WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.259 You may think that it's odd for us to begin a Christmas or Advent sermon in this particular spot. 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:13.560 And so let me just take a moment to explain why we're here and why we need to consider this text, at least at the beginning of our time together. 00:00:13.700 --> 00:00:22.660 The first reason for starting here in Mark 8 is the immense importance of the question that is asked. 00:00:23.620 --> 00:00:25.960 There's two questions actually in the first paragraph. 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:35.660 The first one, the initial question, who do people say that I am, was Jesus' way of drawing out in a moment of teaching. 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:43.420 He's drawing out to the disciples the fact that everyone basically has an opinion on who he is. 00:00:43.820 --> 00:00:46.320 And that those opinions are actually quite varied. 00:00:47.380 --> 00:00:51.540 And what you'll find in all of the responses from the disciples is none of them are negative. 00:00:51.539 --> 00:01:01.920 If we were to ask that question today, we were to say, who do people around us say that Jesus is, we would get some negative answers to that if we got any answer at all. 00:01:02.219 --> 00:01:05.379 That's not really what we see in the answers that the disciples give. 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:07.640 However, they give only positive answers. 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:13.500 In other words, the people in Israel are holding Jesus in tremendously high esteem. 00:01:13.500 --> 00:01:24.340 They're saying you must be John the Baptist come back from the dead, or even better, you must be Elijah come back from the dead, which were, there's some prophetic implications to that. 00:01:24.460 --> 00:01:25.900 And the coming of the kingdom. 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:28.159 And some of them we read in other places. 00:01:28.299 --> 00:01:32.039 Some people had mentioned Jeremiah and some of the other prophets. 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:34.519 Well, that was an important question that Jesus asked. 00:01:34.659 --> 00:01:36.019 But he's drawing something out. 00:01:36.019 --> 00:01:44.060 He is drawing out with his disciples the fact that everyone has a thought on who he is and that those thoughts are actually quite varied. 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:49.819 But the most important question, the critical question, is the second one. 00:01:50.140 --> 00:01:51.359 The more direct one. 00:01:51.759 --> 00:01:58.659 When he turns to his disciples and he says, but who do you say that I am? 00:01:59.299 --> 00:02:00.859 Who do you say that I am? 00:02:00.859 --> 00:02:14.460 In other words, Jesus was communicating that what ultimately matters is not the opinion of other people or institutions or cultures. 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:22.159 What matters is your personal confession of who he is. 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:28.599 So he draws out the fact there's lots of opinions here, but what actually matters is who do you say that I am? 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:37.340 And traveling on vacation back in May, Julie and the girls and I had gone to the Cincinnati area. 00:02:37.539 --> 00:02:40.519 If some of you will remember, we got stuck in the airport coming back. 00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:49.759 And we met a young lady there in the process of that who was traveling alone and didn't really know what to do and handling some of the issues. 00:02:50.060 --> 00:02:52.079 And we just got to know this young girl. 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:59.360 And come to find out in speaking with her, she was raised as a Roman Catholic, but her family had left the church eventually. 00:02:59.940 --> 00:03:07.980 But due to some abuses of her family and some things that weren't done right, they just basically left the church altogether and left Christianity altogether. 00:03:07.979 --> 00:03:15.979 And she basically spent the rest of her life up to that point, she's in her early 20s now, just simply irreligious. 00:03:16.199 --> 00:03:30.379 She had no religious affiliation at all and didn't really care to have any religious affiliation until she met this young man who she was seeing, who she was hoping to soon be engaged to. 00:03:30.379 --> 00:03:38.680 The problem was the young man, and he had convinced her to join the church of Latter-day Saints. 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:44.500 But what was fascinating in the process of our conversation is she didn't really care about it. 00:03:45.139 --> 00:03:49.019 She had no real conviction of her own. 00:03:49.020 --> 00:04:00.879 She was kind of smitten by this guy that she found attractive, that treated her nicely, and she was just kind of happy to go along with whatever it was that he held as a conviction religiously. 00:04:01.219 --> 00:04:05.219 But she wasn't really all that interested herself in any of those things. 