THE EXCLUSIVENESS OF CHRIST
Luke 9:18-22

Introduction:     What you believe concerning who Jesus is will determine where you will spend eternity. There are those in our world today that may believe there is a Jesus, but they believe that He is but one among many gods. To believe the Bible teaches that Jesus is the only exclusive way to heaven is to be labeled intolerant in society today. However, that is in fact just what God’s Word declares! Jesus is, "…the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Mat 16:16 ). Look with me at three issues our Lord deals with here.

I.          POPULAR OPINION (VV.18-19)
What was the popular opinion of that day about Jesus?

            A.        He’s A Great Man

            B.         He’s A Great Prophet

They said that Jesus was a good man, a great teacher, a good leader, a special man, a holy man, but, he’s just a man. What do people say today?

·        He was a great man that was martyred for his faith and as such leaves us a great example of how to live and stand up for what we believe.

·        He was one of the greatest prophets and teachers of all time.

·        He was a great man that revealed some important things to us about God and religion. As such he can make a contribution to every man in his search for God.

·        He was a great man and prophet that was sent to the people of his day (the Jews); however we can learn a great deal that will help us by studying his life.

(Mark 6:3)  "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him."

(John 1:10-11)  "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. {11} He came unto his own, and his own received him not."

(1 John 2:22-23)  "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. {23} Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also."

(1 John 4:3)  "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

II.         PROPER CONFESSION (V.20)

            A.        The Question Is Personal (Who do you say He is?)

            B.         The Answer Is Powerful

“The Christ of God” = Christos, (khris-tos)'; anointed, i.e. the Messiah. “Christ” and “Messiah” are from the same word. “The anointed one of God.” This meant three things:

  1. Jesus was sent on a deliberate mission, the mission of saving man (Lk.19:10).
  2. Jesus was sent and qualified by God to carry out that mission.
  3. Jesus was the fulfillment of all the prophecies which promised the coming Messiah for man.

Jesus meant the question to be personal. It had to be, for man’s eternal destiny and fate is determined by the answer. Jesus is not just a man as the popular belief of Him declared. Man’s life, death, and eternal fate hinge on how he sees and confesses the Lord Jesus Christ! A proper confession is “Jesus is my personal Savior and I believe and trust in Him to save me and I believe He alone is God!”

III.       PREDETERMINED MISSION (VV.21-22)
The popular concept of the Messiah in that day was that of a political and military leader that would over-throw Roman rule. The full meaning of the Messiah was:

            A.        Not Fully Understood (v.21)

The disciples were yet to experience the death and resurrection of Christ. Their idea was of an earthy rule; therefore they were not yet ready to share the truth of the Messiah. They would be sharing an incomplete message.

            B.         Being Revealed Unmistakably (v.22)

·        Jesus began to clearly reveal that He the Messiah had to be both a suffering and conquering Savior. The disciples had not understood this for 2 primary reasons:

  1. The idea of a suffering Messiah differed from their own.
  2. The revelation had been hid in pictures and symbols – (Jn.2:19; Jn.3:14; Jn.6:51)

·        The difference now was that Jesus no longer spoke in pictures and symbols, but He told them in simple and direct words. God’s Son was to die and be raised again for the sins of the world. It was God’s plan to save the world through a suffering Savior not a conquering Savior (Lk.24:26; 46-47).

The exclusiveness of Christ is God’s plan for the redemption of man. Just as Jesus must be crucified and resurrected to pay in full our debit of sin; you must believe and receive Him as your personal Savior to be saved!

(Acts 4:12 )  "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."  

Conclusion:       Jesus Christ is the “Christ of God.” What will you say about Him today?