Understanding Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving Holiday. I wanted to officially give you permission to turn on the Christmas Music and put up your decorations.
We are starting our Christmas Series: With Us.
Jesus is Immanuel, God with us and here at Christmas we always put a special focus on the birth of Christ. To start this series I wanted us to not start at the manger, or even with the parents, I wanted to start with Jesus Himself.
Have you ever met someone who was just misunderstood? Maybe an old grouch that had a heart of gold and donated alot to children’s homes.
Someone who until you really get to know them you don’t understand them.
I’m afraid too many Christians live their lives seeing Jesus as only a babe in a manger or a man on the cross. When in reality, He is so much more.
Now his birth in the manger and His death on the cross are two important events in world history, however to only know those to things about Jesus would lead to a very shallow understanding of the God who sent His Son to die for you.
What are the implications of a shallow understanding of Jesus? A life lived for self because you don’t see Jesus as more important. A life lived constantly battling with emotional health problems. A life lived with seeing Jesus for less than all that He is leads to you living a life that will never reach its full potential for Christ.
So as we enter this Christmas season where you will be celebrating the birth of our Savior, let’s take this week to examine scripture to understand Jesus more.
Open your Bibles to John 1. The book of John is one of the four gospels that tell us about the life of Christ. John is the only gospel that does not follow the same writing style or timeline and events of the others. John wrote to show Jesus as the Son of God.
Today we are going to look over the first few verses of John and answer 3 questions that I hope will lead us to a better understanding of Jesus and how Who is is and What He has done can and should impact your life today.
John 1:1-8
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
PRAY
1. Who is Jesus?
1. Who is Jesus?
John describes Jesus as the Word in the first verse and later in this chapter in v. 14 speaks to how the Word became flesh.
Jesus being the living Word of God was with God and is God. He was at the beginning of Creation.
Gen 1:26
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
This shows the deity of Christ. He is Creator God. It is through Jesus all things, inlducing us are made.
This is an important truth for us to comprehend. Jesus, the one who died on the Cross to pay for our sins, is Creator God. Don’t gloss over this. Don’t look at me and say “Pastor, I know. I’ve been taught that since I was in sunday school” or “Pastor, duh. You say stuff like this all the time…move on...”
Too many people take this truth and think wow…that’s awesome…now what.
No…Let’s stop right here and pause for a moment. I want you to think about this. I want you to ponder this.
Illustrations are often used to help communicate a truth however I know of know greater illustration to give you to comprehend that the Creator God of the universe died for you other than asking you to pause for just a moment right now at the beginning of this message and allow yourself to view who you are in light of Christ.
I want you to think of your sin. I want you to think of your shortcomings…Wow pastor, your not making me feel good…that’s ok.
Think of your doubt. Think of how much you have worried and not given it over to Him. Your unfaithfulness to the Lord on a day to day basis. Think of how you have failed Him this week.
Not a good place to be huh? easy to find ourselves here often if we aren’t careful. Or what’s worse, we never think of this and we go on as if we are ok. You are not ok.
Now think of Creator God. Spoke everything into existence. In the beginning Jesus Christ, the send person in the Godhead, saw you. Not as a babe in a hospital bed. But as a person living your life and sinning against Him. He heard your foul language. He knew the thoughts. He knew the angry and pride you would have. He knew your fear of sharing the gospel. He knew your fear of giving to His work. He knew all that you know right now and more about how bad you are.
And that same Creator God that knew all of these things. Still chose to have you created. You were not an accident. You were not a mistake. Your life isn’t something that just magically appeared after conception. He chose to allow you to exist knowing all these things…But wait…there’s more.
Understanding who Jesus is is the beginning of an eternal relationship with God through him. It’s the beginning to an amazing life lived by faith in the Son of God. Because understanding that Jesus is God makes the answer to the next question even greater than if you didn’t.
The next step to understanding Jesus this Christmas is to not only who who Jesus is but what did Jesus do?
2. What did Jesus do?
2. What did Jesus do?
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
“I’ll go die so that they may live because..
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
In all of your weakness, in all of your failure, in all of your sins as a husband, a father, a mother, a wife, an employee, and whatever role you have been given, He know it all…chose to have you exist, and chose to die for you so that you might choose to believe in Him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
And when you choose to believe in Him you can be like Paul and say
Gal 2:20
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Does that mean you’ll be a missionary like Paul? No. Does it mean you will be perfect? No.
It does however mean that there will be fruit and evidence of salvation in your life.
James 2:14-20
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Love James. He just calls people out. And we need that. What’s that passage sound like in modern vernacular? He says “What’s the point of a person that says they have faith without works? What’s the point of a person who says I believe in Jesus but don’t get involved? What’s the point of a person that says I believe in Jesus but I don’t pray? What’s the point of a person that says I believe in Jesus and that’s all I need to do?”
He asks a question “Can faith save him?” Now in reading it the way we do, that question seems to almost fly in the face of the rest of scripture. Yet an understanding of the greek allows for us to know that the question can be asked “Does that type of faith save Him?”
He then goes on to contrast the two types of faith.
Let me get a child volunteer up here. First one up wins.
Have child sit on stool and act cold.
Walk by and say “peace unto you. May you be warm and filled.”
Did that help him? Nope.
Did that do anything? Maybe make me feel better because I noticed a need and said something about it. That’s what faith without works is.
