Article 2: Jesus

Welcome/Prayer/Intro/Foundation Metaphor

Welcome and Prayer

What We Believe Series- The most important part of this series is to understand why we are doing this? Why do we need to know what we as a mennonite church believe?

When we dont know exactly what we believe we tend to fill in the blank with what sounds Good. (God helps those who Help themselves, Doesnt Jesus say “Don’t Judge”

How can we fufill the Great Comission if we do not know what We believe? How can we better share our faith if we dont know the basic pillars of our faith

What we believe changes how we think, behave, and ultimately live our lives!

Read: Article 2: Jesus

Transition: This morning, I want to approach our work with Article 2 through the lense of a metaphor. There are two reoccurring metaphors that we see throughout the Biblical text agricultural and architectural

Paul introduces us to a metaphor for understanding Jesus in Eph 2:19-22 (Slide)

Paul continues this imagery in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (Slide)

Jesus is our foundation. He is the Cornerstone. He is the starting place. This metaphor of foundation will help us diguest all that we believe as mennonites.

Foundation is Built in Basic 3 Steps- Basement style foundation

The Ground is Excavated - The dirt and rubble are removed from the area. In our case- We will be looking at what must be removed from our understanding of Jesus in order to Get a clearer picture of Jesus.

The Footing and the Walls are Poured- There are footings and walls made out of concrete block or wood forms that concrete is poured into put in place to create a parimeter for the foundation. This is what makes a foundation unique and distinct.

Finally Cement is Poured, the final step that brings all the pieces together and forms the base for the rest of the building.

The Excavation: What needs to be removed.

Jesus want born in a barn. Jesus wasnt white. Jesus was not called Jesus and his last name is not Christ. (its a title)

Jesus’ existence did not begin in the manger in Bethlehem.

Jesus does not belong to any one nation, political party, or even a way of thinking.

Jesus was not just… (a hippy, political revolutionary, good teacher, social justice promoter, or a moral person)

Jesus died just for you… (This is only a partial misconception)

The Footing and Walls: What makes Mennonites Unique

Jesus’ Ministry-

Jesus delivered us from the diminion of sin and reconciled us to God.

He was a prophet, who like the prophets of Old Proclaimed the Kingdom or reign of God is coming, but in his ministry actually brought God’s Kingdom.

He brought the kingdom through healing, forgiveness, reconciliation. He showed mercy to many, brought justice to the physically and spiritually oppressed and lived a life of peace.

Transition- Probably what mennonites are mmost known for is emphasizing Jesus’ teaching as central to our understanding of Christianity.

Jesus’ teaching

Pop Quiz: What are mennonites favorite 3 chapters in the Bible? Answer Matthew 5-7 or the Sermon on the Mount

Jesus taught about Faith, He taught that faith is not about a specific people group, but a group of people or as the Confession says, a new community of faith.

Jesus taught us to love our enemies. And pray for those who persecute you.

He lived that as he did not resist the very people that put him on the cross, He prayed for them.

Jesus taught us about Forgiveness. Jesus Taught a radical forgiveness. He taught us that forgiveness is so foundational to what it means to follow him, that if we refuse to forgive then we will not be forgiven.

When Peter asked him how many times we should forgive, Peter said, should i do it 7 times? No, Jesus said 70 times 7.

How many of you know the most repeated command in the bible? its fear not! Well, if you do the math, this command outnumbers “fear not” by more than 100.

I want to share these words with you that I read in my devotional earlier this morning,

Yes, I too must go beyond Justice. To triumph over the sickness of victimization I must go beyond it. Like Jesus in imitation of him, I must wearily climb again the slope of my pain, and throw myself courageously in the descent towards my brothers and sisters, above all towards those whom the short-sightedness of my sick eyes sees as the cause of my evils. There is no other solution. There is no peace and true union with Christ without it. As long as I waste my time defending myself, I get nothing done and I am not truly christian. I do not know the depths of the heart of Jesus.

To forgive, really forgive, means convincing ourselves deep down that we merited the wrong done to us. What is more is that it is good to suffer in silence. Jesus taught that the beatitude is reserved for those who are persecuted for the sake of Justice. - From Letters from the Dessert by Carlo Carretto.

He taught us that if we desire to follow him we must pick up our own cross. He taught us that the way to exaltation is found on the pathway of humility and service.

He taught us a new way of peace, no longer an eye for an eye, but turn the other cheek.

We could continue for quite some time, but I think the Creed puts it well in stating, Jesus has made known God’s will for human conduct.

Jesus’ death and resurection

Mennonites hold what is called a Christus Victor view of attonement which means that Jesus’ death was an act of submission and obidence to the Fathers will.

In short, the powers of Sin, Violence, and Evil put Jesus on the cross but God raised him from the dead, thereby conquering death and disarming the powers of sin and Evil.

This varies slightly from other views of atonement in emphasis. In other views, such as evangelicals they ascribe to penial substitiution theory where they emphasize that Jesus took the punishment of sin.

One emphasizes Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice whereas the other focuses on Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

Why does this distinction matter?

Well, it changes how we share the gospel for one. We focus on how Jesus brought us freedom and forgiveness

Let me share about how I understood Jesus’ death and resurection when I was young

Then how Christus victor drastically changed my understanding.

The Pouring of Concrete: Why what we believe about Jesus matters

One of the last steps of building a foundation is pouring the concrete. Its the last step that brings it all together.

Jesus is the foundation, but He himself holds everything together. Paul writes about this in Col 1:15-20 (Slide)

What does this mean for us? It means that Jesus changes everything.

Jesus created all things. Jesus holds all things together. He is the head of church. He has made peace on the cross.

How does this all come come together for us? What are we left with!?

Jesus is the example for us as individuals. Jesus isnt only the foundation of our faith, but the blueprint for how we are supposed to live our lives.

When I first recieved my call to ministry, I remember the night quite clearly and the Lord said, make His imprint, my blueprint.

Thus, We look at what we believe about Jesus is important because what we believe changes how we behave.

One of the ways that God has been teaching me to be more like Jesus is in the area of grace. (Image from National Treasure).

But this doesnt just change how we live and love individually but how we live and love as a faith community.

As the creed states, . Empowered by this intimate relationship with Christ, the church continues his ministry of mercy, justice, and peace in a broken world.

Would you pray with me?