Who Is Jesus?
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Luke 2:8-20
As part of the 25th anniversary year of the Larry King Live show on CNN, Larry King was interviewed by Donald Trump. During the hour-long interview, which aired on July 5, 2010, many video recordings were submitted by various celebrities and political figures who had questions or observations for Larry King. In the video submitted by the film director James Cameron, King was asked the following question: “Who would be your fantasy guest and what would you ask him? Like would you want to have Jesus Christ on the show? …” To this question, King responded, “Jesus Christ, what does he think of the world today? Does he believe he was born of a virgin birth?”—Transcript available on CNN.com, aired July 5, 2010.
Obviously, Larry King had some questions about who Jesus really is.
Many people today have questions too. But in too.
But in the end, many of these questions can be boiled down to just one—who is Jesus?
The answer to that question is found in the pages of Scripture, nearly two thousand years ago in a small town called Bethlehem.
Bethlehem is a small agricultural town just a short distance from the city of Jerusalem.
From this seemingly obscure corner of the world rings the greatest news the world has ever heard!
The joyous announcement that the angels proclaimed on the hillside near Bethlehem is not merely “exciting news”; it is truly life-changing for the one who pauses to understand just who Jesus is.
In the angels’ announcement to the shepherds, there are three descriptions given about who Jesus is.
I. The Saviour
I. The Saviour
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Definition: Saviour, from the Greek word soter—savior, deliverer, preserver
Quote: “The angel called Him a ‘Savior’ … As Savior He would deliver people from bondage and sin. This Savior was none other than ‘Christ the Lord.’”—Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
The angels first announced Jesus as Saviour.
As the Saviour, He was the only one who could deliver mankind from sin.
He was able to save humanity because of His incarnation, where He took on human nature while still remaining divine and absolutely sinless.
On his own, every man falls short of the glory of God.
That is why man needs the Saviour: the Lord Jesus Christ.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Jesus knew no sin, but He willingly took the sin of all mankind upon Himself, as the Saviour of all men.
Because of the great love of God, Jesus was sent to that manger in Bethlehem, lived a perfect life, died on the cross to reconcile man to God, and rose again the third day.
A. Of the Common Man (v. 8)
A. Of the Common Man (v. 8)
Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the common man.
The angels announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds in the fields, who were ordinary, working men.
In every way, the shepherds were just like the common people today.
Jesus appeared to...
1. The Shepherds
1. The Shepherds
They Were Worried Men (vv. 9–10)
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
When the angels appeared in front of the shepherds, the shepherds became very afraid and worried.
The words “Fear not” appear three times in the story of Christ’s birth.
They are said once to Joseph, then to Mary, and finally to the shepherds.
Definition: Sore afraid, from the Greek words megas phobio—exceedingly frightened.
They Were Working Men
The shepherds were just ordinary men, working to provide a living for their families.
They were most likely looked upon by the Jews as lower than common men because of their work in caring for the sheep.
The Jews considered shepherds to be “unclean” because they could not keep the ceremonial laws of cleansing.
The only members of Jewish society beneath the shepherds were the lepers.
The shepherds were the outcasts of Jewish society, but God still chose to reveal the birth of Christ to them.
Jesus came to save common men like the shepherds; and He still saves common men today.
Although shepherds were looked upon with disdain for their livelihood, God seemed to favor them by the ways He used them in the Old Testament.
There are quite a few examples of Old Testament leaders who were shepherds:
Abel was the first shepherd
Abraham had flocks of sheep
Isaac and Jacob had flocks of sheep
Moses was a shepherd before leading Israel out of Egypt
David was a shepherd before ruling over Israel
Jesus referenced Himself as the Good Shepherd
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
A good shepherd would give his life for the sheep.
Perhaps this is why Jesus’ birth was first revealed to shepherds.
He came as the Shepherd who would die for His sheep to provide eternal life to them.
But Jesus didn’t just come for the shepherds in that field, He cam for...
2. All People
2. All People
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Christianity is not exclusively an American religion, or the religion of the very best of society.
Christianity is for all nations, all languages, all people.
Jesus is the Saviour of all men.
31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Jesus is not only the Saviour of the Common Man, but also ...
B. Of the Seeking Man
B. Of the Seeking Man
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
The angels told the shepherds where they could see Jesus.
