K-523 Tv Show Part 7 God Revealed — Art Katz

Ben Israel with Art Katz and Paul Gordon. Who do men say that I am. Jesus asked what a tremendous question to understand who he is. His identity is an enormous question for our hour. Welcome to Ben Israel.

My name is Art Katz and I'm Paul Gordon. We want to discuss this important question with you today. We want to begin though by Prayer and song. We haven't sung Paul. I don't think in a Time or two. How about if we loosen up?

I mean our little theme song without theme song, okay. Our theme song friends is found in the first verse of the hundred and third Psalm. It's a precious and wonderful thing to sing the Psalms. To raise our voices before God to rejoice in him to delight in him.

Commanding the Soul to Praise God

We praise him for the singer of Israel Whose heart was so one with God that he gave us these precious verses by the inspiration of the Spirit. It's a real lifter up of the Spirit. Amen, and we invite you to join in.

God doesn't care whether your voices are cracked or you're not a professional singer. He delights in those who delight in him. Let's just rejoice them. Okay.

Bless the Lord Oh Bless the Lord.

I'm thinking Paul bless the Lord. Oh my soul. It's the spirit of a man addressing himself to his faculties now. Listen here you mind and Personality, I don't care how you are slumbering and how low you are to praise him.

I command you my spirit, which is the heart of my being and is the boss of my life because God's Spirit presides over it. Commands you to open your mouth and to sing forth praises unto God. No, there's a will there.

Yeah, it kind of destroys the the situation that yeah, I just don't feel like praising the Lord. I feel kind of down. I'm tired. I'm dejected. It's not characteristic of the response of so many people.

They live by feelings or the want of feelings or they're waiting for something to happen to them when God Happens to them then they might consider. But you know, there's a God who's waiting for us. There's a God who says draw nigh unto me and I will draw nigh unto you.

Something is required from men something in their own wills. Which they can freely exercise and I think that that's so much of the of the essence of what we'd like to discuss today. Jesus raised an enormous question with his disciples in the 16th chapter of the book of Matthew.

He said whom do men say that I the son of man am and They said some say thou art John the Baptist some Elias some of Jeremiah or one of the prophets He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am. Now it's one thing what men say, but the real question is what do you say?

Who do you say that he is and is it more than just an honorary title that you confer upon him? Do you really understand? Who Jesus is. You know that Who was the first to answer him there Paul? Peter answered and said thou art the Christ the son of the Living God.

I think it's unusual. It was Peter who answered first. No Peter always was the impetuous one. Peter was the one who Jumped out of the boat wanted to walk to the Lord and water if anything came to Where it had to be done.

Peter was the first one to leap in and suggest getting what was his answer, right? His answer was absolutely right. Thou art the Christ the son of the Living God. You're the Messiah and Jesus answered and said unto him blessed art thou Simon bar Jonah for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven.

What an enormous verse what does that suggest. Well number one it suggests to me that when we truly Recognize Jesus as the Son of God as a blessing in store for us. You know what we can't say enough about the word to be blessed.

In fact, this is the foundation of all blessing this knowledge. This piece of knowledge is the beginning of blessing to know who Jesus is to receive that knowledge is to be blessed blessed art thou Jesus said to Peter and Then comes an enormously important Aspect.

For flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my father. You know people is not a way that you can know this. I mean really deeply know it as we say in the kishkas in the gut in your vitals.

Except that it be revealed by the father. You may be sitting in the pew for countless numbers of years even Approving these things and giving nominal Mental assent to such things and yet not truly have been gripped by this knowledge that it might be a life Transforming thing, you know it again suggests this thing of the will.

The scriptures also say that no man can come unto God lest the spirit draw him. Mm-hmm, and it suggests that since all men have not come unto God. There are some resisting even the drawing of the spirit.

Well, what is the condition for receiving a revelation from God. Jesus said the father has revealed this to you. Something revealed something had to be revealed to us which astounded us yet. It came from God.

Why don't all men receive such revelations? What's required from us? We know that there's a God who's wanting to pour out such knowledge. You know, I think what I think it's just the Willingness to really want to know him.

We wouldn't everybody want to know God. Well, you know, we talked to that fellow. You remember in Israel? I don't remember his name with the guy with the broken arm. We were talking to him about if God were real and if one could have a personal relationship with God.

Wouldn't he want to know this remembers answer? He said no, I wouldn't. Why is that he said I'm happy. I've got a good job. I my world is just right the way it is. And if somebody truly showed to me that God was who he says he is and I'd have to change everything I'm doing.

