Westshore Christian Church - Rise Up Church: Getting Jesus Right

Devotional

Day 1: The Most Important Question for Any Church

What a church believes about Jesus is its most vital foundation. This central doctrine, known as Christology, defines everything else. A church can have many appealing qualities, but if it does not correctly understand and teach the identity of Christ, it misses the very cornerstone of the faith. The most critical question to ask of any church, or of oneself, is simply: who do you say Jesus is? This truth is the bedrock upon which everything else is built. [37:29]

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:1-3 ESV)

Reflection: As you reflect on your own church community, what would you identify as the single most important thing about it? How does your answer compare to the truth that knowing Jesus Christ is the foundation of everything?

Day 2: Guarding Against the Yeast of False Teaching

Jesus warned his disciples to be on guard against the "yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." He was not speaking of literal bread, but of their harmful teaching. Like yeast that works through an entire batch of dough, incorrect doctrine can permeate and distort a whole community of faith. It is a sobering responsibility to be watchful, to know the truth, and to protect against teachings that would misrepresent the person and work of Jesus. [45:17]

"Jesus said to them, 'Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'... Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees." (Matthew 16:6, 12 ESV)

Reflection: Can you identify a teaching you have encountered, whether in a conversation, online, or in a book, that subtly distorted the truth about who Jesus is? How did you recognize it, and how did you guard your heart and mind against it?

Day 3: The Personal Confession That Changes Everything

The turning point in Peter’s life did not come from his own brilliance or merit, but from a revelation given by God. When Jesus asked, "Who do you say I am?" Peter confessed, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." This confession of Christ’s true identity became the rock upon which Christ built his church. It is a personal question that requires a personal answer, one that has the power to define a life and an eternity. [49:13]

"He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' 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.'" (Matthew 16:15-17 ESV)

Reflection: If Jesus were to ask you that same question today, "Who do you say that I am?", how would you answer? What experiences in your life have shaped that personal confession of faith?

Day 4: The Ripple Effect of Getting Jesus Wrong

A wrong belief about Jesus does not exist in isolation; it corrupts other essential doctrines. If Christ was not truly God, or if He did not physically rise from the dead, then the entire message of the gospel collapses. Our faith is futile and we are still in our sins. The identity of Christ is the linchpin of Christianity; if it is removed, everything else falls apart. Getting Jesus right is therefore a matter of eternal significance. [54:36]

"And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain... And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17 ESV)

Reflection: Where have you seen the truth of Christ's resurrection provide hope and certainty, either in your own life or in the life of someone you know? How does that hope shape your daily perspective?

Day 5: Knowing Christ, Not Just Knowing About Him

There is a profound difference between knowing facts about Jesus and knowing Jesus Himself. Life’s busyness and vocational ministry, even within the church, can sometimes unintentionally push a personal relationship with Christ to the background. The enemy whispers lies that Jesus is disappointed, seeking to create distance. But we are called to regularly come before the Lord, to know Him intimately, and to be filled with the life that comes from His presence. [01:02:09]

"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:8 ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to move from knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus more personally? How can you create space to simply be with Him?

Sermon Summary

Church identity is rooted in a clear, living knowledge of Christ. The community that thrives is not defined first by music style, programs, numbers, or facilities, but by its confession of who Jesus is: eternal Word, God with God, Creator, the true light who became flesh. Misunderstandings about Christ—whether ancient philosophical distortions or modern sectarian errors—undermine every other belief and practice; wrong Christology corrodes worship, sacraments, evangelism, and hope. Scripture anchors the claim that Jesus is both fully God and fully human, that he was raised bodily, and that through receiving him people become children of God. That confession is the bedrock on which the church is built and the key to its holiness and fruitfulness.

Dangerous teachings spread like yeast: a small falsehood allowed to grow will infect the whole loaf. The letter to the Corinthians shows how cultural ideas about spirit and body warped beliefs about the resurrection and therefore erased the power of the gospel. Guarding truth demands both humility and courage—humility to receive correction and courage to confront error lovingly. The responsibility extends from elders to ordinary members: to know the doctrine well enough to recognize distortion and to pass on the faith faithfully to children and neighbors.

Knowing Christ personally matters as much as knowing about him. Faith is not merely assent to propositions but an ongoing relationship formed in Scripture, prayer, memory of God’s faithfulness, and candid testimony. Every believer is invited to make a simple, practical confession—putting into words who Jesus is to them—and then to ask that same question of others as an opening for gospel conversation. The call is both inward (to deepen personal knowledge of the Savior) and outward (to share the keys of the kingdom with those who have been misled), trusting that clarity about Christ safeguards souls and shapes mission.

