Transcription
Father, we're so grateful that you are a promise keeper. I mean, if you say it, you will perform it. Thank you, Father, for always keeping your word.
And now, God, we need a word. I mean a fresh word, God. Say say what you want to say and say it the way you want it. Say it. But say it in such a way that when we leave here, we will be so much better than before we came. Now, if there's any spirit of dissension or opposition [music] that's even near this sanctuary, destroy it now in the name of Jesus. Remove anything that might hinder our ability to hear you. And Father, we thank you in advance for what you're getting ready to do. [music] It's in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Come on. You know he's a promise keeper, but you help me celebrate the Lord in this place today. Then help me praise God for our worship arts ministry. Thank God for our praise him and our young adults and thank you for that promise keeper. Amen.
Matthew chapter 16, when you get a chance, I'm going just say it. Go read before this at least to to the beginning of 16 and the conclusion of this chapter. Um, because all of it really does influence what I'm I want to say to you on this morning. I'm going to specify where I want to go, but I I want you to be able in your devotional time to be clear about how I got there. So, in in chapter 16, let me draw your attention to verse 13 and uh reading to you from the New International Version. Here is how the word of God is recorded.
So see what had happened is when Jesus came to the region of Cesarea Philippi, he he asked his disciples, um, can y'all tell me something? Who do people say that the son of man is? They say, "Oo, that's a good one." And he replied, um, I tell you cuz I've been listening. Some of them say you John the Baptist. Then then there's others over here on the east side. They say you Elijah. And then there's still other old folk over there on the west. They say you Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Then here it comes. He said, "Ah, but what about you?" He asked, "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter looked around. He said, "I know you are the Messiah, the son of the living God." Jesus replied to him, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, cuz that was not revealed to you by flesh and blood." You got that from my Father. I like how the King [music] James says it. That that that was revealed to you by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. In fact, I'm going to give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. And whatever it is you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. And whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. And this is the word of God. Let the people of God say, "Thanks be to God." Thanks be to God.
I want to preach to you uh this morning from this dawn. Just answer the question. Answer the question. Would y'all help me to preach it? Look at your neighbor and tell them, "Now, I know you talk a lot, but answer the question." Amen. Amen. Look back at him and say, "You talk a lot. You you you the one always real chitchatty. You answer the question. Chatty Chad, you answer the question."
I know all of us um you know spend a lot of time in life doing an exhaustive search for meaning. You should. It it's a natural component of our evolution that we want to do something meaningful with the time that's been afforded to us. The challenge is is that sometimes we can base our progress on what we've done, think things that we've accumulated or accomplished or even the accolades we've garnered. The trouble is is that you can get all of that and still feel empty. I mean, the Bible says that what is profit man gain the whole world and lose his own soul. Truth is, you everybody won't say it, but there are seasons in life where we feel a sense of void in us. Now, this is risky business, me doing this in this moment, but since this is a conversation between just you and I, I'll tell you that's pretty descriptive of where I've been lately. Kind of found myself recognizing I've done a lot, got a lot of accomplishments, been grateful for some of the things that even rolling in today. But the truth of the matter is, you can do all of that and still feel a little numb inside. Yeah.
And then I started to realize my numbness is not a narrative of deadness. It's an opportunity for refreshment. How do you get there? You have got to participate in the pursuit of Christ and Christ alone. Often times, truth be told, we get distracted off course and searching and seeking so many other things that we miss placing the priority on the right thing. Today, my beloved, I want to encourage you to be proactive about your pursuit of Christ. Maybe that's where you are today. And somebody is saying, "You are exactly where I am, knocking on my door. You are walking up my street that you've tried everything you possibly can, but nothing seems to satisfy that deep void, that cavern in your soul. You still feel empty and unfulfilled." My assignment is to keep you from giving up. Don't wave the white flag. Just try this simple task. Answer the question. Because you want this faith thing to work out, but you also want to get through this season as quickly as possible. Here's the good news. If you draw close to Christ, the more you get of him, the more he reveals of himself and transforms us in the process.