It’s for us. It makes us feel good to say “I beleive in Jesus.” It makes us feel good to go to church. It can almost be virtue signaling without any real fruit to the case.
That’s a dead faith.
Round of applause.
James writes, you beleive in God…great! so does Satan. Know who else doesn’t do anything with what he believes? Satan. Is that the type of company you want to keep?
No. Satan knows who Jesus is, but Jesus didn’t do anything for Satan like He has done for us.
Creator God Jesus died for you. He died so that you may live
John 10:10
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
How do you live abundantly in Jesus? Die to self.
1 Cor 15:31
31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Carry your cross
Luke 9:23
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
What does that look like in your life? What if you were to deny yourself the things of this world that you found pleasure in and found your rest in Jesus? What would that look like?
Would you you quit that addiction? Would you stop seeking enjoyment in the things that alter your state of mind? Would you find fulfillment in how you lived for Christ and impacted others rather than things that just entertained you?
What does carrying your cross look like in your life? Are you denying yourself and carrying it?
I don’t mean by outwardly faking it until you make it. I mean deciding in your heart that you will live for Christ and then showing it by your works. Your works do not bring about faith in your life but your faith should bring about works.
you can’t just keep working for the Lord, hoping one day faith will come. Faith is the beginning of the life of a believer. It is the foundation of what you do and how you live. Your belief determines your behavior.
Do you believe Jesus died on the Cross for your sins? Then you belive the Bible. We can’t say, I only beleive parts of the Bible becaus then you are deciding what truth is. Truth isn’t realtive to your ideas. It is grounded in the Word of God. So to say you believed John 3:16 you must also believe James 2:17 where we see that faith without works is dead.
What did Jesus do for you? He died for you and rose again. Creator God chose to allow you to exist and pay the ultimate price for your salvation so that you may have an abundant life yielded to Him.
Why though? To better understand Jesus we must answer that question. Why did Jesus come?
3. Why did Jesus Come?
3. Why did Jesus Come?
Isaiah 43:6-7
6 I will say to the north, Give up; And to the south, Keep not back: Bring my sons from far, And my daughters from the ends of the earth;
7 Even every one that is called by my name: For I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
John 7:18
18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
To glorify God.
In our immaturity we may say “wow..God just does everything so that He may get the glory?” and think negatively of it. I’ll be forward with you, that shows a lack of faith.
How you might ask? If you believe that Jesus is the son of God and came to die on the cross for your sins so that you may have eternal life then you are acknowledging that He is Creator God. Who by him all things were made and who all things were made for.
You accept that you were made for the glory of God.
It’s the immature believer who wrestles with this idea. It’s the immature believer that says “Well, I can do some things for God’s glory and some stuff I can do for myself.”…No. That’s not how a life in Christ works.
1 Cor 10:31
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
What if your doing something that can’t bring glory to God? What if your watching a show, listening to music, having a conversation, spending your money on something that doesn’t bring glory to God? Then you shouldn’t do it.
In fact, your commanded not to. That is sin.
Yet even in your sin, Creator God chose to die for you that you may have the opportunity to live an abundant life with Christ.
Too often at Christmas time we focus solely on the babe that came in the manger. We speak of the miraculous birth. The wise men and shepherds, the inn keeper, and the wonder of God coming to be with us.
Yet we gloss over our understanding of that babe who would become a man and would give His life for us.
Do you understand Jesus? I hope you understand Him better today than do did yesterday. Because the more we know about “Who Jesus is, What Jesus did, and Why Jesus came,” the more we will live out our faith for Him.
Notice the last verses of our passage today
John 1:6-8
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
You are a person, send by God to declare the gospel and shine the light of Jesus in this world. Just like John. He did this. Why?
Why did John do this? Why did John eat locusts and call people to trust in Jesus?
Because John understood who Jesus was and what it meant to have God with us.
Do you? Do you understand what it means to have God with us? Are you doing anything about it?
Time of Response
Time of Response
As we bow our hands and close our eyes I’d like for you to answer that question. Are you doing anything with your understanding of Jesus?
James said faith without works is dead. Is your faith dead this morning? What could you do to live out your faith? Serve at the church? Help a person in need? Pray for others? Share the gospel with someone?
Are you here today and you don’t have a relationship with Jesus?
Do you not know for sure that you will go to Heaven when you die?
The Bible has a clear way of entering into a relationship with God where you can know Heaven is your home and you don’t have to go through life alone.
Maybe you’ve never heard
John 3:16
KJV 190016 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God does love you. Loves you so much He sent Jesus to die for you.
Now you are faced with a decision…will you continue finding salvation in your own works or in the finished work of Christ?
Ephesians 2:8–9
KJV 19008 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Your first have to admit your sinner
Romans 3:23
KJV 190023 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
I’m sure each of us could do that.Next you believe
Romans 10:9
KJV 19009 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Then confess. Confess Jesus as your Savior and call out to Him
Romans 10:13
KJV 190013 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
IF you’d like to do that today I’d like to help.
“Dear Jesus, I know I’m a sinner, I believe you came to die on the cross and rose from the dead. I put my faith right now in you and ask you to come into my life and change me from the inside out. Amen.”
Believers…you say you believe. How is that being shown? Is your understanding of Jesus being lived out? Are you living out the fact that we have God with us?
Let’s pray
PRAY
Annoucement
Offering