Today we will begin our study looking at Jesus called 'Extra Ordinary Jesus'. I have spelt and pronounced 'extraordinary' like that because I want to emphasize as fully as possible that Jesus is far, far, far beyond ordinary and usual to man.
And I want us to focus fully on Jesus because, well, because He is central to the Bible, He is central to Christianity, He is or should be central in the lives of Christians, and, when people ask about Christianity or we share our faith Jesus must be central in that conversation.
So, we will look at Jesus and we will begin at the beginning.
Now, every man can trace his origins; can trace back to where he came from, to where his life began- his birth, his parents. Every one of us has a birthday, we all have a day when we entered into this world, and we can go back a bit further, 9 months further to the time when the magic happened, the egg was fertilized and growth began.
That's as far as I go back, that's how far as you go back. That's as far as anyone can go back - and no further.
But for Jesus it's different! Jesus is extra ordinary! Jesus pre-existed His birth! What I mean is that He existed before Mary! He existed before even the world was created!
Our main verse today is John 1:1 'In the beginning...' and what book does that echo? Genesis 1:1 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth' Yea, so John 1:1 'In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.'
Here john is introducing us to the subject of his book, Jesus, who he says was in the beginning with God. He existed with God, He was God and through Him all things were made!
Can you see the connection with Jesus and creation? 'God said let there be light'; 'God said...; God said ...; God said...' and here Jesus is referred to 'the Word... the Word... the Word...and the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us'
So Jesus existed before His conception and birth and is seen, He appears throughout history. He shows up many times in the Old Testament, not as a Spirit but in actual human form!
When Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac it was Jesus who came and stopped Him, and it was Jesus who provided the ram to be sacrificed instead!
It was Jesus who appeared to Samson's mother and father and told them to expect a child; that he was to be raised as a Nazarite and that he would save Israel from the Philistines!
It was Jesus, the commander of the army of the Lord, whom Joshua met on the way to Jericho, who gave him the city and its king and told him the battle plan to defeat the city!
It was Jesus who wrestled with Jacob, it was Jesus who walked with Abraham, it was Jesus who appeared to Moses, it was Jesus who was seen in the fiery furnace with Daniel's 3 friends.
Remember what king Nebuchadnezzar said just after he threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the furnace? 'Did we not throw 3 men into the fire? But I see 4 m3n unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, unhurt, and the appearance of the 4th man is like that of the Son of God'
It was Jesus who called Isaiah into ministry, and it's here we get this wonderful picture of Jesus before His incarnation, before His birth and where He is now, until the time He'll come again for His own!
Isaiah 6:1-3 'In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. [2] Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. [3] And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"'
Here we have this wonderful picture of the King of kings, sitting on His throne, high above any other, ruling over EVERYTHING! Whatever exists, He is ruling over! The universe, people, angels, demons, everything is UNDER Him!
And look at this, King Uzziah, who by the way was a good and prosperous king whom the Lord had helped make Israel a great place, he died and then he saw the Lord sitting on His throne. What a contrast!
One great king dead, and then the eternal King, the King of kings, who was and is and ever will be! The One who said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM, tell the people I AM sent you' the One with no beginning and no end, the One who is!
This is who Isaiah saw! This is to whom the angels were singing 'Holy, Holy , Holy is the LORD of hosts...', and in John 12:39-41 we are told that this King who Isaiah saw was in fact Jesus! Jesus in all His glory! Jesus who would be born to Mary some 700 years later!
Jesus was no ordinary man, fully man yes, but He was extra ordinary! There has been no other man like Him on the earth and there will never be another man like Him! We can trace the origins of all other religious leaders back to their birth, even a little bit further to their conception, just like us, but no further!
Abraham -- 2000BC
Buddha- 563BC
Confucius- 551BC
Muhammad- 570AD
Joseph Smith jr- 1805AD
Charles Taze Russell- 1852AD
Jesus was there at the very beginning, ruling, reigning, creating! And this is the picture I want us to have of Jesus. This is who He is! This is how Isaiah saw Him, this is how John saw Him, this is to whom Paul gave himself as a slave!
Yes He was a baby. Yes He was a poor carpenter born into a poor family in a small town in Israel...But only for 33 years! Only 33 years! Jesus is the King of kings! Jesus is Creator and Ruler of all! Jesus is the captain of the Army of God! Jesus is God Almighty!
Truly He is extra ordinary!
