NH-Jesus, The Son Of God
Jesus, The Son Of God
All of the scripture readings today are from the NIV
The earliest Christian confession was “Jesus is Lord”. This is found in:
Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
The Greek and the Hebrew words used for “Lord” both are words used in reverence to address God.
Now, we talk about The Son of God. Not only was Jesus known as “God”, but He was also known as “The Son of God”.
This is the first in a series of three sermons about the nature of Jesus. They are:
Jesus, The Son Of God
Jesus, The Son Of Man
Jesus, Who Is God
John 1:1-14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Introduction:
Jesus was God in human flesh. Even the disciples had acknowledged this. In fact, when the Pharisees questioned Jesus in the temple:
Mark 12:35-37
35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, "How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." ' 37 David himself calls him 'Lord.' How then can he be his son?" The large crowd listened to him with delight.
In this passage, Jesus is quoting David from:
Psalm 110:1-7
1 The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." 2 The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies. 3 Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth. 4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." 5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. 7 He will drink from a brook beside the way; therefore he will lift up his head.
What we read here in Psalm 110 is a Prophecy of the nature of the Messiah, Jesus, God’s Son.
And what we see is that Jesus was: God become flesh, He existed before creation, Eternity began His story, and much more.
Today we are going to remain mostly in the Gospel of John.
In fact, John seems to have written his gospel for two basic reasons.
1. To establish the fact that Jesus is God
2. To invite people to believe in Jesus and to be saved.
His evidence for this has three elements:
1. The miracles He performed
2. The words He spoke
3. The testimony of witnesses
A. The Miracles He Performed. There are seven miracles recorded here. He performed many more. In fact John tells us that if it were all written down, there would not be enough books for it.
1. Turning water to wine. John 2:1-11
This was done at a wedding feast. Jesus’ mother is the one who encouraged this miracle, and it was the first miracle.
2. Healing the nobleman’s son. John 4:46-54
The NIT says that this man was a Royal Official. The boy was in Capernum and was very sick. Jesus was in Galilee when He was approached by the boy’s father to heal him. The boy died but Jesus raised him from the dead. Jesus never saw the lad.
3. Healing the man sick for thirty-eight years. John 5
This is the man who could not walk because of his sickness and when Jesus healed him Jesus told him to pick up his mat and walk. The man did. Wouldn’t you? Anyhow, it was the Sabbath and the man got in trouble for carrying his mat on the Sabbath. His response was: John 5:11 "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'"
4. Feeding the five thousand. John 6:1-14
This is the miracle that begins with a boy with five loaves and two small fish and ends with them picking up 12 baskets full of leftovers.
5. Walking on the stormy sea. John 6:15-21
Jesus walks three or three and a half miles out on to the lake.
6. Restoring sight to a man born blind. John 9
The man was blind from birth. The apostles wanted to know who had sinned, the man or his parents. Pretty typical don’t you think. When bad things happen don’t we often wonder what we did wrong to deserve this.
7. Raising Lazarus from the dead. John 11
Probably one of the more well know of the miracles that Jesus performed. Certainly one of the more dramatic.
There is an eighth miracle, The catch of fish recorded in John 21, that occurred after His resurrection.
Why do we care. Because we must know and acknowledge that Jesus is who He is. He is God, He is God’s Son.
B. The Words He Spoke. There are sixty-seven references to seeing and fifty-eight to hearing. Indeed the works of Jesus and His words prove that He is The Son of God.
It is important that we be able to read and understand His words.
C. The Testimony of Witnesses.
There are seven witnesses in The Gospel of John who declare that Jesus is the Son of God.
1. John The Baptist - John 1:34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
2. Nathaniel - John 1:49 Then Nathaniel declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
3. Peter - John 6:69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
4. Martha - John 11:27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
5. Thomas, after the crucifixion and the resurrection said in John 20:28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
6. Apostle John - John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
7. And finally, Jesus declared His own deity. - John 5:25 I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.
And again in - John 10:36-38
36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? 37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. 38 But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."
Matthew wrote for the Jews, Mark for the Romans, and Luke for the Greeks. John had the whole world in mind when he wrote.
Conclusion:
Why is this so important? I’m glad you ask that question.
Matthew 16:13-20
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
Why? Because people still have questions today. It is important to know who Jesus is.
Some say He was just a great teacher, others the illegitimate son of a Hebrew harlot, yet others say that He is a fictitious character. Who do you say that Jesus is?
An anonymous author made this striking comparison: "Socrates taught for 40 years, Plato for 50, Aristotle for 40, and Jesus for only 3. Yet the influence of Christ's 3-year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity. Jesus painted no pictures; yet some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michalengelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him. Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world's greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratorios they composed in His praise. Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by this humble Carpenter of Nazareth.
"His unique contribution to the race of men is the salvation of the soul! Philosophy could not accomplish that. Nor art. Nor literature. Nor music. Only Jesus Christ can break the enslaving chains of sin and Satan. He alone can speak peace to the human heart, strengthen the weak, and give life to those who are spiritually dead."
Philippians 2:9-11
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.