Now, I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know, but I I need to encourage you to be careful not to let what other folks say interfere with what you believe. Yeah. Uh, be careful about these Johnny come lately Christians who now want to put their theology on your season and it contradicts what you already know about him. I I ain't trying to start no trouble. Don't want to get in your group chat and become the focus of y'all's conversation today. But some of them folk around you ain't as deep as you think they are. I ain't I ain't trying to start now. I am not a petty pastor. Never have been, never will be. But I just want to encourage you. Be careful about letting uninformed Christians negatively impact your walk with God. Cuz if they cannot identify him correctly, they can cause you to question what you believe. And today, the real question is not what they say. No matter how much theology they throw at you, the real question is what do you say? That is the primary point of this text today.
Here is Jesus trying to show his disciples that your greatest growth in faith doesn't happen in public. It happens in private. It does not take place when you get on platforms in front of people behind microphones. The real testimony of your growth happens in your prayer closet. It happens when nobody is looking. It happens when it's just you and God and you're willing to lay prostrate and be vulnerable with the Lord. Jesus says, "I I'mma show you and I can show you better than I can tell you." So he says, "Let's go to Cesarea Philippi cuz I need to have a little talk with you." Now, the issue is Cesarea Philippi is the last place that you want to take somebody to have a conversation about their faith. I mean Cesarea Philippi is not Rome. It is not a cathedral. It is not a temple in Jerusalem. It is not a place where Christians gather in Jericho. Cesarea Philippi is known for its paganism and idolatry. But Jesus says it's the exact place I want to bring you to talk about who I am in your life. Because he's trying to show them and us you can't let your environment or your circumstances dictate what you believe about God.
Preach, pastor. I am. I feel good today. I feel it today. You you cannot let what you're going through shape what you believe about God. Because you might be in a struggle right now, but this too shall pass. Baby, trouble don't last always. I know they getting on you at your job. You can't stand walking past them. But I'm telling you, God has a way of moving some stuff out of your way if you just be patient and let God be God. Don't let Don't let where you are and the circumstances dictate what you believe about God. So Jesus brings them here because he wants to show them you got to be careful about the crowd and don't let what the crowd say influence what you believe. Just because they in church don't mean they know the Lord. [laughter] Just cuz they dressed up don't mean they sanctified and saved.
I know. Jesus asked his disciples, he said, "I'm I need to ask y'all a question. What are they saying about me? Who do they say I am?" And the reality is everybody has a different response. So they said it. They said, "Well, there's some of them saying you John the Baptist because of this notion that the martyrs would rise again before others." And then they say, "Well, some other folk over there, they say you Elijah because you've been performing so many miracles." And then there are some who say you Jeremiah because he was a weeping prophet and God set him over the kingdoms and nations and and I salute all of them for having a response. Everybody should. But you got to be careful about allowing majority opinions shape the confidence you have in a personal relationship. Would y'all get home? Rewind that thing and play it back. Because the crowd has their own opinion, but you can't live on the crowd's opinion. You got to live on your opinion.
So Jesus say, "Here it is. But what do you? Who do you say I am?" Ah, beloved, uh, herein lies the crux of my sermon. This is what has had me in a chokehold all week. This is what has caused me to lay out prostrate all week long. This is the challenge and the resolution all in one. That far too often we are answering the wrong question. People ask you how you doing and we respond, "I'm blessed and highly favored." I didn't ask you about your spiritual life. I asked you about how you're doing in your personal life. And then a lot of times people will say, you know, h how things working out for you off the job. Oh, you know, the devil is always. I didn't ask you about what the devil is doing. I'm asking you about how you are growing and evolving in that particular season. Quit answering the wrong question. And at home, quit answering the wrong question. Cuz when you answer wrong questions in your relationship with loved ones, you end up getting prepackaged answers that never provide any full fulfillment because they never told the truth about where you were and what you were experiencing.
Rewind that thing and play it back. I'm telling you, this is so good. He's trying to show us answer the question. You ain't got to try and prove how deep you are. You ain't got to be flexing your spiritual theological muscles. Just answer the question because how you deter how you answer is going to determine a lot about your pursuit of his presence. It's the same question posed to you and I today. Who do you say I am? And beloved, here's what I discovered. The way you answer this will give you the resolution to every situation. And and here it is. I gotta give it to you. He asked it in the imperfect tense. That means he kept asking it. Who do you say I am? Who do you say I am? Who do you say I am? Who do you say I am when things are going well? And who do you say I am when things are going bad? Who do you say I am when you're prospering? And who do you say I am when you're struggling? Who do you say I am when you feel good? And who do you say I am when you got problems in your body? Who do you say I am when you feel loved? And who do you say I am when you feel like you're all by yourself? I'm trying to get at the real answer. Who do you say I am? Answer the question.
Look at somebody tell me, answer the question. The question, beloved, that we have is what does pursuing his presence do for us? I got a couple suggestions for you. Just three real quick ones. The first one is it deepens your spiritual discernment. You you you will get to a point in life where you feel like the tentacles of your spiritual life have become somewhat deadened and numb. There will come a point where you see things happening but you don't experience anything personally. You you you see and hear others but you're not having the internal growth. And so Peter says to them, "You are the Christ. You are the Messiah. You are the son of the living God." Now granted, I need you to see this with your with your spiritual lens and imagination right back down the street into Cesarea Philippi. And in this conversation when Peter puts his hand up, Peter is speaking personally, but many suggest he's testifying for the crowd. I don't know if I totally believe that. I I I I mean, I get it, but I really believe that this was an internal response to something that got triggered in his spirit that kind of like you, you know, when you've been going through something and uh God literally comes to you and said, "But who do you say I am?" And and you got two choices. You you can either give him the answer that you think is going to impress him or you can give him the real answer that you know to be true for yourself. And I hope you'll choose the other one, the latter every single time because that's where your change is.
Peter is not trying to be deep. He's responding to what he knew about Jesus. I feel it. I feel Pete in this particular moment. I feel Pete. He he he he he heard that question and something got a hold of him and and he said, "Oh, I know who you are. Not because of what I heard, but because of what I experienced in my walk with you." He says, "You are the Messiah." In other words, I've been with you long enough not to just place you under observation, but to realize that you are no ordinary man. You are not ordinary. You are fully God, but you are fully man. And I have seen you perform miracles. I have seen you change circumstances. I have seen you heal the sick. I have seen you give sight to the blind. I have seen you provide for the needy and I've seen you do it for me. That's what I want you to get to. Don't base your conclusion just on what you seen in other folk. What have you seen him do in your own? I wish I had about 200 real folk in here who could testify. You just asked the right question, pastor. Cuz if there's anybody in here who can testify, it's me. I've been through some struggles. I've been through some changes. I found out that people are shifty. They move like shadows. One minute they with you, the next minute they not. But I found out that he will never leave you, nor will he forsake you. And he's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Ask me who he is. He's a way maker in the middle of a desert. Ask me who he is. He's a provider when you ain't got nothing left. Ask me who he is. He's a healer when you've been sick. Ask me who he is. He's a regulator. When you're going through, ask me. Hey, God. Woo. God, I'm trying to hang this thing. Ah, you got to have that kind of spirit like Pete because when you pursue him, he'll reveal himself to you. Uh and um I got to encourage you something. Guard who you listen to and guard what you listen to because what you take in impacts where you go next. A lot of people who ride with me say, "Man, why you got such a quiet car and you don't play nothing and if you do, it's gospel music?" Yeah, I mean I do. There's other times I got some different playlists, but that ain't none of your business. But I I've discovered, here's what I've discovered, that a lot of times you can be on your way to a difficult situation. You can be on your way to a moment that may change your destiny. And you walk in there and answer the questions with the lyrics of an R&B song. Baby, guard what you take in. Guard what you put inside of you. Cuz whatever you put in will come out. Out of the overflow of the heart speaks the mouth. Be careful who you let speak to you. I wish I had time cuz I need folk with me who know that there's power in the name of Jesus. If I ask you to help me through it, then I need to know you can call him and you know how to call on that name. Hallelujah. Leave it alone, pastor. All right. Be careful.
