The Identity and Mission of Jesus

Introduction

We are still on day #8 of the Feast of Tabernacles — Jesus has used the imagery of the Feast to teach the crowds about His identity and mission.

He told them, “If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink” — indicating that the spiritual thirst common to all people is met only in Him.

He told them, “I am the light of the world” — indicating that He is God and that in Him is forgiveness and freedom from sin.

Now Jesus says to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

Jesus was about to leave the earth and return to heaven. The unbelieving Jews would continue to look for their Messiah after Jesus was gone but they would never find Him because He will have already come and gone…right under their noses

Jesus has clearly identified Himself as their long awaited Messiah yet they persist in their unbelief. They will die in their sin as they look for the very one standing right in front of them…the one they missed…Jesus!

“Die in their sin” — This is in the singular…they will die in the one sin which will in itself prevent them from ever going to the place He is about to go…heaven…unbelief. Because they did not believe Jesus to be their Messiah they will die in their sin.

“Where I go you cannot come” — Jesus was headed to heaven. There is only one sin which prevents you from ever going to heaven…one sin which sends you to hell…that sin is unbelief…to refuse to believe Jesus is who He says He is and did what He came to do.

In verse 24 Jesus is speaking in the plural, “Sins.” The sin of unbelief cuts one off from the ability to receive forgiveness from any and all other sins. Belief opens the flow of grace into our life and unbelief closes it.

Many times preachers rail against particular sins of the world…speaking of this sin or that sin and how horrible each is…But there is only one sin at the root of all these…the sin of unbelief.

Once we repent of our unbelief and believe in the true identity and mission of Jesus Christ His grace flows to us from God. We are forgiven of all of our sins, set free from sin’s power and raised from spiritual death to a new life in Christ.

You may be forgiven of your sin of unbelief and all other sins this morning…freed from the power of sin and all of it’s eternal consequences…simply believe in the true identity of Jesus and what He did on the cross for you.

The identity and mission of Jesus are essential. You can commit any sin and be forgiven except one…there is an unpardonable sin…the rejection of the witness of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Messiah.

Alexander III was Tsar of Russia from 1881-1894. His rule was marked by repression, and in particular by persecution of Jews. His wife, Maria Fedorovna, provided a stark contrast, being known for her generosity to those in need. On one occasion her husband had signed an order consigning a prisoner to life in exile. It read simply  “Pardon impossible, to be sent to Siberia.” Maria changed that prisoners life by moving the comma in her husband’s order. She altered it to “Pardon, impossible to be sent to Siberia.” In Christ God has changed the comma that stood against us. From “Pardon impossible, send to Siberia” comes the good news of salvation: “Pardon, impossible to send to Siberia.”

Jesus was about to leave the earth and return to heaven. The unbelieving Jews would continue to look for their Messiah after Jesus is gone but they would never find Him because He will have already come and gone…right under their noses

Belief moves the comma…it turns our sentence of condemnation to one of life. It removes what we rightfully have coming our way and in its place brings what we could never have deserved on our own merit.

In Christ God has changed the comma that stood against us. From “Pardon impossible, send to Siberia” comes the good news of salvation: “Pardon, impossible to send to Siberia.”

These folks cannot go to where Jesus is headed because they are rejecting Him as their Messiah…rejecting His identity and what he came to do…redeem us.

Once we repent of our unbelief and believe in the true identity and mission of Jesus Christ His grace flows to us from God. We are forgiven of all of our sins, set free from sin’s power and raised from spiritual death to a new life in Christ.

Three-Fold

You are from below; I am from above — There are three realms of existence…above is heaven…here is the cosmos or world…and hell is below. Of course this does not mean hell is literally beneath our feet.

To spiritually ascend and trust in the truth of who Christ is and what He came to do leads to heaven. To reject Jesus and stay in your unbelief is to descend in sin and eventually to hell.

Persistent unbelief or belief is the onramp which leads to the highway of death or life.

Die in Your Sins — If you persist in unbelief you will certainly die in your sins (in the plural). Not one of your sins will be forgiven because you have persisted in the one sin that closes all flow of God’s grace and mercy into your life.

