Sermon: "Jesus: Who Do You Say He Is?" by Randy Roberts 
Part 2 - Jesus: First, Last and Best

Prayer: Shani Diehl, SAHP ’97

Pastoral Welcome: Darold Retzer

Alumni Welcome: Craig Jackson

Children’s Feature: Doug Mace

Child Dedication: Sarina Riya Halder - Randy Roberts

Meditation:

Much of the history of Christianity has been devoted to domesticating Jesus – to reducing that elusive, enigmatic, paradoxical person to dimensions we can comprehend, understand, and convert to our own purposes. So far it hasn’t worked. – Andrew Greeley

As the centuries pass the evidence is accumulating that, measured by his effect on history, Jesus is the most influential life ever lived on this planet. – Historian Kenneth Scott Latourett

Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13–17, TNIV - Braden Tabisula, SAHP ’10, Hifo Taione, SAHP ’10

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERMON

The sermon title two weeks ago was: Jesus. Period. The sermon title last week (preached by Tim Gillespie) was: Jesus. All. Those two titles say it all about Jesus, don’t they? He is the all-sufficient One; the all-encompassing One.

A story, written by author and pastor Ron Mehl, underlines that reality:

      I heard once about a dear, saintly old woman who was gradually losing her memory. Details began to blur.… Throughout her life, however, this woman had cherished and      depended on the Word of God, committing to memory many verses from her worn King James Bible.
     Her favorite verse had always been 2 Timothy 1:12: “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
     She was finally confined to bed in a nursing home, and her family knew she would never leave alive. As they visited with her, she would still quote verses of Scripture on occasion – especially 2 Timothy 1:12. But with the passing of time, even parts of this well-loved verse began to slip away.
     “I know whom I have believed,” she would say. “He is able to keep … what I have committed … to him.”
     Her voice grew weaker. And the verse became even shorter. “What I have committed … to him.”
     As she was dying, her voice became so faint family members had to bend over to listen to the few whispered words on hers lips. And at the end, there was only one word of her life verse left.
     “Him.”
     She whispered it again and again as she stood on the threshold of heaven. “Him … Him … Him.”
     It was all that was left. It was all that was needed.

Jesus, then, is the One we consider in this sermon series. The One who inspires such faith and devotion certainly demands our attention! But who really was he? We must admit, certainly, that he was a divisive person when he lived – and continues to be such a figure even today.

So today we turn our attention to a peculiar episode in his life where he asks others about his identity. His question is so probing that it continues to demand an answer today. Are you ready to hear the question – and answer it? 

Randy Roberts
Senior Pastor

Note: Child dedications and baptisms are in the extras section of the DVD

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