Who Is This?

A mob scene
We are going to start today with a mob scene. There’s nothing like a nice mob scene to get people’s attention. Have you ever witnessed a large crowd gathering? What do you do? Well, you are drawn to it, because you want to know what it’s all about. You feel like you might miss out on something if you don’t join in – like they all know something that you don’t know.

Flash mob
Have you ever heard of a ‘flash mob’? A flash mob is usually organized over the internet and assembles a spontaneous mob of people for random reasons. The first successful flash mob assembled in June 3, 2003 at Macy's department store. More than one hundred people converged upon the ninth floor rug department of Macy's department store, gathering around one particular very expensive rug. Anyone approached by a sales assistant was advised to say that the gatherers lived together in a warehouse on the outskirts of New York, that they were shopping for a Love Rug, and that they made all their purchase decisions as a group.

A flash mob is unusual because it violates what we know to be true about crowds: They don’t just form out of nothing but something draws them together, and they have a good reason for forming. We naturally want to know what that reason is.

The Palm Sunday mob
Let’s look at a mob of biblical proportions. It is found in the Bible.

Matthew 21:1-10 (NKJV) 1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

You could separate the crowd into three basic groups that day.

Contrast in the crowd: Cheerers, Jeerers, Inquirers

The Cheerers. Some in the crowd were the cheerers. They recognized that this was no ordinary day and this was no ordinary man. They shouted out, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And they shouted loudly. They didn’t care who heard them. They cut down palm branches and used their own coats to lay down before Him in reverence. These guys were having fun! They were excited!
Because of them it says that all the city was moved. The word translated as ‘moved’ there is the Greek word ‘eseisthay’. It is from this word we get our word ‘seismograph’. It literally means: “Shaken as by an earthquake.” ‘Moved’ is an understatement.

Jesus and His Cheerers created a spiritual earthquake, and the world is still shaking today.

The Jeerers. Not everyone was joining in on the party. According to Luke’s gospel (Luke 19:39-44), some people in the crowd were offended by this over-exuberant display. They told the people to calm down. When that didn’t work, they told Jesus to tell them to calm down. Nope. Jesus wouldn’t do it.

The Inquirers. The third group we’ll call the inquirers. They may have been attracted to the scene by the crowd but they didn’t really realize what was going on. What’s all the fuss about? They could see that it all centered on this one man, riding on a donkey. So, the natural question was, “Who is this?” It was worth investigation. If He is causing such an uproar – a literal people earthquake – I want to know His story.

Rachel Ray at Busick Court
There was a buzz in the crowd and everyone knew He was the reason for it. A couple years ago I went into the Busick Court Restaurant after Rachel Ray had been there. (Women, you know who Rachel Ray is. Men, I’m sorry that I know who Rachel Ray is but… honestly, many of you do too.) There was still a buzz even after she had left.

The buzz of this day: “Who is This?” This is a great question. This is the question.
I think those same three groups still exist today. There are the cheerers, who can’t and won’t stop shouting about Jesus. We don’t care who hears us. There are still the jeerers, those who say, “Quiet down. Your beliefs are too offensive, or too unscientific, or too out-of-date.” And there are still the inquirers. Thank God for the inquirers who are willing to honestly ask the question, “Who is this?” This is the question we will follow.

WHO DID JESUS SAY HE WAS?
Let’s pursue the question this way: Who did Jesus say He was? Doesn’t it make sense to go directly to the source?

In the famous scene of Peter’s confession at Caesarea Phillipi (Mark 8:27-28, Luke 9:18-20), two questions were asked. We are going to ask the third question. Jesus said to His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” That’s question number one. Then Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” That’s question number two. Question number three, which would give the best answer of all, is: “Jesus, who do You say that You are?”

“I know who you are…”
A friend of mine was sitting in the coach section of an airplane on an international flight when the guy sitting next to him leaned over and said, “I know who you are.” (He gets this a lot because he looks exactly like the actor, Nick Nolte.) He said, “I know who I am, too.” The guy said, “You’re Nick Nolte.” He said, “No I’m not. I just look like him.” The guy said, “You just don’t want anyone to know you’re Nick Nolte.” So he showed the guy his license and said, “See, I’m not Nick Nolte.” The guy said, “Nick Nolte could easily get a fake license made to hide his identity.” This went on for a while and my friend could not convince this guy that he was not Nick Nolte. Finally, in frustration he said, “If I were Nick Nolte I would be up in first class so I wouldn’t have to ride back here in coach with people like you.” The guy said, “You’re just not in first class because then everybody would know that you really are Nick Nolte.” My friend just gave up.

Jesus tells us exactly who He is. Here are eight ‘I am’ statements that Jesus made about Himself:

1. I am the Bread of Life.

John 6:35 (NKJV) 35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

Jesus said this after the feeding of the five thousand (men). The conversation was about the manna from heaven that daily sustained the Children of Israel for forty years in the wilderness. Every day that they had need they gathered manna and it sustained them. When did the manna stop? Only after they entered the Promised Land.

Jesus is the Bread of Life Who is available to you on a daily basis. What you have need of for today, He is. He said, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the age” (Matt 28:20, Hebrews 13:5). Just like the manna, His compassion is new every morning (Lam 3:22-23).

