Advent 2022: Prophet

Sunday, November 27, 2022: Advent 2022: Three Offices, One Christ. Prophet

Prayer:

Those struggling during this season. Chronic pain, mental health. Christmas Extravaganza Find a location Elizabeth Alexander Thanksgiving: travel Covid

Introduction to Advent Series

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Three Offices, One Christ

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Christ=Anointed

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Anointed to what? Prophet Priest and King

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Heidelberg Catechism:

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Q. Why is he called “Christ,” meaning “anointed”?

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A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance...

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Old Testament Offices: HOW Did Jesus fulfill them?

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Introduction:

Social Influencers

Open boxes

Modern Day Prophets in a Consumeristic World

Influencers are Modern Day Prophets:

They give people direction. They tell people what to avoid. They have a good handle on trends. They can predict what will do well and what won’t.

Today we’re going to talk about an older version, less glamorous version of social influencers: Prophets!

Prophets weren’t sitting in front of the camera, they were out and about with God’s supernatural influence to give people direction, tell them what to avoid, how to handle trends, and even predict what will happen in the future.

Big Question: HOW DID JESUS FULFILLED THE ROLL OF PROPHET, particularly in his ministry and the cross.

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Old Testament Influencers

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Deut 18:15-18: “15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

Future influencer is coming:

“God will raise up for you a prophet like me.” Between the Old and New Testament, God raised up many prophets!

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All Shapes and Sizes:

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Priest=Professional, based on lineage

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King=Political, based on lineage

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Prophets??

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Moses and Amos=Shepherd

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Jeremiah and Ezekiel=Priests

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Daniel=Politician

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Habbakuk, or Malachi, Jonah, Nathan? Just dudes dubbed by the Spirit to speak God’s Word.

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All Had Same Function:

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Reveal God’s Message to God’s People

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Northern Kingdom

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Southern Kingdom Judah

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Jonah and Nahum: Nineveh

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HOW DID THEY REVEAL GOD’S MESSAGE?

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They give people direction.

Spiritual Accountability Partners They knew how to apply the TORAH to Israel

They tell people what to avoid.

Whistleblowers AVOID SIN!! AVOID COUNTERFEIT PROPHETS AVOID WAR

They have a good handle on trends.

If you don’t repent, God will punish you! Nathan: David’s murder of Uriah and affair with Bathsheba Jonah to Nineveh: “If you don’t repent, you’re all going to die.” Isaiah and Ezekiel: Hope beyond Babylon! Malachi: AFTER Babylon, more corruption

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They can predict what will do well and what won’t.

Fortune Telling vs. Forthtelling

Fortune Teller: Someone with a Crystal Ball able to magically see the events of the future.

For sure, God gave some prophets the ability to see visions, but man, are they difficult to understand!

But mostly prophets are FORTHfellers.

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Proclaim into the present what God has already revealed for them!

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Like Parenting:

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“I told you once, I told you twice, I’ve told you 20x, don’t do that or else…”

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OLD TESTAMENT INFLUENCER: ELIJAH

Deut 18: “I will raise up for you a prophet like Moses…”

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Malichi 4:5-6: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

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People awaited the coming of Elijah the prophet. Why? Elijah’s coming would prepare Israel for the Messianic Age, or the Age of Christ.

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No Coincidence that Elijah’s name pops up 29x in the NT!

Advent=Isaiah 40:3-4

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A voice cries:

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“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;

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make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

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the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

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‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

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make his paths straight,’ ”

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4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

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Mark makes it even clearer:

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Mark 1:6: “Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.”

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Description of Elijah from II Kings 1:8

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John the Baptist was this second Elijah. This fulfillment of this very special prophet who would introduce to the World this Day of the Lord, this Messianic Age.

‌Matthew 17:10-13: 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

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SO, as important as Elijah was, and as important as John the Baptist was as fulfilling his role, THESE two influencers were NOT what what God promised in DEUT 18!

