Prologue to the Messiah | Chris Dewar | In the Beginning | September 8, 2019

All right picture this imagine you are living in a time whenever there was no means of conveyance other than human power or horse-drawn or animal drawing power right is also go to the desert that doesn't matter. All right, and as you're walking down the road, you see two men in the distance walking and you can hear them talking and as they're talking they're discussing this concept about this man, who would, they're super disappointed for some reason you see there was someone that they had been trusting in that they had loved that they had cared about And then this man was killed. Ruta Lee I'd like to say in front of him, but honestly, probably not because most of his friends and family didn't go these two probably weren't there, but they heard about it. And you hear them talking about how they were so disappointed because they had an understanding of what he was going to do. They thought this guy was going to come and save their people. I thought he was going to overcome the Brokenness of the Empire that they were living under he thought they were working there going to he was going to destroy all the things of the world that were causing their people to be held down or held back and instead of doing that he died and sure there's some people saying they saw him again, but you know, all I know is his body is missing. And that's also horrible, right? There's no place you can go and just pay tribute to him. So they're walking down this road to place called Emmaus. PC them in the distant all the sudden you see someone else pop out behind them. Then where you came from. I actually see we're on the path. We came from just showed up and you see this guy step up behind them. You can hear mice. What are they talking about? Hey, what what what are you talking about? And I tell him I say haven't you heard what's been going on in the city? Haven't you heard about this person? And what did said what are you done? Haven't you heard about how we thought he was going to say that he wants instead of the rulers kill them. So we're just lost we don't know what to do.

When you hear this man say something interesting he calls them foolish foolish. Says don't you know that man had to die. Set his glory might be revealed. And then he starts to walk through the Old Testament. He walks them through everything from Moses all the way through all the prophets and he tells them more and more about how this person had to come and had to live and had to die. Not just to save their people that they save the entire world.

This is the story of the two men on the way to mass. The two men who are walking along the path. from Jerusalem to a city and they're sad because Christ has just been crucified and they just lost them and they don't know what to do. And then someone shows up and starts to explain to them just who he was and what he's done and they walk through the Old Testament to do so, they said that the entire tilt estimate that its main story was to Proclaim Christ who he is and what he's done and that is what we're going to be talking about today as we move forward. This is our new sermon series. We're starting it says this And beginning with Moses and all the prophecy explain to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself. So we're going to be walking through the prologue to the Messiah what the Old Testament teaches about who Jesus says and what he's done.

I got this a lot. There's so much of a sort of you running the series all the way up until Advent. They're going to be talking about the Old Testament what it says about Jesus and everybody stepping in to add that which we can see the actual fulfillment of some of those things happening in and starting next year. We're going to be walking through the gospel of Mark we're going we talkin about what Jesus has done and how again, he filled a lot of these things you'll Testament said but also we can see even more than that because what we could see dimly in the Old Testament, he makes fully known and apparent in his life. So should be a good time over the next couple months. I'm going to like it. What's up with this? I'm going to start in the beginning. Now who here thinks the world is perfect.

Write who here thinks the times the world is kind of a broken place.

Like I don't know if it's just the current timeline, but it feels even more apparent that has at some point in the past. Yes, sir. Kind of kind of broken sometimes I use this little bit of understatement for some points, right? The world is a little bit broken, right and we get to see the effects of this all over the place who here at some point. He's been touched by the Brokenness of the world in their lives.

