Who is this Jesus: Son of God
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus asked the question to His disciples, “Who do people say I am?” In John’s Gospel, there is a time when the people ask, “Who is this Son of Man?” It is a question that has been asked throughout the centuries. Who is this Jesus?
There are very few people that deny the existence of Jesus. Many believed that Jesus was a great teacher, a godly man, and a prophet worth following. However, the Bible teaches that He was so much more than a great teacher or godly man or prophet worth following. The Bible says in :
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Colossians 1:15-20
That description is indeed much more that just a great teacher or a godly man or a prophet worth following. In fact, as a Christian and a student of the Bible, I can find some description or attribute of Jesus in each one of the sixty-six books of the Bible.
The Book of Mark has many titles that describe who Jesus was and still is. Over the next few weeks we will look at Mark’s description of Jesus as Healer, Teacher, Miracle Worker, and the Cornerstone. Each one of those titles take on a different meaning however, when you look at the perspective of who Jesus is in the eyes of God. God sees Jesus as His Son.
I love the perspective of Mark’s Gospel. It is probably the least read of the four gospels, but according to biblical scholars, it is the gospel from which all the other gospels are derived. John Mark is believed to be its author. He was probably a teenager during Jesus’ earthly ministry. It was at his mother’s house that John Mark witnessed the birth of the early church () just after Pentecost. He was greatly influenced by a man named Peter and therefore wrote this account from eyewitnesses. John Mark loves attention to detail. He gives a feeling of being there. He was encouraged to write this in a way that it would be read to those who could hear it. The Gospel of Mark is a telling story and not designed to be one that is read. However, we are fortunate to be able to read it and study it in detail. When we read the Gospel of Mark, it helps us tell the Gospel of Jesus better. It gives us insight to who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him as a disciple.
Mark begins this incredible Gospel by introducing John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus the Messiah to come. We get a brief description of John the Baptist and his work. Mark skips the birth narrative of Jesus and goes straight to the point of John baptizing Jesus. Mark gives us a very detailed description of the baptism of Jesus and from the get go, gives us the declaration that Jesus is the Son of God.
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
Mark 1:9-13
Let’s look at this passage a bit deeper and why it is so important.
Define Son of God
The Son of God Commissioned (vs. 9)
The Son of God Commissioned (vs. 9)
Matthew, Mark and Luke all portray Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist. The Gospel of John implies that Jesus was baptized. It is interesting that God used John the Baptist to provide Jesus with this act. John the Baptist called for repentance and the turning from sin in order to be baptized. Jesus would not have needed to be baptised for that reason because He had no sin to turn from. Yet, He felt it necessary to be baptised. says:
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
Matthew 3:15
As an act of righteousness, Jesus allowed John to commission Him. In a way, God used John to authorize and send Jesus on a mission. Through baptism, Jesus shared the circumstances in which we become aware of our needs and therefore was able to identify with us by submitting to the act of baptism. Jesus took the likeness of our sinful flesh and for our sake, sanctified Himself.
For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
He would sanctify again and supremely through death and resurrection.
Jesus identifies with sinners.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah
Paul describes this in a more simple way in 2 Corinthians 5:21:
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus asks of us nothing less than that He would do Himself. He did not have to be baptized. He did not have to, as we have sang:
to show the way From the earth to the cross my debt to pay From the cross to the grave From the grave to the sky
come from heaven to earth to show the way
From the earth to the cross my debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
But He did. And in doing so, He allows us to identify with Him and also be commissioned to His service through baptism and obedience as we follow and serve Him.
The Bible refers to Jesus coming up out of the water. What a beautiful portrayal for us to experience baptism by immersion. What an example of obedience. I would encourage you if you have never been baptised the way Jesus was to do so. We can make that happen!
Notice what God does here when Jesus comes up out of the water, God confirms Jesus as the Son of God. The Bible says that the heaven tore open and the Spirit descended on like a dove. Have you ever seen a dove descend? It is quite graceful as the wings slow down and the feet come out from under it to land softly on its perch. What a beautiful picture of love reaching out to softly embrace the world in which He was sent.
