Just Jesus

In this time of uncertainty and fear, it used to be that the church was where the community got its information and news about what’s going on; but we can now turn on our TVs, get on our computers and phones to get the latest information, in fact we can experience information overload. So with this COVID-19 pandemic, the world has had to change the way we operate, move and interact with each other including the church.

Social media has exploded more than ever, those apps that allow interactive communication more than just talking on the telephone, the ones which allow us to reach hundreds, sometimes thousands are now being accessed by the most unlikely people. It is our way of staying connected, because at the end of the day, despite what is happening around us, God made us a relational people. I need you, you need me.

While we may be able to get information from a myriad of sources, I do want to encourage you to stay with reputable sources for your information, like the CDC, and news sources. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram would not be considered reputable sources. It’s not to say the information you get there will always be wrong, it is to say check its validity before acting on it.

So as this time approached and I pondered and prayed on what I would preach about this Sunday, it came to me that, while it is true the church was the place to get information about what’s going on in the community, its primary purpose is to preach Jesus so this morning I am going to do just that.

Turn with me in your Bibles to

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

The title of today’s message is, Just Jesus

Our text begins with in the beginning

The Word—Jesus is two fold, he is the Word conceived and the Word uttered. When you think of the word conceived, you think of a woman being pregnant and the life she carries has a soul at the moment of conception or at the moment she conceived. Jesus is the first begotten of the Father, not when he was born of Mary but in the beginning, before anything that was, was.

When we consider the Word uttered, it is by Jesus that God has spoken to us and directed us to hear him in these last days.

Our text tells us the Word was with God. Jesus is the Word speaking from God to us and to God for us. The world, was from the beginning, but the Word, Jesus was in the beginning. When we consider eternity, it includes before the foundation of the world. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are eternal. Before anything was, they were.

Not only was Jesus with God, everything that came into being, came through him, not one thing came into being without him. The world was created by the Word, Gen says “God spoke...”—the Word.

The Christian religion, at the very core of who we are is the fact that the author and founder of the world is the one who founded us. When we worship Christ, we worship the very creator of all there is, has been and will be.

When we look at Jesus, we see much. There are those who might say, I haven’t seen Jesus, he died a long time ago. But I would tell you, to see someone is more than just looking at the person. When you look at their work, you see them. A pastor once preached at a funeral about the dash. On a tombstone you have the date the person was born and the date the person died, but in between those dates is a dash and that dash represents the life they lived. What story will your dash tell.

Jesus’ dash isn’t representative of his death, instead it separates time into before he came in the form of a man and after he was born of a virgin. His dash is marked by four letters and it sets our calendar, those letters are BC and AD. When we refer to a date we sometimes say BC which stands for “Before Christ”, meaning before Christ came in the flesh. The letters AD stand for “Anno Domini” which refers to the days after Christ’ birth or you may hear the term, “in the year of our Lord”.

Jesus has a dash marked by four letters in connection with our calendar BC and AD. When we refer to time we say BC which stands for “Before Christ”, meaning before Christ came in the flesh. The letters AD stand for “Anno Domini” which refers to the days after Christ birth

To understand the significance of this, we need to look back at the Old Testament when the years were either marked by the moon, who was in power, or a significant event. Before Jesus, the year was a moving target, but when Jesus was born and the year is not exact, but they marked a time and that bean the calendar we know today. His dash was significant.

When Jesus came, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, his birth brought fear in the heart of a leader who sought to kill him before he could grow to maturity, but God. God provided protection for him, telling his parents where to go and how to get there.

When God puts a dream in your heart, sometimes it’s not for you to act on it right away, sometimes you need to slow down, take the time to nurture the dream, to grow it up, to allow it to come to maturity before you launch out. When something is in its infancy it’s easier to kill because it doesn’t have a means of protecting itself. When you don’t have the proper licenses for your business, the copyright for your book, your music, your play, your movie script, when you don’t have the registered trademark for you logo, someone can come in and destroy or steal it from you. The enemy comes but to kill, steal and destroy.

Sometimes you have to be like Mary and ponder that thing in your heart until its time to give birth, until it’s time to make your announcement.