OLD TESTAMENT ENDS:

“Listen to him…”

NO ONE LISTENED!

ISRAEL’s social influence declines…

WAITING FOR THIS NEW PROPHET TO COME.

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2. The New Testament Influencer

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Luke 7:11-17: 11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

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See Deuteronomy 18 fulfillment??

“A great prophet has arisen among us!”

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“God has visited his people!”

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He’s like God. But he’s WITH us!

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Incredible connection people made between “prophet” and God. People recognized how special Jesus was as the God-Prophet!

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“Listen to Him”‌

Matthew 17:1-5 “1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.””

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Moses is there! Listen to the Law?

Elijah is there! Listen to the Prophets?

No! “Listen to him!”

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This resonates back to Deut 18:15: “It is him you shall listen!”

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‌When we listen, what do we hear?

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He tells story after story...

The Kingdom of God is like this… The Kingdom of God is like that...‌

Teaches his disciples, preaches throughout Galilea.

Warning people: Repent and believe! ‌

Warns the Pharisees about religiosity.

Prays for his disciples and the future church in the upper room.

Prays to the Father.

Forthtells a NEW Law

Shares hope for the future church

Foretells the future and another Day of the Lord that will come again...

As Prophet, Jesus fulfills each function of prophet.

Problem: NO ONE WOULD LISTEN!

HE TRIED TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE, TO DESIRE THE KINGDOM, TO DESIRE RIGHTEOUSNESS. HE BLEW HIS WHISTLE. BUT HE STILL ENDED UP REJECTED LIKE SO MANY OTHER PROPHETS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT!

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PEOPLE WOULD NOT LISTEN TO HIM!

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Luke 4:24: “No prophet is accepted in his hometown.” Shortly after he said this, people were ‘this close’ from killing him!

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New Testament:

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John the Baptist: New Elijah died, but no one recognized him as such.

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Matthew 27: As Jesus hung on the cross, people mocked him by suggesting Elijah may be able to help Jesus. They mocked him, “Maybe Elijah will come and whisk him away.”

Old Testament Elijah didn’t die. But John the Baptist did.

And so did the Messiah…

As God, and AS man, NO ONE LISTENED!

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3. Confusion

Luke 7:36-39 “36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.””

Culture’s Confusion

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For close to 200 years, Liberal Theologians love this office of Prophet

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Great teacher? YES!

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Moral influencer? YES!

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Limit Jesus to a really good man? YES!

They like to emphasize Jesus was “Like us” rather than “Like God”

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Secular Psychologists Love Jesus as Prophet

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Other Religions Love Jesus as Prophet: Define Jesus as one of their greatest what? Prophets!

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Quran: Jesus’ first words are part of their Christmas story where he declares as a newborn that he is a prophet of God.

Tell you what, I read that and I looked at Lily to pick up her game!

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Jews believe Jesus was a Great Teacher, but not the Messiah

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Hinduism: Mahatma Gandhi loved Jesus teaching.

Christian Legalists Jesus as Moral Influencer:

Be better. Be good. Earn your way into your Kingdom

Think about who has had more influence on the world today than Jesus!

BUT, we changed HOW he influenced!

Some stripped his divinity away. Some stripped his humanity away. Some reduced him to just a good teacher.

!!PUTTING JESUS IN A BOX REDUCES THE INFLUENCE OF THE CROSS!!

Moral Influence Theory: Peter Abelard’s response: “Is it just a legal transaction? That sounds really matter-of-fact. Doesn’t the cross also move us emotionally?”

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Moral Influence Theory:

As a Prophet who died, Jesus shows us what true love looks like. His sacrifice is so beautiful, moving, and influential, and inspirational, the cross draws us in to be like Jesus. The cross is a call to be more loving, sacrificial, forgiving, and thankful...

Moral Influence Theory emphasizes Jesus as Prophet: As one who calls us to repentance and uses the cross as the main pull to inspire us to change.