Who are you allowing to speak to you? Because the closer you get, your spiritual discernment grows. It develops and you you become much more sensitive to the word of God and the presence of God. Pursuing his presence deepens your spiritual discernment, but it also strengthens your spiritual identity. Who you are.
Now, I I um I know all of us are on a journey in life and that's that's cool, but be careful about always being on these constant journeys to find yourself. You know, I mean, I I I I it's cool to seek greater understanding and uh but be careful about how you how you go about the journey cuz cuz again, you you you can fold your legs and burn incense for 15 hours a day and still get up from there with a bad hip and nowhere closer to God than you were when you sat down. Be careful. I know you want understanding, but here's what I found out. The revelation you need is in God's word. In fact, let's kind of switch places in text for a minute. People have a lot to say about who they think you are. And they do. They come to all kind of conclusions about you based on what they've seen from you. You you know, and and and I know that hurts a lot of people because we sitting there saying, "You see me from afar, but you really don't know me within. You you see the things I'm dealing with, but you don't know the stuff I've had to go through. And you don't even know what it takes to be me. You sitting up in here criticizing me, but you couldn't even walk a day in my shoes. You couldn't handle 60 minutes trying to be me. Baby, you better be careful about criticizing me. You got the wrong one. Negro, do you know how I got where I got? Do you know what I've had to deal with? Do you know the demons I've had to shake off? Do you know the struggles I've had to go through? You have no clue. You see me, but you don't know me." [cheering] Y'all too. Look at somebody say, "You don't know me." Look back and say, "You don't know me either." You sit down somewhere.
But here's what they know. Listen to their assessment. You should listen to their assessment because even folk with the wrong motivation can give you a clue in what you need to work on. The only real description about who you are that matters is what the Lord says. And the Lord says to Peter after he made his declaration, Jesus tells him, "Flesh and blood didn't give that to you. You got that from my Father." Which means that you had to go through something to get that. You you you had to put yourself in a vulnerable position to get that. You you you really had to let go of some stuff to hear that. And I wish I had a lot more time, but I tell you that sometimes you trying to always work stuff out on your own and fix things yourself is hindering your ability to see God's presence manifested in your life. Because the longer you keep your hands on it, the less time and space you give God to perform a miracle so that you can go back and tell everybody, you know, if it had not been for the Lord who was on my side, I wouldn't even be here. But there you are with your ashy hands always trying to steer the wheel. Would you let go and let God? And I promise you, he'll show you exactly who he is. God's trying to give you a fresh revelation. God's trying to give you a demonstration. God's trying to show you some stuff that you couldn't gather from your research or your data. God is trying to give you something that you cannot get from flesh and blood. You all can only get this from God above.
Preach, pastor. I am. So Jesus said, "I tell you what, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church." Get your feedback, beloved. Welcome to criticism. But focus on what he has to say about who you are. And God is trying to show you you're more than your circumstances. God is trying to show you you're stronger than this situation. God is trying to show you, I've already made you victorious. God is trying to give you fresh revelation that this will only endure for a night. But if you hang on to me, joy is coming in the morning. If I make a promise to you about being steady and unmovable, then I will keep my word cuz I am not a man that I should lie. God is trying to show you that the revelation of who you are is in the promise he speaks over your life.
