A Prophet Among Us
John 2:12-25
Jesus is often known in his roles as priest and king, but not as often in his role of prophet.
What is a prophet? The voice of God!
Special calling/ special experience
The Spirit of God delved into the lives of ordinary men and transformed them into extraordinary witnesses.
8 Characteristics of a prophet-Chuck Swindoll
Eight Characteristics which give a picture of what the prophet looked like.
(Adapted from Chuck Swindoll)
1. God’s Mouthpiece
2. Uncompromising Individualism
-though none go with me, still I will follow
-Elijah on Mt. Carmel
3. Rugged Determination
-no matter the cost the word of God will be spoken
-Ezekiel 2
4. Prayer
-constantly connected to God
5. Iconoclast
-critics of that which is seen as revered, or holy
-topics which no one else would touch- the prophet boldly breaks them down in the name of truth
6. Temperamental to Indifference
-to the prophet apathy was the greatest sin
7. Absolute Obedience
8. Revealer of Future Events
The prophets spoke from their relationship
They were abnormal people. Something in their lives caused them to be different. An abandonment of their individualism.
Moses Numbers 11:25-29
Numbers 11:25-29 "Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more. Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, "My lord Moses, forbid them." But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!"
Jeremiah Jeremiah 20:9
Jeremiah 20:9 "If I say, "I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name," there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot."
* The experience of Christ- The spirit came upon him
Mark 1:12 "The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness."
Driven into an encounter with God
The strength of His ministry did not arise out of the baptismal experience, but from the refining of Jesus the man into Jesus the Christ.
Hebrews 2:14-18 "We are people of flesh and blood. That is why Jesus became one of us. He died to destroy the devil, who had power over death. But he also died to rescue all of us who live each day in fear of dying. Jesus clearly did not come to help angels, but he did come to help Abraham’s descendants. He had to be one of us, so that he could serve God as our merciful and faithful high priest and sacrifice himself for the forgiveness of our sins. And now that Jesus has suffered and was tempted, he can help anyone else who is tempted." (CEV)
Malachi 3:1-4 "Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the LORD whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years."
Christ comes as a refiner, because in the recesses of his experience with the Father, Jesus has been refined. He has been molded so as to be our example; that we too may be refined in Christ.
John 17:21 I pray, "that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us..."
Not that Christ was imperfect or retained a nature of sin. But that he might prove the love of God by becoming our example
Jesus did not need to be baptized! John said, "I am not worthy to untie his sandals." He said to Jesus,
"I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Matthew 3:14
Jesus said no. I must be the example. I must as a man experience the refining that others might be refined through me!
John 14:6 "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me."
Verses 14-16
What must it have been for Christ to experience such sacrilege?
A. It was a common practice
*Animals needed for sacrifice, money changed into an acceptable currency
B. It had become an accepted practice by both priest and people
Verse 18 "By what sign?"
Mark 8:15 "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."
What have we too easily become accustomed to?
What abnormalities have we become so familiar with, that without them life seems so out of place?
