Will You Refuse Him Too? Series

This morning I want to begin with a story. I want you to imagine yourself being a part of this story, so, place yourself in a small village in Judea. You are a leader of the church, or a member of his family; the Jewish Synagogue is where you worship. It is the Sabbath day. In your hand is the lead rope tied to a little lamb, the sacrifice you are to present to the priest. It is being led along the streets toward the place set aside to be offered to God, Jehovah. Your friends began to gather with you and your family as you travel, walking to the Synagogue. It is still a distance away until you get into Jerusalem, the place of the Feast. The crowd becomes denser and the travel time seems to be taking longer this time. You remember it is a special Jewish Sabbath. The Feast of Passover is coming up next week. You begin to talk with friends and family you have not seen for some time. Conversation is about all you have heard and seen since the last meeting with them.

You hear someone say, “Have you seen this man named Jesus? Could he be the Messiah?” Another says, “He is a prophet from God. I have seen his miracles. He healed a blind man down in Jericho.” Another speaks up and says, ”Do you remember Lazarus? He was dead and this man brought him back to life. I saw this with my own eyes.”

In your heart, you know this man Jesus is a prophet; yet he is not the Messiah. He cannot be. Your fellow Pharisee Jewish brethren do not see anything pointing to him as the Messiah:

• Jesus is not from a prominent family, therefore, he cannot be the King of the Jews.

• His father was a carpenter—from Nazareth of all places.

• Jesus ate with sinners and Publicans; good Jews do not associate with blatant sinners.

• He even let a harlot touch him, washing his feet with her tears. If you had only seen her behavior. She really put on a show. And this Jesus, he did not even put up a fuss. He then forgave her of her sins.

In the days Christ walked upon the earth, many people refused to believe he was the Messiah. Many refused Jesus as the coming Savior spoken of by the Prophets of old.

Let us look at a few prophecies this member of the Synagogue should have recognized.

I. The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem

A. Micah 5:2. 2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

II. The Messiah would be born a member of the tribe of Judah

A. Gen. 49:8-10. 8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. 9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

III. The Messiah would be of the seed of David, His Kingdom would be everlasting, He would be the Son of God, and David’s house would be established forever.

A. 2 Samuel 7:8-17. God speaking through the prophet Nathan--8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house. 12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. (1 Chronicles 17:7-15) almost word for word