What we Believe Series ¡V Part 4
Who is this Jesus? ¡V Various scriptures
In the last three weeks we have been in a series called ¡¥What we believe.¡¦
People have a lot of questions about God. Here are some of the questions children have about God and Jesus.
-Jane, dear GOD, In school they told us what You do. Who does it when You are on vacation?
Lucy Dear GOD, Are you really invisible or is that just a trick?
- Norma Dear GOD, Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident?
-Jane Dear GOD, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don’t You just keep the ones You have now?
o In letters to God one child wrote ¡¥Dear God, In Bible times did they always talk that fancy?
o We will try to keep this simple
o Were setting our sights on God the Son, Jesus Christ. What do Christians believe about Jesus? What was his purpose for coming to earth? What difference can he make in my life?
o Last week we looked at some evidences of his existence. We looked at history, the early church Fathers, and the Apostles ¡V called the external
o We looked at the Internal evidence of his humanity
o This week were focusing on the divine side of Jesus
o We said that Jesus was 100% human and 100% God at the same time
o Most people today don¡¦t have a problem believing Jesus was human; the evidence is conclusive
o But many have difficulty believing Jesus is God¡¦ even though the evidence is also conclusive
o That reminds me of the man whose dog didn¡¦t look so well
o He was really worried so he placed a blanket around the dog and brought him to the vet
o The Vet said bring him in this room
o They put him up on the Operating table
o The Vet took one look at the animal and said ¡¥your dog is dead¡¦
o Well the man was upset and said you barely even looked at him
o I want a second opinion
o The Vet whistled and in came a black lab wagging its tail
o He said buddy do your work
o The lab sniffed the dead dog and began shaking his head, which meant mister your dog is dead
o Then the lab left the room
o The Vet whistled again and in came a Siamese cat
o The cat jumped up on the table, licked and sniffed the dog
o The cat let out a loud meow, meaning yes this dog is dead and left the room
o Two weeks later the man got a bill for $700
o He hit the roof and confronted the Vet
o The man said $700, I mean you only spent two minutes analyzing my dog
o The Vet said, sir the original bill would have only been $50
o You should have listened to me
o The evidence was conclusive that your dog was dead
o But you wanted a second opinion
o The other $650 was for the lab work and the cat scan
o Even though the evidence is conclusive many refuse to believe that Jesus was born of a virgin and lived a sinless perfect life
o What about you?
o What do you believe about Jesus?
o Do you believe Jesus is God who became man?
o Do you believe he lived a sinless life?
o Do you believe he died on the cross for your sins?
o Do you believe he rose from the dead?
o This morning I want to look at the deity of Jesus
o Deity simply means Jesus was divine or God?
o Were going to look at proofs of Jesus divinity
I. Fulfillment of prophecy (don¡¦t have time for all)
a. Born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14; Matt.1:21-23)
o Isaiah the major prophet 800 years before Christ prophesied that Jesus would be born from a virgin
o Indeed Matthew records the miracle when the Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit
o This is an essential teaching of the Christian faith
o John writes in his first epistle, " This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world (1 John 4:2-3 NIV).
o What if there had been no incarnation?
i. First there would be no clear picture of God (Jesus told Philip if you have seen me you have seen the Father)
ii. Second, there would have been no New Testament. The Old Testament ends with the words, "Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:6). We would still be sacrificing animals and the writer of Hebrews wrote ¡¥the blood of Jesus could never take away sin, for only Jesus Himself could offer the perfect sacrifice that can make an enduring atonement.¡¨
iii. Third there would be no churches. Almost all the homeless shelters and food banks in this country were started by Christians. Most of the hospitals in the last century were started by Christians. Christians are digging wells, bringing medicine, shoeboxes for Children, running orphanages for homeless children, evangelism crusades worldwide, all done in the Name of Jesus.
iv. Fourth, if it had not been for the Incarnation, there would be little hope of eternal life. The hope of meeting our loved ones again is one of the strongest desires of mankind. When my dad¡¦s body was ravaged with cancer he stopped breathing. I stood in front of his body and said that¡¦s no longer my dad. He is gone to glory. All because of Jesus!
b. A descendant of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; 22:18; Matt. 1:1; Gal. 3:16)
God appeared to Abraham
God told Abraham that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him
That was fulfilled through Jesus Christ
The Apostle Paul wrote "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith (Galatians 3:8-9 NIV).¨
When Paul wrote God would justify the Gentiles by faith he was talking about you
By faith in Christ you are made right with God
c. Would preach good news (Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:14-21)
Isaiah prophesied that the coming savior would come to lift up the devalued in life
When Jesus came to the synagogue, which was his custom he read these words
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18-19 NIV)."
