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Luke 9:18-27 Who Do You Say That He Is? Good morning Church, it is great to be here with you all this morning. The title of the message this morning is “Who do you say He is?” You see this is a very important question, if not the most important thing to consider in your life. Who is to you? You see, this question reveals if your faith is founded upon what others say of Him or what the Truth of God’s Word declares of Him. Now, maybe to you, Jesus is just another Man in history who did some good, and you are amused by His life, His teachings, and you don’t mind being around His followers. Maybe to you, Jesus provides one belief system among many others to follow. He is One Way among many other ways. Maybe to you He was just a great . Today, this is a popular belief because it builds a bridge among Christian’s to Islam, because even Islam accepts Jesus as the Greatest Prophet. And in our pluralistic world, this is widely accepted. P a g e | 2

But as we will see this morning, all of these ideas come up way short in their assessment especially when held up to the truth of God’s Word. I find it fascinating that according to the Pew Research Center that in our great state of California, 63% of Californians identify as Christians. Now, I don’t know what you see out there in our streets, but it surely does not seem like 63% of Californians are living Christ Centered lives. I believe the landscape and direction of our State would be a lot different if those who are confessing as their belief were true in their faith. You see it matters who Jesus is, this is what separates true and genuine faith with a false faith. They also surveyed Californians as asked “what was the frequency of participation in prayer, scripture study or religious education.” The survey said 61% Seldom or Never participate in those things. You understand that means only 2% of those who call themselves Christians actually commit themselves to understanding what that really means. 51% Seldom or Never read the scriptures. And 57% believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases. P a g e | 3

The sanctity of marriage, as God designed it, between one man and one woman, is only held by 32% of adults in California. 41% believe we evolved from a blob of goo over the course of billions of years. http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/california/ Now something is not adding up, how can a state that 63% of the population claims to be Christian, have such a warped worldview. Well, it all comes down to who Jesus is to them. This morning, we will see the way you answer this question will affect the way you live your life. Our text this morning will be in Luke chapter 9 verses 18-27… Let’s pray… Luke in this section of his writing is setting before His readers the understanding of whom Jesus is. This main point began back in Luke 9:9 Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?" So he sought to see Him. Herod asked “Who is this?” This was answered without any doubt when Luke recorded the feeding of the 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. As Jesus’ hands begin to miraculously create an abundance of food for the multitude, the only P a g e | 4 conclusion that the reader can make is that Jesus is Lord of Creation. Now, Luke will skip over some very important events in the , these seven events are recorded in Mark’s record in chapter 6 verse 45 through chapter 8 verse 26. Luke not wanting to leave his main point, and the build up to this important discovery for the disciples of just who Jesus was, and what it meant for their lives, he chooses to skip those other events. So without giving the place or setting of this next part Luke records in verse 18… Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ(Matt 16:13-20; :27-30) 9:18 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" 19 So they answered and said, ", but some say ; and others say that one of the old has risen again." Now, both Mark and Matthew give us the geographical location of this incident, and I believe it is important, it gives us a little more context here. Remember Jesus’ Galilean ministry is over, Jesus is now setting a course to , and here the disciples have arrived in Caesarea Philippi, and if you P a g e | 5 are going to Israel in November with us, we will most likely stop here. Jesus has the attention of Herod the Murderer, so He makes His way outside of that madman’s territory. Caesarea Philippi is near the base of Mount Hermon, and one of the sources of water for the Jordon River, as the snow topped mountains continually feed water to the river. Now this was heathen territory, many gods were worshipped here, the most prominent was the great god Pan. He like many of the Greek and Roman gods was associated with sex and fertility. He is also associated with the field and nature. This was a center for many belief’s and really was a strange place for Jesus to take His disciples to withdraw from the crowds, to teach them, and really bring them to the greatest revelation of who He was. It was in the midst of a culture of relativism and the idea of anything goes, that Jesus will make His identity known to the disciples. It is here in an area that celebrates a pantheon of gods, that Jesus will make clear, that there is only One God, and One Way. And He will challenge the disciples to sacrifice and stand for that Truth, regardless of what they will lose. P a g e | 6

