Zoom In! Focus On Christ!
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31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
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Introduction
This morning we are going to do something a little different. If you didn’t notice, the VBS decorations are still up and the kids led our worship songs this morning. In connection to that, I wanted to utilize my sermon time to summarize what the kids learned this week at VBS.
One of the great things about the Lifeway VBS material is that it is always very intentional about sharing the Gospel. VBS is fun and exciting and all of that is great, but if the kids don’t leave our VBS without having heard the Gospel, then we have failed.
The theme this year was centered around photography and taking pictures of all kinds of wild animals, so the motto of the week was Zoom In! Focus on Jesus! There were 5 key truths from 5 passages which the kids learned this week that we will walk through together this morning: Jesus knew why He came, Jesus is the Son of God, Jesus proved He is the Son of God, Jesus rose from the dead, and The Bible is written so that I can believe. So, let’s walk through those 5 points.
Jesus knew why He came
“Jesus knew why he came”, comes from . You may remember the story. Mary, Joseph and Jesus traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. On their way back home to Nazareth, Mary and Joseph realized that they had left something very important behind in Jerusalem. They travelled a day’s journey before they realized that Jesus was not with their travelling party. Now we shouldn’t rebuke Mary and Joseph here. They were travelling in a big group and Jesus was 12 years old, so they just assumed that Jesus was in the group hanging out with other relatives in that large travelling group.
It isn’t like we travel today where you pack all the bags into your minivan, then buckle the kids into the car seat. It was a large mass of family travelling together, so it was easy to assume that their 12 year old Son – who was nearly a man in that culture – was with them.
Once they realized that Jesus wasn’t with them, they retraced their steps and 3 days later found Jesus in the Temple among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. says this:
48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.”
49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
“And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”
The simple truth is that Jesus came to do His Father’s work. Mary and Joseph didn’t fully grasp that. Their question was, “Why did you do this to us”? They misunderstood what Jesus was doing and why. What should have been obvious to them was that Jesus was here to do His Father’s work. Being in His Father’s house, learning, growing was necessary. AS I mentioned, the VBS motto this year is, “Zoom in! Focus on Jesus!” Really that is what 12-year-old Jesus models for us in this story. He was focused on doing the Father’s will. Jesus knew why He came, who He was and what He was supposed to be doing.
Jesus is the Son of God
That brings us to the second truth: Jesus is the Son of God. This truth is taught in . Where John the Baptist was doing what God had called him to do. John was preaching that the kingdom of Heaven was at hand, telling the people that there was One coming who was greater than John was. John actually was pretty popular among the people and many went to him to be baptized as a sign of repentance for their sins and to dedicate themselves to God.
John has this big ministry going, and Jesus - now an adult shows up. John points Jesus out and says that He is the One who takes away the sins of the world. That’s the guy I’ve been telling you about!
Jesus does something surprising – instead of preaching or teaching, Jesus asks John to Baptize Him. And we pick up in ,
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.
16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
So, Christ was baptized, not because of His sin, but as an example to us and to publicly dedicate Himself to the Father. As Christ comes out of the water, we see a beautiful example of the harmonious working of our Triune God. Jesus is there, the Spirit descends, and the Father speaks – declares that Jesus is His Son with whom He is well pleased.
Jesus proved He is the Son of God
Not only does God declare that Jesus is His Son, but Jesus proved that He is the Son of God. That is the third key point that the kids learned – and that we should also embrace. It is taught in , and again is a story that you probably know.
Jesus had begun His ministry at this point. He has huge crowds following Him around, listening to His teaching. After a long day of ministry near the Sea of Galilee, Jesus sends His disciples on across the sea in a boat, and Jesus goes up on the mountain to pray alone.
Late in the night, the ship is far from shore, and the wind is against them, and here comes Jesus walking to the boat. On the water.
Now I’m not the brightest tool in the shed, but even I know that isn’t how physics works. This is not natural – it is supernatural. Jesus is in control of the very nature of how the physical world operates. The nature of physics itself bends to Jesus’ will. So it is no surprise that the Disciples in the boat don’t think it is Jesus and instead assume it must be a ghost. So, Peter being Peter says, if it’s really you, command me to come walk to you. So, in verses , that’s exactly what happened.
29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
“[Jesus] said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Did you catch what happened there? Peter lost focus. He got distracted by the wind and stopped focusing of Christ. How often do we lose focus? Compare that to Christ who at the age of 12 knew what He was about. Always focusing on doing the will of the Father.
