JESUS, our FIRM FOUNDATION
Notes
Transcript
As the Body of Christ, as the church, Jesus is our firm foundation. That foundation is based on the undeniable reality that Jesus is God.
Jesus as Lord, God of the universe, King of Kings… Jesus is the bedrock of everything we build our life upon as believers.
This is a non negotiable. It’s the defining factor that hinges on everything we believe in about Jesus, that Jesus Christ is truly God.
Our foundation is firmly built on Jesus. This is basic Christianity 101 so why are we learning about this this morning?
Because without the Deity of Christ, we don’t have a real purpose in life
Without the Deity of Christ, we cannot truly function as the Body of Christ.
Without the Deity of Christ, we cannot see God… we cannot draw close to God, we cannot be filled with the power of God, filled with HIS peace, filled with HIS presence.
26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Pray
Jesus is completely Divine, “holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.”
Jesus Christ came to forgive us, to transform us, to change our identity and make us sons and daughters of the King.
Believing in the Deity of Jesus Christ is vital in our spiritual development.
The Pharisees and the religious leaders were offended because of Jesus. Jesus claimed to have the power to forgive sins… HE claimed to be the Son of God… HE had authority over demons. So, they thought Jesus was blasphemous that’s why they arrested and ultimately crucified HIM which was all part of God’s perfect plan.
Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for all humanity at the same time becoming our perfect High Priest.
Either Jesus was a crazy lunatic or Jesus was who HE claimed to be that Jesus is God.
We are blessed when we build our life upon the Rock the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Our foundation is built on the reality that...
Jesus is able to meet our needs
Jesus is able to meet our needs
He was tempted but overcame temptation. A man of sorrow… Jesus felt rejection… Jesus experienced injustice… Jesus felt pain.
Yet HE fulfilled HIS mission perfectly, honoring HIS Father in everything He did all the way to the cross.
Jesus is able to relate to us because of His HUMANITY.
Jesus knows the pain that we go through, the loneliness, the sorrow, the rejection. If anyone human can relate to suffering, it’s Jesus. Jesus knows what we need.
Jesus is able to meet our needs because of His DIVINITY.
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Since Jesus Christ has power and authority over everything we have nothing to fear or worry about if we put our faith in the Divinity of Christ.
His authority spans over heaven and earth… visible and invisible… thrones, powers, rulers, authorities… Jesus is the head of the Church.
That covers everything… the big things and the little things.
Christ has the POWER and ABILITY to handle EVERYTHING in my life.
I cannot always see that God is working in my life.
I may not understand the timing or God’s way… but my job isn’t to try to figure it out. My job is to simply rest in HIM and trust HIS Word.
Wherever I go… no matter what I need in life, there is nothing beyond our Lord Jesus Christ. HIS Power and Ability is still amazing us.
Jesus is able to make us CLEAN
Jesus is able to make us CLEAN
Illus: Lower the mark for little kids. Adjustable basketball hoop.
God’s standards aren’t adjustable. Holiness… perfection is still the mark. Jesus never lowered the mark so that we could approach God.
God’s STANDARD is still perfection.
God knew that holiness was impossible for us to attain. Holiness was and still is required for us to have relationship with the Lord.
God’s SOLUTION was a blood sacrifice to cover our sinfulness.
That's why the High Priests had to v. 27 "offer a sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people."
That’s why the Levitical priests in the Old Testament sacrificed animals but even though it was God’s requirement for the people, The Lord knew that an animal could never provide a genuine substitute for human beings who were created in the image of God.
Jesus became the perfect sacrifice therefore Jesus became the final sacrifice. Once and for all we can now be made clean.
27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.
Jesus became the perfect SACRIFICE and the ultimate HIGH PRIEST.
The Levitical Priests were men who were appointed by God but in all their weakness they could not fulfill the standard of holiness that God demanded as High Priest.
Hebrews 4:14–16 (NIV)
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Let us… Hold firmly to the faith we profess and
Let us… approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.
Don't give up because you think that you have gone too far. God will never give up on you so hold on firmly to the faith we profess.
God still loves you, HE still wants to clean you up, make you holy, to reconcile that fractured relationship that is beyond repair.
Jesus came to make us in right relationship with HIM so come boldly to the throne of Grace.
Jesus is still our high priest and HE still has the authority and the power to forgive and renew.
Jesus overcame DEATH to gives us NEW LIFE
Jesus overcame DEATH to gives us NEW LIFE
When people try to discredit the Deity of Christ, they attempt to cast doubt on the resurrection of Jesus.
Even the Jewish leaders tried to cover up the resurrection because if Jesus rose from the dead like HE claimed was going to happen, then there is no room for denying the deity of Christ.
The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest PROOF for the Deity of Christ.
The Resurrection of Jesus isn’t just a historic event in a timeline that we celebrate once a year. Because of the resurrection of Jesus dead things can now be made alive.
We are the evidence of HIS resurrection power at work today because Jesus is still transforming lives. Those who are the spiritually dead are now alive through the power of Jesus Christ. The Gospel message is still being spread all over the world and good news of Jesus is breaking down walls, bringing healing, and resurrecting lives.
Through the resurrection of Jesus all that HE CLAIMED became a reality.
Jesus said “I am” The Bread Of Life, The Light Of The World, The Gate, The Good Shepherd, The Resurrection And The Life, The Way, The Truth, And The Life, and The Vine.
Jesus Christ is still the answer to every question… He’s the solution to every problem… He is the healer to every sickness… Jesus came to revive everything that is dead in your life to give you new life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
The resurrected Jesus changed a denying Peter to a man filled with boldness through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The resurrected Jesus changed an angry man named Saul (Paul), who was once one who was persecuting the church but became one who suffered persecution for the cause of Christ.
Today, Jesus is still working through people, and transforming hearts and lives today!
Jesus is still Lord and the hope of our church, the Hope of our community, and the hope of the world.
Romans 6:8–11 (NIV)
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
If Jesus is God then Jesus is worth everything. Jesus came so that we have the opportunity to be in right relationship with HIM.
My dead life in exchange for a risen life of peace, joy, and freedom.
What it comes down to is this...
If Jesus is divine then Jesus is the answer to whatever problem we face.
If Jesus is divine… If Jesus is sinless… if Jesus is perfect… If we believe that Jesus claimed to be who He said HE was then whatever we are dealing with in our world, our nation, our community, our church… no matter how big or small… Jesus Christ is the answer and He is able to handle it.
Every unknown situation has hope through Jesus Christ… every stronghold, every hurt, every addiction, every broken relationship in our community… our families and our church.
Jesus Christ is Lord, He is our Savior, and He is our God.
Jesus Christ is still the answer.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives all fear is gone, Because I know, I know he holds the future, and life is worth a living, just because He lives.
Jesus is our Lord, Jesus is our God
We can give Jesus our needs because HE is always able.
We can give Jesus our dirt because HE wants to make us clean
We can give Jesus our death disguised as life and put on that new life that only HE can give us.