Who Is Jesus To You? (Sermon Blog)
If you asked people today, “Who is Jesus?”—you’d get a wide range of answers.
A good teacher
A prophet
A myth
A moral example
But in Mark 8, Jesus asks a much deeper and more personal question:
👉 “Who do YOU say I am?”
This question isn’t just theological—it’s life-defining.
1. Everyone Has an Opinion About Jesus
Then and Now
When Jesus asks His disciples what people are saying, they respond:
John the Baptist
Elijah
One of the prophets
👉 Close… but not correct
Modern-Day Answers
Today, people still have opinions about Jesus:
“He was a good teacher”
“He was a philosopher”
“He’s just a concept”
“He has no impact on my life”
👉 Many people believe something about Jesus…
but stop short of who He really is
The Problem
It’s not just unbelief…
👉 It’s misunderstanding
People often settle for a partial version of Jesus.
2. You Can’t Create Your Own Version of Jesus
Common “Versions” of Jesus
The message highlights how we often reshape Jesus to fit our preferences:
Genie Jesus → exists to serve our needs
Hippie Jesus → always relaxed, never challenging
Gentle Jesus → never confronts or corrects
American Dream Jesus → helps us achieve success
Politically Correct Jesus → agrees with everything we believe
👉 These versions are comfortable…
but they’re not accurate
The Core Issue
We tend to:
Shape Jesus around our values
Fit Him into our worldview
Make Him easier to follow
But Jesus makes it clear:
👉 We must accept Him for who He is—not who we want Him to be
3. The Real Jesus Is the Suffering Savior
Peter Gets It Right… Then Wrong
Peter declares:
“You are the Messiah.”
But moments later, he rebukes Jesus for talking about suffering and death.
Why?
He expected a conquering king
He wanted power, not sacrifice
The Reality of Jesus’ Mission
Jesus reveals:
He will suffer
He will be rejected
He will be killed
He will rise again
👉 This was not the Messiah people expected
A Hard Truth
Following Jesus means accepting:
👉 A Savior who sacrifices, not just conquers
And that challenges our expectations.
4. Following Jesus Means Surrender
Jesus’ Invitation
Jesus says:
“If anyone wants to follow me… take up your cross and follow me.”
This means:
Surrendering control
Letting go of our own way
Trusting His way over ours
What This Looks Like
Dying to pride and ego
Letting go of comfort and control
Loving people—even when it’s hard
Living counter to culture
👉 Following Jesus will cost you something
But It’s Worth It
Jesus asks:
“What good is it to gain the whole world, yet lose your soul?”
👉 The stakes couldn’t be higher
Final Takeaways
1. Everyone Has an Opinion
But not every opinion is truth.
2. You Can’t Redefine Jesus
He is who He says He is—not who we want Him to be.
3. The Real Jesus Requires Surrender
Following Him means letting go of control.
4. This Question Is Personal
Your answer to “Who is Jesus?” shapes your entire life.
Final Thought
At the end of the day, the most important question isn’t:
👉 What do others say about Jesus?
It’s:
👉 Who is Jesus to you?
Guest Speaker Rich Nye will continue to part 8 of The Book of Mark this Sunday.