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:07.760 She was just kind of going along with it. 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:21.300 In other words, she was willing to entrust her spiritual life to someone else's convictions without ever being concerned to personally think it through herself. 00:04:22.360 --> 00:04:31.319 Now, we would all sit back and recognize that anecdotally, and looking at that in someone else's life, we would say that's a huge problem. 00:04:32.279 --> 00:04:34.300 You need to know what you believe. 00:04:34.500 --> 00:04:36.420 You need to develop your own convictions. 00:04:36.420 --> 00:04:40.160 You don't just need to go along with the whims of culture or what anybody else says. 00:04:40.220 --> 00:04:42.379 But most of us do that all the time. 00:04:43.620 --> 00:04:48.080 In Mark chapter 8, this passage is what came to my mind in the midst of that conversation. 00:04:48.960 --> 00:04:56.100 The fact is that the Roman Catholicism and Mormonism and Baptist and friends and family, 00:04:56.100 --> 00:05:02.540 they all have their views, varying thoughts on Jesus' identity. 00:05:02.540 --> 00:05:11.120 But at the end of the day, it's a very personal question that each of us have to wrestle with. 00:05:11.819 --> 00:05:19.160 Not who does my husband or who does my parents believe that Jesus is. 00:05:19.700 --> 00:05:22.540 What does my church believe Jesus is? 00:05:22.540 --> 00:05:26.439 But who do you say that he is? 00:05:26.540 --> 00:05:29.939 And Peter's answer to the question is actually quite monumental. 00:05:30.280 --> 00:05:34.600 In fact, it's the climactic moment in the first half of Mark's gospel. 00:05:34.780 --> 00:05:38.540 There's this huge buildup to this particular moment. 00:05:38.540 --> 00:05:41.340 And notice what he says in verse 29. 00:05:41.480 --> 00:05:44.800 Peter answered him, you are the Christ. 00:05:46.060 --> 00:05:50.900 Now that loses a little bit of luster for us because we're used to that kind of terminology. 00:05:50.900 --> 00:05:55.280 And if you're here today, chances are you probably believe that Jesus is the Christ 00:05:55.280 --> 00:05:57.400 in whatever way that you understand that term. 00:05:58.300 --> 00:06:02.500 But this is a bigger deal than you might think for Peter to say this. 00:06:02.500 --> 00:06:09.279 He confessed that he believed that Jesus was not just a prophet from God. 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:11.180 That's what most people had determined. 00:06:11.980 --> 00:06:14.600 But he says, no, Jesus is more than that. 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:22.819 He says, I believe that you are the one that all the other prophets were talking about, 00:06:22.899 --> 00:06:26.060 that all the other prophets were pointing forward to. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:31.879 This one that would come sent from God in order to redeem his people. 00:06:31.879 --> 00:06:37.120 People conquer God's enemies and then rule on an eternal throne. 00:06:37.579 --> 00:06:39.680 That's what Peter is saying in this moment. 00:06:39.939 --> 00:06:42.879 And that's a big deal for Peter to say. 00:06:43.860 --> 00:06:45.500 It was no ordinary confession. 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:47.560 It wasn't flippant at all. 00:06:48.259 --> 00:06:50.480 And if you take the time to read through Mark's gospel, 00:06:50.980 --> 00:06:56.139 you'll see that there is this buildup under the surface in the first eight chapters 00:06:56.139 --> 00:07:01.120 that kind of erupts here in this one verse, in this one conversation. 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:05.159 But why did Peter think that? 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:13.759 What was it about Jesus that gave Peter such confidence to say that this is the most important 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:15.379 person to have ever lived? 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:17.819 That he matches all the things. 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:18.959 That he's the one. 00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:22.040 Well, we'll get to that in just a moment. 00:07:22.040 --> 00:07:26.120 But I pointed out to you now, because in the course of our time together, 00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:33.200 I want you to consider that question as if Jesus is asking it to you directly. 00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:36.879 Who do you say that he is? 00:07:38.259 --> 00:07:42.360 And does it matter even if you have the right confession? 00:07:43.520 --> 00:07:44.520 That's the first reason. 00:07:44.519 --> 00:07:50.680 Second reason we start here in Mark chapter 8 is because it immediately clarifies for us 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:54.959 what Jesus's purpose was as Messiah. 00:07:55.399 --> 00:07:55.620 Okay? 00:07:55.859 --> 00:08:00.859 That's what we get to in the second paragraph there in verses 31 through 33. 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:07.359 You see, Peter has the right confession, but he completely misunderstood why it mattered. 