Interestingly, before Jesus brings His disciples to this great revelation, we see first He was alone in prayer. Jesus knows that there is a coming crisis in Jerusalem, and these disciples will have to be able to confess who Jesus is, even as their own lives will be threatened. Jesus in sync with the Father continually, and He is most likely asking for guidance to ask the right question, so His disciples would never forget the truth revealed in this moment. They would need to be steadfast in their understanding of Jesus, they could not be double- minded or uncertain of who Jesus was, otherwise they could not stand in sight of great hostility. I will quickly point out Jesus is often found praying, and in other places we see it usually was early in the morning, I will just simply put that out there this morning. I don’t know what your mornings consist of, but I imagine if Jesus needed prayer for His day, being the Son of God, I imagine we could benefit greatly by doing the same. So Jesus here starts His questioning with the broad question, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And we see the culture’s idea of who Jesus was, as the disciples explain the mixed bag of ideas. P a g e | 7

Some think Jesus is John the Baptist, some think He is Elijah, others a prophet of old. The people were divided in their idea of who Jesus was. But we see for the general Hebrew population, the majority saw Him favorably. They were impressed with His prophetic demeanor, at best most thought He was One of the prophets who had come back to life. But they failed to understand that He was the Divine Deliverer sent from Heaven to save them, not from Rome, but from the consequences of their sin. And although they were close in their concept of who Jesus was, their misconception was good mile from where they needed to be. Now Jesus was very calculated in what He was asking the disciples here. He had them recite what the culture thought of Jesus, and He is preparing them to make a confession that strictly contradicts the culture’s understanding. The disciples will have to cling to, and hold onto a very unpopular view of Jesus, and in spite of their difference, Jesus will expect them to stand firm on their understanding. Now as they are reasoning through the false ideas of Jesus, He pointedly asks them now in verse 20… P a g e | 8

20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God." We can picture here, Peter the Bold Spokesmen of the Twelve, getting excited and eyes beaming, as the reality sets in. It has been unspoken up to this point. The disciples have seen the miracles, they have heard the preaching and teaching, they have witnessed the amazing authority that their Teacher has shown over principalities, over sickness, even over nature. And here their hearts burst, as Jesus allows them to come to this understanding, and confess Jesus is the Christ of God. Christ is the Greek version of the Hebrew title of Messiah, it means ‘Anointed One.’ This would be the long awaited Jewish Hero, and the disciple’s hearts would be reeling right now. You see what we think about Jesus means everything for us, what we believe about Him is so, so vital to our eternal destiny. We see here, that the Apostle’s understanding stands for the most part in direct contrast to that of the culture that surrounds them. You see the true believer will be able to boldly speak up for Truth, even when it flies in the face of popular culture. P a g e | 9

We must be willing to go against the flow of the masses. Conformity to the world, compromise on our beliefs, and an unwillingness to stand out for Christ, is very much condemned in the scriptures. Rom. 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. We cannot, we must not let this world influence our understanding of Jesus Christ. Your fallen professor, your spiritual aunt, and popular culture are not the authority on this issue. Our understanding of our faith should come from the Word of God, as it renews our mind and understanding. We cannot be conformed to this world. Also we see in 2 Cor. 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? You see our faith cannot blend with this world’s understanding of Jesus to put together a more palatable Jesus for the masses. We must stand on the Truth of Who Jesus is, even if it is not popular. P a g e | 10

We are also told in… 1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. Our lives are not bound up in this world, our lives and message stand in stark contrast to that of the worlds. Jesus prayed for His followers in John 17:16-19 and He said… 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. You see we are to be spiritually different from those wrapped up in this world, this separation actually sets us apart to be a blessing to this world. Paul said in Phil 2:14-16 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life…. P a g e | 11