Panera Bread: As I was writing this section, got up to grab a refill of coffee…

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As I was pouring coffee, a lady was grabbing a tea bag out of the tea bag jar. She grabbed another, then another, and then I saw in her hand a whole slew of tea bags. My moral compass sunk in, “That’s not what Jesus would do!”

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Christians must be morally upright because, well, just look at the cross! That’s what our savior did for you. Shouldn’t that move you to give yourself up for others? Should that not move you to love others better?

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Application:

We need supernatural influence for us to LISTEN to JESUS…

Influence Example on a Magic Show

“Magic for Humans”

Invites Social Influencers

Invited them into a museum, and he invited them to chose to take a picture of any item in a box, and showcase it anywhere in the museum.

Without Jesus’ intervention, we are so impressionable.

If influencers can be tricked into doing all the same thing, what kind of chance do we have??

In order for the CHURCH to be social influencers with the Gospel, we need to be spiritually influenced by JESUS:

Christ as Prophet points us to the need for GRACE and the INFLUENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:

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Left to ourselves,

We’d listen to culture’s direction.

We’d listen to culture’s advice as to what to avoid.

We’d listen to cultural trends.

Jeremiah 31:33: “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

You, by yourself, will not listen to the Messiah’s call to repentance!

We need a supernatural influencer who will write the LAW in them, right on our hearts!

The role of Christ as Prophet reminds us that we need his soul influence first before we can be a social influence.

And that transformation draws us emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually to the Cross.

We can’t throw out the baby with the bath water with how God uses the cross to draw us to repentance, forgiveness and holiness.

Doesn’t the Cross influence you to love the Lord and live better??

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Doesn’t the cross move you each Good Friday and Easter?

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Doesn’t the cross pull you to become more like Jesus?

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These are good effects! Wonderful things. Spirit-inspired things. EMOTIONAL things.

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How many of you became a Christian because you thought yourself into it, or reasoned yourself into it, or rationalized yourself into it?

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Or was it an emotional response?

Moral Influence is not the end all and be all to the Power of the Cross:

But it taps into an important part of our humanity: Our emotions.

The cross isn’t merely a legal transaction. IT’S THE WAY TO A HEART TRANSPLANT!

Orthodoxy: Right Believing

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Orthopathy: Right Emotion

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Kyle Fedler: “Where the Stoics called for an elimination of the emotions, Calvin calls for their purification or ‘sanctification.’ To this end, Calvin argues that believers can and should train their emotions by means of meditation on the cross of Christ, meditation upon the future life, and the spiritual disciple of prayer.” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, 22 2022): 133-162.

Meditation on the Cross of Christ:

Does that stir you? Does that move you? How does the Holy Spirit move in your heart when you consider the cross?

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Conclusion:

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Traveling Preacher Mime: Ray Boltz Watch the Lamb

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They led us to Golgotha,

They drove nails deep in His feet and hands,

Yet upon the cross I heard Him pray

"Father, forgive them".

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Oh, never have I seen such love in any other eyes,

"Into thy hands I commit my spirit"

He prayed and then He died,

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I stood for what seemed like years,

I'd lost all sense of time until

I felt two tiny hands holding tight to mine,

My children stood there weeping,

I heard the oldest say,

"Father please forgive us, the lamb ran away".

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"Daddy, daddy, What have we seen here?,

There's so much that we don't understand",

So I took them in my arms,

And we turned and faced the cross,

Then I said "dear children watch the lamb"

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That traveling preacher was like a prophet.

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The Holy Spirit used his message to move my heart. I was overwhelmed in that moment…

“Are you listening to him?”

Are you listening to him on a daily basis??

Matthew 27

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How COULD this man bring about the New Age of the Messiah?

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John the Baptist is dead.

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Now Jesus is dead.

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Everyone we thought would usher the New Age has now died.

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Why listen to dead men?

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