The Son of God Confirmed (vs. 10-11)
The Son of God Confirmed (vs. 10-11)
Matthew indicates the voice from heaven saying, “This is my Son” while both Luke and Mark indicate the voice from heaven saying, “You are my Son.” Either one of these statements show the Father’s blessing. There is something special about being identified as one’s son.
I cannot help but think over the years about how I have been identified as my father’s son. I am my father’s son. I have been told I act like him. As I have gotten older, I have been told I look like him. I have similar characteristics. Over the years, I was fortunate to seek my father’s guidance and talk with him about decisions I had to make. Since my father passed away, I have found myself wondering how he would handle a situation or problem I was experiencing.
I will never forget the times that my dad introduced me as his son. I saw the gleam in his eyes every time. He was proud to be my father. On that glorious moment when God introduced Jesus as His Son, I imagine there was a gleam in the Father’s eyes. The scripture indicates that when the voice of heaven spoke He said, “You are my Son, with Whom I love; with You I am well pleased.”
What a confirmation! To have the blessing and assurance of God Himself is the greatest of all. Jesus was commissioned and confirmed to carry the Name, Characteristics, and Mindset of the Father.
Traditionally, this verse is seen as a combination of and .
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.
We learn from John’s Gospel that Jesus understood what it was to carry name, the characteristics and mindset of the Father.
I and the Father are one.”
John 10:30
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
Jesus is also told that He is loved by the Father. Jesus knew what that meant.
The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
John
As the Son of God, Jesus was able to love as the Father loved Him. Jesus was also told by the Father that He was well pleased with His Son. Jesus would hear this statement again at the transfiguration with He was on the mountain with Moses and Elijah.
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
Matthew 17:5
Peter was so moved by it he recorded it later in :
For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
2 Peter 1:17
Jesus was commissioned as the Son of God, He was confirmed as the Son of God and He was then contested as the Son of God.
The Son of God Contested (vs. 12-13)
The Son of God Contested (vs. 12-13)
At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
The detail of Mark shows the immediacy of Jesus being sent out. It is interesting that the Son of God allows the Spirit to give Him guidance. If the Son of God needs the guidance of the Spirit, how much more do we need His guidance.
The Spirit guides, leads, directs, shows, and reveals. In this case with Jesus, the Spirit sent Jesus, the Son of God, out into the desert. Ever wonder why Jesus was sent out to the desert? The Old Testament has many stories of prophets who were sent out into the desert or wilderness. It was there they received their commission and revelation as to what they were to do and be. Mark was showing his hearers who were in the midst of persecution themselves that immediate testing would be common just as it was with Jesus. We see that He was in the desert for 40 days. According to the Hebrews, the wilderness was a gloomy place of terror that was filled with devils and unclean beasts. Mark was preparing his words here to share with those hearers that even in the midst of these trials that Divine protection would avail. Just as he protected His servant Daniel from the lion’s mouth (), He would protect Jesus from the wild beasts. It is clear that during this period that Jesus would be further preparing for His calling and His mission. Even though the people of Israel failed in their wilderness, the Son of God would be triumphant.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Nine times in the Book of Mark alone, Jesus is referred to as the Son of God, not as a son of God. The evidence is through out the New Testament that Jesus Christ was indeed the Son of God. The Bible is clear that this means Jesus, as the Son of God, is able to identify with God the Father. It confirms for me that if I want to go to the Father, I need to go through the Son. It confirms also that God wants to identify with me so He goes through the Son to do so. It makes sense then that I should devote my time and energy to getting to know Jesus and become more like Him. Jesus can identify with everything I have or will ever go through. I am also reminded that there will be times I need to go through the wilderness and the desert in order that I can be made ready for the next mission in my life, and that is okay because the Son will be with me, the Spirit will be guiding me, and the Father will love me and be well pleased with me.
That makes me quite the winner.