What Would Jesus Say About Himself # 2 What Would Jesus Say John 1:1-18 (Adapted from The Uniqueness of Jesus by Dale Burke) Introduction Who is Jesus Christ? - Last year the movie The Da Vinci Code had the world abuzz with that question. - If Jesus is who He claimed to be it has profound implications for our lives. - If he is not who He claims to be, He is a shameless imposter who has deceived millions. H.G. Wells (Author: War of the Worlds) "I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history." H.G. Wells (Author: War of the Worlds). * Jesus Christ stands out as unique from every other religious leader who ever lived. * SO, WHO IS JESUS CHRIST AND WHAT WOULD HE SAY ABOUT HIMSELF. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:23-24) * God Is Spirit non-material can t see or touch Him * God Wants To Have A Relationship With His Creation * God Seeks Us To Worship Him QUESTION How can a God who is holy, immortal, invisible, all knowing, omnipotent, omnipresent - maker of heaven and earth reveal Himself to ordinary people like you and I and restore us to a personal relationship with Him? ANSWER: Jesus Christ. The Logos (Word) Of God - God Himself took on human flesh. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) ** Jesus came as the Word of God to us Invisible became visible unapproachable approached us in the person of Jesus Christ. We can encounter the God of the universe through Jesus Christ. * Jesus Christ has had a greater impact upon the world than any other person. ** WHO DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE WHAT MAKES HIM STANDOUT FROM ALL THE OTHER RELIGIOUS LEADERS THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN? I. I Am Eternal (John 1:1,2) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2) 1. I Was There When It All Started = before creation Word Existed before Creation
* Mistaken Idea of Many Jesus Christ had his beginning at Christmas He was before Creation Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple (John 8:58-59) If not created then must be God. Reason wanted to stone Him is because they knew He claiming to be God. 2. I Was There Before It All Started -Not only did the Word (Christ) exist before His birth or even before creation He existed always Before Abraham was I am (John 8:58) "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." (Rev 1:8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb 13:8) * Pre-Existence Of Christ. * So. Jesus Would Say I Am Eternal. I have always existed and I always will exist. Good Theology But Theology Must Translate Into Life What does this mean for us today? * Let me ask you: - Have you ever felt defeated - broken like you couldn t go on - Have you ever felt abandoned - lonely alone let down by someone - Have the pressures of life and the world situation ever made you wonder if the human race is going to make it. - Have you ever felt that you just couldn t go on. Or even that God had abandoned you. 3. I ll Still Be There When Everything Else Fails Point of Grace Sings Jesus Will Still Be There Jesus will still be there His love will never change Sure as the steady rain Jesus will still be there When no one else is true He ll still be loving you When it looks like you ve lost it all And you haven t got a prayer Jesus will still be there * In your darkest hour. * Jesus would say, My Son, My Daughter. I was there in eternity past and I ll be here in eternity future. You can count on me. I ll be here. II. I Am God In The Flesh (John 1:1,14) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1) 1. I Am God And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) I and My Father are one." Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. (John 10:30-32) No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten SON, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:18)
Son = Gr. Theos = God lit. the only begotten God * How Could Jesus Be Both With God And God at the same time. 2. I Am The Second Person Of The Trinity One God Three Persons Part of Trinity In the beginning God (Elohim) (Gen. 1:1) = tri-person word 3. If You Want To Know God What God Is Like, Look At Me * Reason he came was to reveal the God to us to draw us into a personal relationship with God. How would God act in a certain situation How would he treat other people How does God expect us to live our lives * Suppose you had phone call from Billy Graham My time here on earth is short and I just really appreciate it if I could come and spend a couple of days at your house so we could get to know each other. Likely clear the boards to be able to spend time with Billy Graham. Clean the house cook some great meals. * NOW - IF GOD CAME TO YOUR HOUSE WOULDN T YOU PAY ATTENTION! God came to live among us so we could get to know Him. ** If you want to know what God is like Look At Jesus Christ. ** If Jesus were here, He would say, I Am God In The Flesh Get To Know God Through Me And Follow Me. III. I Am The Creator (John 1:3) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (John 1:3) * Perfect Tense completed act = without Him absolutely nothing was made For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (Col 1:16) Then God (singular) said,"let Us (plural) make man in Our (plural) image, according to Our (plural) likeness (Gen 1:26) Then God blessed them, and God said to them,"be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (Gen 1:28-31) 1. I Made You I know how you work. I know what you need. Trust Me.. Follow Me 2. I Bless You
3. You Are Precious In My Sight IV. I Am Life (John 1:4, ) In Him was life, (John 1:4) John 10:10; 11:25 I am the source of all life. Spiritual Life I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)... "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. (John 11:25-26) * Note Diagram Zoe = Spiritual Life God connectedness - in fall Zoe was lost Christ came to restore and give us new life. Significance in Present = rightly connected to God Able experience life the way it was meant to be experienced. Abundant Life Future Eternal Live Zoe is life of the eternal one. Heaven with God eternally V. I Am Light (John 1:4,5,9) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:4-5) Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (John 8:12) * Darkness sin - guilt - misery - death * Many false lights - false teaching to lead you astray. * JESUS IS THE TRUE LIGHT - not false uncertain guide. :I m the light when you re trying to figure out what life is about what God is like. I ll lead you. Illustrate: Friends daughter Kayak on Northhumberland Straight - past summer - Kayaks overturn night begins to fall no hope of rescue - far off in distance could see a light on the shore. Began to swim toward the light. I m the light when you ve lost the way when there is danger all around, I m the true light that will lead you safely home to the Father. VI. I Am The Only Saviour (John 1:11-13) He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (John 1:11-12) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
I am the Way I am the Truth I am the Life ** JESUS WOULD TELL US TODAY THAT HE IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN. * Sinful man cannot approach God - OT - if priest entered Holy of Holies without blood from Alta - killed Only Way To Approach A Holy God Via Blood Of His Son Our Lord's statement "No man cometh unto the Father but by Me," wipes away any other proposed way to heaven good works, religious ceremonies, costly gifts, etc. There is only one way, and that way is Jesus Christ. (he Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright 1989) Conclusion Trilema (Adapted from C.S. Lewis) C.S. Lewis: summarizes our choices I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Jesus. That is that, I m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher but I don t accept His claim to be God. That is the only thing we must not say about Jesus. Lewis goes on to say that a man who is merely a man and who said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic on the level of a man who says he is a poached egg or he would be the devil of hell for telling such lies. You must make your choice. Either the man was and is the Son of God or else He was a mad man or something far worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE Illustrate: Poem from 10 yr old boy dying of Leukemia (Last verse by parents) Don t stand by my grave and weep. I wasn t scared, I fell asleep. I left my body that for years, that imprisoned me and caused me tears. I m in aa place of constant joy. No more pain for this small boy. Now I m free to run and play, to find new riches everyday. See, I m with God for ever more. He welcomed me at heaven s door. Because I trusted, I trusted His Son. My salvation there was won. When Jesus died upon that tree. He died to pardon you and me. All I had to do was say, Dear God, please take my sin away. Yes I was sick, my body died, but not the me that lived in side. I went to heaven to be with God. That s just my shell beneath the sod. You can mourn for others dead, Those truly lost, but like I said, Don t stand beside my grace and cry, Cause I m not there. I didn t die. I m just a little boy, but no, that what the Bible says is so. I hope that someday you will be in heaven with God and Christ and me.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: