Jesus Christ is True God, bringing you True Salvation & True Worship
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Interesting question last Sunday night, believe Holy Spirit was present and active in the Old Testament. Yes, progressively revealed. So too the Son of God, didn’t just get born, or God morphed! God eternally three person in subsistence, mutual indwelling, every work each Person involved in beautifully unifed yet unique way. Father as initiator, planner, Son as accomplisher, executes the plan - before creation steps forward in the Godhead - willing says I will save - Mediator of Creation, Revelation , and Salvation - OT and NT!
Though the language of the Trinity - of God with absolute oneness of essence, yet rich fulness of 3 Persons, three centre of consciousness, all living toward for and in each other - subsistence, mutual indwelling, though this language and even logically trying to put boundaries around how we speak and think and interact with such a living and full awesome God is hard. t is not speculative, sure philosophy as John Done put it: O Blessed Trinity, bones to philosophy; but milk to faith. - use these terms - and come up with skeleton of system; in fact the interaction of 3 in 1 is how Maxwell a devout Presbyterian Christian came to understand the interactions of the forces of heat and electromagnetism. .. I have looked into the most philosophical system and I have seen that none will work without God. But John Donne goes on to say the reality of the Trinity are not just philosophical bones, to think with, they are milk of faith.
Christians ought to be able to reason backwards to the Trinity, that as they experience God and salvation in their own lives - testimony that confirms what Scripture says. We ought to be able to reason forward from Scripture to give an answer for the hope that’s in us. And the Church must be busy confessing, explaining, defending these basic truths for our times, each generation confessing it anew. Ever a confessional church. We never grow out of this task. Guido de Bres, could have just taken the French Confession that John Calvin had written and the churches had adopted in 1559. In fact outline and some of the answer remarkably similar. But in 1561 under different circumstances with different culture different customs in the land, write new one. Why? In fact every little German Duchy producing its on confession or catechism, own summary, and repeatedly through the years. Why, because they knew the truth that the church often forgets: the faith must be confessed anew in every generation or the faith will lost or deformed! And so it wan’t published with Guido name, but anonymously, and adopted as the whole, voted to say: “Yes, this is what we confess and believe from Scripture and experience in our lives." And when it came to the Trinity they added these two Articles, practically what difference does our God being Triune make to us? Not only an accurate description of who He is and what He does, but it also means that the Son becoming human - this Jesus Christ as fully and truly God is at the centre of salvation and worship, and this 3rd person of the Trinity - also vital specific role as full God in our lives too.
Well today, we also must confess the Truth, the bedrock truths, the cornerstone truths anew. Since the time of the Reformation Islam has arisen and their claim is that Jesus just a human prophet used of God like Mohammed, but in no sense is He God and in no sense does His Cross and Resurrection, ascension, in no sense is union with Christ the heart of what it means to know God and be saved by Him. Jews who largely denied Jesus, now many say not Jewish Messiah, claims wrong, but was important and may be the Gentiles Messiah. But categorically deny that He is God which like for the Muslims is blasphemy. Liberal Christianity which is really a different system, same language but really different understanding of God, salvation, and what h problem is they went on the quest for the Historical Jesus - Jesus was the greatest human being and has such consciousnesses of God, we should imitate Him. As an aside, one of the best at this study, said, you know what we’ve done, looked down the well of history - thrown out all the parts of Jesus and Chrstianity that are supernatural and we don’t like, and left all the parts we think are good - but lo and behold -the Jesus we’ve put together, and say to the world we found, looks exactly like a white male, educated liberal values - teacher. Create a Jesus who is just our own reflection!
Buddhist, Hindus, New Age say, Jesus just ahead of his time -enlightened teacher. Neighbors may have these views of Jesus. Maybe have someone knock on your door, JW - say that God is one, and Jesus is God’s first creation, he is a god, but not the One True God Jehovah. Now it is so clear tat if you look at what Jesus hismelf says, and what each of these groups actually believe about Jesus and compare to what Christianity bleieves, not all worship the same God. And in the middle of all this you and I are asked of Jesus like that Pharisee 2000 years ago: “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is He? IS He truly LORD!?
Matthew 22:42 What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?”
saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.”
We don’t just need to bring people to a belief in God , He speaks to us, we got to bring them to the centre of our Triune God’s action. Christ is at the center. He is God with us. Christ is the mediator of Creation, of revelation, and of redemption. Special role of the Second Person of the Trinity to be God relating to us most closely as mediator.
Key Truth: Jesus Christ is not only a Saviour but is Truly God to be Worshiped and Served!