John 8:24 HCSB

Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

All along Jesus has claimed to be the Messiah. He has made it clear both His identity and His mission…to say and do all that the Father has given Him to do in His time on earth.

We are currently on the earth…this is the time and place to make a choice as to where your life is headed…eternally speaking. Will you believe in the true identity and mission of Christ or persistent in unbelief and continue your sprint into hell?

The words He speaks brings judgement upon sinful mankind. It exposes our sinfulness and need of His salvation. It makes a distinction between right and wrong according to God’s definitions of each.

The world is in rebellion against God. Jesus testifies to the fact that the world is evil, sinful and in rebellion

John 7:7 NASB95

“The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.

Let me tell you two stories about two men who came from Chicago, USA:

Story Number One: Chicago’s O’Hare International airport is named after one of Chicago’s most famous and heroic sons. Butch O’Hare was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington during the Second World War. About ten weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbour Butch O’Hare was flying his single engine Grumman Hellcat fighter plane off the Gilbert islands.  He and another pilot were the only ones aloft when O’Hare spotted a group of nine Japanese bombers heading straight for his aircraft carrier, the Lexington. O’Hare knew the odds were against him – the other fighter planes on the carrier were refuelling and would not have time to take off. It was up to Butch and the other Hellcat to stop the Japanese bombers. The odds were dramatically reduced when Butch discovered the machine guns on the second Hellcat had seized. It was just Butch O’Hare and four minutes between the Japanese bombers and the 2000 crew aboard the Lexington.

Story Number One: — Chicago’s O’Hare International airport is named after one of Chicago’s most famous and heroic sons. Butch O’Hare was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington during the Second World War. About ten weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbour Butch O’Hare was flying his single engine Grumman Hellcat fighter plane off the Gilbert islands.  He and another pilot were the only ones aloft when O’Hare spotted a group of nine Japanese bombers heading straight for his aircraft carrier, the Lexington. O’Hare knew the odds were against him – the other fighter planes on the carrier were refuelling and would not have time to take off. It was up to Butch and the other Hellcat to stop the Japanese bombers. The odds were dramatically reduced when Butch discovered the machine guns on the second Hellcat had seized. It was just Butch O’Hare and four minutes between the Japanese bombers and the 2000 crew aboard the Lexington. Butch dove in and started the attack. The crew of the Lexington watched as he engaged the Japanese bombers – their guns training in on his Hellcat fighter. With astonishing skill Butch O’Hare emerged victorious, shooting down five of the nine Japanese bombers and badly damaging another. The last three were taken out by planes that managed to get off the decks of the Lexington while the air battle raged above them. President Roosevelt later described Butch O’Hare’s actions as “one of the most daring, if not the most daring, single action in the history of combat aviation.” Butch was promoted two ranks and designated the US Navy’s first “Ace” of World War 2.

Butch dove in and started the attack. The crew of the Lexington watched as he engaged the Japanese bombers – their guns training in on his Hellcat fighter. With astonishing skill Butch O’Hare emerged victorious, shooting down five of the nine Japanese bombers and badly damaging another. The last three were taken out by planes that managed to get off the decks of the Lexington while the air battle raged above them.

Story number two: — Some years before World War 2 a millionaire lawyer known as “Easy Eddie” was involved in illegal gambling rackets with the notorious Chicago gangster Al Capone. Eddie had the patent rights to the mechanical rabbits used in dog racing and he and was brought into the Hawthorne Kennel Club by Capone as a major partner. The races were usually always fixed and although dog racing was illegal Capone and Eddie kept the matter tied up in the courts. This allowed them to continue to run their tracks. When dog racing was finally declared illegal Eddie and Capone simply switched their tracks over to horseracing, which was legal, and continued to fix races and rake in money. In addition to his race track interests Eddie performed a variety of legal services for the Capone Mob. He looked after mob members arrested for murder, gambling and prostitution and set up elaborate real estate and stock transactions for Capone, himself and other insiders of the gang.