The Cost and Obligation of Knowing God

I Significant admission. I Think our audience realizes that knowledge is expensive. You know, it's costly to obtain we labor for it. We've sweat hours in libraries and universities. Knowledge is expensive.

It's costly requires sacrifice self-denial and yet there's another kind of cost. Because knowledge brings with it obligation. Responsibility the scripture says to whom much is given much is required.

If a man is a knowledgeable physician much rests upon him much weight of responsibility for the knowledge, which he has obtained and We get a sense of the scriptures. That the knowledge of God is something which men shrink from and resist.

That there's almost a tendency of men to want to keep God at an arm's length. They're willing to have perhaps a superficial Acquaintance, but they don't really want to know him. That's what's happening today.

That's the reason why there are so many different descriptions of Jesus today. He's known as superstar. He's known as a clown. He's known as a great teacher and prophet from times past. He's known as everything to a lot of people.

But it but what he really is right to know who he is and to answer this question is really I believe the key question for our age. To know him and you know, it's interesting that the Hebrew word meaning to know Doesn't speak about any cerebral or mental acknowledgment.

But it's the same word as for example that Adam knew Eve or Abraham knew Sarah and she conceived. It's the word that speaks of a relationship that comes together when two are joined as one in intimate union.

To know God is something more than a piece of mental Information. It's more than citing a catechism or a few doctrinal facts. It's they're coming into a personal relationship. With an awesome entity in deep intimate personal union.

Wow, I'm thinking now back when I was a boy and I was preparing for my bar mitzvah and going through the Hebrew scriptures and memorizing and learning the Veritas and the portion of the after that I would be Reciting and in all of that time.

I never once had a real glimpse of God. You know, I've had many conversations with our kinsmen about the Messiah Jesus. And I guess I'm learning with experience, but not every conversation is sincere.

A lot of people enjoy an argument or debate for its own sake. I've come to the realization after a certain length of time I begin to sense that the man wants to win an argument rather than to ascertain truth.

And I'll say them and say look just a minute. Let's take our time out here for a second. Let me ask you this question if what I'm suggesting is really true and Jesus is the Messiah of Israel who has the right to command your loyalty and love and Service, are you willing to know that that you might do it?

And all of a sudden dump the dump the whole thing changes and many times I get a frank admission as you did from that fellow in Israel. No, I really would not and Then our conversation ceases. Because God's revelation people are not dispensed to those who are mere dilettantes those who want to bandy about conversational things over coffee tables.

God will reveal His mystery the mystery of the Godhead the mystery of his son the mystery of the Messiah. To those who will receive it that they might live by it. Now I'm making an enormous statement.

Living by Every Word of God

Paul we're in the scriptures can you give evidence for what I'm suggesting. The living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. True where did Jesus say that? If we would know whether the things which he says are true that there's a certain test that we must perform.

It's in the Gospel of John in the seventh chapter Jesus said my doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me if any man. Any man I want to underline that Will do his will. He shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.

So I just want to ask you dear viewer. How's your heart disposed today? Are you willing to do the Word of God? You know God is not a groovy God there's a groovy Jesus. That's being bandied about in the world today, and everybody's seeming to get on the bandstand, and I'm a little bit suspicious.

Because I know that not many followed him 19 centuries ago because his call was come ye out be separate leave your boats and nets. Follow me take up your cross deny yourself. If any man would follow me let him do these things if you'd be my disciple.

These aren't convenient things, and I believe that the authentic God of all this world has never called men to convenience. His call is always a wrenching call. It's always a call to sacrifice the self-denial to come apart to follow him.

Though we might be abused and misunderstood as he himself was when he walked in in his own body. Are you willing to know who Jesus is? Because it's going to be costly. Something will be required of you if you'll come to know who he is and we'll call him Lord as Jews did 19 centuries ago.

You'll be required to follow him as Lord Jesus said why call you me Lord and do not. The things which I say can you imagine also for the people who? Adhered to the knowledge of Jesus as a Messiah after he was crucified when the persecutions were going on when people knew that.

Just coming to a a belief and a following of this sect. The people who were followers of Jesus would bring certain death would bring persecution houses being taken away properties Confiscated and and being thrown to lions and the sort of this is real commitment.

The Messiah Must Suffer

Well, I think it goes together with the revelation of who the Messiah is because. Right after he approved of the recognition that Peter had made then we read in the 20th verse. Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ of the Messiah.