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:13.220 And even momentarily positions himself as an enemy of God. 00:08:13.860 --> 00:08:16.580 As an enemy of God's eternal plan of salvation. 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:18.720 That's what's happening in 32 and 33. 00:08:20.080 --> 00:08:23.280 So what then was the purpose of the Christ? 00:08:23.620 --> 00:08:28.580 Why does the advent of the Christ matter according to Jesus? 00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:31.259 Well, he tells us right here in verse 31. 00:08:31.259 --> 00:08:38.759 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders 00:08:38.759 --> 00:08:41.639 and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed. 00:08:42.179 --> 00:08:44.720 And after three days, rise again. 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:47.659 Well, why does any of this matter? 00:08:47.740 --> 00:08:49.200 What was the purpose of the Christ? 00:08:49.939 --> 00:08:52.019 It was to suffer for our sins. 00:08:53.019 --> 00:08:55.679 To die our death. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:58.919 To rise from the dead. 00:08:59.779 --> 00:09:02.059 So that he might bring us life. 00:09:02.199 --> 00:09:02.839 That's the purpose. 00:09:02.959 --> 00:09:03.079 Okay? 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:06.599 So we have this juxtaposition here in Mark chapter 8. 00:09:06.699 --> 00:09:11.799 We have the identity of Christ being brought together with the purpose of the Christ. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:12.979 And that's why we begin here. 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:15.859 Because it matters so much how we judge this. 00:09:15.859 --> 00:09:18.339 Now, what I want to suggest to you this morning 00:09:18.340 --> 00:09:23.720 is that the goal and intention of the four gospel authors, 00:09:24.460 --> 00:09:28.040 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, these four men, 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:33.720 I want to suggest that their entire purpose in writing these gospel books 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:38.160 is to convince us that both Peter's confession 00:09:38.160 --> 00:09:43.540 and Jesus' messianic purpose, as stated here in these verses, 00:09:43.740 --> 00:09:46.700 that their whole purpose is to convince us that those things are true 00:09:46.700 --> 00:09:50.400 and that they must be believed for salvation. 00:09:51.400 --> 00:09:51.660 Okay? 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:53.759 This is the whole point of these books. 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:56.240 And you've heard me say this many times before. 00:09:56.640 --> 00:10:01.580 Many people view the four gospels as if they're these little miniature biographies, 00:10:01.580 --> 00:10:05.800 but even though they contain biographical information about Jesus, 00:10:06.020 --> 00:10:11.960 we do not study them as merely tellings of the events of Jesus' life. 00:10:12.060 --> 00:10:13.140 That's not what they are. 00:10:14.500 --> 00:10:16.660 Gospel, in this case, is a genre. 00:10:16.700 --> 00:10:20.520 We don't read them as narratives. 00:10:20.520 --> 00:10:22.240 We read them as arguments. 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:25.320 These four men are making arguments here. 00:10:25.660 --> 00:10:29.040 They're not seeking just to inform you about Jesus. 00:10:29.340 --> 00:10:32.360 They are endeavoring through that information 00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:38.180 to persuade you to believe something specific about Jesus. 00:10:38.400 --> 00:10:39.759 That's the point of the four books. 00:10:40.440 --> 00:10:42.060 And what is it that is their argument? 00:10:42.440 --> 00:10:45.920 What are they seeking to persuade us to believe about Jesus? 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:47.079 It's very simple. 00:10:47.699 --> 00:10:53.240 They are arguing that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. 00:10:54.539 --> 00:10:58.000 That Jesus of Nazareth is Messiah. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:05.120 And their intention in making that argument is that we might come to believe in him as such 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:10.340 and thereby receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:13.279 You say, what does this have to do with Christmas and Advent? 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:22.679 Well, at Christmas, we aren't celebrating the unique birth of a remarkable child. 00:11:23.379 --> 00:11:25.159 That is not what we're doing today. 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:39.579 At Christmas, we are celebrating the coming, the advent, the arrival of the long-awaited Savior and King. 00:11:39.580 --> 00:11:44.139 It's the advent of the Christ, the coming of the one. 00:11:44.360 --> 00:11:45.980 That's what this is about. 00:11:46.900 --> 00:11:52.560 And what I want to do this morning is examine just a handful of text from the four Gospels 00:11:52.560 --> 00:11:56.720 as we consider the fact that the Christ has indeed come. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:00.620 And then I want to take up the task of these four men. 00:12:01.879 --> 00:12:12.100 Not just in proving to you my thesis, but I want to persuade you to believe that Jesus is actually the Christ. 00:12:12.100 --> 00:12:21.279 So that as they say, you might have life and peace and hope and joy and all the things we've talked about this month, 00:12:21.460 --> 00:12:23.639 that you may have those things in his name. 00:12:23.720 --> 00:12:23.920 Okay? 00:12:24.200 --> 00:12:25.420 That's the goal for today. 00:12:25.580 --> 00:12:28.440 But before we get to those four texts in the four Gospels, 00:12:28.680 --> 00:12:30.500 there's one more thing that we must do. 00:12:30.580 --> 00:12:32.040 And we have to ask ourselves a question. 00:12:32.779 --> 00:12:34.100 This is an important question. 00:12:35.639 --> 00:12:36.779 What is Messiah? 00:12:36.779 --> 00:12:36.980 Messiah? 00:12:38.100 --> 00:12:39.439 What does that even mean? 00:12:40.419 --> 00:12:42.720 And why was anyone expecting one? 00:12:43.459 --> 00:12:46.179 So let's start there and let's get to that first. 00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:47.559 The term itself, Messiah. 00:12:48.139 --> 00:12:53.480 We use the term Christ in the New Testament, would be the Greek term that we use for that. 00:12:53.579 --> 00:12:58.839 It simply means anointed one or Savior, King. 00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:03.799 And in one sense, the Jews had all kinds of Messiahs. 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:08.219 In fact, if you just reflect on our study of the book of Judges for just a moment, 00:13:08.359 --> 00:13:11.479 the book of Deliverers as the Hebrews understood it to be, 00:13:12.099 --> 00:13:16.500 every one of the judges that we read about in that book, we could call them Messiahs. 00:13:16.599 --> 00:13:24.659 They're simply anointed individuals, anointed by God, sent by God in order to redeem his people in some way. 00:13:24.859 --> 00:13:27.359 That's really what Messiah means and Christ means. 00:13:27.359 --> 00:13:32.120 And the Jews have had all kinds of Messiahs through the millenniums. 00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:36.279 Technically speaking, we could point to many of them in the Scripture. 00:13:37.159 --> 00:13:44.299 But the idea of this messianic figure, this one individual who would stand above the rest, 00:13:44.519 --> 00:13:47.220 has a very specific usage in the Scriptures. 00:13:49.019 --> 00:13:56.399 Speaking of a royal figure, this king-like figure sent from God who would save his people 00:13:56.399 --> 00:14:01.360 and exert his righteous rule on an eternal throne. 00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:09.120 And the entire Old Testament is full of these prophetic utterances that this one individual would come 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:14.879 that led the people of Israel to expect him to one day come. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:16.620 Let me just give you a handful of them. 00:14:16.620 --> 00:14:21.059 The earliest promise of a deliverer comes at the very beginning of the Bible. 00:14:21.059 --> 00:14:27.579 Now, Genesis chapter 3, in the context of Adam and Eve's sin, Jesus, or God says, 00:14:27.779 --> 00:14:34.299 I will put enmity between the serpent and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring. 00:14:35.139 --> 00:14:41.119 He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.779 It's the earliest moment. 00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:44.700 And we don't get much from that, okay? 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:49.600 There's not much for us to take from that, except that God made a promise from the very beginning 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:55.440 that despite the tragedy of sin, that one day he would send an offspring of the woman 00:14:55.440 --> 00:15:01.960 who would be victorious in delivering his people and restoring mankind back to God. 00:15:02.620 --> 00:15:03.840 It continues on from there. 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:07.259 Remember, when God chose and made a covenant with Abraham, 00:15:07.800 --> 00:15:13.680 he promised that his future progeny would be used to bless the entire world. 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:15.740 That's Genesis chapter 12. 00:15:15.820 --> 00:15:17.420 Now, the Lord said to Abram, 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:22.420 Go from your country, your kindred, your father's house, to the land that I will show you. 00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:26.899 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you. 00:15:27.280 --> 00:15:30.440 I will make your name great so that you will be a blessing. 00:15:30.440 --> 00:15:35.000 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse. 00:15:35.380 --> 00:15:38.000 And then here's a massive part of the covenant. 00:15:38.800 --> 00:15:44.680 In you, in this great nation, in this progeny of yours, Abram, 00:15:45.020 --> 00:15:50.520 in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed, okay? 