Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.
James 1:22
Sermon Archives
January 30th 2022
Today we are continuing our sermon series through the Nicean Creed. Over the past few weeks we have been talking about God the father, and last time God the Son. We focused on the Son and his unique role in the Godhead. However this morning we are talking about his life, and his ministry on earth. We are talking about a living breathing Man, who really lived and really died and was really God!
Let’s dive into his ministry this morning and see what we can see in the life of the God man.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
T/S: First lets talk about his mission
1. Resistance to Belief Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)
I want to introduce you to someone in the Bible that you may have never met or heard of before. Nicodemus.
This guy was in short a rich and powerful man. He was a member of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin and had prominent access to the high priest. Let me put it to you plainly this man was an important man. (Think celebrity, religious leader, and wealthy all at once) (Like Oprah)
As such a man he had a lot of privileges and prestige as a man of integrity and respect.
Here in the story however we find him meeting up with Christ in the middle of the night. Why? Because Christ was everything he wasn’t. Being categorized with Jesus was a bad thing. People didn’t want to associate with this man from Nazareth.
But in Nicodemus’s eyes this guy was different.
Unbelievable miracles had been occurring. This must have excited Nicodemus! Maybe the promised Messiah was here and he as going to usher in the kingdom of God!
So Nicodemus sneaks out at night and meets with this guy. He secretly meets with Jesus in hopes that he might get answers to his questions.
He calls Jesus a teacher that had come from God. He gives Jesus some props, but Jesus shuts him down. (Isn’t this just like Jesus?) He says no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.
Nicodemus is shocked (Not sure what he expected)
But Nicodemus asks him how is that even possible? With some kindness added to Nicodemus’s account, it was sort of strange that Jesus would say this. Born again? I don’t want that, my momma don’t want that, aint nobody got time for that!
But Jesus repeats it and explains that this is spiritual rebirth not physical rebirth. That to be born again means that your dead sinful spirit is resurrected and made alive. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings us back to life.
But Nicodemus is still unsure. He answers, “How can this be”
This conversation parallels our lives before God. We cannot understand the things of God, unless we are born again. (Christinese) Just listen to some of our worship songs. Washed in the blood, set me on fire, give me a new heart. (Sounds painful)
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1st Corinthians 1:18)
Sometimes knowing the bible isn’t enough. Nicodemus knew the Bible from cover to cover. As a prominent teacher in Israel, he would have been known all about David, and Moses, and Elijah. He had a head knowledge but he didn’t have heart knowledge.
So many people know the Bible and theology, they can quote the Psalms and can teach you all about, election, predestination, transubsustantion, tribulations and trepidations. But without a relationship with God, and without a born again heart they have nothing.
Knowing the answers isn’t enough; we must know the person behind the answers. Going to church, reading the Bible, and being religious is not enough to get your soul right with God, you must know him, you have to love him not just love things about him. (Think celebrities, thinks spouses)
Nicodemus wanted a religious answer and something that would justify his works, but Jesus denies him this. Instead he tell Nicodemus something of greater importance, than in order to see the kingdom of God you must be born again.
2. Who will go?
Jesus has a very missional outlook on his life. He inculcates this on his followers. He reads from the scroll in Isaiah
17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Luke 4:17-21
It is an outline of his mission. Jesus came to reach people. To demonstrate his love his divine love for humanity. God was under no obligation to do this, and yet he faithfully obeyed God! This is the missional aspect of his heart. We are called to this mission too!
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
Romans 10:14-15
Who will go? Who will answer the call? There are multitudes of people all across the world that have not heard the name of Jesus. There are multitudes of people who are in open rebellion against the God of heaven and need to repent! I spoke of a burden and I think that when that happened for me, my perspective changed upside down.
Let me make this clear it is the mission and calling of every single believer in Christ to be reaching out to the lost. Go! We know the great commission, and we understand the desire but sometimes we must just get off our seats and go!
Go! Attempt to do the hard thing! Go to your neighbor, meet a stranger, engage with someone on the level of a missionary.
Jesus went.
Summary of the story of the woman at the well from John 4
Jesus crossed barriers
1. Gender barrier
2. Societal barriers
3. Religious barriers
4. Ethnic barriers
What is our excuse? I particularly love the passage at the end of this encounter with the woman at the well. The disciples come forward and they don’t even know what is going on. When suddenly Jesus points to the crowds gathering around him and says this.
35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” 39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word.
John 4:35-40
One by one people were eager to come. Church I don’t think that the problem with reaching the lost around us is a lack of desire, think simply it is a lack of hearing. May we cross any barrier and overcome any obstacle to follow the calling of Jesus.
Talking to people is a daunting thing. But also thrilling.
3. Selling everything
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.
Luke 18:22-23
There was something in the way between this man and Jesus. Jesus saw his heart and he knew that there was one thing that was hindering this man from following Jesus. This man had good intentions, he had a heart that was seeking, but one thing was stopping him. You cannot put a price tag on Jesus. Jesus told him that he needed to sell everything he had and distribute it to the poor and then told him to come follow him. This man was unwilling to pay this price. Sadly he ends up walking away. His wealth
had become a hindrance for his salvation. In the gospel of mark it says this.
21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Mark 10:21
Jesus loved this man, and was calling him to come serve him. But the man couldn’t give up his comfort or life for God.
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half- hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
C.S Lewis
Jesus has ascended into heaven. Where he sits at the right hand of God, and he will judge the living and the dead. He is no longer a baby in a manger. He no longer is a good rabbi or miracle worker. Jesus is king! He is Lord.
His kingdom will have no end. His days will prosper and forevermore his people will worship. Jesus is coming soon.
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