As you separate yourself from the corruption of this world, you will stand out as a shining light in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation. When you hold fast to the Word of Life, the Truth sets you apart. And here in Luke, we see while the majority of the culture was declaring Jesus to be a good man, either the Baptist, Elijah, or another prophet of old, a wonderful teacher, a great healer, a skilled carpenter. But none of those gave credence to the Truth of who Jesus was, the true follower of Jesus must answer “You are the Christ of God.” This Jesus is humanities only hope, He is the only way, the only salvation. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. It is only in the Name of the Christ Jesus that any man can be saved from sin’s sentence of death. We cannot waiver, we cannot compromise this message. We must stand as Peter did full of the Holy Spirit in front of the religious rulers of his day, and declare… Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." P a g e | 12

Jesus is the Christ of God, the Messiah, the Anointed One. And when you look at our culture today, when 63% of our State claim the title Christian, we see that the majority of that number have compromised on what it means to call Christ our Savior. Now, the disciples here don’t completely understand what sense Jesus was the Christ, it will actually take these men a very long time to learn the reality of what Jesus is teaching here. But today we have God’s Clear Word on what this means for us. We have the privilege of having the details of the disciple’s own journey into the depth of this understanding and what it means for a follower of Christ. The disciples have come to the understanding that Jesus was the Anointed One that the Jewish Nation had been waiting for since the time of . The Anointed One would be sent to deliver Israel, this Christ would regather God’s people from the four corners of the earth, and would center His Kingdom in Jerusalem. Isaiah the Prophet spoke of this Messiah in Isa 9:6-7 6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; P a g e | 13

And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. This was a Messianic Prophecy pointing to a time when the world would center on Jerusalem, and the Rule of Jesus. And this was the main idea of the Christ during the time of Jesus. But Isaiah had other things to say about the Messiah, and these were for the most part overlooked. Isa 53:2-5 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. P a g e | 14

3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. You see there were 2 comings spoken of, and the Messiah would first come, and be the ultimate sacrifice for humanities failure and sins. But the people under Rome’s heavy hand wanted the Conquering King, and that is where their hope lay. But Jesus came first as the Sin-Bearing Christ. And Jesus will use this opportunity in Caesarea Philippi to reveal this… Now this is interesting because the multitude missed the idea that Jesus could be the Messiah altogether in their assessment. P a g e | 15

Yet for those who were even starting to lean that way in their understanding of the Messiah, their ideas were earthly, they thought He should be a political or military leader. In John’s account, we see right after the feeding of the 5000, that some hearts were hopeful for a Ruler. Jesus knew this, :15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. And here at this mountain Peter speaks what they are all hoping. Jesus is their long-awaited Anointed One and Savior. But what were they to be saved from? Was Jesus there to set up His earthly Kingdom now and save them from Rome? Well Jesus will bring clarity to all that this means for His followers. He will bring about the correct understanding. And Jesus will next make very clear what this profound revelation entails. He will try to get them to understand immediately after the declaration of Truth, that Jesus was the Christ of God, that He was not here to rule yet, but first came to suffer… P a g e | 16

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection (Matt 16:20-23; Mark 8:30-33) 21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 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 the third day." Now in the excitement of this revelation, no one would expect Jesus to command them to be silent about it all. Now, of course if He was the Nation’s Conquering King, the people were ready and ripe to follow Jesus into a political uprising. The Jews detested their current state of being subjected to their Gentile Overlords. They longed for deliverance and would have followed anyone claiming to be the Messiah. If Jesus were widely heralded as this Anointed One, the spirit of Israel would have rose up against their enemies. But Jesus was not on an earthly mission, their current state of misery was only temporary, Jesus was on a heavenly mission. He had eternity in mind, and had He come to destroy Rome only, it would have left humanity lost and destined to a perilous eternity. P a g e | 17

So Jesus makes claim to the Suffering Servant spoken of in Isaiah 53, and that was the true reality of what ‘Christ of God’ meant. It was of necessity that He suffer, and be rejected by the elders, priests and scribes, who made up the Sanhedrin. The hierarchy of the Jews would hear Jesus’ claims and reject Him. Jesus is leaving no doubt in their minds that what lay ahead was a cross. Jesus very plainly tells the disciples that He will be killed. But death was not the whole story, because Jesus would be raised on the third day. Setting the plan of salvation into motion on this earth, once and for all. Now, Jesus taught them plainly, and directly, but as we follow this story in the months to come, their own ideas of Jesus seemingly blinded them to what He was saying. When they concluded Jesus was the Messiah, their hearts burst with excitement, as they foresaw places of prominence within the Kingdom. They saw grandeur and position, as they knew their Teacher was the Anointed One. P a g e | 18

