Radical like Jesus
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 11 viewsNotes
Transcript
Talk of the Racial unrest and Protest
Since the murder of George Floyd, we have seen so much unrest across this country. The nation is divided, there are protests that turned into rioting and looting, more deaths
This week, one Seattle police precinct was taken over
In Atlanta, this Friday, Rayshard Brooks was shot by Police, triggering a new wave of unrest..
What in the world is going on?
As Christians...
How do we respond to injustice?
Pray for peace and unity.
How do we as Christians respond amid the unrest?
Pray for a radical change.
Act a radical way.
Act in the way of Jesus.
If we think we see injustice around us, there is more during the time of Jesus. he entered a world where there was:
The world where Jesus entered was full of:
Injustice
Inequality
Foreign Occupation
National Oppression
Economic Inequity
Religious Abuse and Persecution
Suppression of all rights
Jesus came to a world that needed a radical change.
Radical:
Radical:
(especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough.
Radical:
advocating or based on thorough or complete political or social change;
I believe Jesus was a radical
Jesus was a radical in His message of the Kingdom of God.
He questioned the rulers of the Jewish faith
He threw people out of the temple
He pronounced woe to the scribes and Pharisees
He performed healings and miracles on the Sabbath
His disciples did not fast, and even ate without washing their hands.
His whole Sermon on the Mount turned the Jewish traditions and laws seemingly upside down.
The simple answer is that Jesus was a radical;
But Jesus acted righteously
Jesus was a radical for the greatest cause
Jesus was a radical for the greatest cause : The very first words Jesus said when he first preached found in Matthew 4:17
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
How do we become radicals who will enact radical change in the world we live in?
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus’ Mission
To proclaim good news to the poor.
To proclaim liberty to the captives.
Recovering of sight to the blind.
Set at liberty those who are oppressed.
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
What Jesus laid out here These are words of Isaiah 61, actually covers the issues of the world that he entered in, but remember He lived in this kind of world for 30 years.. but He was on a mission, He waited for the Father’s appointed time, He grew up and lived for 30 years
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
he saw all the injustice,, i don’t think He turned the other way..
Jesus’ Radical Principle # 1
He obeyed the Father
Jesus’ was a life of obedience, He knew that the Father sent Him to do all these things:
To proclaim good news to the poor, liberty to the captives, recovering sight to the blind, and set at liberty those who are oppressed..
But He did it God’s way, not man’s.
He did it God’s way.
There is nothing wrong in protesting against the problems of society but if we keep pointing people to the problem instead of the solution then you will contribute to stirring up hatred and violence instead of love and peace.
As a Christian, you have a higher calling!
I avoid posting stuff on Facebook, when I see and discern that this statement can be positive to me but can mean another way to some or it can turn inflammatory..
Restraint is a Principle of Love.
In Romans 14, you’ll read that you should not cause another brother to stumble.
As a Christian, in the age of social media, it is so easy to use it as a forum or venue to vent your frustration and anger
you are scrolling… finds somethings that annoys or angers you..
or you find a post by someone and you agree with that post..
Before posting or re-posting, or re-tweeting ask one question?
Is what I am going to do of the flesh or of the Spirit?
Flesh or Spirit? Talk more...
Jesus always acted by the Spirit.
Jesus’ Radical Principle # 2
He acted by the Spirit
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
because He has anointed Me...
Two things you have to consider here..
The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Jesus:
Jesus was the First Man to be permanently filled by the Spirit
therefore He walked in the Spirit.. and everything He did was from the Spirit..
because He (The Father) has Anointed Jesus
Jesus was the First Man to be baptized or empowered by the Spirit.
We call Him Jesus Christ - The Christ means
“The Anointed One”
When I said Jesus was empowered (not the same human empowering), He really operated with power!
I believe that all the mighty acts that Jesus did..
challenge the congregation.. what do you think is the greatest act or mightiest miracle that Jesus performed?
Some may say that raising the dead was probably the greatest.. he healed a lot, and every prayer He prayed was answered..
100% God and 100% Man
But commanding nature is something else.. when He calmed the storm, He acted in His Divine Nature, He acted as God, at that time in Mark 4 and Luke 8..
story, sleeping in the stern, He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!”
The disciples were filled with fear of Him, Who then is this, even the wind and the sea obey Him?
That was Jesus God the Son.
Quibuloy - crazy cult leader
But other miracles that Jesus performed was Jesus the Son of Man operating by the power of the Holy Spirit.
TO be radical is to operate in power.. this is for us..
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Jesus’ Radical Principle # 3
He addressed the Spiritual Root Cause
Check out Luke 4
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
He did not say he will give money to the poor and transfer the wealth of the rich
- Socialism is not from God
The poor you will always have with you
Christians are told to help the poor
Thank God for the opportunity, work is a gift and not a curse, don’t rely on someone nor the government for that matter...
He did not say, he would liberate the Jews from Roman rule
But He proclaimed good news that He will set people free from the greater bondage - slavery to sin
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Recovery of sight to the blind
At least three incidents in the gospel accounts Jesus healed blind men, but he also cast out demons, made the lame to walk, cleansed the leper, healed the man with the withered had, the woman with the issue of blood, the servant who had a fever..
But why just recovering sight to the blind was mentioned here? There is a greater form of blindness afflicting the world.. Spiritual Blindness that leads to judgement.
39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”
Jesus the addressed the root cause and not just the symptoms.
Luke 4:19 To Proclaim the Year of the Lord’s favor..
Alludes to the YEar of Jubilee, from Leviticus 25
Every 50th year, there is a rebalancing of the economy, all debts are cancelled, land is returned to their original owners, and slaves are set free.
The Millennial reign of Jesus - do not fret, someday
Be a radical like Jesus.
I like the New King James version of Luke 4:18:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
Do you notice the difference?
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted
Textual persuasions - the NU text Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament (N) and in the United Bible Societies’ fourth edition (U)
To heal the brokenhearted
Broken heart
Someone once said:
The heart of the issue is the issue of the heart.
Jesus said to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor:
He quoted Isaiah 61
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
The coming judgement.. I believe we are already in the time of the Lord’s favor
2 For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.