Christ the Prophet (edited)
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Intro
Intro
Big Idea: The prophetic ministry of the church has its origin point, its example, and its commission in Christ. To understand prophecy in the church, we must know Christ as The Prophet.
Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Heidelberg Catechism question 31.
Q. Why is he called Christ, that is, Anointed?
A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, to be our chief Prophet and Teacher, who has fully revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption; our only High Priest, who by the one sacrifice of his body has redeemed us, and who continually intercedes for us before the Father; and our eternal King, who governs us by his Word and Spirit, and who defends and preserves us in the redemption obtained for us.
The church has long understood that Jesus’ title as Christ carries with it a threefold office. He is simultaneously the Prophet, the Priest, and the King over the church and the entire universe. Eusebius in the third and forth centuries and Thomas Aquinas in the 12th century both expounded upon this element of Christ’s character. John Calvin and Martin Luther further explored it.
Many Bible scholars and teachers today continue to teach and meditate upon these things. They are important for us in understanding who Jesus is and what His ministry was designed by the Father to accomplish.
Our understanding of our own ministry is directly tied to our understanding of the character of Christ. Since our calling is to carry on His ministry, we function under Christ in these same roles as His church.
As Prophet, Christ speaks the truth of God into the world, bringing light into darkness. He also leads his chosen people out of sin and into righteousness.
As Priest, He makes atonement for our sins and makes a clear path for us to commune with the Father.
As King, He rules with wisdom, truth, and justice over all of creation and especially his church. He goes to war on our behalf against evil, falsehood, and the principalities of darkness in this world.
Today we will focus on the prophetic ministry of Christ as understanding His prophetic ministry is foundational in our ability to understand the churches prophetic ministry.
From the Philadelphia Confession
From the Philadelphia Confession
Chapter 8: Of Christ the Mediator
1. It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them both, to be the mediator between God and man; the prophet, priest, and king; head and saviour of the church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world; unto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.
He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
Tension
Tension
People were designed to be prophetic, that is to declare what is true. The problem is, humanity has been divorced from our stream of truth because of sin. So we go on prophesying and testifying to what we perceive as right but divorced from truth and we perpetuate the mess we have made.
Christ is the ultimate Prophet, God’s Apostle to the world and only by trusting in Christ, knowing Him, and being lead by Him can we be restored to the prophetic ministry God created humanity for.
Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,
Truth
Truth
I. Origin point: a truer and better Moses
I. Origin point: a truer and better Moses
Moses and the prophets spoke the word of God, but Christ is the Word of God.
Every prophet before Christ foreshadowed Christ. He is the ultimate fulfillment of everything they proclaimed.
Unlike any other prophet, Christ spoke on His own authority because He and only He is the Word of God incarnate.
for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Moses lead people out of slavery, Christ leads people out of slavery to sin.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
The best Moses could give was material freedom, but Christ gives us both material and spiritual freedom.
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Moses wrote down God’s word, but Christ writes the Word on our hearts through His indwelling presence in us.
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds,”
then he adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
II. Example: A life dedicated to bringing light to dark places
II. Example: A life dedicated to bringing light to dark places
Jesus came to bring light into dark places, to proclaim freedom to those in slavery to sin, good news to those who had none, and revelation to those who lacked understanding.
And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
“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,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
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. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.”
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jesus often used healing of blind people as an opportunity to contrast those who live in darkness with those who live in light. His prophetic ministry was about revealing truth and enlightening those who were in the spiritual dark.
The Pharisees understood exactly what he was saying that they were offended just like many today continue to be offended by Christ’s attempts to enlighten the world.
We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.
III. Commission: Christ’s call on the church
III. Commission: Christ’s call on the church
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
His prophetic peace is ours.
His prophetic authority is ours.
His prophetic ministry is ours.
His prophetic teaching is ours.
His prophetic presence is ours.
Ultimately the church is called by Christ to carry on where He left off. Christ is the root of all ministry. Since He is the ultimate Prophet, he is the heart of all prophetic ministry.
So if we want to be a prophetic church, it is imperative that we seek to know Christ, his life, his message, his mission, and his methods.
Application
Application
Heidelberg Catechism question 32.
Q. Why are you called a Christian?
A. Because I am a member of Christ by faith and thus share in his anointing, so that I may as prophet confess his name, as priest present myself a living sacrifice of thankfulness to him, and as king fight with a free and good conscience against sin and the devil in this life, and hereafter reign with him eternally over all creatures.
How can we honor and operate in the prophetic office of Christ?
By making it our aim to know Christ above all else.
By refusing to remain silent about all that Christ has done.
By learning to hear and follow the Holy Spirit so that Christ can direct our way and empower our speech.
These things come through prayer, the study and meditation upon God’s word, and through encouragement and equipping in the local church. If you want to press into Christ, I would suggest seeking more of those things in your life.