And these thoughts will blind them all the way to the cross, where we will see them scattered and afraid. They will not come to remember these words of Jesus until after their great failure and humiliation. They heard Jesus predict His death over and over again, but they never accepted it, because it did not fit into their own ideas of Messiah. Jesus even mentioned His own Resurrection here, but even at that, they will doubt when His death comes. They would eventually have to come to the place that they would understand that confessing Christ meant they were embracing a Suffering Savior. Who do you say that He is, if He is your Savior this morning that means you embrace His suffering, and believe upon His sacrifice for your salvation. New Life, Resurrected Life does not come without embracing first the Suffering Savior. We must come to the place where we say as Paul did in… Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. We cling to that Cross, and understand it was Christ’s Atoning Sacrifice that delivers us and brings us hope. Who do you say that He is? You see it is so important that you know who He is. P a g e | 19

To the World, this message of a Suffering Servant cannot fit into their ideas of a Hero. 1 Cor. 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Now again, what we believe of Jesus will make all the difference in how we live our lives. As we will see next when we confess Christ, the Biblical Christ, when we embrace His Dying on the cross for us, then we come to understand that there is now a reality of a cross for us to bear. You see this next section is the separating factor of a true disciple of Christ from the false actor. And perhaps we will see why our State with 63% claiming a Christian faith, are not all truly Christian. And the fruit of the worship of a false Christ is evident in much of the Church today. We have a cross to bear as well… Take Up the Cross and Follow Him(Matt 16:24-27; Mark 8:34-38) 23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Now this is interesting, Jesus makes no transition here between His own sufferings to these three requirements for any that would follow Him. P a g e | 20

Jesus tells the genuine Christian, that three requirements will come after salvation. Remember Salvation is Freely given, by Grace you have been saved, it is of no work of your own. But after Salvation, the follower of Christ does have expectations. Jesus lays out three here in verse 23. Let me say this, if you are miserable in your walk of faith. I will suggest that one of these requirements are not being met in your life. If you want to find the best life, it will be one lived in obedience to all that Christ commands here. Of course, it goes against our very nature and is in stark contrast to this world’s philosophy. First, the Genuine Believer will live a life of Self-Denial. Living for Christ means to abdicate or abandon the throne of our lives. We must radically and vehemently condemn selfishness in our lives. Understand, when a life is lived with the “Me-god” on the throne, if every decision you make in life is to better yourself than your Christianity is flawed. We must deny ourselves, our lives are to be lived for Christ’s agenda and the betterment of others. P a g e | 21

You want a better marriage, Deny yourself, and put your wife or husband first. This goes for every area of our lives, deny yourself. Secondly, Jesus says daily! Daily we must take up our cross. Now these disciples knew what this meant, you see during this time, when they saw a man carrying a cross out of the city, it meant only one thing. It meant that man was never coming back, he was going outside the city to be hung on that cross, and it meant certain death. Jesus says daily we must take up our cross and die to self! Now what are our crosses? These are not simply hardships and trials. Some think difficult bosses and unfair co-workers, or a strict teacher are crosses they bear. They sit in traffic, and claim, “Oh, my cross is burdensome.” Some think a backache or a toddler crying all night are crosses to bear. These are modern ideas brought about in our culture. We accredit any hardship to a cross we carry. Not so, the cross results from specifically laying down your life, and walking in Christ’s steps. P a g e | 22

