A Sure Identity

A SURE IDENTITY—Luke 7:18-23

A CARD YOU WILL NEVER SEE IN HALLMARK

"You are such a good friend that if we were on a sinking ship and there was only one life jacket....

I’d miss you heaps & think of you often."

The card revealed the true identity of the recipient’s ‘friend’.

Jesus’ identity as Messiah is sure/certain.

John the Baptist needed assurance of the validity of Jesus’ ministry.

God’s people can be certain that Jesus’ is Messiah.

How is Jesus’ identity discovered?

4 means of discovering Messiah’s identity.

1—Jesus’ identity is discovered thru

HIS PAST(:18-19)

—Explanation:(:18-19) Expectation

:18—“And the disciples of John reported to him about all these things.”

:19—“And summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?””

“The Expected One”—

Dan. 9:24-27—“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people & your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision & prophecy, & to anoint the most holy place. “So you are to know & discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore & rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks & sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza & moat, even in times of distress. “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off & have nothing, & the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city & the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice & grain offering; & on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.””

“Or...Someone else”—

His Father, His mother

—Argumentation:

The Case For Christ—Probability of any one person accidently fulfilling just 8 of the requirements for being the Christ/Messiah...

...An area the size of Texas covered 2 ft. deep with silver dollars—1 marked— & picking the only one with the mark on it.

—Illustration:

Wayne Blank(brother-in-law)/Doesn’t know his father—Physical history & makeup unknown/His Past is important/His PAST

Catherine’s car/No repair history!/Its PAST

Professorial Applicant at University/Educational history needed/His PAST

—Application:

?You Discovered Jesus’ identity thru His PAST?

?You discovered Jesus’ identity?

2—Jesus’ identity is discovered thru

OUR DELEGATION(:19-20)

—Explanation:(:19-20) Deputation/Representation

:19—“And summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?”

:20—“And when the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’””

Ask Jesus directly

Ask Christians—Those willing to find truth when they hear it.

?Who will faithfully represent Christ to you?

Went helping John & return helping Jesus.

—Argumentation:

God is not without a witness.

Acts 1:8—“...but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; & you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, & in all Judea & Samaria, & even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Heb. 12:1-3—“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, & the sin which so easily entangles us, & let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author & perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, & has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary & lose heart.”

—Illustration:

Anita S./Hair salon/Many contacts/Info needed on someone/Personal contact/DELEGATION sent

Ministry Needs Forms/Person closest reports on extent of the need/DELEGATION sent

—Application:

?You asking the right questions of the right people?

?You Discovered a true DELEGATION?

?You discovered Jesus’ identity?

3—Jesus’ identity is discovered thru

HIS MINISTRY(:21-22) Work

—Explanation:(:21-22)

:21—“At that very time He cured many people of diseases & afflictions & evil spirits; & He granted sight to many who were blind.”

:22—“And He answered & said to them, “Go & report to John what you have seen & heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, & the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.”

Jn. 5:36—“But the witness which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.”