President Roosevelt later described Butch O’Hare’s actions as “one of the most daring, if not the most daring, single action in the history of combat aviation.” Butch was promoted two ranks and designated the US Navy’s first “Ace” of World War 2.

Story number two:

Some years before World War 2 a millionaire lawyer known as “Easy Eddie” was involved in illegal gambling rackets with the notorious Chicago gangster Al Capone. Eddie had the patent rights to the mechanical rabbits used in dog racing and he and was brought into the Hawthorne Kennel Club by Capone as a major partner. The races were usually always fixed and although dog racing was illegal Capone and Eddie kept the matter tied up in the courts. This allowed them to continue to run their tracks. When dog racing was finally declared illegal Eddie and Capone simply switched their tracks over to horseracing, which was legal, and continued to fix races and rake in money.

In addition to his race track interests Eddie performed a variety of legal services for the Capone Mob. He looked after mob members arrested for murder, gambling and prostitution and set up elaborate real estate and stock transactions for Capone, himself and other insiders of the gang.

There was however another side to Eddie. Eddie was a father. He had a son and daughters whom he loved dearly, and the wealth he had amassed allowed him to shower everything money could buy upon his beloved children. And in many ways he was a good father. Eddie sought out the best schools for his children and spent lots of time with them attending their school productions and sporting events, and just hanging around together. But there was one thing Eddie’s money couldn’t buy – integrity and respectability. Eddie’s son finished high school and declared he wanted to go into the naval academy at Annapolis. But to get there you needed more than money. You needed the approval of the congressman for your state. Eddie decided his son’s future was more important than his own. He approached the authorities and indicated he would be willing to testify against Capone. On the basis of Eddie’s witness Al Capone went to jail for 11 years and his stranglehold on Chicago was broken. Eddie’s son also got into the Annapolis Naval Academy. But for Eddie the price was severe. Capone swore he would kill Eddie and in 1937 Eddie was gunned to death as he drove his car home from work. In his pocket the police found a poem which read:

There was however another side to Eddie. Eddie was a father. He had a son and daughters whom he loved dearly, and the wealth he had amassed allowed him to shower everything money could buy upon his beloved children. And in many ways he was a good father. Eddie sought out the best schools for his children and spent lots of time with them attending their school productions and sporting events, and just hanging around together.

But there was one thing Eddie’s money couldn’t buy – integrity and respectability. Eddie’s son finished high school and declared he wanted to go into the naval academy at Annapolis. But to get there you needed more than money. You needed the approval of the congressman for your state.

John 3:16–18 NASB95

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Eddie decided his son’s future was more important than his own. He approached the authorities and indicated he would be willing to testify against Capone. On the basis of Eddie’s witness Al Capone went to jail for 11 years and his stranglehold on Chicago was broken. Eddie’s son also got into the Annapolis Naval Academy. But for Eddie the price was severe. Capone swore he would kill Eddie and in 1937 Eddie was gunned to death as he drove his car home from work. In his pocket the police found a poem which read:

The clock of life is wound but once And no man has the power To tell just when the hands will stop At late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still.

I know what you’re thinking. What do these two stories have to do with one another? Well, you see, Butch O’Hare was Easy Eddie’s son.

The clock is ticking and someday it will stop…what will you say about Jesus while you have precious time in which to decide?

John 8:24 NASB95

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Ray made a choice…

Those who have yet to believe in Jesus as the Messiah stand condemned their unbelief. The sentence is pronounced…evidence has been given…this evidence is the testimony of Jesus as to right and wrong. The punishment will soon be handed out upon His second coming when He will judge the living and the dead.

In verse 24 Jesus is speaking in the plural, “Sins.” The sin of unbelief cuts one off from the ability to receive forgiveness from any and all other sins. Belief opens the flow of grace into our life and unbelief closes it.

“Indeed” — used to emphasize a statement or response confirming something already suggested.

This will happen. There is no question about it. There is coming a day of judgement in which sentence will not only be pronounced but carried out. TODAY that sentence is simply pronounced…you are told which camp you are in…condemned or redeemed. But one day the consequence of your belief or unbelief will be realized.

What will it be? What do you say about Jesus?