Embracing His Life. It comes from bearing persecution from this world as a result of walking on the Narrow Pathways of life. It comes from living out Christ-like ethics in your business, in your relationships, in your community and in this world. It comes from the sacrifice that comes to your life in your commitment to serve Jesus. The cross is a full and complete surrendering to the Will of God for your life. It comes from standing true in hard times for the sake of the . Christian, when they invite you to the bar, and you say I cannot, and they ridicule you, there is a cross. When they try to get you to cheat, to lie, to cover-up, and you stand on truth, the hostility and rejection you endure is your cross. When you refuse to join in the course joking and womanizing in your workplace, and they call you a prude, there is your cross. It is when you stand for Christ, and die to your own reputation, and allow them to scorn you as they did our Savior on His Cross, that is when you are taking up your cross. Jesus says daily do this, it is a lifetime of Cross bearing for His Name sake. P a g e | 23

The third requirement for a True Christian is we are to follow Jesus. Now this is such a thrill, when you endeavor to follow Christ’s Will for your life. When you go the direction He is asking of you, when you lay your own desires aside, when you accept the hardships that may come, and you take your hands off the wheel, and you let Jesus drive. Now you are in for an exciting adventure. Learn to never say no to Jesus. Now, that is terrifying for some, to hold up your hands and simply surrender to Jesus. “What of my plans, Lord.” “What about all that I have worked for, what about all that I have achieved in this life, Jesus?” “Jesus if I follow You, look at all I will have to give up.” Jesus replies next…. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? Jesus here lays out the principle of the cross. Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, this attitude of trying to get the best out of life to please the “Me-god.” P a g e | 24

Understand how this logic has even been twisted among them nominal Christians. Think of the message being spread among the young in our culture and even church. To live life to the fullest, to get all you can out of life for yourself. I have had more than one young person in the church, come to me and say they are called to the mission field, some have even specified where God was calling them too. But the young person who felt the call to give their life away for the gospel, was convinced by a well-meaning family, that that would be a wasted life, instead the majority of them were sent off to a liberal university or college, and their hearts and minds were stolen. I wonder what this would look like, if the church came back to this idea of the cross. If we saw, the boasting of our me centered culture for what it is To say as Paul said…Phil 3:7-8 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ P a g e | 25

What if you gain the whole world, and lose your own soul? Now this type of message is not socially accepted, even within the church, to ask the Christian to lay down their own desires for the sake of the Cross, well it is offensive and obtrusive. To preach that we are too give our lives away, to teach that a life lived for others is the only life to live is abrasive and harsh. We have been so consumed with this world, with the me-god that even within the church we cannot do anything without announcing to the world we have done it. We count nothing as a loss for the sake of Christ. We pray for someone, we take a picture and let the world know we prayed for someone. We minister somehow, we must hurry up and take a picture, because what if no one knows, they must know, I must tell them. But what about Christ, what about decreasing so He can increase in your life. What are you trying to gain in this life, popularity, acceptance, man’s applause? Lay down your life, give it to Him, and follow Jesus. Again, this is considered rude in a culture that pictures Jesus as a genie that grants me wishes. P a g e | 26

But Jesus reinforces His message by saying in verses 26 and 27… 26 For 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 in His Father's, and of the holy . Jesus Transfigured on the Mount 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God." Jesus ends this section by challenging His followers to confess Him and His Word unashamedly. If we stand for Christ and embrace His Suffering and Sacrifice, and we are not ashamed, when Jesus comes again to Judge this world. When this world order is done away with, and the King of kings comes to establish His rightful rule, those who were embarrassed and weak in their stance on truth, Jesus says He will reject them. Verse 27, Jesus assures those first disciples that they would begin to see the Kingdom of God in their own lifetime. And this will be accomplished at the Mount of Transfiguration next time we are together, and the will testify to this Kingdom of God, and Jesus’ ascension into heaven, and even P a g e | 27

Pentecost, the Church’s birth will all testify to the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom will one day be fully manifested after the Church Age is complete, and the Rapture of the Church ends this Age of Grace, and ushers in the Age of Tribulation, for seven years there will be hell on earth, all of this culminating to the Anointed One riding to this earth on a White Horse, and with a devastating Sword He will destroy all of His enemies. And this earth will finally be able to see the full potential of what it was created for under its rightful Ruler. This is where it is all headed Church, and we can expect the days to grow darker until then… And for us, the Faithful Church, understand in these final days of this age, we will be pressed all the more to compromise on our message, on our witness, and we must embrace the cross. Understand, who you say Jesus is, will determine your course in this life. Every one of us must come to this conclusion ourselves, individually. This morning, is Jesus just merely a good Man, a great moral teacher, is He simply a great prophet, is a just another religious Master, guiding us in one direction among many other directions. P a g e | 28