That is good news
That Jesus came to set us free
People were in bondage in Jesus day
Through Jesus slavery was abolished
Women and children were chattels
Through Jesus Christ women and children are set free
Paul wrote ¡§There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:28-29 NIV)
ľ He set me free from the bondage of my past
ľ He will set you free today
What is holding you bondage?
Is it a past relationship?
Is it a job?
Is it depression?
Are you discouraged?
Jesus came to set you free
Time to get out of the pit
Story of Kelly at Celebrate Recovery (story of mother with cancer)
Jesus came to set you free
Don¡¦t stay in the pit
David wrote (Ps. 40:2)
d. Would be rejected by the Jews (Ps. 118:22; 1 Peter 2:7)
The Apostle John wrote that He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- (John 1:11-12 NIV)
In the psalms David writes prophetically that the stone that the builders rejected has become the capstone (Psalm 118:22).¡¦ The Apostle Peter in quoting this passage said the Jews stumble because they have rejected the Messiah.
We miss the urgency of this. Peter is saying that all who do not receive Christ as their Savior will one day face Him as their Judge. Because of sin, all disobedient unbelievers are destined for a stumbling,which will lead to eternal condemnation, really hell itself. That is our loved ones. We need revival and prayer in our church. Revival and prayer will lead to people trusting Jesus
e. Crucified with thieves (Isa. 53:12; Matt. 27:38)
Isaiah prophesied that ¡§I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12 NIV).¡¨
When he died on the cross Matthew records ¡§two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left (Matthew 27:38 NIV).
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom (Luke 23:39-42 NIV)."
We think we got to have these fancy prayers
How about that one ¡¥Jesus remember me¡¦
Jesus don¡¦t forget about me
I need your forgiveness Jesus
I deserve the cross, not you
Jesus remember me
These are a few of the prophecies of God. We don¡¦t have time today but there are many more.
II. He does what only God can do
a) He has superhuman knowledge or omniscience (Luke 11:17; Matt. 26:21-25; Matt. 26:31-35)
Jesus knew in advance who was going to betray him. We might have thought it would have been one of the others, but Jesus knew it would be Judas
o Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born (Matthew 26:23-24 NIV)."
o Even though Jesus knew his betrayer in advance Judas was still responsible for his sins
o Jesus said woe to the one who betrays me
o It is a serious sin to betray Jesus
o So serious that Jesus is grieved
b) Jesus predicted the fall of Jerusalem
o Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down (Matthew 24:1-2 NIV)."
o Although Jesus predicted this, many were blind to all this, and the Jews, especially in Jerusalem, generally just kept right on following the old way as if nothing had happened.
o They rejected Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross.
o They clung to their temple worship for forty years. But in AD70 it was suddenly taken from them by the Romans who besieged and destroyed their city and temple -- just as Jesus himself had foretold.
o History records the fact that when Christians fled Jerusalem to Pella for safety in AD70 that they recalled the words of Jesus ¡¥not one stone will be left on another
o They ignored God¡¦s counsel by rejecting Jesus and it cost them the nation and land of Israel for 2,000 years
o When we ignore God¡¦s counsel, we like the Jews open up our lives to terrible destruction
c) He had superhuman power or omnipotence (Matt. 8:23-27; Matt. 14:15-21; Matt. 9:5-7; Luke 13:10-14; Matt. 9:32; Matt. 12:22)
o He has power over nature
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!" He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him? (Matthew 8:23-27 NIV)!"
o This was a furious storm
o Like a great earthquake
o They were amazed at the supernatural power of Jesus
o We hear a lot of the environmental effects of global warming and pollution
o But Jesus can restore it all with a single command
o He brought the chaos of nature into perfect peace
c) He has superhuman presence or omnipresence
o In other words Jesus has the ability to be present in more than one location
o I cannot be at the church and at the hospital at the same time
o But Jesus can and is present in both locations
o When the Apostles were in the upper room after Jesus death he appeared to them
o On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord (John 20:19-20 NIV)
o Deadbolts cannot keep him out
o Are you using a deadbolt in your life to shut Jesus out?
