Who Do You Say That I Am? Series

WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?

Small Group Lesson: Announcement of the Christ

Luke 9:18-22

18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.

22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Questions:

1. Who Do People Say Jesus Christ Is?

2. Who Do YOU Say That He Is?

3. If YOU Say Jesus Is Your Savior, Is He?

4. What Aspects Are Present in the Life of ALL Believers?

5. Why Did Jesus Warn the Disciples NOT to Tell Anyone?

Answers:

1. The Barna Study. Following is a specific study based upon American reactions on how people are connected with Jesus (the entire study will be printed in the extra category).

Whenever I use numbers, I usually begin by asking the students what they think. If you feel like using it, here is how I would word it.

A. What percent of USA say they connect with Jesus directly with their mind, emotions, or feelings?

B. What percent of USA say they connect with Jesus through the Bible.

C. What percent of USA say they connect with Jesus through signs?

D. What percent of USA say they connect with Jesus through miracles?

E. What percent of USA say they connect with Jesus through words spoken to them by others?

F. What percent of USA say they connect with Jesus through an audible voice?

Below are the answers…

According to Americans, Jesus speaks to them in multi-faceted ways. At least one out of every six adults contends that He communicates with them in the following manner:

· 52%: by influencing or connecting directly with their mind, emotions or feelings

· 41%: through the content of a Bible passage they read or which was read to them

· 36%: by providing a sign

· 34%: through sermon or teaching content concerning their immediate situation or need

· 31%: through miraculous or inexplicable circumstances or outcomes

· 31%: through words spoken to them by someone else who was speaking for God

· 18%: through a passage they read in a book other than the Bible

· 16%: through an audible voice or whisper that they could hear

2. YOUTUBE.COM

Look up “Paul Washer” OR “The Shocking Youth Message (Paul Washer)”

He is a missionary to foreign countries speaking an American youth pastor audience. He speaks very plainly on salvation, and is a must 58 minute watch of all youth leaders who dare to have an honest opinion about salvation.

I am sending this out to you way in advance so that you can carve out time to look that up (if I knew how to attach it to this article I would).

And don’t get me wrong, Paul Washer is absolutely NOT promoting a works salvation. Instead, he focuses on the difference between the narrow gate and the narrow path—for there is a difference. Remember, salvation happens in an instant but continues for a lifetime.

Please watch this video…okay?

3. Are You Saved? Leaders, you want to begin with a personal testimony here about how you came to Christ and what it means to be really saved. As for me, I said a prayer to accept Jesus in December of 1989, and on that day Jesus came into my heart and I have never been the same.

But understand, I have Jesus in my heart—NOT because of the prayer—but instead because of how my heart changed after I said the prayer. My heart change, and then the actions that followed it were the evidence.

The problem is that most of the youth groups I encounter use the “I said a prayer to accept Christ” as their evidence. Though people can and do absolutely say a prayer in a genuine manner and Christ absolutely comes in, there are thousands of others who have said a prayer and then there was no redeeming difference in their life. So are they saved? Well, we are not here to doubt another’s salvation. But, isn’t it just as bad for an unsaved person to be convinced that they are saved by their youth pastor? I mean, everyone in the Bible who underwent salvation went through a major change in their life, so we can expect after a genuine prayer of salvation to see a major change, shouldn’t we?