Back-up Sermon
TITLE: “More, more about Jesus.” 7-28-13 (Cameron Rd.
Text: Joh 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Joh 14:7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
2Pe 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!
INTRODUCTIN:
Our lesson for today is, “more about Jesus Christ?
Song # 678 is titled “more about Jesus. It was the inspiration for today’s message. It’s a great song because it spells out the passion to know and affirm more about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ Life must be as important to the Christian as is His Death, Burial, and Resurrection.
Our goal should be to conform to the image Scripture shows of Jesus.
In John 1:1-18 no less than 42 distinct descriptions of who Jesus was are described.
Each one of these descriptions deserves importance and attention.
I recommend that you study these descriptions carefully and prayerfully to get to know even more about Jesus.
This morning, however, we are going to look at just one of these descriptions.
Specifically, that Jesus is the one who declared/made known/and revealed the Father.
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. Joh 1:18
Jesus said to Philip in John 14:6-12
Joh 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Joh 14:7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Joh 14:8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
Joh 14:9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Joh 14:10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
Joh 14:11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.
Joh 14:12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
In the life of Jesus we see divine revelation of not only what God’s will is for man, but who God is.
As we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we have the added benefit of learning more about God himself.
Jesus makes known (declares/reveals) God to us, by being . . .
I. THE TEACHER OF THE TRUTH
1) Mark 4:1 says that He taught by the sea side.
2) Luke 4:31; He taught on the Sabbath day.
3) Mark 6:2 says that He taught in the synagogue.
4) Mark 6:6 says that He went about the villages teaching.
5) Mark 6:34 says that He taught them many things.
6) Luke 11:1; He taught the disciples how to pray.
7) Luke 19:47 says that he taught daily in the temple.
He was described by Nicodemas as the “teacher come from God” John 3:2.
We often emphasize other attributes of Jesus such as His love, mercy, forgiveness, life of prayer, and the list can go on and on, but how often do we emphasize the fact that He was a teacher.
In fact, the largest parts of the gospel accounts are devoted to Jesus teaching.
a. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6, 7).
b. The Olivet discourse (Matthew 24, 25).
c. The teaching to the disciples on the night of His betrayal (John 13-17).
It is at least equally important not just WHAT Jesus taught, but THAT he taught.
How many of us are following this example? – By teaching the Gospel at every opportunity.
Jesus taught that teaching is the foundation of being a Christian.
1) To come to God we must be taught:
Joh 6:45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.
2) To do God’s will we must be taught:
Joh 7:17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
3) To make disciples they must be taught:
In Mat.28:20 – part of the Great commission is” “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
3. Jesus taught God’s TRUTH.
1) Jesus is the one who is full of truth and who brings truth (John 1:14, 17).
2) He taught that we must worship God in truth (John 4:24).
3) He taught that true freedom comes through knowing the truth (John 8:32).
4) He said that He was “the truth” (John 14:6).
5) He prayed that the disciples would be sanctified in the truth (John 17:17).
Jesus is THE Teacher of THE Truth.
II. JESUS WARNS US OF DANGER
1. He warns us concerning sin.
A) After healing an sick man at the Pool of Bethesda, Jesus said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (Jn. 5:14)
2) He says that committing sin makes sin our master,
“Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. (Jn. 8:34)
3) He warns us to repent of sin or perish.
Luk 13:3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
B. He warns us concerning false teachers.
Mat 7:15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
C. He warns us concerning Hell.
Jesus speaks more concerning Hell than any other writer in the Bible.
1) Mat 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
2) He warns all followers that even the most precious things in this life are not worth Hell.
Mar 9:43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.
Mar 9:45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.
Mar 9:47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,
He warns that everlasting punishment is reserved for those who do not commit themselves to Him
Mat 25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
III. JESUS IS THE FORGIVER OF SINS
A. His mission was to save the lost.
1) His very name implies this: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Mat.1:21).
2) Luk 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
3) Mar 2:17 Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
A. He had the authority to forgive sins while on earth.
Luk 7:44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
Luk 7:45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
Luk 7:46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
Luk 7:47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven–as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
Luk 7:48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
B. God gives Him the authority to forgive sins today.
Mat 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
1) This forgiveness comes through the blood of Jesus Mat 26:28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
2) This forgiveness was to be preached in His name–and by his authority.
Luk 24:47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
5) This the apostles did first on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:38.
CONCLUSION:
As we study more about Jesus we have found that…
• He is our Great Teacher of truth.
• He is our Great Warner of danger.
• He is our Great Forgiver of all sins
Will you acknowledge Jesus today for who He is by dedicating or rededicating your life to Him?
Invitation:
1) If you are a Christian but have fallen away
a. You have stopped knowing Him.
b. Renew your knowledge and love for Jesus today.
2) If you are not a Christian this morning . . .
a. Come to know Him this very hour!
b. He stands ready to forgive you of your sins today!
Are you ready to know more about Jesus, obey the Gospel and make Christ the center of your life?
Now is the time to come forward and to learn more about Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior – as we stand to sing our song of encouragement.