Jesus Christ: The Son Of God

JESUS CHRIST: THE SON OF GOD

JOHN 1:35-51

NEXT WEEK I INTEND TO START A SERIES OF MESSAGES ENTITLED “JESUS THE WORD”. WE WILL SEE THAT JESUS IS THE FINAL REVELATION, OR LAST WORD OF GOD TO MAN, AND THEN LOOK AT SOME OF JESUS’ FIRST STATEMENTS IN MINISTRY.

TODAY THOUGH, I WANT TO LOOK AT THE INITIATION OF JESUS’ MINISTRY BY EXAMINING THE CALLING OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES. WHAT DID THEY SEE IN HIM? WHAT MADE THEM FOLLOW HIM? PERHAPS IN THE PROCESS YOU MIGHT EVEN DARE TO EXAMINE WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO FOLLOW CHRIST.

CONTEXT:

JOHN’S GOSPEL IS DIFFERENT FROM THE GOSPELS OF MATTHEW, MARK AND LUKE. HE INCLUDES NO GENEOLOGY OR BIRTH NARRATIVES. THERE ARE NO ACCOUNTS OF HIS BOYHOOD, THE TEMPTATIONS, NO MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION AND NO GETHSEMENE.

JOHN, THE WRITER OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL, LEAVES NO DOUBT THAT HIS MOTIVE FOR WRITING THE GOSPEL IS TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. IN FACT, JOHN SELECTED ONLY SEVEN GREAT SIGNS, MIRACLES, WONDERS AND ILLUSTRATIONS, UNDER THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO CONVINCE PEOPLE OF THAT FACT, AND SHOW HIM WORTHY OF THEIR CONFIDENCE.

1. THE TURNING OF WATER INTO WINE (JOHN 2:1-11)

2. THE HEALING OF THE NOBLEMAN’S SON (JOHN 4:46-54)

3. THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN (JOHN 5:1-6)

4. THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND (JOHN 6:1-14)

5. WALKING ON THE SEA (JOHN 6:15-21)

6. THE HEALING OF THE MAN BORN BLIND (JOHN 9)

7. THE RAISING OF LAZARUS (JOHN 11:1-54)

JOHN 20:30-31:

JESUS PERFORMED MANY OTHER SIGNS IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS DISCIPLES, WHICH ARE NOT RECORDED IN THIS BOOK. 31 BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT BY BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME

JOHN THE EVANGELIST LIVED A LONG LIFE, DYING OF NATURAL CAUSES AT THE AGE OF NINETY. HE WROTE SIX BOOKS OF THE BIBLE I, II, AND III JOHN, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, THE BOOKS OF JUDE AND REVELATION. HE WROTE THE GOSPEL OF JOHN WHEN HE WAS EIGHTY, HAVING ALREADY READ THE OTHER GOSPELS AND KNOWING WHAT THEY CONTAINED, HE CHOSE TO CONCENTRATE ON THE DIETY OF CHRIST.

JOHN THE EVANGELIST WAS FACED WITH THE PROBLEM OF DEALING WITH FALSE TEACHERS. HE PROVIDED INFORMATION TO HELP COMBAT THE VARIOUS FALSE TEACHINGS DENYING THE DIETY OF CHRIST.

LET ME ILLUSTRATE:

WHEN POLICE OFFICIALS ARE TRAINING OFFICERS TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN REAL MONEY AND COUNTERFEIT, THEY WOULD ALWAYS USE AUTHENTIC DOLLAR BILLS. OFFICERS WOULD LEARN THE FEEL OF THE BILLS, SPECIAL MARKS THAT THEY CONTAIN, EVEN HOW TO CHECK THE INK OF THE AUTHENTIC ARTICLE. THERE IS ONLY ONE AUTHENTIC ARTICLE, BUT THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF COUNTERFEIT MONEY AND EACH OF THEM HAVE THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. IF YOU KNOW THE REAL THING THOUGH, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE.

THE SAME IS TRUE IN MATTERS OF FAITH. YOU MUST KNOW THE AUTHENTIC TEACHINGS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN AUTHENTIC AND FALSE TEACHINGS, AS THEY RELATE TO JESUS AND HIS DIETY.

ALL RELIGIONS BELIEVE IN A GOD OF SOME KIND. SOME PEOPLE WITH NO RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND AT ALL STILL BELIEVE IN A GOD OF SOME FORM.

THE BATTLEFIELD OF FAITH RESIDES IN WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS CHRIST. CHRISTIANITY IS THE ONLY RELIGION THAT PROCLAIMS THE DIETY OF CHRIST. JOHN’S BOOK DEFENDS HIS DIETY AND CLEARLY PROCLAIMS THAT THE ONLY WAY TO A SAVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS THROUGH JESUS.

JOHN 14:6-7:

JESUS ANSWERED, “I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. 7 IF YOU REALLY KNOW ME, YOU WILL KNOW MY FATHER AS WELL. FROM NOW ON, YOU DO KNOW HIM AND HAVE SEEN HIM.”

THE EVENTS OF OUR PASSAGE OCCURS AFTER THE BAPTISM AND TEMPTATIONS OF JESUS. JOHN THE BAPTIST HAS CONTINUED HIS MINISTRY AND WAS CALLED BEFORE THE PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO EXPLAIN WHO HE WAS. IT IS HERE THAT JOHN THE BAPTIZER IS ABLE TO DENY ANYONE’S CLAIM THAT HE IS THE MESSIAH.

THOSE INVOLVED ARE: JOHN THE BAPTIZER

ANDREW

A DISCIPLE (JOHN THE EVANGELIST)

SIMON (PETER)

PHILIP

NATHANAEL (BARTHOLOMEW)

IT TAKES PLACE IN BETHSAIDA A SMALL FISHING VILLAGE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE. IT WAS THE HOME OF MANY DISCIPLES AND THE SITE OF A NUMBER OF MIRACLES INCLUDING:

A) JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER (MARK 6:45-51)

B) JESUS CURING A BLIND MAN (MARK 8:22-25)

C) THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND (LUKE 9:12-17)

THE WRITER JOHN, EVER THE EVANGELIST WANTS US TO REALIZE THAT GOD SPEAKS TO US AND CALLS US IN MANY WAYS. TO SOME IT’S A STILL SMALL VOICE, TO OTHERS IT’S A MAJOR EVENT SUCH AS A HEALTH OR FAMILY CRISIS IN WHICH THERE IS A MIRACULOUS INTERVENTION. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE WAY GOD CALLED THESE MEN TO HELP US IDENTIFY WHEN GOD IS CALLING US TO MINISTRY.