Key Takeaways

1. Christology is the church's foundation Knowing who Jesus is determines everything else a church teaches and does. When Christ’s identity is right—eternally divine, incarnate, risen—doctrines of salvation, sacraments, and community coherently follow. A weak or distorted Christology produces spiritual drift, ineffective worship, and misplaced trust. [37:29]
2. False teaching spreads like yeast Small doctrinal errors are not harmless; they act like leaven, altering the whole community’s faith and practice. The church must detect and address corrupting ideas early, not to punish, but to preserve the gospel’s integrity and the congregation’s spiritual health. Pastoral clarity and loving correction protect future generations from spiritual loss. [45:17]
3. The resurrection secures Christian hope If Christ was not raised bodily, the gospel collapses and hope becomes mere sentiment. The resurrection validates Jesus’ work and guarantees believers’ future transformation; it roots present faith in a concrete, historical victory over death. Holding this truth shapes worship, urgency in evangelism, and courage in suffering. [53:21]
4. Personal confession fuels mission Articulating “Who is Jesus to you?” is both devotional formation and evangelistic tool. Writing down and speaking one’s answer clarifies belief, exposes gaps, and creates openings to invite others into the same discovery. This practice turns private conviction into public witness and hands out the keys of the kingdom. [62:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[29:16] - Announcements & Giving
[32:50] - What Makes a Church Distinct?
[37:29] - Who Is Jesus? (Primary Doctrine)
[38:34] - John 1: The Word Became Flesh
[44:11] - Beware the Yeast: Bad Teaching
[52:19] - Corinth’s Resurrection Error Explained
[62:58] - Personal Response: Who Is Jesus To You?
[64:28] - Prayer and Commission

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
John 1:1–5, 14, 18 (ESV)
*In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. […] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. […] No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.*

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Observation questions

According to John 1:1–5, what do we learn about the identity, nature, and role of “the Word”?
In the sermon, what are some examples given of false or distorted views of Jesus? [41:28]
How does the sermon describe the effect of false teaching on a church or individual? [45:17]
What question did Jesus ask His disciples in Matthew 16:15, and how did Peter respond?

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Interpretation questions

Why is it so important that Jesus is both fully God and fully human, as described in John 1:14?
The sermon says that wrong beliefs about Jesus affect other areas of faith, like salvation and resurrection. How does a distorted view of Christ undermine the gospel? [54:36]
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says He will build His church on the rock of Peter’s confession. What does this reveal about the relationship between right belief about Jesus and the health of the church?
How might cultural ideas, like those in ancient Corinth, influence what people believe about Jesus today? [52:19]

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Application questions

Who is Jesus to you personally? Take a moment to write down your answer, reflecting on times He has shown up in your life. [01:02:58]
How can you grow in knowing Jesus personally—not just knowing about Him? What habits or practices could help you cultivate that relationship? [59:04]
Is there someone in your life who may have a distorted or incomplete view of Jesus? How could you gently ask them, “Who do you say Jesus is?” as a way to start a gospel conversation? [55:36]
The sermon warns that false teaching spreads like yeast and affects the whole church. How can you better guard yourself and your family from teachings that misrepresent Christ? [46:09]
In what areas of your life have you placed something—even good things like ministry, family, or work—ahead of knowing and loving Jesus? [01:00:40]
How does believing that Jesus is proud of you change the way you live, especially when you feel unworthy or discouraged? [01:01:39]
This week, how will you intentionally “hand out the keys of the kingdom” by helping someone understand who Jesus truly is?

Sermon Clips

Because somebody might say to you, oh you know I I do believe in Jesus. Yeah, you know I know who he is. Oh okay, well who's Jesus? And they're gonna go back to you and they're gonna say, oh he's a he was a great teacher. You know I really love and respect that. You know he taught love and peace. But then you miss the fact that they didn't say, okay well, they didn't say Jesus was Lord, they didn't say Jesus was God. Right? So they believe in Jesus but they don't really believe in Jesus. They believe in a version of Jesus that somebody else maybe taught them or that they heard somewhere. [00:55:50] (30 seconds) #MisunderstoodJesus

But I'm confident that the most important doctrine for any church is who is Jesus? It's the doctrine of Christ or Christology, if you want a fancy word for it. Basically, who do I say Jesus is as a church? Who do I say Jesus is personally? It's knowing Jesus Christ, his work, his person, his death and resurrection. [00:37:24] (24 seconds) #ChristologyMatters

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Westshore Christian Church - Rise Up Church: Getting Jesus Right - February 8, 2026