Jesus: Above Everything

Main Point of Passage: Jesus is above all

Main point of passage: Jesus is above all

Main Point of Sermon: Jesus is above everything; including our lives- they ,should be treated that way

Problem: We make things bigger than Jesus

Solution: Trusting in the Spirit’s power to correct our view of God and our priority of Jesus.

The swell

Galilee — Temple — Religious Leader— John the Baptist— Jesus: above all

*** up/down***

The Journey

He begins the ministry with a baptism gunshot going off

He collects some disciples

He enters the begins in Galilee

His home town

Influenced by enemies of Israel

Viewed with contempt

Reputation: This the bad side of town

He goes to the temple

Zeal, anger, revved up

Makes a whip

He is challenged

“Prove you have the authority to do this”

“I am in charge of life and death.”

Many people see him/believe him

“he would not entrust himself to them”

He knew why they were there, and it wasn’t to worship God

Religion: This is where people would earn their salvation

(This is where people would mock God with fakeness.)

Pharisee comes to him

“We know you are something, but we don’t know what.”

Jesus says “you need a new birth, you need the Son of Man”

If you wont believe what I say about down here, you wont believe what I say about up there.

But I came down to earth

I was up there

But I came down here

You will lift me up, though

And then those who believe will have the new birth, and go up with me

And those who don’t believe will go down.

Light and dark

Rulers: The most trusted names, with all the history- they couldn’t offer what he was offering.

John vs Jesus

(John is the greatest man to ever live, )

He is from Up, I am from Down

God grants from above (Every good thing is God’s, do not envy)

I have nothing more than to make him everything (He is the groom, I’m the best man)

He must increase, I must decrease

Renowned: The greatest man to ever live, finds his joy in putting Jesus first

John’s commentary

The one who comes from above is above all

He is from Up, we are from Down

Jesus is above all

Teaching

We are called to give all the honor, prestige, hope, glory, love to JESUS.

We can’t still it because of envy.

Why would the best man be envious?

Why would the

Jesus is above reputation

Jesus is above religion

Jesus is above rulers

Jesus is above the renowned

Jesus is above all

Accept and affirm.....OR.....Reject and Remain in Wrath

Reject and remain in wrath

Us

Reputation

Who are you friends with? Why? Would you go to church with losers? What if there weren’t any cool kids here?

Sometimes we have a “social club faith” - we are more concerned with the what the people around us are thinking, than what we are thinking about God.

We are more here for them, than God

We fear their judgement more than God’s

Are you willing to prioritize God’s glory over your reputation?

Religion

This is a sneaky one, because it seems so right. “I need to go to church” , “I need to read more”, “I need to know more” , or even “I need to change more”.

This can be right, but can be pride disguised as holiness- we let our sins go while we hold others to theirs.

We use the system God gave us, not for worshipping him but giving ourselves a pat on the back.

Are you willing to recognize Jesus’ authority, even if it changes how we do everything?

Rulers

Who is influencing you? Celebrities? What shows are you binge watching? What friends point you? Who are you following on twitter or insta?

What religion were you raised in? It might be wrong. Is it backed up by the bible?

We can believe somethings simply because it was taught. We can think things simply because we were told.

Jesus is above all traditions, ideas, and groups of people.

Are you willing to change what you believe because of what Jesus says?

The Renowned

Do you elevate anyone’s voice above Jesus’?

We give certain people loud voices because of how important we think they are. Sometimes we are very very wrong. Sometimes they are right.

If they don’t agree with Jesus then it doesn’t matter who they are- they are wrong.

Even the greatest teachers should be servants of the King.

We should follow those who follow Jesus.

Are you willing to leave behind people you respect because they leave behind Jesus?

(Not in life, but in teaching. )

Above All

Accept and affirm.....OR.....Reject and Remain

Accept and affirm.....OR.....Reject and Remain in Wrath

Notes

Affirming some unpopular things

Keeping the knowledge of who Jesus is central: that is the goal.

When we see that Jesus is above all, we see that his goal is to glorify the Father, and he does this by the Spirit.

When we accept what he says (I am the King) we affirm what he says about the Father (All things should glorify the father) by the Spirit (who gives us eyes and ears and hearts)**********

When we reject the Son (do not have faith, do not realize he is above all) we dishonor the Father who will pour out his wrath on us forever.

Because whether we believe it or not, it is still true

***Accept Jesus as our personal savior VS recognize Him as the King worthy of all praise***

Promise in the Spirit: He has done a work in us that we may do his work.

For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

and they shall be my people.

English Standard Version Chapter 6

For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,

and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

17  Therefore go out from their midst,

and be separate from them, says the Lord,

and touch no unclean thing;

then I will welcome you,

18  and I will be a father to you,

and you shall be sons and daughters to me,

says the Lord Almighty.”

7 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,

and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,

then I will welcome you,

18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

2 Corinthians 6:16–7:1 CSB

And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you. And I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. So then, dear friends, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

says the Lord Almighty.”

says the Lord Almighty.”

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

He has given us the task of living like Jesus is above everything AND he has given us the power to live like that.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Notes

3:22- Jesus poured into his disciples