Who is this? Jesus is my fresh bread, every day.

2. I am the Light of the World.

John 8:12 (NKJV) 12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Jesus said this right after the woman who was caught in adultery was brought to her for judgment. According to the law, she was deserving of death. Jesus said, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” Her accusers went away and Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”

Then Jesus said, “I am the Light of the World”. The world can be a dark and hopeless place. It is made that way by my own mistakes and their consequences and the guilt that goes along with it.

Who is this? Jesus is my forgiveness and hope for today.

3. I am the Door.

John 10:7 (NKJV) 7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”

John 10:9 (NKJV) 9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

Picture your house in your mind right now. Now, picture that there is no door. That means one of two things: Either there is a wall where the door used to be or there is a huge, gaping hole. It is either without entry or without protection.

Imagine a builder building a house, getting all done and saying, “Oops, I forgot cut a doorway into the wall.” It just wouldn’t happen. In fact, when you buy a house the last act that seals the deal is: you get the keys to open the door of the house. That door grants access and restricts access. It welcomes those who are guests and protects you from those who are theives. Jesus says, “Come in by Me into heaven’s throne.”

Who is this? Jesus is my heavenly welcome and my security.

4. I am the Good Shepherd.

John 10:11 (NKJV) 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

You may or may not think immediately of Psalm 23, but I assure you that Jesus’ hearers did. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”

David wrote that psalm. If I would have been a sheep, I would have wanted to be one of David’s sheep. David knew how to protect his sheep, actually, his father’s sheep. When a lion came to threaten his father’s sheep, David risked his own life and fought the lion. When a bear came to kill his father’s sheep, David risked his own life and fought the bear. David was writing about a Shepherd even greater than him – a Shepherd whose sheep he would want to be.

Jesus is that Shepherd. He layed down his life and died for the sake of His Father’s sheep.
Who is this? Jesus cares for me like no one else.

5. I am the Resurrection and the Life.

John 11:25 (NKJV) 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”

Jesus was called to the tomb of his good friend Lazarus, who had died three days earlier. Martha, Lazarus’ sister, said to Jesus, “Oh, Lord, if only You would have been here (past tense) You could have done something.” Jesus said, “I’m here now.” Martha said, “I know my brother will rise (future tense) in the resurrection on the last day somewhere in the distant future.” Jesus said, “I am (present tense) the resurrection and the life.” Eternal life starts right now, with Jesus, with no regret of the past or fear of the future. Jesus eliminates fear and regret.

Who is this? Jesus is the Conqueror of death and the grave.

6. I am the Way, Truth and Life.

John 14:6 (NKJV) 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Here is where we continually find ourselves in trouble. He is the Way (not ‘a’ way; not one among many). He is the truth. He is the Life.

Jesus is inclusively exclusive. Scripture says, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21, Rom 10:13, Rev 22:17). The invitation is inclusive. It goes out to everyone without exception. But there is only one way. Anyone can come, but there is only one way that will prove true.

You may think, “Well, it’s just cruel to say there is only one way. We should say there could be many ways.” If there is only one way, nothing could be crueler than to say that there are many ways. Remember, there was no way before Jesus. There was not a single way. Jesus came to be the way that any could take. How is that cruel?

Who is this? Jesus is the One and only.

7. I am the True Vine.

John 15:1 (NKJV) 1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.”
John 15:5 (NKJV) 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

The vine is responsible for getting all of the nutrients to the branches and, ultimately, to the fruit. Have you ever seen a grapevine? It isn’t pretty. The grapes are beautiful. The grapes are rich in flavor. The vine… not so tasty. The grapes are sought after, treasured, harvested and stored carefully. Not the vine. The vine gives up everything for the sake of the branches and their fruit.

Jesus gave up everything. He left heaven. He became a servant. He suffered. He had no beauty that we should desire Him (Isaiah 53:2). He gave up His status as sole heir to make us joint heirs with Him.

Who is this? Jesus is a sacrifical, life-giving vine.

8. I AM.

John 8:58 (NKJV) 58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

When Jesus said this, the Jews that were there picked up stones to stone Him to death. Why? Because of bad grammar. No. This phrase was a claim to be God. Everyone knew it.
Jesus was referring back to when God spoke to Moses in the burning bush. Moses said, “Who shall I say sent me?”

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” (Exodus 3:14)

God is eternal and self-existent. That means He owes His existence to nothing or no one else. He isn’t “I am because of…” He isn’t “I am for the purpose of…” He isn’t “I am until…” He isn’t “I am if that’s okay…” He is “I AM.” God is the only eternal, self-existent being. No one else can make that claim. Jesus said, “Yep. That’s me.”

You and I exist because of God and for His purpose.

Who is this? Jesus is the self-existing One. He is God.

Conclusion
How do you answer that question today: “Who is this?” Is He a daily part of your life? Is forgiveness and hope you need? That’s Him. Do you have confident access through Him? Could you use His care and protection? Do you have hope for eternity? It is found only in Him. Will you receive from Him as your source and worship Him as God?