It's horrible, right? It hurts. It's not fun. The world seems like it's supposed to be one way, but at times it just turns out the other it seems like people should be genuine and loving and kind of each other but often times were not it seems like life should triumph over everything but it seems like that has quite a bit. It seems like we shouldn't have to deal with the hurts and pains of bad health of bad relationships of the Brokenness of the actual physical world around us. But we do we have to deal with it on a daily basis and we have to deal with our own broken is too because right is not just the outside of us. It's broken, but we're broken people too. right Now when you step all the way back in the beginning you can you come to the story that talks about how the world began and there's two primary things at the first seven chapters of Genesis are teaching and that is who God is and why the world is the way it is right there pointing that out because as you move closer and closer to Abraham you get to see some of how God is going to fix some of the Brokenness of the world and this fixing of the Brokenness starts to be proclaimed right at the time. It's broken. So who here knows the story Garden of Eden, right? There's a demand there's Eve and these two people are living perfectly and wonderfully. They have no shame. They have no guilt. They have no Brokenness that has not yet entered the world. Everything is as it seems like it should be right. And then we broke it. They broke it once again very much though human nature who here has had something pretty you liking all your broken. Who here has had a child? just checking cuz if you have you know, their nature is not to keep the things they love safe you break them, right? And the world was broken because of our actions. God said to do one thing. We said I kind of want to do something else. Sure, there was a serpent there who may have tempted or enticed people to move in One Direction, but it's really hard to be tempting to something at the song Tempted for something you don't want to do to begin with right if someone holds up in front of me a giant place of Brussel sprouts is like hey, hey you. I'm not going to move in that direction, right? Thank you. I'm heading back towards the wing section whatever that is. So, yes, they were tempted, but you cannot be tempted the things you actually want. They're moving in that direction already is what their nature was what people's Natures were our nature was not at the time to perfectly as an otamatone. Obey everything that was said our nature was to question and try and make our own decisions and try and have our own well, which makes sense because if were made in the image of God, we have to have some of these things right? He's not an otamatone if we can't be either. We didn't use that image bearing quality to the best of our abilities will say as Augustine says they chose a lesser good it's not wrong yet. Thanks. Jacob. See any back there and throw it in right? To want to be like God and knowledge of Good and Evil is not necessarily and wholly evil but it is far less good than what he wanted for us and it not being the thing that he wanted for us and us especially doing something he called for us not to do then it becomes evil right so we broke the world. One of the results of our Disobedience was not just the fact that now we are ashamed because yeah, right afterwards. They gained shame all of a sudden there I go where Nick I'm going to run and hide when is she going to be naked before hand super ashamed of it afterwards? They were shamed they hid themselves from a god they felt a separation. They didn't have before. And that separation was there was a parent was real. And not only were they separated from God but then some other things occurred as well write the world itself. The physical world was broken because of this is he beforehand thorns and thistles didn't rule. It wasn't hard work to bring fruit from the ground or bring a things to eat from the ground. It wasn't hard worked to labor. But following this it became toil. It wasn't hard to reproduce before following afterwards it became difficult to reproduce. It wasn't hard to live before. And following it living is a struggle. We are fighting everyday to survive.

And that's out of the world.

And we'd like to say darn it out of money for the thing you did and cause us to happen, but we all know deep down inside. We've done the exact same thing possibly worse.

If I would have just eaten the trip out of tried to burn it down cuz I like fire sometimes. Sorry. True, but sorry you guys saw me at the s'more night. I really enjoy fire.

I would not have done any better in the circumstance than they did. I can't really fault them too heavily for it because if I judge them for their trouble. the world broke

Now when the world broke some things occurred God cursed the land straight up said the land is cursed because of you. They cursed the serpent the one who attempted them into evil and said you are cursed because of this strangely enough. He actually threw he doesn't curse Adam and Eve out there, but he curses the land. He curses the serpent, right? And there's just one little point when he's cursing. The survey says you will crawl on your belly. Basically, you will not have the ability to strike anymore because snakes Were Striking or not, they're sitting upright usually. You'll be defined because of this. He also says this.

I will put enmity between you and the woman between your Offspring and hers he will crush your head and you will strike. His foot is healed. Sorry.