What do we tell people about Jesus? Elsewhere our Confession will speak of his incarnation and work on earth and mission. But here at the beginning -that Jesus Christ, though his human nature had a beginning born in Bethlehem, His divine nature as the Son of God, eternal Second part of the Trinity - has no beginning, He with the Father and the Holy Spirit - not created, but always been there.
A. Confess the Divinity of Jesus Christ by His Great TITLES
Jesus did this in our text when he took the most quoted Psalm of the NT. Most quoted OT verse. Why because it showed that the Christ predicted their the Messiah, could not just be a human Son of or descend of king David. David’ doesn call the Messiah sunny boy, even though in his human nature David is the Father, Grand Father. No what does David calls the Messiah - you are my Master. Look at in the OT:
Psalm 110:1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
David wrote that the LORD Jehovah said to my MASTER, ADONAI, Messiah who is King. Jesus says, David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is reporting How God the Father speaks to Him , the Son who is sent and comes to save, and establish a kingdom and rule the world! Jesus quotes a Messianic Psalm that shows the Messiah is not merely human. We could look at Is 7 and Isaiah chapter 9 which we’ve used for our call to worship now three Sundays in a row. The child to be born in human nature - is at the same time all these titles of God
Isaiah 9:6 ... his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Mother promise of the OT is that God himself would come down as Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14 … and shall call his name Immanuel.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
This Immanuel would be the seed of Eve, the seed of Abraham who would save the world, but he would also be God Himself, which is so clear in Ezekiel when God says I myself will come down and shepherd Israel, I myself will in Isaiah 53 be the suffering servant. This is the first way that our confession speak so f Jesus Christ - using biblical language:
He is the Father’s only begotten. not Created, not a creature. Where do we see this in Scripture?
John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
That Greek word is a compound one mono-genes… John 1:1 says the Word, Christ was with God and was God. We confess that Jesus didn’t become God, nor was he a lesser being, but he is God. Actually Raymond Brown an expert and Greek and John’s Gospel says better translation is that “God the only Son.” Christian understand this in a completely unique relationship - use Son like Father Son, but there was never a tine when the first Person of the Trinity didn’t have a Son, he is the Eternal Father. And though we don’t fully understand thee mystery of eternal generation, the Son has eternally been reflecting the glory and character of the Father, being a Son in that sense eternally! Psalm 8, 89,110, 118 all have the Father speaking of the Son as highly exalted and equal in majesty and glory.
Of the origin of the Son
Micah 5:2 whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
That world ancient of days - from the ages, from eternity. Daniel receives in his vision that this Son of Man servant of God, is co-equal with God -all the appearances of God theophanies - lightning under the feet, a throne, smoke - coming on clouds of glory - not angels but God Himself.
The Son is Jehovah too, He is the God of Abraham too. This is the significance of all the times Jesus uses the title Lord, not just rabbi, or master, but other times - the Jews all understood, making himself equal with God. He answers Before Abraham was I AM.
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
That is the title Jehovah. He is not only saying he was there before Abraham and has a couple years on him. But that he is Jehovah, God who has no beginning. This is what he means also when He says, yes I am Christ, down here on earth, but I and my Father are one!. I have no beginning 10 I AM statements in John. And this is also why the climax of the gospel comes when doubting Thomas becomes the first person to really get Christ. Wounds but resurrected, living supernatural yet fully human Christ before him. And Thomas falls at Jesus’ feet and proclaims:
John 20:28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Last week we saw that was the heart of what Jesus was teaching, in John 14 I am in the Father the Father is in me. I do the works of the Father. Given Me Glory - United us all.
So the rest of the New Testament testifies to the full Godness, deity of Christ: Listen to
Romans 9:5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
Philippians 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Titus 2:13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Consider the history book of the church , in which Jesus is present as God purchasing the church with his own blood. Or Revelation where Jesus is said to be eternal God, no ending no beginning, He is the Alpha and Omega. Why Hebrews also so clearly says
Hebrews 7:3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.
He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.
In this day and age you and I might be tempted to treat Jesus as really cool leader, philosopher, bit of an attraction but less than God coming toward you and your neighbour. But is fully God coming to save you and your neighbour. Need to know these titles these claims and begin confessing Him in all His splendour!