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:52.780 So we're getting hints. 00:15:52.900 --> 00:15:54.080 Okay, one is going to come. 00:15:54.280 --> 00:15:56.660 We were told one was going to come in human form. 00:15:56.820 --> 00:15:57.880 That's the seed of the woman. 00:15:57.879 --> 00:16:02.860 Now we're told more narrowly this one is going to come from the seed of Abraham. 00:16:03.299 --> 00:16:05.899 He will be an Israelite. 00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:08.080 And we fast forward a little bit more. 00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:14.820 God made a covenant with David that someone in his lineage would sit on an eternal throne. 00:16:16.100 --> 00:16:18.059 That's 2 Samuel chapter 7. 00:16:18.059 --> 00:16:20.319 God tells David, 00:16:20.519 --> 00:16:23.019 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, 00:16:23.319 --> 00:16:26.439 I will raise up your offspring after you, 00:16:26.839 --> 00:16:30.839 who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 00:16:31.359 --> 00:16:35.279 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom. 00:16:35.419 --> 00:16:36.399 Here's the important part. 00:16:37.239 --> 00:16:37.639 Forever. 00:16:38.579 --> 00:16:39.019 Forever. 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:41.439 This is not just going to be any king that comes from David. 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:46.500 This is an eternal king who will reign forever and ever. 00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:47.620 So it gets narrowed even further. 00:16:47.820 --> 00:16:49.540 Then the prophets pick up on this. 00:16:50.540 --> 00:16:54.960 And they tell us how God would raise up this Messiah from David's line. 00:16:55.180 --> 00:16:55.920 Are you still with me? 00:16:56.300 --> 00:16:56.960 Hang with me. 00:16:57.880 --> 00:17:00.080 You recognize this text from Isaiah 9? 00:17:00.940 --> 00:17:02.400 Unto us a child is born. 00:17:03.080 --> 00:17:04.720 Unto us a son will be given. 00:17:05.360 --> 00:17:07.580 The government shall be on his shoulders. 00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:09.440 That's eternal rule. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:10.039 No rule. 00:17:11.220 --> 00:17:18.960 His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:23.400 Of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end. 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:26.440 On the throne of David and over his kingdom. 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:27.840 To establish it. 00:17:28.080 --> 00:17:30.340 To uphold it with justice and with righteousness. 00:17:30.580 --> 00:17:33.880 From this time forth and forevermore. 00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:35.360 And who will do this? 00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:38.539 The zeal of the Lord of hosts. 00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:40.819 The zeal of God will do this. 00:17:40.879 --> 00:17:41.559 Now that's important. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:44.819 We take that as a prophecy of Jesus' birth. 00:17:44.899 --> 00:17:46.559 That's not a prophecy of Jesus' birth. 00:17:46.859 --> 00:17:49.379 That's a prophecy of Jesus' eternal reign. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:51.799 That's the second advent we're looking for there. 00:17:52.879 --> 00:17:53.759 The first advent. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:57.399 Still, we're constantly told one is going to come. 00:17:57.819 --> 00:17:59.559 One is going to come and here's what he's going to do. 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:03.000 Isaiah said he would be born of a virgin. 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:05.299 Isaiah chapter 7. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:07.480 Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:14.139 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. 00:18:14.899 --> 00:18:15.960 God with us. 00:18:17.139 --> 00:18:19.339 Micah declared he'd be born in Bethlehem. 00:18:19.339 --> 00:18:29.339 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel. 00:18:29.679 --> 00:18:34.500 Whose coming forth is from old, from ancient days. 00:18:35.679 --> 00:18:41.759 Malachi and Isaiah both said that there would be another prophet who would go before him to prepare the way of the Lord. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:50.680 Daniel wrote that the ancient of days, a euphemism for the eternal God, will give him a cosmic rule that will never end. 00:18:51.539 --> 00:18:57.539 And again, Isaiah declares that the way this Messiah will save his people is through his own death and resurrection. 00:18:57.900 --> 00:18:59.000 That's Isaiah 53. 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:02.680 Over and over and over and over. 00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:10.200 This is just a sampling of the many prophecies in the Old Testament that led the Jews to believe beyond a shadow of a doubt. 