Who is this Jesus?

Matthew Stone

Easter 2025 • Sermon • Submitted 25 days ago • Presented a month ago

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Intro

Exalting Jesus In James Two Reminders

Look to Christ crucified as the only basis by which you can be declared righteous. By God’s grace admit your need for Christ and trust in Him. Do not give mere intellectual assent or perform a religious exercise. Cast yourself in faith on Christ. For when you do that, the God of the universe will look down on your sinful heart and save you. He will clothe you in the righteousness of Christ and you will have peace with God. And through such faith, Christ will come into your life and change it from the inside out, for your good and for His glory. He will transform your life into one that demonstrates His grace and love and mercy to the world around you. This is the faith that saves, and this is a faith that works.

The gospel. The good news. Its simple.

As I have said every Easter, this Sunday is no Sunday for gimmicks or twists on sermons. Today you will not hear some great new thing, but a great old one. A good news that has stood the test of time for generation after generation. The same good news that saved Abraham, David, Rahab, Paul, and countless others.

This is not going to be a groundbreaking or breathtaking sermon because I deliver it with great eloquence or style. Nor will it be such due to a new concept you have never heard before.

This is groundbreaking and breathtaking simply because of who it is, what He did, and why we celebrate it not only on Easter, but day after day when we choose to follow Jesus with our lives.

If you are here for a showmanship or wild schemes, you are welcome to leave. But, if you are here to worship and learn about Jesus and what He did for you, I invite you to settle in as we talk about just that.

We talk about Jesus a lot here, as we should. However, this Easter Sunday, let’s break Jesus down very simply.

Who is this Jesus? Why are we celebrating Him?

He is the Only Begotten

On numerous occasions through the Scriptures, we hear the word “Begotten.” Most famously in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

But, have you ever sat and thought about what that really means? Especially in relation to Jesus?

Begotten in the original language generally speaks to the relationship between a parent and a child, makes sense in the case of Christ.

Even at times, the word is used to describe us as begotten or born again in Christ.

But, is it that simple? Is Jesus really just God’s offspring? Or does the Son of God carry with it more weight?

In regards to Jesus, we find Scripture that proves to us that Jesus is more than just a child of God, but is even God Himself. This takes the word “Begotten” and adds an eternal aspect to it.

Basically saying “Not only is Jesus the Son of God, but He is God Himself. He is part of the Godhead, the Trinity. He has always existed, not as one created, but as one who has existed before time and space.”

We don’t mind attributing these characteristics to the Father, but some struggle with giving them to Christ.

However, read with me John 1:1-3

John 1:1–3 KJV 1900

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Well, how do we know that this is about Jesus?

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Jesus is God. He is the One and Only Begotten of the Father. He is part of the Trinity. He was, is, and always will be God.

This understanding makes the rest of this message a little more valuable, because Jesus, our God who reigns today in Heaven, descended to earth.

He is the One Who Descended

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Galatians 4:4–5 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; Lowly, and riding upon an ass, And upon a colt the foal of an ass.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Jesus descended. Jesus left heaven and came to earth. Jesus fulfilled the centuries old prophecies and he left His heavenly throne to join us on this lowly earth. Jesus descended.

Why?

Simply this morning, for you!

From the beginning of humanity, we have been a sinful creation.

The first two humans on this planet disobeyed God and rebelled. Since then, everyone has sinned. Because of that sin, we owe a price, a punishment is our for eternity.

For generations, animal sacrifice was the solution, why? Sin is serious, therefore the payment must be serious. Sin costs, so must the payment.

Since the beginning of sin, God set forth a plan, salvation. That plan included Jesus’ descension so that the sacrifice can be make once for all.

Why did it have to be Jesus?

It’s my sin! Why could I not have paid it? Well, I can, in Hell for eternity. However, to defeat sin entirely for all who repent for all time, you and I needed someone worthy

someone with no sin in his heart or life was required to be the sacrifice.

In order to cover dirty sin, you need something pure.

This had to be someone perfect. Never you or I, but always Jesus.

For you, Jesus left heaven. For you, Jesus came. For you, Jesus paid it all.

He is the One who Died

How did he pay it all?

Isaiah 53:5–8 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: And who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: For the transgression of my people was he stricken.”

He was arrested.

He was mocked.

He was beaten so badly that he was unrecognizable.

