Defending The Faith Sermon Iv: Embrace The Deity Of Christ Series

IN TIMES LIKE THESE --- MATURE CHRISTIANS EMBRACE THE TRUTH OF THE DEITY OF CHRIST

In the minds of many people God is a distant, foreign, unknown entity that exists out there somewhere. On the other hand, some folks say they believe in God but pay no attention to what His Word says and do not want to be subject to Him. God is expected to help them when they need it, but never is He to make demands of them, and certainly should never make them feel guilty of sin. And . . .

Probably more folks than we would like to admit claim to believe in God, but do not believe in Jesus. It’s that way with quite a number of religions all over the world.

However, it is impossible to believe in the True God but exclude Jesus Christ because He IS, and always has been, one of THE THREE members of the God-Head --- God the Son named Jesus whose words and deeds proved His claim: “I and the Father are One.”

As a matter of fact, each and every one of our Lord’s actions were consistent with Who God Is . . . !

Q: Why do folks doubt who Jesus is . . . why He came . . . reject the Truth that was embodied and enunciated by Him --- that: He came so that we might have life . . . He has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . God sent His Son to seek and save sinners . . . all have sinned . . . all need to be saved . . . He is the One and only Way to be saved . . . He manifested God’s grace and power to save us . . . He could do all of this only if He were Deity! Which He IS!

A: Many folks prefer a god that agrees with them and approves their selfish desires no matter what it takes to get what they want - even if they have to make up a god of their own or attach themselves to an object which they can deceptively manipulate to make it appear that they have been granted permission to go their own way, without having to answer to the LORD God who IS . . . Such deniers of the Deity, as a general rule, speak nonsense.

Which prompts me to urge Christians: Be sure you embrace biblical truth about the Deity of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:2): “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means, ‘God with us’”! Paul: “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Christ + Jesus = God-Man!

To me, the most striking aspect of the God-Man Deity is this historical fact: God the Father took the initiative to manifest His grace and power. He did so by sending the Second Person of the God-head God the Son unto us so that, through Him, we might be saved.

Luke explains God’s initiative by telling about two births – John and Jesus. Luke goes to great lengths to make sure we “connect the dots” to see the two miracles as acts of Deity – two births that could occur ONLY by actions taken by the LORD God Almighty. So:

Luke draws a parallel between what the angel said to Zacharias (that he and Elizabeth would have a son in their old age and that their son would be the forerunner for the coming Messiah) and what the angel said to Mary (that she, as a virgin, would bear a son conceived by the divine action of the Holy Spirit).

Both stories tell of God’s initiative of grace and power --- of grace in that what is soon to happen will show God’s favor to the world --- of power in that God can work in and through the unable - an old couple and a young virgin, both of whom would have sons because God is able, both of whom would have sons for the sake of sinners because of God’s grace.

Even though the stories run parallel - to show how God works in mysterious and miraculous ways to bring about His divine purpose - one must give way to the other, just as John said that he must decrease so that the One coming after him could increase. Thus:

Luke shifts his narrative from the natural though somewhat miraculous birth of John to the natural yet supernatural birth of Jesus. John would be an ordinary man, but Jesus would be both ordinary and divine - “Son of Man” and “Son of God”.

Everything about our Lord’s birth pointed to His Deity – Luke 1:26-35 . . .