Jesus: Finding the True Jesus

But then when it comes to Jesus being the way, do we have the right conception of Him, and the Way to come to Him? In looking at Jesus as the way to a better life, a blessed life we need to know the true Jesus and today we will look at finding the true Jesus in the Bible.

What you believe is not enough, you need more if you want the true Jesus for even the demons believe.

James 2:19 NASB95

19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

Jesus says you need to abide in Him

John 8:31 NASB95

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;

Abide in His Word is abiding in Him since He is the Word

John 1:14 NASB95

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So the only way to know the true Jesus is to know the Word. Oh it is worth it for in the Word that reveals the true Jesus we have every spiritual blessing

Ephesians 1:3 NASB95

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

If you say you are a disciple of Jesus may we understand what that entails. So let’s go on and explore “Finding the True Jesus”

For the best way to do that, the only true way to do that is through the Word of God. It is a reliable source of information. For there is sufficient evidence that the Bible is the Word of God and Jesus is the Son of God, and if we want to know Jesus the Son of God we need to have the Bible, the Word of God.

I. True Jesus in the Old Testament

The O.T. is a great tool to help to start to see the true Jesus of the N.T. and it was used by Jesus to prove who He was after the resurrection.

Luke 24:27 NASB95

27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

On the road to Emmaus Jesus meets with two disciples and reveals from Moses and the prophets about Himself. So if it is good for Jesus it should be good for us too.

Luke 24:44–45 NASB95

44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

Lk24:

Luke 24:46–47 NASB95

46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Let this passage sink in just a minute, “all things” - everything we need to know about the “true Jesus” is written for us. It also says it must be fulfilled. Everything we need, that the Moses, the prophets proclaimed has been fulfilled in Jesus.

Paul wrote of the importance of the things written before, so in other words the O.T.

Romans 15:4 NASB95

4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Paul reminded Timothy of the wisdom there is in knowing the “true Jesus”

2 Timothy 3:14–15 NASB95

14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

I know I said finding the “true Jesus” in the O.T. and have not even gotten there yet, but it is through the O.T. prophesies we can see Him.

His birth

Isaiah 7:14 NASB95

14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

Or we can see the suffering of Jesus

Isaiah 53:4–5 NASB95

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

Isaiah 53:6 NASB95

6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

Bore our griefs, carried our sorrows, stricken, smitten, afflicted, pierced, crushed, chastened. But the Lord took all our iniquity, the Father placed all the iniquity on Jesus!

Still within Isaiah we can see the sovereignty of Jesus

Isaiah 9:6–7 NASB95

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

That is just from Isaiah, I’m sure you can understand why they may call it the 5th gospel. It is said there are some 330 prophetic statements regarding Jesus found in the O.T. - now I have not gone and searched out them all, but that would be a great study.

So, can you see why we need the full counsel of God the O.T. and the N.T.? Take time, read, study the O.T. too and you will see the “true Jesus” is there.

The O.T. had a purpose the law had a purpose to lead us to the “true Jesus” look at this.

Galatians 3:24–25 NASB95

24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

The Law, was there to lead us to Christ so we could be justified by faith. So to find the “true Jesus” of the Bible which is our reliable source we need to look to the Gospels.

II. True Jesus in the Gospels

Each Gospel different writer, different target audience and different emphasis.

Matthew: Emphasizes Teaching - Matthew focuses on the teachings of Jesus and spends much time in teaching regarding the kingdom of heaven

Mark: emphasizes Miracles - the shortest of the gospels with the emphasis on the miracles of Jesus to prove the divinity of Jesus as well as the authority of Jesus

Luke: Emphasis humanity and history - written with a strong emphasis on the humanity of Jesus as well as a well laid out chronological accounting of Jesus life and ministry

John: Divinity of Jesus - The gospel of love and of belief. John writes and tells us exactly why that you may come to believe in Jesus and have eternal life in His name. John focuses on the divinity of Jesus while still not leaving out the humanity of Jesus.

They all have one thing in common: FAITH, they want people to come to faith, to come to believe so people may have eternal life. Best said by John

Jn20:

John 20:30–31 NASB95

30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

Where the O.T. we see with eyes of prophesy in the N.T. it is eyes of fulfillment. The gospels record the teachings of Christ, so if you want to know the “true Jesus” you need to read the gospels. While the majority believe that all you have to do is believe and all will go to heaven, the gospels, Jesus say differant.