He was marched miles to a hill carrying a cross on his ripped open back.

He was nailed to it.

He hung on the cross naked for six hours until he suffocated under his own weight.

Jesus died.

Mark 15:39 “And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.”

As Jesus took his last breath, some incredible things happened that helped to prove again that Jesus truly is God.

The earth shook, the sky went dark, and the veil of the Temple torn from top to bottom.

Big deal! A curtain ripped. Why does that matter?

This veil served to separate the Holy of Holies from the regular man. It blocked off the only room in the Temple that only priests could enter to offer sacrifice for forgiveness.

No more.

That veil is no more.

That separation is no more.

No longer do we go to a priest for forgiveness, we go to God Himself. We are to boldly go to the throne room of Grace in prayer and seek the face of our Lord. We are no longer separate. We are united through Christ. We are to go to God ourselves and seek repentance.

Jesus welcomes you in. Jesus welcomes you to salvation, to repentance, to a new life begotten in Him. He welcomes you through the veil and wants you to be a part of His family, His kingdom. He died so you can live.

He is the One who was Buried

Once Jesus took His last breath, He was buried.

He was put in a nearby tomb, one borrowed by a local.

All hope seemed lost. Jesus was gone. Tears were shed. Hearts crushed. Lives and allegiances questioned.

While in the tomb, people focused on themselves, their need, their loss. Not on the promises of the Savior who said John 2:19 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

They were inwardly focused, they were lost, they forgot the promises of Jesus.

Jesus was dead. Jesus was buried.

Jesus Rose!

Mark 16:1–8 KJV 1900

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

Jesus was killed on a Friday, on the 3rd day, the 1st of the week, Sunday, Mary Magdalene and another Mary went to the tomb to lay spices on the body of Jesus, this was customary.

Can you imagine the fear in their hearts when they arrive at the tomb (which, by the way, they knew exactly which tomb he was laid in for they watched his body be prepared and laid in the tomb.

But they arrive at the tomb to find it opened. This stone which was sealed in front of Jesus’ tomb was extremely heavy, large, and sealed. There was no way two little women would have been able to open it. This was actually a concern of theirs while they were traveling to the tomb that day.

When they arrive, they enter, trying to make sense of what is happening, and they are met with an angel.

An angel of God is there and says to them, “do not fear or be amazed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene who has been crucified. He has risen, he is not here, see, here is the place where they laid him”

Remember, one of the ladies here today is Mary Magdalene. Mary who was caught in adultery and thrown at the feet of Jesus. Mary who was about to be stoned until Jesus challenged the Pharisees to throw the first stone if no sin resides within them. Mary who stuck by Jesus the entire time.

Mary, from whom Jesus cast 7 demons, goes to this tomb to care for her Savior and finds him gone.

What do you think, even though an angel spoke to them, was going through her mind? Fear? Worry? Did someone steal the body of my Lord?

This angel told them to go tell the disciples what had happened.

We see Mary go and report the resurrection of Jesus to the disciples and they all refused to believe her.

He began appearing to people as the risen God, even up to 500 people total within 40 days.

But many still refused to believe

This is the state of the world today. Many have seen the hand and work of Jesus Christ and still, no matter what, refuse to believe him.

You hear Christians all the time tell of the wonders that Christ has done in their lives, but you don’t understand, for this relationship is something you have to experience first-hand.

The Holy Spirit does not hint around that you need a Savior, he makes it very clear in your heart and in your mind. You guilt and shame should be enough to see that you are a sinner and that, alone, you can accomplish nothing. But with Christ, all things can be accomplished and the love of the Savior can save you from sin and hell and lead you to a personal relationship with the God of the universe.

He is the One who Reigns

Luke 24:50–51 KJV 1900

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

Jesus rose from the grave, and now reigns in heaven once more with the Father.

When you read through the Scriptures, you will find that Jesus is preparing a place for those who follow Him, He is waiting for the Father to tell Him when to come back to get His children, and He is reigning where He belongs, at the right hand of the Father.

He is the one who reigns

He is the one who reigns in your life. In this world. In Heaven above. He is God Himself. He is the one who reigns victorious over sin, over death, over the grave.

And because He reigns victorious, you can be victorious too!

You can be victorious over sin

You can be victorious over death

You can be victorious over the grave.

You can live with the Holy Spirit here and join the Father and Jesus in Heaven for eternity.