Maybe this morning, you have realized that you have let our culture diminish Jesus’ title in your life. Maybe to you He is less than the Christ of God. Understand, if you believe anything less than Jesus is God’s Christ, the only Savior, than really the only conclusion you can honestly come to is Jesus is a fraud. Because Jesus Himself said John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” It may be considered narrow minded today to claim Jesus is the only way, but Jesus also warned. Matt 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Now, on this we cannot compromise, this we cannot give an inch. Jesus is the only way to find forgiveness of sins, and to receive eternal salvation. Now, back to the statistics, do you understand over 70% of the United States claims to be Christian? But you see it matters who you say Jesus is. I came across an article this week, reporting some very concerning and I might add very news worthy findings. P a g e | 29

If the media could stop talking about Trumps affair with Russia, they might be able to report on things that matter. I don’t know if you have heard, but the CDC is reporting for the third year in a row life expectancy in the United States in now in decline. The report said that this is fueled largely by a record number of drug overdoses and alarming suicide rates. In 2017 there were 70,000 deaths linked to drug overdoses, those were just the ones they could record. And the suicide rate has increased dramatically, an increase of 72% from 2006-2016. The suicide rates have been increasing the greatest among veterans and children. https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20181129/cdc-opioids-suicides-drive-life-expectancy-drop#1 Now, a side note, what else do you think have increased among children in the last decade, I will just throw this out there, screen time, and this fake world people live on in social media. It has created insecurities and heightened the effects of bullying dramatically, yet everywhere I go, I see children glued to screens. But that is another point, not the one I am making now. P a g e | 30

How can a country that claims to be 70% Christian be struggling with these kinds of atrocities of drug epidemics and suicides? You see it matters who Jesus is to you? Is Jesus your Savior this morning, is He Christ to you, Messiah, the Anointed One. You see if that is your belief this morning than Jesus gave us the only way to live in this world. Church, a Christian does not have to turn to drugs to cope with this world, depression and insecurity does not need to be a part of a believer’s life. If you confess Jesus as Christ, you must cling to the cross as your only hope, you must take up your own cross as you deny yourself and follow Him. If you do this, you have found the greatest life. Listen, if you struggle this morning with sin, with addiction, Christ can heal you, He can free you, He will change your life if you come to Him. Confess Him as Christ, as Your Only Hope, the Only One who can help, and turn your life over to Him. Surrender all, and let Him transform you. Don’t approach Him as a good way, as an option among many, but as your only hope. If you are here this morning, and you have found your life hopeless. P a g e | 31

I want to even mention this this morning, if you have had thoughts of suicide, if your depression has overtaken you into that incredibly dark place. I can tell you boldly this morning, Jesus Christ is your only Hope. But you must come to Him fully, not as a guru or self- help remedy. He is Christ the King, and He died for you, He loves you greatly, you must surrender to Him, and see Him for who He is. He only needs a little faith, even the prayer, “Jesus help my unbelief,” is all you need. But come to Him, He is real, He is in this place, He sees you and cares for you. And so do we… Understand too, that there is no greater remedy for depression than laying down your life for the gospel and others. When you begin to obey Jesus, and you live your life not for your own well-being and happiness, and you live to help others, you are going to find Joy, Unspeakable Joy. It is what you were created for. If you are continually focused on Self, you will be miserable. P a g e | 32

Self is a monster that is never satisfied and never content. Listen, we have VBS coming up, maybe you have never served anyone else but yourself in your life. I want to challenge you to sign up to help for those two days, to come here, and serve the children in some way for the glory of Jesus. I guarantee you will have a smile from ear to ear if you do. For those who genuinely come to Christ, the only happiness you will find in this world is giving yourself away to Christ and others. Amen… Let’s pray