The document discusses who Jesus is according to the Bible. It summarizes a passage from the Gospel of Mark where Jesus asks his disciples who people say he is and who they say he is. Peter responds that Jesus is the Messiah. The document then discusses what it means to follow Jesus, including denying oneself and carrying one's cross. It warns that those who are ashamed of Jesus will be ashamed of by him. The document also summarizes a passage from James about controlling one's tongue and not contradicting oneself by blessing and cursing. It emphasizes examining oneself and acting in line with one's identity as a child of God.

1. WHO IS JESUS?
THE CHRIST!
16th Sunday after Pentecost
(Ordinary Time)
13th September 2015

2. In a world of different saviours….
Who do we turn to for hope in the future?
Government
Religion
Legal systems

3. Mark 8: 27-38
• 8:27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his
disciples, "Who do people say that I am?"
• 8:28 And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
• 8:29 He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah."
• 8:30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
• 8:31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by
the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
• 8:32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

4. Quick contemplation…
Background: “Christ” have not appeared since opening verse… until now,
near mid point… why now discuss reputation?
Jesus announces, for the first of
multiple times, his impending
suffering, rejection, death, and
resurrection.
By calling Jesus "the
Christ,” Peter declares:
"I think you're the one who
will purify our society."
Don’t tell? Why? Not yet time…

5. Mark 8: 27-38
• 8:33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you
are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."
• 8:34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let
them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
• 8:35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for
the sake of the gospel, will save it.
• 8:36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
• 8:37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?
• 8:38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them
the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

6. Quick contemplation…
Now he describes what following means: self-denial and cross-bearing.
Now we see where this road of discipleship will lead: in losing one's life, and
ironically thus to save it.
Following? “Any” may do so…. See who He really is? Join Him
Self denial: Letting go of what normally drives us…. Follow Him
Carrying our cross is not simply obeying Christ or being patient, it is literally
following Christ to death!
Pride Anger Ambition Self righteousness
Opening our mouthsFear
Confidence in our own
abilities

7. James 3: 1-12
• 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach
will be judged with greater strictness.
• 3:2 For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to
keep the whole body in check with a bridle.
• 3:3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies.
• 3:4 Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided
by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
• 3:5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze
by a small fire!
• 3:6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the
whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell.

8. Quick contemplation…
James – consider effects of what we say!
Christians, especially leaders: express ourselves carefully
Level 1: Don’t talk too much…. Especially gossiping
Level 2: Teachers especially, danger of combo: Authority and Misused speech.
Therefore, be VERY careful of the spoken word, because we WILL slip up!
THEME: In all communication, not merely words
THEME: Do not take lightly, big implications

9. How does this work?
At home At the office At church
With kids With spouse With students
Do we love and
encourage?
Or
Ridicule and
de-mean?
Do we cherish
and respect?
Or
Criticise and
curse?
Do we teach
and impart?
Or
Snob and look
down upon?
Hired help…..
Do we treat
them as
employees?
Or as people?
Everyone…..
Do we treat
them as people?
Or as family?
Those below your
hierarchy…..
Do we treat them as
below?
Or as people?

10. James 3: 1-12
• 3:7 For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed
by the human species,
• 3:8 but no one can tame the tongue--a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
• 3:9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of
God.
• 3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.
• 3:11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water?
• 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water
yield fresh.

11. Quick contemplation…
James 1:19: You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick
to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger
The world of animals is like nothing compared to the tongues of man.
People have the capacity of double talk… not knowing which master to
serve.
Like trees, we need to decide what we are, who we serve. We can only
give out one kind of fruit, is it going to be good? Or bad?
Do we bless God and and curse man? We cannot!
Examine ourselves closely: Who are we?

12. Quick lookback…
James 1: 22-25
• 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not merely
hearers who deceive themselves.
• 1:23 For if any are hearers of the word and not
doers, they are like those who look at themselves in
a mirror;
• 1:24 for they look at themselves and, on going away,
immediately forget what they were like.
• 1:25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law
of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who
forget but doers who act--they will be blessed in their
doing.

13. How then shall we live?
Knowing our IDENTITY:
“First fruits of God”
James 1:18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of
truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

14. Therefore….
Perhaps we can control that unruly tongue, after all.
But to do so will require constant attention to who we are
and what God has made us to be.