After learning this information, the shepherds were eager to see Jesus.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Secondly see that Jesus came not only as The Savior, but also as...
II. The Christ
II. The Christ
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Definition: Christ, the Greek for the Hebrew word Messiah—anointed one.
The angels announced that Jesus was the Messiah, the Promised One of Israel.
He was anointed by God, and He is worthy of all honor, praise, and worship.
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
A. Announced by Angels
A. Announced by Angels
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
A great host of angels announced the birth of Christ to these lowly shepherds on the hillside just outside of Bethlehem.
The Angel of the Lord came first, and was then joined by a multitude of others who praised and gave glory to God for the great Gift that He had just given to men in the form of His Son—Jesus.
Definition: Angels—ministering spirits, the messengers of God.
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, That excel in strength, that do his commandments, Hearkening unto the voice of his word.
There appears to be some hierarchy of angels.
However, the Angel of the Lord mentioned in this passage is not just any angel.
On rare occasions the Angel of the Lord would appear to deliver the message from God.
This Angel of the Lord was a special, visible appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament—called a “Christophany.”
The Angel of the Lord makes several appearances throughout the Old Testament.
Notice a few:
To Hagar in the wilderness
10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
To Moses at the burning bush
2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
To Joshua by Jericho
15 And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
Interestingly, Gabriel came to Mary, but the Angel of the Lord came to Joseph.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
The birth of Jesus Christ was announced to the shepherds not only by a host of angels, but by the Angel of the Lord, marking the significance of the occasion.
B. Adored by the Heavenly Host
B. Adored by the Heavenly Host
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.
At the birth of Jesus Christ, one of the greatest events in all of human history,
it is no wonder that the announcement was made by the Angel of the Lord and a multitude of heavenly hosts giving praise to God.
1. They Cried Out for Glory to God
1. They Cried Out for Glory to God
The angels were crying out and giving God glory for the salvation that He was providing for men through His Son.
Definition: Glory, from the Greek word doxa—the majesty belonging to God and to Christ (the kingly majesty which belongs to Him as Supreme Ruler).
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
The Angel of the Lord is Christ’s physical appearance.
The glory, then, would be further support for the fact that this is God in an appearance because His glory is shining all around.
2. They Cried Out for Peace to Men
2. They Cried Out for Peace to Men
The angels were proclaiming that the only way for men to truly have peace is for them to be reconciled to God through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
With the birth of Jesus Christ, God gave the promise of peace for all who would believe on Him.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Jesus Came as the Savior of the World
He Came as the Christ - The Messiah.
He Came thirdly as...
III. The Lord
III. The Lord
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Lastly, the angels announced Jesus Christ as Lord.
Certainly, He is the Lord of all creation, the Lord of lords, and the Lord of the life of every man who has believed on Him for salvation.
Definition: Lord, from the Greek word kurios—he to whom a person or thing belongs; a title of honor with which servants greet their master, expressing respect and reverence.
Illustration: Perry Chiaramonte, of Fox News, wrote the following in an article in December of 2012: “Just as midtown Manhattan comes alive with Christmas cheer, festive window displays and Salvation Army bell ringers trying to channel holiday generosity to the needy, an atheist group has a message for the masses teeming into Times Square: Jesus is a myth. With a picture of Santa Claus above another image of Jesus Christ, the sign, sponsored by New Jersey-based American Atheists, urges passersby to ‘Keep the Merry!’ and ‘Dump the Myth!’. Silverman [the president of American Atheists] said a private donor paid more than $25,000 to have the billboard posted above a nightclub in the crossroads of the world for one month, ending Jan. 10, 2013.”
The above news article is just one example of the growing hostility toward Christianity in America.
However, no matter what the American Atheists may say, or what the leaders of our country may say, Jesus Christ is Lord, and He is still sovereign on His throne.
Proofs of His Lordship
Fulfilled Prophecy
Over 350 prophecies were given in the Old Testament about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Messiah would be born of a virgin
Genesis 3:15 references the seed of the woman.
Because the seed is carried by the man, this seed of the woman points to the virgin conception.
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
• Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah
10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh come; And unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Messiah would come from the house of David
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, To order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice From henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Recorded History
Luke’s account has been scrutinized by the higher critics, and he has been proven to be a first-rate historian.
