The Person Of Christ Series

The Person Of Christ

I Want To Know Christ! – week 2

THIS MORNING – I want to start out with a passage of Scripture from Colossians chapter one, I’m reading from the Message Bible.

15-18We look at Christ and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at Christ and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.

18-20He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.

21-23You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one… We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less.

Prayer

TODAY – is week two of our new message series – “I Want To know Christ!”

NOW LAST WEEK – we just introduced the series and during the next several weeks we will (in our effort, in our quest) to know better the one we have chosen to follow, look at:

• The person of Christ

• The passions of Christ

• The emotions of Christ

• The miracles of Christ

• The foolishness of Christ, and

• The mission of Christ

THIS MORNING – we are going to look at, The Person of Christ… and we are going to do that by unpacking some of the names and titles that are given to Jesus in the Scriptures.

UNDERSTAND - you can learn a lot about person from what they are called. IF – you want to learn more about me, for example. You could find out a bunch of stuff, by listening to my various titles… I MEAN – in any given week, I am called; “Steve” “Mr Steve” “Mr Malone” “Dad” “Teacher” “Pastor Steve” “Pastor” “baby” “hey you” and “baba” (which is one of my favorites). AND – if you took the time to unpack the meaning of those names & titles, you would get a pretty good idea as to of who I am.

WELL - it’s the same way with the man from Galilee… NOW – there are so many names and titles that we could talk about… this morning. Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, The Good Shepherd, the word become flesh, wonderful counselor, Son of God, Son of Man, king of kings, Messiah… Jesus

BUT THIS MORNING – in our quest to know Him more, we are going to unpack just 3 of the many names of Jesus…

QUESTION – why does Jesus have so many names, because there is so much to The Person of Christ that just a handful of names wouldn’t do...

NOW - in the ancient world in which the bible was written, an essential aspect of knowing a person was to know the person’s name. AND UNDERSTAND - knowing a name was far more personal than knowing information about the person… IN FACT – knowing a name, was synonymous with knowing the person.

TODAY – we think of a name as a way to identify a person. BUT IN - the Bible knowing someone’s name (whether it be God or a person) is what allowed a relationship to be established with that person… That is why the Psalmist proclaims in Psalm 9;

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. – Psalm 9:10

THOSE – who know His name, know His person – will what? Put their trust in Him. AND LISTEN – those who trust in the Lord are like Mt Zion – they will NOT be shaken (Ps 125:1)