Once they get in the boat, the wind stops and the disciples worship Christ. Why? Because that’s what you do when you are focused on the Son of God. You worship Him.
Jesus rose from the dead
Jesus proved that He was the Son of God by walking on water, and through many miracles, but most importantly, Jesus proved it by rising from the dead, which is the 4th key point.
Jesus joyfully went to the cross in obedience to the Fathers will. Jesus’s whole life was focused on obeying the Father. On accomplishing what He had come to do. Jesus lived a perfect life, never disobeying God, then offered himself up as a sacrifice – a perfect, sinless sacrifice – for the sins of His people. He bore the punishment that you and I deserve for our continual failure to obey God.
Not only did Jesus die, but he rose again, proving that He was the Son of God and that the grave had no hold on Him. He is the master over nature and physics, and He mastered sin and death.
The Bible is written so that I can believe
The final point the kids learned was that the Bible was written so that we can believe. This final truth was central all week. The theme verse that the kids worked to memorize – which was our Scripture reading – is clear: “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
The bible story from the last day of VBS was about the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Two of Jesus’ disciples are leaving Jerusalem feeling defeated. They’ve heard reports that Jesus’ body is missing, but they think someone must have stolen it. Jesus – the resurrected Christ – walks with them for a while and they don’t recognize Him. They do not understand what was going on, and in , Jesus says this,
26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
Do you see that important point? Beginning with Moses and the Prophets. That was a Jewish way to say, “All of Scripture.” Everything points to Christ. There is no greater thing for the Scriptures to focus on. There is nothing in all the universe more worthy of focus. There is nothing greater, nothing more important, nothing more worthy of worship than Christ Jesus our Lord. That is who the Scriptures focus on, and it is what we should focus on – so that we may believe – and by believing we may have life in His name.
Do you see that important point? Beginning with Moses and the Prophets. That was a Jewish way to say, “All of Scripture.” Everything points to Christ. There is no greater thing for the Scriptures to focus on. There is nothing in all the universe more worthy of focus. There is nothing greater, nothing more important, nothing more worthy of worship than Christ Jesus our Lord. That is who the Scriptures focus on, and it is what we should focus on – so that we may believe – and by believing we may have life in His name.
Conclusion
It is so easy to get distracted by the wind and waves in this life. It is so easy for us to be like the disciples on the road to Emmaus and not see what is standing right in front of us. Another way to say all of that – It is so easy to lose focus on what – on Who – really matters.
If you are a believer and you are here this morning, I want to encourage you to check your focus. Make sure that you see Jesus clearly and crisply. Don’t let any sin distort your view of Christ. Look to Christ and respond like the disciples in the boat – worship Him, for He alone is worthy.
If you are here this morning and you are not a believer, I want to tell you exactly what the kids learned. How to respond to the Gospel. Because that is what you heard this morning – the Gospel laid out. You are a sinner and need saved from the wrath of God. Jesus was not a sinner and bore the wrath of God. He is the Son of God and rose from the dead. So, how do you respond to that? It is as simple as ABC.
A – Admit to God that you are a sinner and deserve His anger. Part of that is what we call repentance. Repentance is turning away from sin and towards Jesus Christ.
B – Believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Believe what Scripture says about Him. That only through Christ is their forgiveness of sin. No amount of good deeds can appease God, only His perfect Son is a worthy sacrifice, so trust in Christ alone – in His perfect life, His death, burial and resurrection.
And finally, C – Confess to God and to others that Jesus is your Lord and Savior. That your focus is on Him and only on Him. That you no longer want to focus on your desires and live life your way, but instead you have made Christ the King of your life and your focus is on living in obedience to His will.
The ABC’s are the only appropriate response to the Gospel, and I hope you will respond that way.
We are about to transition to a time of response. We believe that any time a person hears the Word of God, they always respond – either in rebellion or in worship. I hope that you respond like the disciples did in the boat. That you will worship Jesus as the Son of God. For some, that may look like walking through the ABC’s, for others, it may look like repentance for sinfully losing focus, and for others, it may look like joyfully praising Christ for who He is.
I will be on the front row worshipping with you, so if you need anything at all, feel free to come talk to me. I’d be delighted to talk to you or pray with you. If you have questions about what it means to become a believer, come up and visit with me. I will also be glad to stick around after the service if you would like to talk then. Whatever you do, worship Christ who is worthy.
Let’s Pray.