Matthew 7:13–14 NASB95

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Find what? The entrance into the kingdom of heaven as laid out in the gospels. Just calling on His name is not enough

Matthew 7:21–22 NASB95

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’

Matthew 7:21–23 NASB95

Matthew 7:23 NASB95

23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Few will find it, not everyone who says Lord, Lord, doesn’t sound so simple does it? but Jesus tells us, in the gospels, that it not without cost.

Luke 9:23–24 NASB95

23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

Luke 9:25 NASB95

25 “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

Deny self, if you want to know the “true Jesus” you need to deny self and take up the cross, part of the carrying the burden of the cross is obeying His commands

Matthew 28:18–19 NASB95

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

But it ends with the promise

Mt28:18-

Matthew 28:20 NASB95

20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

“True Jesus” gave instructions to the apostles who wrote the gospels for us by inspiration and perspiration and dedication do do what He said, what He commanded them. Remember we are to bear the cross, daily! - Jesus told the apostles to teach them to follow all things, so he is not a smorgasbord Jesus, He is authoritative Jesus who has told us what to do. He did not give us all things, but He did give the Apostles all things through the Holy Spirit after His ascension.

John 16:12–13 NASB95

12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

John 16:14 NASB95

14 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.

He was going to disclose, tell them the all things we have recorded in the Epistles. The things guiding into all truth about the “true Jesus”

III. True Jesus in Acts/Epistles

As mentioned earlier about the O.T. eyes of prophesy, the N.T. eyes of fulfillment, well in Acts we see the fulfillment of the promise by Jesus of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:4 NASB95

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

ACt2:4

Knowing all truth, was a process, they learned by the Holy Spirit along the way. The Holy Spirit lead them and guided them into all truth. Written by inspiration of the Spirit and the authority, commandments of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 14:37 NASB95

37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.

SO like the church at Thessolonica we need to receive the Word as the very word of God that works in us.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 NASB95

13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

Jesus Himself tells us by receiving those He sends (the Apostles) that are receiving Him, the “true Jesus”

John 13:20 NASB95

20 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

The “true Jesus” is fully revealed through the Gospels, through Acts and the Epistles so that we have all things we need.

2 Peter 1:2–3 NASB95

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

John 17:21 NASB95

21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

And that the scripture, the bible, the authoritative source of God’s word of prophesy in the O.T. and fulfillment in the N.T. lacks nothing

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NASB95

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

It’s not the Bible and, remember what Paul said to the Galatians

Galatians 1:8–9 NASB95

8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

So if you want to know the “true Jesus” you need to have the true word of God found in the Bible. Then you are able to contend with your faith

Jude 3 NASB95

3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

So the gospel is to bring faith, the Epistles give us the way to faith and how to contend, defend and grow our faith through obedience. See we can find the “true Jesus” in obedience

IV. True Jesus through Obedience

So we see Jesus in the O.T., the Gospels, Acts and the Epistles but for YOU to find the true Jesus, you need to come via obedience.

John 8:31–32 NASB95

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

It is more than belief, it is obedience, that is what makes you a disciple, that is what seperates you from those who try to enter another way.

Remember even the demons believed and trembled (Jam2:19) As Jesus had told the apostles to obey His commands we learn from that too.

John 14:21 NASB95

21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

If you love Him, we too will keep His commands, and He makes his home in our heart.

John 14:23 NASB95

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

“True Jesus” is perfected in us when we keep His commands

1 John 2:3–4 NASB95

3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

1 John 3:5 NASB95

5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.

1 John 2:5 NASB95

5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:

So keep His commands, come to Him by faith, by confession, by repentance and by baptism and be born again a new creation.

Galatians 3:27 NASB95

27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Clothed in Christ and a new creation, can’t leave that verse out

2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB95

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Maybe you been a Christian a long time, do you follow the “true Jesus?” Do you pick up your cross, do you carry each others burdens? Do you keep His commands? I know I can struggle with some of this and need these reminders myself. I need to remember the importance of the great commission and not allow it to be a great omission and not follow through with it.

Matthew 28:18–19 NASB95

And the great promise

Matthew 28:20 NASB95

20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

So “true Jesus” Followers

Follow the Jesus as revealed in the O.T. and the N.T. and know the authority of the Bible and the authority of Jesus in both heaven and earth.

Follow Jesus by being baptized that is coupled with faith, confession and repentance

Follow the commands as given by Jesus and the Apostles so we can rest assured in our salvation and that we are following the “true Jesus.”