Which is the meaning of the word Christ, which is the Greek derivation of Christos the Hebrew word Moshiach. From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and Scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day.

That's a tremendously solemn frightening revelation of the kinds of musts that follows the Messianic call and I think that the response of Peter is so richly Indicative of what men are in their hearts.

What did Peter? Say after this enormous revelation of who the Messiah is and what the Messiah must suffer. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him and he said be it far from thee Lord. This shall not be unto thee talk about chutzpah and arrogance of a disciple rebuking the master a piece of flesh.

Rebuking the Son of the Living God and telling him no, even though you've said that no, this is not going to be true. Be it far from you Paul why do what do you think brings a man? To say something like that.

Don't you think it's just a well-meaning thing? He really was concerned what his master didn't want his master to suffer these things. I don't I I think that Peter glimpsed a vision of What this meant even to himself that following after Christ if these things took place.

Concerning the master they would also take place concerning the servant that he could see himself. What a revelation of the human heart. Because it's true I think elsewhere in the scripture that it says that if we're called by his name we ought to walk also as he walked.

If he suffered rejection if he suffered persecution. So too likely shall we it's not the kind of Messiah that we would like. We like a Messiah who would come and pomp and glory and grandeur and bang one two three establish the glory of Israel again but here's a Messiah who says I must suffer and must die and The disciple answers in a very human and natural way and it not only reveals a concern for his master.

But more deeply a real concern for his own Fleshly well-being, but you know the response that Jesus made to that is very profound. People listen Intently to what Jesus said, but he turned and said unto Peter get thee behind me Satan.

Thou art an offense unto me for thou savorist not the things that be of God but those that be of men. You think he meant by that Paul that Peter was actually Satan the devil himself incarnate and not actually but but he's laying out pretty clearly that there are only two ways.

Isn't he? He says that for thou savorist not the things that be of God. But those that be of men. Jesus's is really saying that there are only two ways we can do anything and if we do the ways of men and not of God, then we're following a Satanic plan or we're following the plans of Satan the will of Satan go easy, brother.

Let's let's run that through again because this is something really to digest. It really is, you know, there are a lot of things that are exalted and honored and recognized in the world though they that though they're not biblical nor scriptural and Men receive awards for them and it passes for wisdom.

And in fact, I would say that more things that are on it of men that are on it of God. And I think there are a lot of people who call themselves Christians or believers and religious Jewish men and women who see nothing fault with this.

But the remark of Jesus really does Thrust like a sword into our consciousness and into our understanding. Well, he's talking about savoring. Savoring. I've just seen this really for the first time get thee behind me Satan for you savor of the things Which are of men and not of God.

Just the word savoring would mean totally desiring. Just laying down the things of God in favor of everything that the world man has to offer. Peter in this moment chose to express a human wisdom a human sensibility a human concern human sentiment rather than understand the divine purposes of God that a Messiah must suffer and must die and Because they were the things of men Jesus equated them as being the same as the things of Satan.

The Things of Men and the Things of God

You know, most people have a distorted vision of Satan as they have a distorted vision of God and It's an enormously important question that we have a correct Knowledge of who God is and I think that that always comes with a knowledge for the first time or really who the adversary is.

You and I both joked. And the bandied about Satan as a myth. Equally in our Alongside our ignorance of God, but you know that when God became real for us, so too did this adversary. There's a very real Satan and here's the thing that men don't understand.

Don't they picture him with a pitchfork? Fork-and-tail kind of a red Union suit on something like that. And they think that the things that are satanic or evil can be easily identified. That they have to do with very blatant evil and sin.

But I think that Jesus is speaking an enormous truth here that many things that pass for human wisdom human sensibility Sentiment something nice that are applauded by the world are Equally as satanic as the most devious mischief that Satan ever engineered.

It's the same thing with just what we would call evil the very overt things are easily identified adultery murder, right. Fornication lying backbiting. But how about just those nice things that we do that we haven't given over to God?

This is fantastic because the question begins with who do men say that I am and Then it goes on for Jesus to make certain statements with an authority that no man ever spoke to bring us to a new kind of perception about reality in life and in the world so much hangs upon understanding who he is.

Because if we be not who he claims to be then we need not give his statements the consideration of deserve. But if he is the Son of Man the Messiah then Despite every appearance to the contrary despite whatever schooling we've received in the world He has spoken a word which devoutly demands our deepest attention and a turning away From the things which we've approved in times past to a new kind of perception and a new kind of walk to a new kind of doing.