00:19:10.539 --> 00:19:15.860 That though we have lots of deliverers that God uses, there is a single one that is coming. 00:19:16.580 --> 00:19:19.880 And when he comes, it will be unlike any of the others. 00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:27.080 And he's going to rule and he's going to reign and he's going to provide eternal salvation for God's people. 00:19:27.079 --> 00:19:35.519 But there was a lot of confusion, as I said before, about what exactly that meant and how he would do this. 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:42.119 So that when Jesus comes, John says, he came into his own, but his own knew him not. 00:19:43.439 --> 00:19:44.480 And they rejected him. 00:19:44.500 --> 00:19:44.939 Well, why? 00:19:45.079 --> 00:19:51.059 If this is what they were waiting on for so long and finally it comes, why was it so easy to reject him? 00:19:51.259 --> 00:19:55.879 Well, their hearts were hard and their eyes were blind and they misunderstood. 00:19:55.880 --> 00:20:00.700 They had in their mind what they wanted the Messiah to be rather than what God said he would be. 00:20:02.820 --> 00:20:06.120 Nevertheless, the Messiah did come. 00:20:07.040 --> 00:20:10.020 And he fulfilled all of those prophecies in the meantime. 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:15.020 And what these four gospel authors wanted to do was help us make those connections. 00:20:15.820 --> 00:20:22.120 To look back at the Old Testament and say, this is what God said the Messiah is and will do. 00:20:22.340 --> 00:20:25.400 And let us show you how Jesus perfectly fulfills it. 00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:26.860 So that's what I want to show you now. 00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:27.140 Okay. 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:29.540 Let's look at the Christ in the gospels. 00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:36.400 Number one, Jesus is the Christ because he is the son of Abraham and David. 00:20:37.360 --> 00:20:41.500 Jesus is the Christ because he's the son of David and Abraham. 00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:42.200 All right. 00:20:42.320 --> 00:20:44.140 Flip to Matthew chapter one. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:45.900 This is where we're going to look at Matthew's gospel. 00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:48.200 Matthew chapter one. 00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:54.940 You still with me? 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:56.319 I haven't put you to sleep yet. 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:56.720 Okay. 00:20:57.480 --> 00:20:57.860 Good. 00:20:58.440 --> 00:20:58.720 Good. 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:05.600 Matthew one. 00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:08.819 Jesus is the Christ because he's the son of Abraham and of David. 00:21:08.819 --> 00:21:12.000 Now it's important for us to recognize as you're turning to Matthew one. 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:14.839 I want you to think for just a moment. 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:22.379 That to claim to be the one to claim to be the Messiah. 00:21:22.380 --> 00:21:25.820 Messiah was virtually impossible. 00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:27.120 Okay. 00:21:28.820 --> 00:21:31.940 This is not a claim that just anybody could make. 00:21:32.020 --> 00:21:37.140 It would not be that easy to do, which is why not many people ever did it. 00:21:37.320 --> 00:21:37.580 Okay. 00:21:37.840 --> 00:21:39.540 It's important to remember. 00:21:39.539 --> 00:21:50.579 One of the primary reasons for this is because there are so many prophecies in the Old Testament that speak of this coming Messiah. 00:21:51.720 --> 00:22:02.779 There's just far too many facets of who the Christ is and what the Christ would do for any one person to perfectly match them all is virtually impossible. 00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:13.819 And one of the most important of these facets has to do with the Messiah's lineage, which is the first argument that Matthew takes up. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:16.099 Look at verse one of chapter one. 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:21.980 Matthew plainly tells us this is the book of the genealogy. 00:22:22.119 --> 00:22:24.460 This is the book of new beginnings, essentially, is what he's saying. 00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:28.779 This is the book of the genealogy of beginnings of Jesus Messiah. 00:22:30.019 --> 00:22:31.259 That's his purpose statement. 00:22:31.420 --> 00:22:32.480 Jesus is the Messiah. 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:33.400 I'm going to prove it to you. 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:39.900 And he says, adds to it, because he's the son of David and son of Abraham. 00:22:40.740 --> 00:22:43.579 So in the very first line of Matthew's gospel, what's he doing? 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:45.480 He's declaring the purpose of his writing. 