Intro:

· I chose to address this topic when I saw the celebration of Nazareno at Quiapo. I was really bothered to think of the catholic faith on how and what they really know about Jesus of Nazareth. Christians believe on Jesus of Nazareth but very far from what they have in their heart and how they express.

· So I came to think , are we just going to sit down and cherish our true faith and hold on to our belief hidden in our religious tolerance that we let our love ones and friends swim to the empty tradition that sank them more deeply into their twisted faith.

· Cardinal Vidal himself was confessing that their focus on practicing tradition is not what God desires, because it leads to accident, death, theft, disrespect etc. That's why they made replica of the Nazarene so people (fanatics) will be well dispersed and be in particular place to exercise their faith.

· Meaning Catholic admits their mistake of letting the tradition prevail over their church dogma. It’s just that they can't change and stop the fanatics, (we heard it on TV)

· Again we are Christians, Christian refers to disciples (remember in Acts 11:3, after 1 year of teaching that was the time the disciples were called Christians, and the word disciple was mentioned 259 times in NT while the word Christian 3 times only)

· So I say we are disciples. We have been learning the word of God for more than a year…

· Disciples are meant to teach other to teach, so let us teach them, share them with love, it's a great opportunity to comment and teach on the tradition that is clearly seen as very wrong even in common sense.

· We are the instrument to our families, love ones, and friends, to correct the old belief with love of course.

· So let us break from our series of lesson in Acts and change book from Acts to John. We must learn who really is Jesus of Nazareth

o Big, small, black or white

Context/Scene

The day Jesus revealed and accepted that He is Jesus of Nazareth, though they have seen him in the temple yet they don’t know him, probably just the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
In the bible, it is said that at first, Nathaniel, the cousin of Philipp, did not believe on Jesus nor the place Nazareth as place that good things may come (John 1: 46[j1] )

Nazareth was not an important part of the national and religious life of Israel. It is said that it has bad reputation in morals and religion and a certain crudeness in the Galilean dialect,

The day of His betrayal. By his own disciple who was with him all along in his ministries

Judas’ heart was more of a selfish and materialistic motives.

The Pharisee and cohorts, what do they believe about Jesus?

They looked at Jesus as the one who went against their beliefs and threatened them with rebellion

How about the people at Quiapo during the last Friday’s feast of Jesus of Nazareth

The people in Quiapo knew Jesus of Nazareth, but do they really know him?.

I saw Jesus of Nazareth that they know, He was black, lying, immovable, his knees and hands became white revealing the chalk, for which it was made of, due to constant scrubbing of handkerchiefs from devotee or fanatics. Etc.

Exhort the scenario

CQ: Who really is Jesus of Nazareth?

· Will Jesus want a celebration that causes

o Death, chaos, pain, theft, un-approachableness,

o Exhort: scenario as seen in TV.

§ They came from afar

§ Reports of miracle, feeling of peace and mercy

§ Panata, belief healing at a touch,

§ Noli de Castro’s words (member)

§ Siksikan, balyahan, sipa, apak sa mukha, himatayan, to death

§ Punas ng towel, etc.

§ Dumami ang namatay (200)

o This is where fanaticism defies common sense

1. The Jesus of Nazareth is God

All knowing god

· Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, Jn 18:4

(1) (Exhort Jesus to the max)

I’am

· 14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” 15 Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ 16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, (Ex 3:14-16).

· 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. (Jn 8:23-24).

· 58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (Jn 8:58).

(1) (Exhort One God in three person, power and authority,)

(2) “Why they drew back and fell to the ground.”

Additional ref

True God : He is the true God;

(1) in reference to honor: “That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father” (John 5:23);

(2) in reference to baptism: “. . . baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Mat. 28:19);

(3) in reference to worship: “And let all the angels of God worship Him” (Heb. 1:6); “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Rev. 5:13);

(4) in reference to faith: “Ye believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1).

(5) in reference to trust: “Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him” (Ps. 2:12).

V As we received this truth , we should freely give them this revealed truth of the real God Jesus of Nazareth

· People who don’t know Jesus of Nazareth

In Quiapo, we can observe that they make Jesus God

1. For personal motive and not to worship him.

2. Their faith was founded on outward tradition and not on inner truth which is the word of God

2. The Jesus of Nazareth Loved his disciples

“8 Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,”

He will not lose us

· 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. (Jn 6:38-39).

· 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled (Jn 17:12).

He loves us so much therefore we should love and teach those who have wrong and twisted belief.

· In contrast with Quiapo, do you think they love each other and care?

1. (I for one believe it would be better to give each of them a small replica of the Nazarene, bade them to go their way, and avoid the chaos, pain and death)

· Do they love and care for Jesus? or for their own personal temporal needs.

· Their salvation is viewed as purely work of the flesh

· Repentance is driven by the season or occasion

· Worship can be seen as being exercised by the outward and temporary sacrifice

· Just like the Pharisee they seek Jesus but they don’t really know him

Jesus loves His disciples, that is us, Let us love them and win them to Christ
Jesus doesn’t want to lose his disciples, we should not also let our love ones & friends lose Christ.

3. The Jesus of Nazareth suffered & died for us

“Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

Christ suffered for us once and for all, so our suffering is for Christ sake

· Acts 5:41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.

· Phil 1:29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

(1) In full contrast to what we see in Quaipo and other people, they suffer for themselves and for personal motive

(2) They don’t suffer to worship but suffer to invoke selfishness.

V Christ suffered for our sins

· (exhort : 1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree,  that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed.

Christ’s suffering gave us strength to do His will

Conclusion:

Listen: Christians equals disciples is equals Us,

· We tell the truth, opportunity is at hand; shoot the question, let them answer but supply the right biblical word.

· Tell them that

· Jesus of Nazareth is God

· Jesus of Nazareth love (us) His disciples

· Jesus of Nazareth Suffered and Died for Us

[j1]46 And Nathanael said to him, g“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”[1]

The True Jesus of Nazareth