And here it is. He is not celebrating Peter's perfection. He's celebrating his revelation. Peter sought Jesus for who he really is. And every time someone comes to that same revelation, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God," then that's where he builds his church on that revelation, on that word. That's why how you answer the question means everything. Now, I don't know this for sure. Um, but I I'm willing to bet. Some of the people in the crowd did not have an issue with what Jesus had to say or the revelation he gave. They had a problem with who he said it about. They ain't got a problem with what God is doing. They got a problem with who he doing it for. Cuz I I'm betting some of them over there think I don't know. You sure you want to build this one on Peter? You you do know who Peter is, right? Jesus. Peter the one who want to be holy one day, but he think he a gangster the next. Check his right pocket, Jesus. He got a switchblade in there right now. You You sure you want to do this? This is cussing Peter. You know, he he he'll talk to you only one day, but he will cuss you out in the next minute. I promise you. Are you sure you want to do it? This is thuggish, ruggish Peter. You do know that, God. Th this is wavering Peter. You know, one minute he want to be a preacher and the next minute he up there talking about, "I don't even know him. I ain't never seen him." Are you sure this is who you want to do it for? That's what people are saying often times. It's not they have a problem with the blessings God is affording you with the things he's building in your life with the stuff that he's growing and the way you're evolving. They got a problem with who he's doing it for because they know you from one season and they're trying to figure out God, how is it you're going to build something on somebody who I know got issues. This for everybody in here cuz everybody got issues. But I came to tell you, God still got a promise for your life. Because that's why he's doing it for you, to show you he does not need perfect people to work the plan of a perfect God. He'll do it for you and he'll do it for [screaming] your neighbor. I felt that in my spirit. Look at somebody say, "I ain't perfect, but I am blessed." Yeah, I got it now, but I'm telling you, I've been through some stuff. I done done some things I hope you never find out about. But if you do, I just need you to remember his grace is sufficient. His promise is everlasting. And if he did it for me, he'll do it for you. I wish I had about 65 of y'all in here who could stand up and testify. He knows me, but he still wants to use me. He knows the stuff I do, but he still got a plan for me. He knows the places I've been, but he's still working on my life. He knows the things that have come out of my mouth, but he still got revelation for my spirit. He knows some of the dungeons I've been in, but he's still [music] setting me free. Is there anybody? Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Thanks be to God. That's why on Christ, the solid rock I stand, all of the ground Hallelujah. is sinking sand. Glory to God. I got to get this to you because it really uh came clear to me few weeks ago. Um we were in South Africa. I know y'all seen the pics. And we went to um we went to the Cape of Good Hope. And when we went to Cape of Good Hope, this is interesting y'all because um this is the south the furthest part southwestern part of the African continent. And we started walking down the shoreline. We got out the bus, started walking down the shoreline, 65 of us. And we started taking pictures and um we were walking on all these rocks. Waves were crashing in. They were pounding. And um so I start to go out there cuz I'm going to give them give the people what they want. You want a pic? I'm going to give you a pic. And so I'm walking out there and I'm I'm taking my steps slowly. I'm I'm you know cuz the rocks are uneven and they're wet and stuff. I'm I'm real slow because I ain't gonna fall and end up on y'all's um timeline and y'all make me a meme. This what you don't do when you walking on the shore. I you know so I wouldn't let y'all do this. So I'm walking real slow. That's when my brilliant daughter um Sarah, she says, "Daddy," she looked at me. She says, "Daddy, um these rocks have been here for millions of years. They have a history of holding up under pressure. They have taken a pounding and silent that we have never heard. She says, "Daddy, quit focusing on you and focus on the rock." I was worried about falling. She was reminding me the rock is steadier than you. And I came to tell somebody in here today, stop focusing on you and focus on the rock because you might be unsteady, but I promise you, he's a firm foundation. You might feel uncertain right now, but he got a history of holding up under pressure. You might feel like you're going to fall, but he's got a record of keeping you up. On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all of the ground is sinking sand.
