What Do You Know About Jesus?

What Do You Know About Jesus?

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-33

Text: Luke 1:32-33

Sermon Idea: To clarify the world view of Jesus as another teacher among many.

What do we know about Jesus? We know that He brought people back from the dead, He forgave peoples sins, He angered the religious leaders of his day. We also know that He was killed for claiming to be the Messiah.

When those same leaders were looking for the Messiah, they saw a great King and deliverer coming in and slaughtering the Romans to set the Jews free from oppression and tyranny.

What they got was something entirely different. Jesus told them to fear God and love their enemy. Help the poor by giving of their wealth. To love their neighbor as they loved themselves.

Because of this they wanted Him killed. They saw all the signs and wonders that He did, yet they still would not believe that He was the Messiah a lowly carpenter from a poor family.

After the Romans came in it was the Chief Priests, who were controlling the political climate of Israel not the princes of the house of Judah.

There are three things that I would like to tell you that I know about Jesus.

I. I know that Jesus is the Son of God. (v. 32a)

Some of you may wonder how I know that Jesus is the Son of God? Our text tells us that He Awill be called the Son of the Most High@ (V. 32a).

As a boy Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem for a feast and Jesus went with them as every boy His age did. On the way back to Nazareth, Mary noticed that He was not with them.

They returned to Jerusalem to find Him in the midst of the teachers, Alistening and asking questions@ (Lk. 2:46). They were Aamazed at his understanding and answers@ (V. 47). Luke tells us that AJesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men@ (V. 52).

It is here that we hear Jesus= first words, ADidn=t you know I had to be in my Father=s house@ (V. 49b)?

There is another way I know that Jesus is the Son of God. Luke tells us that He was born to a virgin. That He is God=s only Son born of a woman. There is a great difference between Christ the Son of God and us the sons of men.

During the second World War, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. overheard a conversation between a sailor and a girl at the ticket window, while he was waiting for his plane. The sailor asked for a seat on the plane saying AI want to see my mother; I ain=t got much time.@ The woman at the window answered a little sarcastically AThere=s a war on, you know.@

At this point the General stepped forward and told the girl to give the sailor his seat. His friend that was with him replied in surprise, ATeddy aren=t you in a hurry too?@ The General replied. AIt=s a matter of rank, I=m only a general; he=s a son@ (Diffee 358)!

The difference is not merely relative but absolute. The second thing I know about Jesus is this.

II. I know that Jesus is the King of Kings. (v. 32b).

Our text once again tells us that AGod will give him the throne of his father David@ (V. 32b). For any of this to happen, Jesus first must have to come from the lineage of the house of David.

Luke traces Jesus= line back all the way to Adam, the father of the human family. Because of this, and being, the Son of God makes Jesus the King of Kings. Let=s take a closer look to get more than a surface understanding.

When Luke takes us back to Adam it is for more than just tracing a royal line as the book of Matthew does. It is to find the line of His mother Mary. In Luke 3:23 it does not say that Jesus was the son of Joseph. It says, AHe was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph.@ In Matthew 1:16 where Joseph=s line is given we see he was the son of Jacob. Back to Luke 3:23, here it says he was the son of Heli. Joseph could not be the son of two men naturally. Let=s take a look at this verse in Luke carefully. It does not state that Heli begat Joseph, so it is supposed that Joseph was his son by law (or the son-in-law). Heli is believed to have been the father of Mary.

The Davidic line goes through Nathan not Solomon (Lk. 3:31). This is very important. The Messiah must be David=s son and heir. His seed according to the flesh. He must be a literal flesh and blood descendant. Thus, Mary must be a member of David=s House as well as Joseph.