But following the Scripture we must:
B. Confess the deity of Christ in His WORKS
Here the Belgic confession just takes up the obvious and first of God’s works: Creation. Jehovah Yaweh creates as the OT proclaims, but then we have a fuller description of how that happens
Creation & Rule: John 1:3, Col 1:16, Heb 1:2, John 1:4
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
God didn’t create the Son as a subcontractor, but Father Son and Holy Spirit all eternal at work together in Creation. This is what only begotten from eternity, put in charge of creation means in Col 1:16
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
And this is backed up by what Hebrews 1:2 states:
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
This is true, not only of the physical material creation, but of Jesus when he was the Son of God in Creation becoming the source and origin of human life: John 1:4
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
In fact we must go further, before the Son became human, He is the Person in the Godhead who has cosmic mediation not only with the cosmos but also with God’s people the church. Do you remember when Jesus called Nathaniel, Jesus said you will see more wonderful things than this: See angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man. What was he referring t? Jacob’s ladder. God appeared to Jacob at Bethel in the wilderness, gave him protection, promises, provisions. And while angels guard the human race, and we are not conscious of their presence. Christ himself, the Messenger of the Covenant, the eternal image of the Father manifested himself to the patriarchs, including Moses on the Mountain!
In Mediation: “It is Christ alone, therefore, who connects heaven and earth: he is the only Mediator who reaches from heaven down to earth: he is the medium through which the fullness of all celestial blessings flows down to us, and through which we, in turn, ascend to God.” Calvin John 5:24-26, Luke 1:32-33,
And in this early picture that God makes with Jacob, listen to what John Calvin concludes: It is Christ alone, therefore, who connects heaven and earth: he is the only Mediator who reaches from heaven down to earth: he is the medium through which the fullness of all celestial blessings flows down to us, and through which we, in turn, ascend to God. Do you get it - it is the work of God the Son, even in the OT to mediate the covenant and the grace to HI people!~ That is His Work in both his divine nature, and in his human nature when he comes to work our salvation in His life death and resurrection!
But that becomes even more incredible when you consider only living God creates out of nothing, but the living God alone can bring life out of death, can bring the new creation. And so in John 5:24-26 Jesus describes how it is he not only who can forgive sins, but bring the new birth, salvation:
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
Elsewhere the Bible describes how it is the Son to whom the judgment of God has been commited from the Father. And so we are to have a witness a testimony to who Jesus is as God like this when we speak of him in our homes to our friends and neighbors
It is said that He receives an eternal kingdom, and on the last day he will render honour of it to the Father, but he will continue to reign as our King, not only as the Mediator of our salvation, but also forever as the One who alone unites God and man! This is why the prophesy the angel announces fulfilled: Luke 1:32-33
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Who remains ever the Head of His body the church!
And that leads us to the significance of the Deity of Christ:
C) Testify of the HONOUR that is Due Jesus Christ
“So then, he is the true eternal God, the Almighty, whom we invoke, worship, and serve.” The deity of Christ calls for a response. The world without Christ, no matter how reined there ideas about God and religion and morality maybe - for them to worship Jesus - is absurd and blasphemous. Learn from him sure, but worship Jesus Christ as God nuts.
Do you know what invocation is? It is calling on a God a deity, calling on the one called upon and served to hear and be present. Only DO that with God. And we invoke the Triune God in Jesus’s name. We invoke His presence in a special way. to be present as we worship and adore Him. We pray to this Saviour Redeemer and Master, the Godhead’s Mediator with us. We are baptized into his name and when that symbol is the reality of life we through Jesus become one with the Father, through the working of the Spirit.
Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3. 1 Cor 1:3, 2 Cor 13:14, Romans 10:17; Col 3:15, 2Thess 2:16, John 20:31
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 6:3
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Do you understand it in his name that God’s greeting to us and blessing to us comes: 1 Cor 1:3
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Cor 13:14
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
It is in Christ’s name that you and I get a real bestowal of spiritual gifts: His Word to give you real faith… ,Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
His peace into your life Col 3:15
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Comfort and hope … 2 Thes 2:16-17
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,
It is not enough to witness that spirituality and religion are important to us and you should believe in God. This Triune God Father Son and Holy Spirit their life that is in them, that’s what we must testify too. John wrote saying: John 20:31
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
No we have a goal in our witness don’t we - people not only acknowledge that there is God who is good, there is salvation, there a plan and kingdom. Not just to give them a helpful world view or morality. But that they would know Jesus as God - Saviour and Lord . That's got to be come a goal in our praying then too for:
Goal in Witness: 1 Cor 12:3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
This is what we mean when we say that we worship, pray, and serve God the Father, through the Son, and by the Spirit. As much as we are praying to the Father as God we are praying to and through Jesus Christ as God, and by and to the Holy Spirit as God. And that we may do that through Jesus Christ, God fully revealing the Father, God who shares our nature and speaks our language - that is a mystery and a wonder.
Song: Meekness & Majesty