Dale McDonald: Welcome once again. I'm Pastor Dale with Atlan Foundry Church we are in a series, this is part three of the series on relationships, how it all works as God has created each one of us as humans, that he works through us individually and corporately. it's really important that we get how that system works and that we slow life down to get beyond misinformation, get beyond preconceived ideas of one another, and just receive all that you can through that person that God would have you receive. we are vessels of his ministry as a Christian. We all have a ministry. you may not all be pastors and teachers or in the fivefold ministry as they say. but even in your job, you are a minister If you call yourself a Christian, you're to be Christ like. you may be the only Christ, the only Jesus that people see. Put that out there. So, I want to get right back into the message. we may finish up today, we'll see. we've been talking about taking that time to get beyond the titles, plumber, doctor, truck driver in my case at one point in my life, or farm or whatever it may be. That's what we did for a time, for income. and that's that's not who we are. We you know, we're so much more than that. We're part of the body of Christ as a Christian. We're his hands, his feet, and we need to know what that means and how it can affect others if we're not being who God created us to be, then it affects so many people in our sphere of influence. I hope you if you haven't saw the other two videos, I really encourage you to go back and catch up because I'm gonna keep moving on. we're going to get into connecting the first part I was picking on myself And now we're getting into how that the relationship that you have with Jesus can be affected by whether you really know him or not. Let's go. So we finished off in the last session talking about the difference between the people that believed Jesus the people that really knew him. They knew that he could heal them, so the sick would want to touch him, they'd want to receive what they knew he could do for them as a blessing of God. And he wanted to heal them. the Bible says wherever he went, he healed them. He healed them all. He healed everyone. It says it in different ways. So, you know, that's our God. He wants us whole. He wants to give all that he has. But the thing is, and I mentioned this in last session, he works through people. He works through me. He works through you. that's his way of doing things. we can shut the door. If we do something to stop a relationship or not take the time to develop a relationship with those around us, then we could be actually stopping God in what He would want to get to us. We may be praying, Lord, meet this need, and the very person that He wants to bring that need to you through is standing in front of you. Or you've met but you've disregarded, or you know, just didn't take the time. Just putting that out there as a bit of a review. and it's so important that we we get to know the person. Even if you maybe have heard something about me, take the time to get to know me. Don't listen to what others have said that don't know me. They're only guessing. They're only, you know, in some cases they maybe have made it up for whatever reason. I'm not going to go there today. but some people will do things like that. but get to know me. I'm gonna pick on myself again. God could be using me to get your blessing, to be the answer to your prayer. It's I mean, it's happened before, so let's just start again reading in Matthew 16. just you know, keep going with the message here. Jesus asks. What I call the question quotation marks the most important question, the most life changing question, really grounding you know it where the rubber meets the road is what I mean in that. And it's really a reality check question. that I feel anyone at any time is ever asked. And that is but who do you say I am? This is referring to Jesus. and we'll we'll see that in scripture here. That why this question is so important. It just brings it down where it needs to be, where Jesus is asking you personally. Just get that image in your mind right now. If Jesus was standing in front of you, and he asked. But who do you say I am? How would you answer? what is your answer to Jesus when he asked that question? Who do you say I am? It's something to to really think about. Yeah, because if if we've got it wrong, it's it's going to be devastating. And if you take anything from this whole entire message, I hope it's the question that Jesus asked Peter in the scripture. I can sit here and tell you all day long who I know Jesus to be, but the only thing that truly matters As I mentioned, where the rubber meets the road or at the end of the day between you and God, it's your answer. It's your answer when Jesus asks you, Who do you say I am? Just like when Jesus asked Peter. And you know, I really do feel it's the most important and life altering part of the conversation that Peter had with Jesus his answer he might it might have even shocked him. its revelation. sometimes when revelation comes to me and I hear myself saying something, I go, I didn't even know I knew that. I didn't. That's what revelation is. God puts truth inside of us and it comes out for others or for ourselves as we say it. It can be a blessing to ourselves as we hear the truth come up. the reality is it was life altering for him. we can s certainly see that. And I think it may be the first time he realized and believed who Jesus was as he said that. And it's no different today. Jesus asked each one of us and we have to ask ourselves, or I I ask you today, how do you answer? I'm still learning for myself. I'm still developing, I'm still reading the word. Every one of us is on a different location or a different place in our path. So, don't feel bad. You gotta start somewhere. You gotta take a step. and today, with this message, I hope this is a step for you. Jesus is asking each one of us. he