Sermon Tone Analysis

That you may Believe and have Life #22

John 7:25-52

 

I do not plan to speak with you long today, but we are about to hit the streets, literally, WHY?

Is it because we have good music here?

Is this a concert venue?

Is it because we have a good religious system?

Is this a good way of living?

Is it because we have good relationships and friendships here?

Is this a social club?

Is it because lived a selfless life and set a great example for us to learn from and died tragically and we honor him?

Is this a memorial club?

Or, is it because He IS the Christ, the Son of the Living God?

And We are his Ambassadors?

What do ambassadors do?

They GO as emissaries, representatives, of their Sender, their King.

Can you imagine an ambassador of the United States just sitting at the White House all the time?

So, if we are going out, as his Ambassadors, we need to quickly relate again … Is he the Christ?

The Son of the Living God

 

Now, I am not insulting the intelligence of you, as students of the Word, but just to give you a reminder to give you some tools, and to also relate it to the world we live in, let's read and think together and then let's hit the streets

 

READ 7:25-52

 

1.

What Is The Christ?

 

  A.

Definition - The Word means "Anointed One" - The TERM Messiah is only used in Ps 2:2 and Daniel 9 when it is prophesied that the Messiah would come and be "cut off" …

1.But the idea of this Anointed One is the prominent expectation of the Old Testament.

From the Old Testament Picture we know that he would have 5 purposes (Isaiah 45 - example from Cyrus)

1) chosen by God

2) appointed to redeem God's people

3) judgment of foes

4) dominion over nations

5) Everything he does is from the hand of God

 

2.The Messiah was to come as

1) Servant - obedient in suffering, completing God's tasks

2) Conqueror - defeating his enemies

3) God's Branch - completing his task

4) Seed of the Woman - coming as God and Man

5) Son of Man - complete in his humanity

6) Prince -

There are hundreds of prophesies …

Let's look at a few

 

  B.

Prophesy -

    1.

He will come from Abraham's family Gen 12:3

    2.

born from David's line - Is. 11:1

    3. he will be perfect - Is 11:2-10

    4.

there will be a forerunner - Is. 40:3

    5. he will suffer for our sins Is. 53

    6.

He will enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey

    7. he will be born of a virgin Is 7; Mt 1:20

    8.

born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2

    9.

will be God and King - Is 9:6

 

 

 

  C.

Application - what is your greatest need, hope dream - that is your Christ

1.The Messiah, the thought of the Messiah was EVERYTHING that God's people longed for

He was Deliverance

He was Security

He was Hope

He was a Fresh Start

He was Love and Acceptance

He was Decision - maker ~/ Ruler

 

2.What is YOUR Messiah?

 

a.If you are trusting in your Career for Security, if your security is tied up in Job Security, then Your Job is your Messiah

 

b.If you are you are trusting your 401K as your hope for the future, THAT is your Messiah

 

c.If you are relying on your Marriage to meet all of your needs for love and acceptance it is your Messiah

 

d.If you are counting on a life change, a fresh start, a new job, a new school, a new marriage, to make all the difference, then THAT start is your Messiah

 

That's what the Bible says about the Messiah,

We've seen what you are perhaps looking for … Definitely what your friends and neighbors are looking for … the question is …

 

2.

Is That Jesus?

 

  A.

Does he satisfy the prophesy?

In a Word, YES -

He died a sacrifice for our sins

He came into Jerusalem on a donkey at the exact time prophesied by Daniel 9

He lived a perfect life

He was Born in Bethlehem

Born of a Virgin

Born of the line of David

Born of the family of Abraham

 

to a verse he satisfies every one of the hundreds of prophesies

 

  B.

Can we call him the Christ in Authenticity?

Yes he claimed all things that would make him Messiah himself.

    1. he claimed to be God - Is 9:6 - the govt.

will be on his shoulders … won.

Coun.

Mighty God, Ev.

Father, Prin of Pea --

/Mark 14:61-64 (NIV)/

/61 //… Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" 62 "I am," said Jesus.

"And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."/

 

    2.

Accepted Worship as only God could do - Ex. 20:1-5 - no God's before him and bow down to none but … The Leper worshipped Jesus, a ruler knelt before him, the disciples worshipped him, a Canaanite woman, James and John's Mother, the demoniac from Geresa, a blind man, and Thomas cried "my Lord, and my God and Jesus NEVER corrected them

 

    3.

Claimed equal Authority with the Father - Mt 5:21,22/ "you heard it said … BUT I SAY" … /John 13:34 /"a new commandment I give to you" /Mt 24:35 /"heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never …"/ john 12:48 /"there is a judge for the one who rejects me … that very word which I spoke will condemn"/

   

    4.

Allowed for prayer offered in his Name - John 14:13,14 /"whatever you ask in my name that will I do"/  John 15:7; John 14:6 - the path to the Father is through Christ  …

 

Jesus connected himself with the "I Am" of the Old Testament and the promised Anointed One

 

So before

3.

So What Are We Going to Do?

 

 

  A.

Lay Hold

Why did I use the examples earlier of careers, and acceptance, and hope, and a fresh start, security, and on to describe a hoped for Messiah in a life?

Because Jesus stood in the midst of a celebration that had lasted days and said, /"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."