He tells the serpent that because of what has occurred at some point in offspring of the woman would come forth and would destroy Satan and his works. And only would that happen but yeah Satan would in some way shape or form cause harm to this person. But if you look at those like the disparity of those things one of them is trying to be a little weird shape afterwards, right? This is actually known as in the illogical circles as the protoevangelium on the First Gospel. You see this is the first time in scripture even catch a glimmer of the fact that something is happening far beyond just a little bit of things we can catch on the pages. And here's what we actually first learn. We're in the from the beginning. God had a plan. He was not caught off guard by our sin by are falling as he wasn't caught off guard by the fact that we would choose to not obey him. He understood and he already knew how he was going to deal with it. He had a plan from the very beginning. And that planetary through all of history from the very beginning up until now that plan is still ongoing. And this plan is going to walk through the Old Testament as we learn about it as we move forward going to step forward into some of the other ways we can see this plan. So we see it here. We see it again. Whenever we hear about Abraham, we hear it again whenever here about Moses and David we hear it again, whenever you start to hear some of the words of the prophets we hear it again, whenever you see some of the ways in which the Kings have their lineage preserve even through their Badness in the rough stuff that happens and we see the way that it points further and further down Narrows Narrows down more and more until you can start to understand exactly what it is. God is doing This plan is not something it was just sort of constructed on the fly. It was always in place. He always had a plan.

Now check this out. He put on the between her of the snake in the woman and between the snakes Offspring and hers and that Offspring will crush your heel your head and you will strike his heel, right? Whenever we step into the New Testament, whenever you move for we get to hear a little. What Jesus did through his death on the cross and his resurrection right in his death. He broke the power of sin and his resurrection. He broke the power of that. He overcame them completely. And it pulls right if we see things like that since I since the children have Flesh and Blood Christ to share in their Humanity so that by his dad team I break the power of him who holds the power of that that is the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. In Christ, he broke the power of sin and death. And removed us from their fear of Slavery to death not to be afraid of death anymore. Where o death is your Victory where o death is your sting? We're not afraid of it because of who he is and what he's done. We know that death is not final. We know that whenever he returns. He will unmake death. He will destroy death. And life will rain. And I will reign with him. Serve him will love him. That's the promise that whenever he returns or whenever we go to him death will not rain in our lives. We can have hope because of it. At Hope Springs Eternal, right?

In a separate section of scripture in Romans, 16:20. Yeah. It talks about the fact that while this. is some of that Christ has done already. It's an ongoing process as well to that Christ is still in the process of doing it. We saw in Genesis still has not been brought fully to completion. That'll occur whenever he returns to the God of Peace will soon Crush Satan under your feet. Now really interesting process here who who is who is he talking about? Who is the you in this?

God will crush Satan under your feet Under the church's feet, is he we the church are part of God's plan from the beginning. He has planned to use us to bring about this it Larry says they're we energy between you and your Offspring and her and her Offspring right? And we are The Offspring of Christ. We are sons and daughters are the sons and daughters of God because of it. So the enemy isn't just between Jesus and Satan. We are striving against Satan as well both internalizing the life of the world around us.

We do this through love. 2 character compassion through pouring out of ourselves to those who are need by seeing and Seeking Justice and mercy. And by demonstrating Christ to a world who needs him desperately, right? Sometimes we as a church forget that that's actually what we're doing. Our goal is to be like Jesus so that people can see how much Jesus loves them. Our goal is to be like him. So people can see that he is worth being like How often do we get caught up in the politics of the church the Brokenness of it the politics of the organizational aspects? How to get stuck in me. I have to be 17 things for the organization of the church to survive and function if any of you know me, by the way, I'm speaking directly to myself right now.

I like things being organized well, and so sometimes I focus so much on that. I kind of miss the purpose of what we're doing here. That's this we partake in this plan with Christ now consider this whenever Christ that man who showed up at Emmaus is right only made its way with us to other men whenever Christ came to them. He sat down with them and he taught them and he work through the Old Testament with Emily showed them more and more what it means to recognize the fact that he is the entire point of existence. He walk them through it. And whenever you did so they didn't know who he was at first, right? But at the end their eyes were opened they came to see who he was and recognize that they had known him and he was Jesus. She is this wonderful thing that happens under Christ opens your eyes you get to see more and more about who he is and what he's done.