How will men then look upon us? And I think it is that then we begin to suffer the kinds of reproach that he himself suffered. This is radical and no wonder it is that men don't really want to know Who he is and how does he follow that that last?

Self-Denial and the Call to Discipleship

Statement. Then said Jesus unto his disciples if any man will come after me Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me read on Paul for whosoever will save his life shall lose it and Whosoever will lose his life for my sake Shall find it.

That's the call to discipleship and I don't think that these scriptures are thrown together in any haphazard way. There's a pattern that's being Established here an Enormously profound question. In fact, I believe the most significant question that can ever be put to men then a revelation of the things that are of God versus the things which are of men and Then a call to a commitment to discipleship of denying oneself and taking up a cross to follow him a Losing of life to find life.

It's a paradox that confounds men and yet it's the way of God That has that has to do all together with the question. Who do men say that I am? Let me just read one more scripture ways for what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and Lose his own soul or what shall a man give an exchange for his soul?

You know, it helps us to understand so much better the conduct of the disciples themselves in the events that follow the crucifixion and death and even the resurrection of their Lord. One of the most beautiful things about the scripture is how candid God how candidly God speaks in his word.

He doesn't give us a saccharine sugary depiction of these men he reveals them in the flesh and blood men that they were and how after the the death of their Lord they locked their doors and they were afraid of persecution and They wept and they were full of dismay and consternation and they themselves did not believe the things which their master spoke about a resurrection.

Yes, he must suffer. He must die, but he would be resurrected on the third day. I can't think of a place in the scriptures that more enormously reveals the things we're speaking now. Then what's revealed at the end of the gospel of Luke and those two men?

Those two Jewish men who sadly returned to their home in Emmaus that day. Completely downcast and dejected when Jesus came up to them and asked him why their confidences were so formed they could not even recognize him and It's enormous how Jesus began to open to them the scriptures and he Accused him of being slow of heart not to believe all that the scriptures or that the prophets had spoken ought not Christ who have suffered these things and to enter into his glory and beginning at Moses and all the prophets He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things Concerning himself.

Ought not a Messiah to suffer. I suppose we can say in the same breath should not His disciples should not messianists. Should not missy a theme as we say in Hebrew or as they say in English Christians followers of the Christ the Messiah expect and anticipate that they too shall experience a measure of the Rejection the suffering and persecution and perhaps death which came to their own Lord and Master, but you know, there's something beautiful about the Jewish disposition of these two disciples.

It says that when they drew nigh unto the village where they went he Jesus made as Though he would have gone further. But they constrained him saying abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent and he went in to tarry with them.

They constrained him. You know that reminds me of Jacob wrestling with the angel he would not let him go except that he blessed him people. Just how much do you really want to be to have the knowledge that was raised in that enormous first question?

Who do men say that I am and who do you say that I am? How much are you willing to constrain God? To have that answer. How much are you willing to follow him when you do? So much depends upon our own will our own willingness to know.

The Knowledge of God and Eternal Life

It isn't it interesting for all that in the I believe in the book of Isaiah when God describes the messianic age which shall come. That one of the descriptive things that characterizes this enormous age of peace and human reconciliation of men.

Becoming brothers is that the knowledge of God? Shall be as so extensive as this as these waters Cover the earth as the seas the knowledge of God men shall know. You know that men can know now if like the two disciples.

However, dejected you've been however, you've misunderstood you'd be willing to constrain him. There's a Messiah that had to suffer and had to die. Who do you say that he is? Is the question that God puts before men today Jew and Gentile alike.

For the knowledge of the Messiah is Indeed the knowledge of him who sent him the very knowledge of God a knowledge which really constitutes life. The answer to that question also Absolutely has eternal consequences.

Who do men say that I am? This is life eternal the scripture reads in John. That they might know thee the only true God and Yeshua haMashiach Jesus the Christ whom the has sent, you know him. Who do men say that I am Jesus asked?

Who do you say that he is? Search the scriptures. Jesus and joined his Jewish kinsmen. They are they which testify of me? Let's end with a prayer this today. Shall we Paul? That hearts and minds might be opened in the searching of the scriptures that they might know him who is life eternal.

Why don't you lead us in a prayer? Father we ask you now that The word that has gone forth will become Attached to our very heart to our very souls that we might Indeed live from every word that proceeded from the mouth of God Lord by your Holy Spirit reveal to us the truth of who?

Jesus truly is.