Bro. Leo is out of town this week, so I thought this would be a good time to look back 10 months at the first study of this series and refresh our memories of what we’ve been studying all year.

This week Bro. Leo starts us on a new study series that will guide us and lead us on an individual spiritual journey of discovery.  This series will provoke us to critically think about the teachings in the Bible and how our beliefs compare to those teachings.

In Matt.16:13-17 Jesus ask two questions, 1) who do men(people) say He is, 2) who do you say He is.  Most of the time we are introduced to Jesus and the Bible by friends, family or a religion that we are brought up in.  And our tendency is to believe what we are told, which is good if what we’re being told is the Biblical truth but not good if what we’re being told is in error.  In Vs. 17 Jesus explains that our acknowledgement of who He is must come from God, not man, “flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”.  It is God who initiates our seeking of who Jesus is, always (John 6:43-44).  It is His Holy Spirit that will teach/reveal to us individually  who Jesus is (John 16:7-9, 13-14).

Our acknowledgement of who Jesus is directly effects our salvation (Matt.16:16, Matt. 10:32-33, Rom.10:9-10, 13).  A personal/individual acknowledgment as a result of a personal divine revelation that results in a personal belief  and commitment that results in a personal outward public confession (Matt. 16:13-17).

We need to ask ourselves if what we believe revealed to us by God or is our beliefs what other people told us to believe (John 18:33-34).

The question we need to be asking ourselves is the question Jesus ask in John 1:38, what are we seeking?  To be seeking we have to recognize a need, an emptiness, something missing, we have to have a perceived need to find something.  If we’re being told by friends, family and religion that we’re fine even if we’re not, we will not seek Jesus.

Ecc. 1:12-14 explains that every one us is given a sense to seek the purpose of life.  Jer. 29:12-14 tells us that God will reveal Himself to us if we truthfully seek Him.

Scriptures used in today’s study:

Mat 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
Mat 16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Joh 6:43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Joh 18:33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
Joh 18:34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?

Joh 1:35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
Joh 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
Joh 1:37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Joh 1:38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

Jer 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Jer 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

Ecc 1:12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Ecc 1:13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
Ecc 1:14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Php 2:20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
Php 2:21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.

Psa 53:1 To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
Psa 53:2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

Joh 1:38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
Joh 1:39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.