Rumors, Part 1: Jesus Isn't Real

The title of message: Rumor #1: Jesus isn't real(Mark 8:27-29)  Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"  They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."  "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"  Peter answered, "You are the Christ." (Proverbs 4:23 GN)  "Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts."(Prov 19:9) "..the person who spreads rumors is ruined." Rumors come from: 1. Tradition(Matthew 15:7-9)  "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' " (Matthew 7:22-23) (NIV) "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you." (2 Timothy 4:3-4 LB)  "There is going to come a time when people won't listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear.  They won't listen to what the Bible says but will blithely follow their own misguided ideas." 2. Intellect(1 Corinthians 2:4-5)  "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." 3. A personal encounter(John 9:17, 25)  Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him?"  He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (2 Timothy 1:12)  "…I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able…"(2 Corinthians 5:17)  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (Job 42:5-6)(Msg) "I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry—forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor." For more information on the vision of Freedom Church, please visit our website at www.freedom-church.org.