You see, what’s in Jesus’ dash is the 12-year old who was in the Temple teaching as one with authority. He knew who he was and he was about his Father’s business. He knew that he was the Word the people came to the Temple to hear about.

In Jesus’ dash, was a man who was invited to a wedding and when they ran out of wine, his mother who knew who he was, asked him to help. Although it was not yet his time, because his mother asked…she told the people, do whatever he tells you to do. Jesus responded and thus performed his first recorded miracle, turning water into wine at the wedding. And the guest remarked it was the good stuff not the cheap stuff people usually brought when their guests were drunk and wouldn’t care about the difference.

Jesus’ dash included calling twelve men from their everyday tasks and lives into a life of adventure, of learning, of commitment, of love. A life that would go from being self-centered to Christ-centered, from me focused to others focused. Jesus said follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

When you fish for men you have the potential to change a life, to give them hope, to give them joy, to give them peace, to give them love, to give them the opportunity to spend their lives worshipping at the feet of God our Creator. Jesus said, I am the way the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me. Jesus is the door and you must come in at the door.

When you fish for men you have the opportunity to present the way for a better life, Jesus came that we might have life and life more abundantly. Not necessarily easy, because Jesus warns us that in this life you will have tribulation and then reassures us with these words, but be of good cheer I have overcome the world. Their lives will be better in terms of they won’t have to navigate it alone, because Jesus said I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Jesus’ dash included hosting a picnic for five thousand men, plus women and children, borrowing a little boy’s lunch of two fish and five loaves of bread. His words caused the food to multiply and feed the people who were there to receive a blessing, to hear a word from the Word.

Jesus’ dash was significant for a woman at a well when he had sent the disciples ahead to get some provisions. It wasn’t because he couldn’t do it himself, it was because he had a life to change. He gave that woman living water so she would never thirst again, she became a preacher running into town telling everyone she knew about a man.

Jesus’ dash included the man possessed with the legion of demons, a man who had been driven out of his mind, so much so he hung out in the graveyard with the dead, but when he met Jesus there was a conversation which ended with the demons being cast out into a herd of swine, the swine running off a cliff, the man being restored to his right mind and the people asking Jesus to leave their town.

When is the last time you pressed to get to Jesus. I know it’s hard right now, but if you see me or are hearing my voice right now you pressed. This broadcasting messages is a double-edged sword, it’s real easy to not tune in and it’s easy to tune in later, but we praise God for your pressing, how ever you’re listening now we appreciate you. And while we’re here, let me just add please share this message and let’s expand its reach.

We’re preaching Just Jesus.

Jesus’ dash included the man plague with the legion of demons, a man who had been driven out of his mind so much so he hung out in the graveyard with the dead, but when he met Jesus there was a conversation which ended with the demons being cast out into a herd of swine, the swine running off a cliff, the man being restored to his right mind and the people asking Jesus to leave their town.

When Jesus is on the scene people will not always respond like you might think. You’ve got great news to share, salvation is free, it’s a gift from God, the news that Jesus came so you wouldn’t have to suffer in hell. But sometimes when you try to share, you’re met with rude comments, doors slammed in your face, threats and rejection. What you need to know, understand and embrace is, it’s not you they’re rejecting, but Christ; you shake the dust from your feet and leave them.

His dash was life-changing for the woman with the issue of blood, who had be sick for 12 long years, had spent all she had on doctors who couldn’t help her. A woman who said to herself, “If I can just touch the hem of his garment I know I’ll be made whole”. A woman who pressed her way through the crowd, just to get to Jesus. She didn’t need an introduction, she didn’t seek permission, she just wanted Jesus. She had no money, she had no pride, all she had was faith and so she pressed until she got to Jesus and then she got her miracle.

When is the last time you pressed to get to Jesus. I know it’s hard right now, but if you see me or are hearing my voice right now you pressed. This broadcasting messages is a double-edged sword, it’s real easy to not tune in and it’s easy to tune in later, but we praise God for your pressing, how ever you’re listening now we appreciate you. And while we’re here, let me just add please share this message and let’s expand its reach.