Beautiful whenever he does it but there's a point of it where we also walk forward in it. We learned where we grow when we listen, right? We're supposed to be like Jesus, right? Jesus found a couple of people wandering in the spare hurt broken worried about the world. What do we do?

Hey, he knew what they were talking about already, right? He was well enough of a customer Queen of the them to know what's going on, but I forgot to disinfect. Play Genji has a plan. So what this is the so what section everybody. All right. So what if Jesus had a plan?

What does it matter for us? So Jesus we're supposed to be like him he heard and saw where these people are at. He understood that hurt and broken. That's what they were going through and he answered appropriately, right? Didn't answer in a negative or bad way. He did point out some foolishness. They had me point out their wrongness in different ways, but he doesn't love me dead to show them that they can have hope. He offered them hope right. In that hope he reconciled themselves to what he was doing. He helped them be reconciled to who he was and what he had done through his life and death.

Guess what?

Since then we know what it is to fear God we try to persuade others. What we are is playing to God and I hope it is also playing to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride and us so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than what is in the heart. If we say we are out of our mind that some say it is for God. If we are in our right mind it is for you for Christ's love compels us because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore all died and he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on WE regard no one through a worldly point of view though. We once regarded Christ in this way. We do so no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ. The new creation is come the old is gone. The new is here. All this is from God who is reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ not counting people sins against them and he is committed to us of the message of reconciliation. We are there for Christ's ambassadors as though God were making his appeal through us. We applaud you on price behalf be reconciled to God God made him who had no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. sneaking out

the point of the church is not an awesome organization that does good works in the community that is part of the result of what we are. The point of the church is not just to be a place where Community rains that is a result of what we are. The point of the church is to go forth and Proclaim Christ to a world that desperately needs him as much as we need him. We are all people who have been offered this reconciliation through Christ and what he has done. If you're a member of the church itself the church Big C large hole Church everywhere Universal. You understand this concept and you've been reconciled to Christ. And that message of reconciliation is in you and has to be carried to others who need it desperately, right? Just not for us. for the world

It's okay. The church is not for us the churches for the world.

This is who we are and this is what we do. So as you move forward as you become closer and closer to Christ as you step further and further into relationship with his body the church. Don't forget what we're here for. Don't forget the fact that we exist for him.

We exist to Proclaim his message, which is this God made Jesus him who had no sin. The perfect one the one who had never in any way shape or form want against the will of God. The only one who can say that if he was in Adam and Eve's position. He wouldn't have eaten that fruit. The only person who has ever been perfect. Be like a sin offering on our behalf. God made him who knew? No sin. To be like sin for us. So that we those imperfect people those broken people those ones who don't deserve anything because we consistently with ourselves with our hearts disagree and move away from who God is and what he's done. That we may have what only Jesus deserves. Which is right standing before God righteousness before God.

That's why Jesus came. That's why Jesus lived. That's why Jesus died. And that's why Jesus wrote. Is it rose again that we might have what only he deserves? a right place before God if you are right with God now, there's no way shape or form because of who you are and what you've done is because of who he is and what he has done is because what God was planning to do from the beginning of creation all the way through until today all the way through until the world and the new world is created. You are the result of years and years and years of God's plan coming to fruition.

And the things that you say and do matter to that plan.

So as you go go in peace proclaim the Peace of Christ over the world. Be loving and godly do not be dissentious. Do not be argumentative. Don't go to harm. Don't seek your own go to your own game. Seek the good of the world. Because I'm doing so you're being like Jesus.

Who gave up everything? for everything does that make sense?

We're going to take a moment. We're going to pray you're going to step into a time of communion, which is whenever you remember who Christ is and what he's done. Please take a moment and pray.

Lord Jesus we thank you.

