The Story- Chapter 24 Series

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• Ordinary- not remarkable or special in any way, and therefore uninteresting and unimpressive

• Isn’t that what we all strive for in life? Ordinary?

• When Jesus began His ministry it became obvious to all that He was ANYTHING but ordinary!

• This is one of the things that made Jesus attractive to people, He was not ordinary.

• Do you want to settle for ordinary in life? Do you want to just do the bare minimum to get by or do you want to really experience life and life abundantly?

• People usually are not drawn to ordinary people, they are drawn to extraordinary people.

• The one thing that can take your life from ORDINARY or below average to extraordinary is Jesus. When you really commit yourself to Jesus, life will change.

• Today as we delve into chapter 24 of The Story, four things are revealed to us that show us that Jesus was not an ordinary man.

• As you incorporate more of Jesus into your life, you we no longer be an ordinary person!

• Let us begin our expedition through chapter 24 of The Story be first taking note of the first reason Jesus was no ordinary man!

• SLIDE #2

SERMON

I. The plea of Jesus. (Change of heart)

• One of the things that makes Jesus extraordinary is His plea to us.

• Jesus entered the world at a time in which faith and religion were ruled by the exterior.

• The Old Testament system had be reduced to empty rituals and actions void of meaning.

• The religious leaders of the day for the most part led the charge. They were so full of themselves that Jesus once called them whitewashed tombs that looked good on the outside, but full of dead men’s bones on the inside.

• As Jesus was in His second year of ministry, Jesus will make a plea to the people like no plea ever made to mankind, the Sermon on the Mount!

• Even people who do not want to acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God marvel at this wonderful teaching!

• Because of time we will not read it all, but I encourage you to read Matthew 5-7 and you will see what Jesus preached.

• When the sermon was done, Matthew 7:28-29 reveals what the large crowd thought of what they heard.

• SLIDE #3

• Matthew 7:28–29 (NIV) When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

• The people were not only captivated by the content, but verse 29 reveals the crowd was amazed at the manner in which He taught.

• The Sermon on the Mount reveals to us how one is to live an Upper Story existence while living in this world.

• Jesus in that one sermon pleads with the people their faith to transcend above the external to a REAL change of heart!

• THINK ABOUT WHAT HE TAUGHT, THE CONTENT WAS REVOLUTIONARY.

• WHAT JESUS TAUGHT WOULD BRING TRUE FREEDOM TO A PERSON!

• The problem was not unique to Jesus’ day, we still struggle with it today, we call it being a Sunday Christian or an Easter and Christmas Christian.

• Jesus did not die for you so that you can just put on a show, He wants you to change your heart.

• When we are in Christ (which happens at baptism according to Romans 6), we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

• Jesus not an ordinary man because His plea was not to look good, it was to be changed, to have a changed heart!

• You can do that through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit you receive when you are baptized into Jesus!

• What Jesus taught, how He taught and the plea for a changed heart made Jesus extraordinary!

• The next thing that made Jesus no ordinary man was….

• SLIDE #4

II. The passion of Jesus. (Lost people)

• Jesus had a real passion, and His passion put Him at odds with the religious leaders of His day!

• Jesus had a passion for lost people! The religious leaders looked at people other than themselves and select others as SINNERS and the word was not used in a kind light.

• Throughout Jesus’ ministry those folks were on Him about eating and associating with the “sinners” and the special lowest of the low, the tax gathers!

• SLIDE #5

• Luke 15:1–2 (NIV) Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”