This is what we should be asking our friends and neighbors…what do you say about Jesus? What do you believe about God? How do you think a person might go to heaven when they die?

Jesus says there is one way to eternal life and heaven…believe that I AM…believe He is God, the Messiah.

“Who are you?” — He was claiming to be God. They are outraged at his statement and ask “Who..are…YOU?!?” “Who are you to be saying such things about yourself?!?

John 8:24 NASB95

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Just what I have been claiming all along — All along Jesus has claimed to be the Messiah. He has made it clear both His identity and His mission…to say and do all that the Father has given Him to do in His time on earth.

John 8:24 NASB95

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

He is the great “I AM”

I have much to say in judgement of you — Jesus has been preaching all along exactly what the Father has given Him to say. He would yet preach and teach more and His teaching would again be evidence of His identity and mission. He is the Messiah..

Persistent unbelief or belief is the onramp which leads to the highway of death or life.

His preaching and teaching inevitably led to pronouncements of judgement…because those to who He was preaching were unbelievers and condemned. Again it is important to remember…He did not come to carry out the sentence against the sins of the world but to save us from it!

John 8:24 NASB95

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

I have much to say in judgement of you — All judgement to come will be right and true…you can’t escape it…there will be no way to weasel your way out of it…talk your way out of it or hide yourself from it.

Your sin of unbelief, and all other subsequent sins for which you stand unforgiven, will be seen for all that they are. The Father will place in the hands of Jesus all right judgement and you will stand condemned.

The Exclamation Point

When you have lifted up the Son of Man — They didn’t understand what Jesus was saying so He makes the point emphatically.

“The greatest glory of Jesus was the accepting of the shame and humiliation of the Cross in order that He might bring salvation to sinners.” He is telling them that they will not really know His identity and understand who He is before they crucify Him.” But after the crucifixion many would understand.

The Cross — Is God’s exclamation point. In it the Son is glorified and those whose heart is open to God will see in it the evidence of both Jesus’ identity and mission. They will understand that He was sent of the Father, is the Messiah and Savior of the world…He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

The Father is always with the Son throughout this mission…He is the corroborating witness and testifies through the words and actions of Jesus.

Conclusion

Life on this earth is short but it has great purpose. Regardless of what we may do with the time given we all must do one thing in particular…it is a decision given each of us…We all must answer the question…What do you believe about Jesus?

Many of us in this room have answered that question. We have turned from our sin, placed trust in the forgiveness for sin and sacrifice for our sins on the cross. We have given our life to Jesus…have you?

And if you have done so…How are you doing with the trust given you…the precious trust God placed in us to go and make disciples of all nations?

Matthew 28:19–20 HCSB

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

I want to finish this morning with a challenge to all of us…a challenge to take serious the call and commission of Jesus…to share the news…the Messiah has come…He has gone to His Cross…look up and see the Son of God…the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of those who will only believe.

Light the Night — October 31st we will get together in groups of 2-3 families…cook hot dogs, play games…share info about the church…and get to know our neighbors…with the hope and prayer that these relationships will develop into opportunities to share our faith either that night or in the future.

The Gift of Christmas — We will have three nights of a live nativity here at the church. We will tell the story of the incarnation of the Savior…telling of His identity and mission to die for the sins of the world. We will share the Gospel with every person who comes and pray for many souls to be saved.

Tomorrow — Each of us will go out into the world…our own little nook of it…Each of us will have unique opportunities and relationships with those who do not know about Jesus and what He came to do. These people need to know the identity of the Messiah and His mission on earth…Jesus is the Savior of the world and His cross paid for our sins!

Prayer — The power of our witness is in our prayer life. No one comes to Jesus unless the Spirit of God calls them. No one can be convinced by persuasive words from us. We are the mouthpiece of the Holy Spirit…The Spirit does the rest!

Pray that God will open doors for you to share…will give you boldness to do so…and give results when you do.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn; Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Would you make that your prayer this morning? That your life would be for the pleasure of our Christ? That you would be a part of what He is doing to make the identity and mission of Jesus known to the world?

And from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone,

Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.