Who Do You Say Jesus Is? (Part 3)

Intro

Text - Matthew 16.13-16; Romans 1.1-4

Matthew 16:15–16 NKJV

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Romans 1:1–4 NKJV

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

Title - Who Do You Say Jesus Is? (part 3)

Series - Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

Background

WMB on comparing the Fundamentalists and the Pentecostals

The Fundamentalists have the knowledge of God without the experience

the Pentecostals have the experience without the knowledge

We need to balance the two

Previous sermon

the importance of growing in our knowledge of the Son of God

Jesus was the Christ who promised to come

Jesus was the Son of God

He came from God

He was equal to God

He was the logos from the beginning

He “emptied Himself” in His incarnation

Today’s focus -

More on what the Jews believed about the Son of God

How did the apostles spoke of the Son of God

Jewish understanding of the Son of God

1.) the Son of God is the Messiah

Hence, Simon Peter’s confession

but the rest of the Jews would not believe that Jesus was that Christ

Luke 22:66–70 NKJV

66 As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, 67 “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe. 68 And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go. 69 Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.” 70 Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.”

2.) the Son of God will be the king of Israel

John 1:49 NKJV

49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Son of David

3.) he was to come into the world

John 11:27 NKJV

27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

WHAT’S THE POINT?

THE JEWS HAD SOME FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE MESSIAH -

BUT THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WAS JESUS

TODAY, THERE ARE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS WHO REDUCE THE SONSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST TO A MERE HUMAN.

The Apostles’ Understanding of the Son of God

1.) God “made” Jesus both Lord and Christ

Acts 2:36 NKJV

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

the argument goes on to say that Jesus was “only made” Lord and Christ

the ‘maker’ is not the same as the one ‘made’

Jesus was not ‘made’ in the same way that we ‘make a person’ to be something

we ‘make’ someone into ‘something’ by qualifying the person first,

but for Jesus, the issue was not whether He qualified or not -

JESUS WAS “BORN” LORD AND CHRIST

Matthew 1:16 NKJV

16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

Luke 2:11 NKJV

11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

note - this is not prophecy,but actual event

Jesus was “begotten” Lord and Christ

Jesus was ordained to be Lord

Psalm 110:1 NKJV

1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

Psalm 2:7 NKJV

7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.

the Son was “begotten” before he came into the world

Hebrews 1:5 NKJV

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?

Hebrews 1:6 NKJV

6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

WHAT’S THE POINT?

THE SON OF GOD WAS FIRST BEGOTTEN IN THE BEGINNING, NOT IN THE MANGER

THE MANGER WAS THE SON’S COMING INTO THE WORLD

2.) The Son of God was "manifested” and was “sent”

1 John 3:8 NKJV

8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

manifest - grk. PHANEROO, to appear; to come into view or sight

‘manifested’ indicates the Son was preivously not visible to human eye, but exists

the Son of God was manifested when the Word was made flesh

1 John 1:1–3 NKJV

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

the Son of God was “sent”

1 John 4:9 NKJV

9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

1 John 4:10 NKJV

10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

send - grk. APOSTELLO, to dispatch, to send away towards a designated goal or purpose

“sent” indicates a movement from one place to another

Illustration - when God ‘sends’ His angel/angels

God sent His “only begotten” Son

John 3:16 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

begotten - when? in the beginning

begotten - what it is? procreated, not created

only begotten - grk. MONOGENNES, unique

Jesus is THE only begotten of the Father!

the Word is THE monogene of God!

the Son of God “has come”

1 John 5:20 NKJV

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

‘has come’ indicates movement from one place to another

1 John 4:2–3 NKJV

2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

“has come in the flesh”

argument against those who did not believe that Jesus was human and was born

argument against those who do not believe that Jesus has a “pre-incarnate” condition

3.) Jesus Christ is the Same yesterday, today and forever

Hebrews 13:8 NKJV

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The whole book of Hebrews was an exposition about the Son of God and His excellent Person and work.

His pre-incarnate condition

Hebrews 5:5 NKJV

5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.”

His condescension

Hebrews 2:9 NKJV

9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

Hebrews 5:7–8 NKJV

7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

His exaltation

Hebrews 5:9 NKJV

9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

Jesus Christ is the same person from beginning to end.

Revelation 1:8 NKJV

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

who was - yesterday

who is - today

who is to come - forever

THE ALMIGHTY

Revelation 22:12–13 NKJV

12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

WHAT’S THE POINT?

THE SON OF GOD IS THE EXPRESSION OF ALL THAT IS GOD

Conclusion

The apostolic doctrine of the Son of God is this -

Jesus Christ is THE SON OF GOD

the Son of God was the Word, begotten in the beginning to become the firstborn and the agent of creation

the Son of God was made flesh, becoming human to destroy the works of the devil, redeem God’s people, and give eternal life to those who will believe in Him

the Son of God is the revelation of the Eternal Almighty God

SONG

Meekness and Majesty