Is Jesus Relevant Today?
Theme:
Text: Romans 1:16
¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16 AV)
The question uppermost in the minds of people today is not, Is Christianity True? They have a more practical question on their minds: Is it relevant? Student reaction is often: “So I believe what you’ve said about Jesus Christ-so what? What’s it got to do with modern life? What’s it got to do with me? If we want to speak of Jesus Christ today, we need to have in the forefront of our minds how he is personally relevant to us. From there we can consider how to relate the events that took place two thousand years ago to life in the twentieth century.
In Exodus 3 we see Moses first encounter with the Lord. God manifesting himself in a burning bush. Here God called him to lead the people out of Egypt. These people were oppressed. They were hurting they needed a deliverer. So God called Moses. Moses’ first question, a legitimate one, was, “When I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them?” Ex 3:13.
God never goes into any elaborate detail to prove himself but with emphasis he says, “I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”
This was Gods answer. He was I am. In other words any need that they had it was God who could meet it, it was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who could fulfill it. Then when Jesus came he used this phrase in the same way. Considered to be blaspheming to the religious Jews he says, “I am”. In Revelation he says, “I am the alpha and the omega”. I am.
In the book of John Jesus makes seven profound “I am” statements. Here he stands before the people and proclaims as God did “I am”. I am the answer to your every need.
Tonight we are talking about the relevancy of Jesus today. As we look at this I want to show that there has always been a universal need that will only be answered with “I am”.
I am the bread of life John 6:35
I am the light of the world John 8:12
I am the door John 10:9
I am the good shepherd John 10:11,14
I am the resurrection and the life John 11:25
I am the way the truth and the life John 14:6
I am the true vine John 15:1,5
I. Inner Emptiness
People so often wrap themselves up in busyness. They bury themselves in activities. Yet if you take all of this away you will find it is just a show and that inside they are empty. I have seen this in the most famous people who would seem to have the most friends but yet inside they are empty.
JN 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
He comes into our lives and fills an emptiness that seems never to be filled. While all these other things can fill us externally internally in our soul there is a longing to be filled.
One sermon that I began to prepare this morning is, “What are you hiding behind?” Many people hide but if only they would let Jesus fill that void.
II. Purposelessness
There are many people that are running in this rat race of life with no purpose in life. You ask them why they do the things they do and all you get is a shallow answer. They have no idea. They have no purpose. They have no goals or vision. They are just journeying on. But Jesus said,”
JN 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
He came to bring light and purpose in our lives. Have you ever went into a dark room trying to find the light switch? You grope around and grope around banging your knee here hitting your head there. Until finally you find that switch and you look back at everything you have hit. Now you can walk easier. This is what Jesus does he turns that light on.
III. Fear of Death
Next we see that there is a fear of death. This world is worrying about death. Each day there seems to be a new invention on prolonging life. We don’t want to die. Death for some is uncertain they don’t know what will happen.
This hit many of the young people 10 years ago when we had the threat of nuclear disaster. In a poll that was given the major worry was death.
JN 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
When Christ lives in our heart death is no longer a mystery but it is as a bridge into the eternal. Eternal life with Christ.
This truth allowed Paul to proclaim in Php 1:21 ¶ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Then with boldness he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:55,” O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
There is a peace there. Funerals are different. Sickness is different. We know where we are going.
IV. Desire for Inner Peace
Walk into the book stores today and you see a growing section dedicated to self-help. Look across the aisle and you read of life-after-death experiences. So many books dedicated to an inner peace. New Age religions based on old age worship.
JN 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
His peace is not like the world temporal. His peace is not like the world material. His peace is not like the world that can be an up and down experience. But it is an eternal peace based on Him. One he has experienced and knows.
MT 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
V. Loneliness
In a world full of gadgets to make us closer together everyday we seem to be drawn father and father apart. From the telephone to the internet. The car to the plane the world is said to be smaller yet it seems to be so large.
Loneliness fills the earth. In the world of crowds it seems there is so much loneliness.
Yet Jesus related to this need with these words in JN 10:11 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
Then he says in Mt. 28:20 “I am with you always” and Heb 13:35 says, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee”
VI. Lack of Self-control
Admittedly this world is full of a lack of self-control. They cannot control their actions. Things they would never dream of doing are being done. From our high school children to college kids. To adults. So much out there so many temptations. People have not control.
Yet Jesus said, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 AV)
Lean on me. Let me be your hope and guide.
VII. Putting together our thinking, integration
As in the above verse Jesus means that he is putting all our purposes and thoughts of life together. We now know the purpose of things and we try to see it as God working in our lives for a greater purpose.
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Mark 13:31 AV)