He gives specific names, details of events, rulers that can allow people to verify his accounts.
Quote: “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy; he is possessed of the true historic sense … In short, this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.”—Sir William Ramsay
The only way for God to become flesh was through a virgin conception and birth.
Quote: “The only way in which these two conflicting requirements could be met was by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. His human experience must begin, as for all men, with conception, but the embryonic form so generated could have no genetic connection with either mother or father, both of whose heredities were contaminated by both biological defects and inherent sin.
The promised ‘seed of the woman’ … could only come by special creation; the ‘seed’ is always of the man under normal conditions. Yet he must also be of ‘the seed of David,’ and therefore begin His human life through a mother descended from David’s line.”—Henry Morris, Many Infallible Proofs.
The Testimony of Scripture
3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, And build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Quote: “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.
He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.”—C.S. Lewis, a professor at Cambridge University
Regardless of what the world may say, or what the American Atheists may place on a billboard in Times Square, Jesus is Lord.
There are concrete facts found in fulfilled prophecy, recorded history, and the Scriptures that prove that Jesus Christ is Lord.
So What do we do with The Lord?
A. Seek the Lord
A. Seek the Lord
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
After hearing the hosts of angels proclaim the birth of Christ, the shepherds rushed to see him.
For the person who believes that Jesus is Lord, the proper response is to seek Him.
4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: Seek his face evermore.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Secondly, we can not only seek the Lord, but when we find Him, we can...
B. Adore the Lord
B. Adore the Lord
1. The Shepherds Adored Him
1. The Shepherds Adored Him
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
2. Mary Adored Him
2. Mary Adored Him
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
Definition: Kept, from the Greek word suntereo—to keep within oneself, keep in mind.
Definition: Pondered, from the Greek word sumballo—to bring together in one’s mind; confer with oneself.
How easy it is sometimes for Christians who have been saved for a long time to become so accustomed to the gospel.
When we lose sight of who Jesus is, we lose our admiration and thankfulness for the gospel.
It is necessary to set apart time to meditate on who Jesus is and to adore and worship Him.
Once we have found and Adored the Lord, we need to do what the shepherds did and ...
C. Witness of the Lord
C. Witness of the Lord
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
When you meet the Saviour, it changes you forever.
You talk about what you love!
1. They Shared What they Had Seen
1. They Shared What they Had Seen
Definition: had seen, from the Greek word eido—to see; to perceive with the eyes.
16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, And I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
After seeing Jesus, the shepherds went to tell others about Him.
When a person sees Jesus Christ, he will want to tell others about it.
2. They Shared What They Had Heard
2. They Shared What They Had Heard
They were told by the angels:
The child would be found in Bethlehem
The child was the promised Saviour and Messiah of Israel They listened so well that they were able to tell others with accuracy
Then fourthly we need to...
D. Praise the Lord
D. Praise the Lord
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
After all the things they had heard and seen, the shepherds praised the Lord.
Christians have been the recipients of the greatest love the world has ever known.
There is no reason that Christians cannot praise God for all He has done for us.
There are a lot of things that can happen in life, but we can always praise God for who He is.
4 In God I will praise his word, In God I have put my trust; I will not fear What flesh can do unto me.
5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let thy glory be above all the earth.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Many people today have questions about Christianity, and about Jesus.
Often these questions can be boiled down to just one—who is Jesus?
The angels’ announcement on the hillside near Bethlehem states that Jesus is the Saviour, the Christ, and the Lord.
Thus equipped with the knowledge of who Jesus is, there is a more pressing question—what will you do with this knowledge?
If you don’t know Jesus as Saviour:
Jesus Christ came to be your Saviour.
Perhaps it is time to believe on Him for salvation.
He loves you, and He came to save you.
If you have lost sight of the adoration of Jesus:
Jesus is the Christ.
He is the only one worthy of your worship and adoration, because of His great love for you exemplified in His death on the cross.
Perhaps you can meditate on who Jesus is as Christ, the anointed one, and return to a daily experience of worshiping and adoring Him.
If Jesus is not Lord of your life:
The angel announced in Bethlehem that night that Jesus is Lord.
But is He Lord of your life?
Is every decision based on His will for you?
Perhaps it is time to acknowledge Him as Lord of your life.
“In this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive Him still
The dear Christ enters in.”
— Phillips Brooks