o What is your fearful about?
o Is it the future of this church?
o Is it your marriage?
o Is it your children?
o Is it your finances?
o Is it an addiction?
o Is it your health?
o Is it the loss of a loved one?
o Is it your future?
o Don¡¦t block Jesus out
o Don¡¦t block out the very church Jesus died for
o He can come right through the door
o But he would rather you open the door and invite him in
o Rev. 3:20
d) He has power over resources
They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children (Matthew 14:20-21 NIV)
o What is it that looks daunting in your life?
o What are you trying to hang on to because you¡¦re afraid God won¡¦t give it back to you?
o That little boy came with his lunch
o That is what he had to give to Jesus that day
o Give to Jesus and watch Him multiply
o He produces miracles with what you have in your hand
o But you have to let it go first
e) He has power over sin.(Mark 2:1-12)
o Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven (Mark 2:4-5 NIV)."
o What faith they had
o They believed in Jesus
o Only Jesus can forgive sins
o Where do you go to have your sins forgiven?
o Come to Jesus; only Jesus can forgive sins
f) All judgment is in his hands (John 5:27; Acts 17:31)
o And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me John 5:27-30 (NIV)
o One day we will stand in front of the judge Jesus
o I believe he will ask you two questions
o First what did you do with my son (hopefully you have already answered that one)
o Secondly what did you do with the church that I gave my life for?
o I dread that day
o Do you want to know why?
o The Bible says ¡¥Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1 NIV).
o So pray for me. Pray with me. Pray for wisdom and discernment. Pray for my leadership. Pray for courage and boldness to preach the gospel
o One day I will have to stand before God for a stricter judgment
o I need your help and support
o But we will all stand before Jesus as judge
g) He sent the Holy Spirit (John 15:26)
o ¡§When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning John 15:26-27 (NIV).¡¨
o Jesus sent the Holy Spirit
o He is the Spirit of Truth
o He leads you and guides you
o How do we know if were Spirit led?
o What is the litmus test?
o The Holy Spirit does nothing that does not line up with the Bible, because the Holy Spirit is truth
o Jesus said he would send the Holy Spirit and he did
o Are you Spirit led?
o Are you Spirit filled?
o Do you really believe the Holy Spirit would lead you to:
o Become discouraged about the church
o To have no desire to pray
o To not read the Bible
o To not serve Jesus
h) Jesus triumphs over death (John 5:25)
o I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live (John 5:25 NIV).
o Now I have preached in cemeteries
o I am convinced the dead could not hear me
o Nothing moved when I preached in cemeteries
o But one day the dead will hear the voice of Jesus and rise
o Death is not the end for the Christian
o Jesus triumphs over death
o He called out to Lazarus his friend who had been dead four days
o Lazarus, get out of that grave
o Help him out friends, take the grave clothes off
o Lazarus get walking
o The Apostle Paul wrote ¡¥O death where is thy sting?¡¨
o Death is just temporary for the Christian
o There is no sting in death
o Jesus defeated death at the cross
o He died on the cross and rose again so that you could live forever
i) Jesus triumphed over hell itself
o Jesus told us to think seriously about eternity (Luke 12:5)
o Jesus is the Son of God
o He warns us to get our values straight
o The end of this life can be scary
o None of knows how or when we will die
o I have proved to you that Jesus is the Son of God
o He has the authority to cast a soul into hell
o We often prefer the softer messages about the love of God
o Really it is out of fashion to speak about hell
o The hell Jesus spoke of is the term Gehenna
o The word came from the Hebrew word Hinnon
o It was a valley near Jerusalem were children were sacrificed to a god called Molech
o They were burned alive
o By Jesus day Gehenna was a rubbish dump where a fire continually burned
o Were not to fear Satan but to resist him
o It is Jesus, not Satan, who has the power over hell itself
o He triumphed over hell at the cross
o Will you trust him?
o He is the Son of God
o He is trustworthy
Concluding Prayer
If your not sure if your’e going to go to heaven simply pray this prayer. Lord Jesus I choose to love you. Forgive me for my sins, my pride and going my own way. I ask you into my heart. Please wash me clean and give me a brand new start. QUOTE a Verse: 1 John 5:13.