00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:56.980 He wants to argue that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, partly because he's the true descendant of David and Abraham. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:01.400 And then he walks us through, all through chapter one, he walks us through the bloodline. 00:23:01.400 --> 00:23:16.320 The bloodline of Joseph and Mary proving that Jesus is the rightful, legal heir to the covenant promises to both Abraham and David. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:21.379 Now, of course, Matthew's not only concerned with this part of the prophecy. 00:23:21.379 --> 00:23:26.980 He's not only concerned with matching Jesus as a descendant of Abraham and David. 00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:29.339 Thousands of people could make that claim. 00:23:29.339 --> 00:23:34.079 So that's not all that important at first until you start to piece it together with other things. 00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:41.920 Throughout Matthew's account of the birth of Christ, he routinely makes these necessary connections to other prophecies. 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:51.420 You can read it later on your own, but he directly quotes Isaiah, Micah, Hosea, and Jeremiah in the first two chapters. 00:23:51.960 --> 00:24:01.160 Then he quotes Isaiah again in chapter three regarding John the Baptist being this prophet that would go before the Messiah. 00:24:01.160 --> 00:24:10.040 Indeed, one of Matthew's favorite phrases to use is some variation of what we see in chapter one in verse 23 when he says, 00:24:10.560 --> 00:24:16.360 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophets. 00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:19.180 This is so important. 00:24:19.620 --> 00:24:20.540 What's Matthew doing? 00:24:20.800 --> 00:24:26.460 He's saying by virtue of his lineage and then starting there and looking at all these other prophecies, 00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:30.720 we can say with certainty that Jesus of Nazareth, he's the one. 00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:32.220 He fits the description. 00:24:32.759 --> 00:24:37.299 This description that's virtually impossible to assume in one person. 00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:38.980 Jesus does it. 00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:42.720 And here's all the ways that Matthew begins to connect the dots for us. 00:24:42.759 --> 00:24:46.759 He gives us at least six of them just in the first two and a half chapters that says, 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:50.840 This is why we know Jesus is the one. 00:24:51.400 --> 00:24:52.620 But it wasn't just Matthew. 00:24:53.400 --> 00:24:55.720 All the gospel authors make these connections. 00:24:55.720 --> 00:24:58.500 All the apostles make these connections. 00:24:58.500 --> 00:25:04.660 So that the apostle Paul, who was an expert in the law, concludes this in 2 Corinthians chapter one. 00:25:05.160 --> 00:25:10.680 All the promises of God find their yes in him, in Christ. 00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:18.180 Which is why through him, Paul says, we utter our amen to God for his glory. 00:25:19.259 --> 00:25:20.660 So why is Jesus the Christ? 00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:23.740 Well, Jesus is the Christ because he's the son of Abraham and David. 00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:27.299 He fulfills the prophecies perfectly. 00:25:28.779 --> 00:25:30.099 In their entirety. 00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:32.440 He fulfills them. 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:34.140 Number two. 00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:38.140 Jesus is the Christ because he's the son of God. 00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:41.339 He's the Christ because he's the son of Abraham and David. 00:25:41.579 --> 00:25:43.940 He's the Christ because he's the son of God. 00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:44.900 Flip to Mark now. 00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:47.440 We're going to look at Mark's gospel for just a moment. 00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:47.640 And then. 00:25:47.640 --> 00:25:51.880 Mark chapter one. 00:25:53.740 --> 00:25:57.780 Now Matthew's audience was primarily made up of Jews. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:05.080 Which is why he focuses so much on Jesus's genealogy and his birth narrative. 00:26:06.020 --> 00:26:07.259 Mark doesn't do that. 00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:11.940 Mark was writing Peter's eyewitness account on Peter's behalf. 00:26:11.940 --> 00:26:14.680 And his audience was not primarily Jews. 00:26:14.779 --> 00:26:16.680 His audience was primarily Romans. 00:26:17.480 --> 00:26:21.460 So rather than focus on Jesus's human genealogy. 00:26:21.900 --> 00:26:24.220 He spoke directly of his deity. 00:26:24.440 --> 00:26:26.360 And I want you to notice his opening statement. 00:26:26.860 --> 00:26:28.160 Mark chapter one, verse one. 