Stuck In the Crowd // Unstuck Series // Michael Ballard
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Luke 9:18-25
‍¹⁸ Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” ¹⁹ And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” ²⁰ Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”²¹ And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, ²² saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”²³ And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

I. What do the crowds think?

Luke 9:18
‍¹⁸ Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
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Matthew 21:8-11
‍⁸ Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “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 entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹ And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
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John 6:25 & 26
‍²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” ²⁶ Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. John 6:60 & 66⁶⁰ When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”…⁶⁶ After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
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Matthew 7:13-14
‍¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
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II. What's the reality?
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Luke 9:20 - 22
‍²⁰ Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
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Matthew 16:17
‍¹⁷ And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
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Colossians 1:15-20
‍¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ¹⁷ And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹ For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
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John 3:16
‍¹⁶ “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
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III. What's the cost?
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Luke 9:23-25
‍²³ And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
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John 10:10
‍The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
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Galatians 2:20
‍²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
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We want to follow up on this week’s message with a few questions that help you respond personally to what God is saying through His Word. Let this be a time of honest evaluation and spiritual reset.
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- Whose voice shapes your view of Jesus—crowds or Christ?
‍Are you influenced more by popular opinion, culture, or personal revelation?

- Who do you say Jesus is—really?
‍Not just what you believe intellectually, but how your life reflects that answer.

- What part of following Jesus are you most tempted to skip?
‍Denying yourself? Taking up your cross daily? Surrendering control?

- What would it look like for you to lose your life for His sake this week?
‍What’s one way you can let go of “the world” to hold on to what truly matters?

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