may even ask you more than once in your lifetime because I believe if you get off track, he could come back to you and says, Who do you think I am? who do you say I am? Not 'cause it there's a good point. It's not who you think he is, it's who you know he is. Sometimes our thoughts can be all over the map. based on, information we just heard, it can go this way or can go that way. it's about knowing who Jesus is. We have to ask ourselves that often. And it really is, you know, boils down to this who we and I when I say that it's who you and I say that Jesus is to us. individually and personally will determine the effect the ministry of Jesus or His Word, which is the same, can have on us. So, for you, who you say Jesus is, will determine the acceptance or the receiving of the anointing that comes through me. Because as you see Jesus and as you know He works through pastors and teachers, then you're open to receive. It's that simple. And likewise, as you develop who you believe Jesus is, you'll start to act different. You'll start to think different. As the Bible says we're we're to renew our mind. Well that's part of getting the word inside of us will change our mindset over time and we'll start to act on that word. So we'll do things that are different than what we did in the past, which is good for most of us. but it'll affect your ministry that way, whatever that may be, if it's in the in the workplace, or within your your family perhaps, or the school, or you know, wherever you are at this point in your life. Who we say Jesus is to us and who we know him as matters. That makes sense. And on the flip side of that, if we get it wrong it changes his anointing. as far as you receiving it. the reality is it doesn't change who he is if we get it wrong, if we have the wrong mindset. his anointing is still there, it's still as strong. he still wants all the promises of the word for you. He just loves you so much, it doesn't change any of that. It doesn't change Any of the word, anything that has been recorded in the Bible, all the promises, all the power that he has to deliver us, salvation, they're all still free gifts that he has for us. Even if our mindset's wrong, like I said, it doesn't change anything about him, it only changes what we can receive from him. That makes sense? Really want you to get this. They're all as I mentioned, like salvation for a good example, it's still a free gift. Even if we don't know about it, even if we don't believe it, it's still available. I want you to know that. It's still available. all we have to do is if we've had this wrong mindset, repent, ask for forgiveness, and ask him to teach you. Ask him to lead you to people that can show you the truth and lead you to the truth. Don't close the door to receiving from him based on wrong thinking, based on wrong information, based on wrong or your experiences are real, I'll put it that way. But that experience is not necessarily based on the truth. You may have had that experience because you didn't know the truth. If you would have known the truth, you probably wouldn't have had that particular experience. Right? for the for those that say, you know what, I've got this all figured out and and don't preach to me. you know what, I needed somebody to preach to me. That was the only way that got me from the path that I was going on onto the right path. And sometimes God will bring people into our lives that will just help nudge us just a little bit to get us back to where he would have us be, towards the direction within his plan that he has for each and every one of us. And I'm so thankful that, way back even before school, I had enough seeds of truth that it never left me. And then throughout my life I didn't always stay on the path. I'm gonna be completely honest. Kinda went over here and then over there and but each time I would get some more truth from somebody that came across my path that would get me back and then a bit back and then a bit back to eventually I'm not I haven't arrived yet, I'm gonna say that. but I am a whole lot closer to knowing who God created me to be and the path that He has for me. it's getting easier to hear him, it's getting easier to understand His Word to teach others to do the same. God isn't a respecter of persons. we see that in the word as well. What he's done for us, he'll do for you. It's just a matter of Saying yes. Lord, please help me. and asking him for the wisdom, asking him to teach you, to bring people into your life, create those relationships that you can get what God wants for both of you, really. And so yeah, I'll move on. Just that I felt that needed to be clarified a little bit. So, again, don't shut the door. Get to know Jesus. for who he is so that you know where you stand and and how you fit into this big picture of it's so much more than the life that we can comprehend much bigger than than that. let's get back into the word. Peter he'd been walking with the physical Jesus. So he saw a lot of things, he saw miracles, he heard Jesus say different things. I'm pretty sure he didn't understand everything that Jesus said, but he was starting to build that relationship. He spent the time with him and over time he got to know who Jesus was. And we see that in the scripture as we continue on, It's really it's no different for people of the biblical time that I'm referring to, or for us today. God's promises coming to pass in our lives hinge on and are determined by how you and I answer the question, Who do you say I am? keep bring going back to that don't I? Our wrong belief system or mindset only hurts us. It opens the door to the enemy to kill, steal, and destroy. We see that very clearly in the word. So if you see Jesus as only a Bible teacher, or character I should say, or a preacher, some call him a a prophet, teacher, carpenter, son Mary. Some say he was only an historical figure. Some will say he's a myth. You know, whatever title that they put on him, that