We’re preaching Just Jesus.

The dash is significant. Jesus’ dash includes the time he was sleeping in the stern of the boat and a storm arose. The disciples were afraid and woke Jesus up, not to ask for help but to ask don’t you care that we’re perishing? Lord we’re dying up there and you’re down here sleeping, don’t you care? Jesus the one through whom everything was made, even the storm, got up and spoke to the storm, “Peace! Be still” and immediately the wind and waves obeyed.

What storm are you experiencing in your life right now? This COVID-19 is something we’re all experiencing together. It has no respect of person, it doesn’t care about your race, your color, your ethnicity, your age, your gender, your status, whether you are rich or poor, a celebrity or only your family knows your name. This disease doesn’t even care about your religious preference.

While the soul that has given itself to Jesus will live forever; the flesh is weak and will die. Be obedient to what you are being asked to do in respect to this plague or deal with the sacrifice you will make for being disobedient. Obedience is surely better than sacrifice.

But even in this pandemic Jesus has already paid the price for the cure, “He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account. Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.”

4 Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.

AD & BC are both latin words used in reference to timeline before and after birth of christ. BC- Stands for "Before Christ".BC is. used for events which happened before the birth of Christ. BC is used after the year ie 3000BC. Whereas. AD- Stands for "Anno Domini". It's at times also referred as as days after the birth of Christ.

We are already healed in Jesus name, so while we wait for the manifestation of our healing, while we wait for our deliverance, tells us, “Go home, my people, and lock your doors! Hide yourselves for a little while until the Lord’s anger has passed”. For we know that this too shall pass.

It shall pass, because there was another event in the dash of Jesus’ life that no one before or no one since has accomplished. Long ago there was a man who was also God. He came for one reason only, while there were many things he did, the reason he came was to be a sacrifice for the sins of mankind to redeem him, to build a bridge back to God the Father and he did.

Jesus allowed them to come and arrest him

They held their sham of a trial with their false witnesses and trumped up charges

They mocked him, slapped him and spit in his face

They pulled out his beard and whipped him with a cat of nine tails that tore the very flesh from his body

They placed a crown of thorns on his head

And as if that wasn’t enough when they put before the people who had the power to free him, they called for the release of a murderer instead — rejected by the same people who just a week earlier were crying out Hosanna, Glory to God in the highest.

And as if that wasn’t enough when they put before the people who had the power to free him, they called for the release of a murderer instead — rejected by the same people who just a week earlier were crying out Hosanna, Glory to God in the highest.

He carried his own cross for a time, but because his body was so weak and bruised and bloodied, Simon carried it for him to the hill. And then they nailed him to the cross a symbol of shame, reserved for the worst of the worse and that symbol of guilt became a symbol of love and grace and mercy and forgiveness and everlasting life.

That dash gave us the opportunity to choose Christ, to choose life instead of death, to choose heaven instead of hell. Oh yes it’s a choice, it’s your choice. God’s desire is that none be lost, but he gave you the right to choose; choose ye this day whom you will serve…

In this time when the world is looking for answers, when it’s looking for a cure, I’ve got good news, the answer for your woes, the cure for what ails you is Jesus Christ,

the Son of man

The Son of God

The King of kings,

The Lord of lords,

The Ressurection

Wonderful

Counselor

The Mighty God

The Everlasting Father

The Prince of Peace

The Lamb of God

Master

Savior

The Good Shepherd

The Healer

The Provider

And if you’re truly blessed, if you really believe, if you make him Lord of your life he’ll call you, friend.

If you’ve never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, today is a good day to make that choice

Social media has exploded more than ever, those apps that allow interactive communication more than the telephone to reach hundreds, sometimes thousands of people are now in the hands of the most unlikely people.

I do want to encourage you to stay with reputable sources for your information, like the CDC, and news sources. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram would not be considered reputable resources.

So as this time approached and I pondered and prayed on what I would preach about this Sunday, it came to me that, while yes the church was the place to get information, but its primary purpose is to preach Jesus so this morning I am going to just preach Jesus.

Turn with me in your Bibles to