Who Are You?

All of us have been asked the question, “Who are you?”
Many of us have been mistaken for someone else.
Most of us have been questioned about what we were doing at a particular time.

In John 1:19-22 John the Baptist is questioned about who he is and what he is doing.

John 1:19-22
And this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

John says that he id not the Christ.
John says that he is not Elijah.
John says that he is not the Prophet.

John is not anyone of significance in the world.
John is an ordinary.
John is a servant of God.

The Jewish religious leaders were trying to pressure John into a confession or put him in a box so they could either condemn or dismiss him.

When we choose to be a servant of God and follow Jesus with our whole lives, we can expect to be pressured, condemned, and dismissed.

John didn’t give in to the pressure.

In John 1:23-24 John shares six things that he knows about Jesus as the Messiah.

Verse 23: John knew that he was to prepare the way for Jesus as the
Messiah.
Verse 29: John knew that Jesus takes away the sin of the world.
Verse 31: John knew that he was to show Jesus to Israel.
Verse 33: John knew that he was to baptize Jesus.
Verse 33: John knew that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit.
Verse 34: John knew that Jesus was the Son of God.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about knowing Jesus and making Him known.

What results can be expect to see when we, like John, know Jesus and make Him known.

In John 1:35-42 we see three results.

First, people began to follow Jesus.

John 1:35-37
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples and he looked at Jesus as He walked by and said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

We are not called to follow rules or religious rituals. John didn’t point to the temple or the law, he pointed to Jesus, a person. We are called to follow a person, Jesus.

When through our words and actions we make Jesus known, others will follow.

Second, people spread the word about Jesus.

John 1:38-41
Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher). “where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s own brother. He first found his brother and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).

Jesus calls us to follow Him and, as we follow, we talk to others about Jesus.

No one has to tell me to talk about wife. I talk about her because I love her and she is an essential element of my life.
No one has to tell me to talk about my children and grandchildren. I talk about them because I love them and they are essential elements of my life.

So no one should have to tell me to talk about Jesus because He is THE essential element of my life.

Third, people were transformed by Jesus.

John 1:42
He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

Simon means heard.
Cephas or Peter means rock.

When Simon heard and accepted the truth of who Jesus was, Jesus transformed him into Peter, rock.

The purpose of the gospel is transformation.
The purpose of salvation is transformation.

In John 1:43-51 Jesus calls two more men to follow Him, Philip and Nathanael.

People gathered around Jesus. He didn’t advertise or try to sell Himself. People knew that Jesus was the solution to their problems.

Jesus met people at the point of their need.

We as people who have surrendered their lives to Jesus and are following Him are not called to advertise Jesus or try to sell Him. We are to allow Jesus to use us as we yield ourselves to Him to meet people at the point of their need.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about yielding to Jesus so He can use us to meet people at the point of their need.

Jesus also invested His life into a small group of people whom He had invited to follow Him.

Jesus concentrated His time, left His message, and delegated the responsibility of its deliverance to the world, pouring His life into these people while He was here on the earth.

We need to be helping others grow to be disciples of Jesus.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about growing as disciples of Jesus and growing others also to be His disciples.

Some of the last words that Jesus spoke to His followers were, “Go and make disciples.”

John the Baptist, even before Jesus came, was going and making disciples.
The Twelve went and made disciples.
The early church went and made disciples.

We are to GO and MAKE disciples.

As Servants Telling About Jesus We Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
                                             Joe