Well, I'm done. But I'm trying to get you to dial in, pursue his presence, reactivate your spiritual tenderness, deepen your spiritual discernment, strengthen your identity, and here's the last thing. It will help shape your kingdom responsibility. Just to be clear, beloved, all of us gain our strength not from our ability to avoid trouble, but from the fact that even though we've been attacked, we're still standing. And you're not standing on your own. You're standing because he's given you a word over your life. You will have to deal with some difficult situations, but the word of God promises that he will not overcome you. That's why you got to keep your head up. I I don't know where you are. I don't know what you're feeling, but don't you give up. Don't you throw in the towel. You've been through some troubles and some trials. You've had to face some hellish situations. But right here, right now on this Sunday morning, look at you. You was dressed up and singing God's praises. That's a testimony that what you went through didn't kill you. That's a testimony that you might be tried by the fire, but you're still coming out like pure gold. That's a testimony that this too shall pass. Trouble will not last always because you got some other stuff that you can recollect that you've been through, but you've seen him bring you out time and time and time again. And you got to remember to answer the question, God never intended for these circumstances you're facing to have the final say over your life. God made you an overcomer. And you keep coming out because you got a purpose. God has a plan for your life. God has named you. And God has given you a glimpse into where he wants to take you. He never said it would be easy. But he did make a promise that you can hold on to. And he promises Peter that I'm going to change your character and your destination. That despite everything you've been through, I'm going to build my church on your confession and I'm going to give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven because the power is not in you. The power is in his word. And with God's word on your side, there's no limit to how high you can go, to how far God can take you. That's why you can't give up today. That's why you cannot let the numbness keep you from pursuing Christ. That's why you cannot let what you feel in this season dictate the narrative about what you believe. You got to answer the question, sir. But don't answer it with your data. Don't answer it with your research. Don't answer it with your theology. Don't answer it with what you've heard from other people. Answer it with what you know about God. Answer it with what you've seen him do in your life. And I'm done. But if you answer the question and answer it right, you'll be able to simply give a testimony as to who he is in your life. I need you to get this in your spirit today. Every time you face trouble, ask yourself the question, who do you say he is? Because that's your testimony that God's got a record of triumph in your life. And I need you to learn how to be comfortable giving your testimony. You got to be comfortable every now and then telling people, "I didn't get this far on my own. It was nobody but God who brought me this far." So when the question comes to you, who do you say he is? Just ask yourself, when I was sick, who healed me? When I was down, who lifted me up? When I was empty, who provided for me? When I felt all alone, who showed up in the midnight hour? When I felt like I was about to lose my mind. Who regulated and gave me peace that surpasses all understanding? When I was going through a situation that I didn't know how it was going to turn out. Who was it that stepped in at the last minute that just burned that thing in my face? Who do you say is? Has he ever made a way out of nowhere? Has he ever opened a door for you that you couldn't open on your own? Has he ever made your enemy your footstool and gave you too much grace to step on them? Has he ever turned your dark skies into blue? Has he ever shined a light in your season of depression? Then who do you say God is? I need somebody to help me close this and say, "I know him to be a deliverer. Cuz he set me free from the chains that had me bound. I know him to be a provider. Cuz he supplied every one of my needs according to his riches in glory. I know him to be a healer. Cuz when the doctor said they could do nothing more, he stepped in and said, 'I got it from here.' When I was going through a season where I didn't know where my next meal was going to come from, he was bread in a starving lamb. When I needed somebody to stand up for me, he was my advocate for me in that season. Who do you say he is?" I'm done. But this is corporate participation right here. I need 165 of y'all to stand up and say, "I know who he is. He's been my deliverer. He's been my keeper. He's been my burden bearer. He's been my wheel in the middle of a wheel. He's been my hope in a hopeless season. He's been [music] my peace in a time of need. He's been everything I needed him to be." Come on, you got to answer this question. I'm trying to help you today. If you answer the question, you'll be able to deal with your situation. [music] Is anybody going through a struggle right now? Have you ever seen him work it out for you? Have you ever seen him perform miracles? Have you ever seen him turn some stuff around? Then if you ain't got the record, look at your neighbor. Say, "Have you ever seen him perform miracles? Have you ever seen him turn something around? Have you ever seen him open a door?" Then that's who he is. [music] I'm Jesus. He is my redeemer. He is my redeemer. He [music] is my redeemer. And let the redeemed of the Lord [music] say so. Say so. Say something. Say something. Say no. Hallelujah. [music] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Can't nobody do me like Jesus. [music] Can't nobody do me like [music] answer the question. I'm telling you when you're trying to figure it out, answer that question. Who do you say I am? Cuz if you say, "I'm a healer." That's right. [music] Then I will handle whatever it is [music] you're [music] going through. Who do you say I am?