy; infinitely and unchangingly perfect and pure.
“Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” Revelation 4:8
13. He is Glorious; He is infinitely Beautiful and great.
“His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise. Rays of light flash from his hands, where his awesome power is hidden.” Habakkuk 3:4
14. He is faithful; He is infinitely unchangingly true.
“Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.” Deuteronomy 7:9
15. He is a Good God Infinitely unchangingly kind and full of good will.
“Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” Psalms 34;8
16. He is just; He is infinitely unchangeably right and perfect in all He does.
“He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!” Deuteronomy 32:4
17. He is Merciful, Compassionate, and Kind.
“For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” Romans 9:15-18
18. He is gracious infinitely inclined to spare the guilty.
“The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.” Psalms 145:8
19. He is loving; Infinitely and unchangingly love us.
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8
20. He is holy; infinitely and unchangingly perfect and pure.
“Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” Revelations 4:8
II. BECAUSE OF WHAT HE’S DONE FOR YOU (Ten Things Jesus Has Done for Us)
1. He became a Servant that we might become saved. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
2. He was rejected that we might be become accepted. “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” John 1:11-12
3. He became poor that we might become rich. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9
4. He became homeless that we might gain a home in heaven. “Jesus said to him, ‘The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’” Matthew 8:20.
5. He became hungry that we might become fed. “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” John 6:51
6. He was stripped that we might become clothed. “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Galatians 3:26-27
7. He became weary that we might become rested. “Come to Me, all who are weary and 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 rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29
8. He was bound that we might become free. “He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19
9. He died that we might live. “Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.” 1 Thessalonians 5:10
10. He will descend that we will rise up. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
(Jesus) “I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NLT)
(Apostle Peter talking about Jesus Christ) “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be save.” Acts 4:12 (NLT)
(Jesus to Matthew) “…and He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he (Matthew) rose and followed Him.” Matthew 9:9
WILL YOU FOLLOW HIM?