We thank you for the fact that you have been the plan from the beginning of creation. That's you actually set the world of the motion through your words that you were the one through whom and by whom everything was created and in doing so you knew that you would be taking the steps that you took on that cross. We praise you for the fact that you have always planned on offering yourself for us giving yourself for us reconciling us to you through it. We praise you for your willingness to show such great love and such great compassion. And we pray that you would neighbor last to show the same. More teachers what it means to follow you wholly and fully teaches what it means to be like you in the world teaches what it means to show love and grace and mercy and Justice to seek the things that are above as opposed to the things of the world. Show us what it means to further your kingdom everyday.

And would make us more and more like you.

Overcome our flesh overcome our fears overcome our minds and our hearts in the ways in which they don't point to you.

More. Rain be glorified. We love you and we thank you. What's your name? We pray amen.

Thank you.

So as we enter into a time at Communion, excuse me real quick. I'm getting over a cold if you can tell her to not prepare any of the elements cuz I don't want to get anybody sick but Okay, let me go over there but a time of communion we recognize the car is broke himself Newport himself out in this is part of the solution right is Chris talked about the plan about being a crushing Satan with the heel in the foot and things of that nature. This is also for the solution to Christ brought. This is the life that were supposed to be living a life that is broken and poured out for the world around us seeing the suffering that surround us instead of running away from an entering into it bring about peace bring about Joy hope and love and sometimes it's not in the radical way of martyrdom. It's on the radical way, if you know losing and dealing with death, sometimes it's in the simple things. Sometimes it's when your college student working on a paper and a security guard walks by and says, hey, we're close enough to tell me to get out. What are you working on all working on this? Let's talk about it for a couple hours. Sometimes it's those little moments there. So you can see that glory of God happen not being caught up in the legality of what it is to be a Christian but being Where of when God is moving like Christ upon the Sabbath when he heals somebody they were worried about. Hey, you broke the law. This is the Sabbath should be doing anything today, but he is healing he's recognizing the spirit when I moved here. Listen creation. The world is, you know, boy, right there's water and stuff that represents chaos. What does God do out of that chaos, he makes the land he creates a foundation. So we are aware to hear the presence of God through the chaos of the world. I'll be recognizing the spirit is always present. This is something that I think we lose out on cuz we we become so used to hearing our faith which is good in the blessing that we can pronounce our faith and we can reach our faith verse important that we recognize that early on that. Holy Spirit wasn't Port out to all those people and we have that that into Wells in Christ literally and Wells and is a part of us. So be aware that his presence is always moving. His spirit is always acting is in all things in as a part of all things in the thing is if we made herself blinded by saying all this is the Jesus that I wanted to look like for this is the Jesus that I Want To Worship. Are we allowing Christ to transform us? We must always keep that in mind that oftentimes. We make rice into the image. We want him to be as opposed to him transforming us into the image that he is. So I asked if you step into communion and we offer an open coming in here at City Church. So what are your Catholic Eastern Orthodox, whatever denomination we ask that you hold the principles of what Christ said that he was they had a version birthday is born that way. He's fully God that he's fully Mad. He always was and always will be that he conquered death. But also he lived a perfect life. We forget that this is the part that we get to participate in Christ with now it is yet to come eternity Is Yet To Come and we can enter into that now we can see Christ in the Brokenness of the world because you realize he goes into an immense it and sometimes in mending it isn't providing the perfect solution. It's being open and transparent as well allowing people to see the Brokenness in your life. A lot of people to see that we need Christ just as much as they do and that he resurrected in the Concord that death and in doing so will return again. If you believe those principles we ask you for just being communion with us. We do a method of having the communion up here with the bread already broken and that's actually grape juice. Line, but we And that there's well to symbolize the Christ presents himself to us already broken and poured out but they're still has an action that we have to do. You have to get up you have to move he's always at the door knocking but are we going to be the ones that answer someone to reflect on the things we talked about reflect on Christmas sermon ask yourself? What are the simple things you could be doing the simple moments where Christ is present the instead of saying this is how I should do things God. What should I do in this moment? So meditate on that reflect on that you're ready. Please feel free to participate in communion with us.