doesn't describe who he is, that when you put wrong labels on Jesus or on me or on others You will never reach your full potential in life. It hurts you. Just wanna say that. It takes time to get to know Jesus. It gets time to know me, our neighbors. And you know, I'll add, according to scripture, I'm gonna get real here. I'll add you were not a Christian. I know, I just probably ruffled some feathers feathers there. How can you say I'm not a Christian? But according to scripture, you're not a Christian if you only believe Jesus to be one of those titles I mentioned. If you believe he was just a carpenter, if you believe that he was only Mary's son, any of the above, you're not a Christian. If you want more clarity on that, go to our website, send me an email, tell me how much that bothered you. I'd love to talk to you and see what you know. Today's not the day to to go into all that, but it's what we believe in our heart, what we confess with our mouth that determines whether we're a Christian or not, and that hinges on who we know Jesus to be. That simple. Even though it's that profound. the reality is that those titles I mentioned, it's what other religions use when referring to Jesus. They want to minimize them. That's why they use those titles. they don't know him, they don't have a relationship with him. so they avoid stating who he really is. the result of that is it leads many from the truth of his word and who he is. How about we get back to the message? So continuing reading in Matthew sixteen, verse fifteen. then he asks them, But who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, Here it is. You probably read ahead. You already got the answer, but I'm gonna read it anyway. Peter answered, You are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Peter got it. We see later in this scripture, he had the truth. He saw Jesus as who he was, the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God. In reading on, Jesus replied, You were blessed, Simon, son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You didn't learn this from any human being. Wait, keep that in mind. Now I say to you that Peter, which means rock, and upon this rock I will build my church. All the powers of hell will not conquer it, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. Wow, there are so many keys to the Christian faith and truth that could be unpacked in this small portion of scripture. I probably won't have time today to to do it all, but let's get started with who do people say the son of man is? touched on it before, all the different labels. What others have said about Jesus or their thoughts about who he was didn't change, as I've mentioned, for or affect his ministry. And it's likewise with Atlancha family church. If somebody said something against us or, you know, that was wrong, it doesn't affect our ministry. It only affects them. It affects the relationship that we would have with them and shuts the door to any blessing that we'd be to them. it's that simple. Same with Jesus. Here's the point. If we have a wrong mindset of who Jesus is, then it'll shut the door to what he can do through us or through others, because you're not seeing him as who he really is, you're not open to the anointing he has, to the blessings he has for us, none of the above. So really critical that's the whole point of this message, is that we get to know Jesus for who he is. Can't stress it enough. Like the people that I mentioned in Matthew that got it wrong concerning Jesus and who he was, it did absolutely affect their lives, as I've touched on, a few times. It affected their lives because they didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus, their perception of who he was was wrong. And the result again, they did not receive any blessing from Jesus. They didn't receive healing. or eternal salvation. it just simply wasn't available to them. They weren't open to it. I guess is a another way to put it. So, again, really important that we Ask ourselves the question, who do we know Jesus as? It is no different today with anyone who does not know Jesus in a personal way, as we saw Peter did in Matthew sixteen. If you base your personal experience on hearsay or deception, or your experience, it's a lack of relationship and it's a lack of blessing from Jesus that he wants to get to us. you know, here's something else I I hear a lot, too often, is well Jesus didn't solve all my problems or the world's problems. So you know what? I'm gonna just write them off. What a statement. what they've done when people have that mindset, they've literally cancelled Jesus from their lives. It's saying the creator of the universe didn't meet my expectations, so therefore I become my own God. You start to lift yourself up when you lessen the Creator, when you lessen Jesus. You become your own God. Not a good place to be. I can't say that enough. if you're deceived yesterday or today with wrong information, the more you lift yourself up and the more you put down the truth of the word or who Jesus was, You're just gonna get further and further down that that road of what the enemy loves, that being an open door to Kill, steal, and destroy. That's his job title. he's constantly looking for a door into your life. Don't let him. Shut the door, lock it. Know who Jesus is. And looking at the time, I'm gonna leave. That's it. It's not the end of the message. I do hope you join me in the next session. be part four of this continued message and I probably will most likely finish out. So I do appreciate you joining me up till now. again if you haven't saw the first two sessions, encourage you to go back and catch up. But yeah, we love it when you do connect with us through Atlin Family Church, AtlinFamilyChurch dot CA. If you have any questions, certainly reach out. We're here to pray with you, love to get to know you, build relationship, and just to walk the path of life with you. So God bless you guys. See you next time.