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:28.860 This is what he says. 00:26:28.920 --> 00:26:29.680 Here's my purpose. 00:26:30.539 --> 00:26:33.680 This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus. 00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:35.200 Messiah. 00:26:35.500 --> 00:26:36.660 Jesus the Christ. 00:26:36.660 --> 00:26:38.759 That's what I'm arguing for. 00:26:39.060 --> 00:26:41.400 Except he doesn't say son of Abraham and son of David. 00:26:41.460 --> 00:26:42.800 He said something way worse. 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:45.759 He says son of God. 00:26:46.759 --> 00:26:47.680 Son of God. 00:26:49.880 --> 00:26:56.540 Matthew wrote of new beginnings that arrived with the birth of Abraham and David's descendants. 00:26:57.580 --> 00:27:03.259 Mark wrote of the good news that Jesus is the Christ and the son of God. 00:27:03.259 --> 00:27:10.599 And first century readers and listeners would have understood this to be a direct claim of deity. 00:27:11.660 --> 00:27:20.640 Mark does not mean here that the one true God had some type of conjugal visit with a human woman 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:27.480 and produced this mixed offspring that was part deity and part humanity. 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:29.720 That's not what Mark is saying by this. 00:27:30.019 --> 00:27:32.519 That's not how they would have understood this statement. 00:27:33.259 --> 00:27:41.160 When he makes this claim to be son of God, when Jesus makes these claims, it's a direct claim of divinity, of deity. 00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:45.819 And many people have tried to reject this notion. 00:27:46.539 --> 00:27:51.160 They claim that Jesus never explicitly said that he was God. 00:27:51.160 --> 00:28:02.640 But one only needs to look at the vehement reaction of the Jews around Jesus to know that everyone knew what Jesus was saying when he said things like, 00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:04.320 I have come from heaven. 00:28:05.080 --> 00:28:08.000 Or I am the bread of life. 00:28:08.140 --> 00:28:11.380 Or I and the Father are one. 00:28:11.380 --> 00:28:13.820 They knew what he meant by that. 00:28:13.820 --> 00:28:18.700 They knew that was a claim of deity, which is why many of them hated him so much and rejected him. 00:28:19.580 --> 00:28:22.020 But how can we know that any of that is true? 00:28:22.340 --> 00:28:27.540 What does Mark do other than just making this statement that Jesus is the son of God? 00:28:27.780 --> 00:28:30.420 What does he do to convince us that that's actually true? 00:28:31.240 --> 00:28:33.420 Well, he does all kinds of things, actually. 00:28:33.420 --> 00:28:42.080 He goes to great lengths to tell us about all the many ways Jesus demonstrated his divine power. 00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:43.720 Let me give you just a handful. 00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:50.279 Chapter 1, he heals a leprous man by touching him. 00:28:51.300 --> 00:28:52.680 Something no one else would do. 00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:57.380 In fact, it was illegal in some cases to even touch one, to touch a leprous man. 00:28:57.820 --> 00:29:01.800 Jesus not only touches him, but his touch cleanses him from this leprosy. 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:07.580 Then immediately after, we've got the story of the four friends who tear up the roof of Peter's house, 00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:09.340 and they lower their paralytic friend down. 00:29:09.980 --> 00:29:11.420 Jesus forgives his sins first. 00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.380 It's an amazing story. 00:29:12.700 --> 00:29:13.720 And then he just tells him. 00:29:13.900 --> 00:29:14.640 He doesn't even touch him. 00:29:14.820 --> 00:29:16.280 He just says, just get up and walk. 00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:17.040 Why don't you? 00:29:17.040 --> 00:29:22.160 And this man who's been a paralytic for however long, maybe his whole life, just gets up and walks. 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:28.120 Now, why do you think Mark was concerned to tell us that? 00:29:28.800 --> 00:29:30.640 Because he's told us in the very first verse, 00:29:30.779 --> 00:29:35.680 my purpose is to tell you that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God, that he's God in the flesh. 00:29:37.140 --> 00:29:39.940 And that because he's God in the flesh, we know he's the Christ. 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:40.740 He's the Messiah. 00:29:41.620 --> 00:29:42.519 But he doesn't leave it there. 00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:50.639 He tells of Jesus calming a storm on the Lake of Galilee with just three words, peace, peace, still. 00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:52.660 And suddenly the storm just completely goes away. 00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:57.039 He has this power over creation, over nature. 00:29:58.420 --> 00:30:01.639 Then he tells us that Jesus went with his disciples to Gennesaret, 00:30:01.639 --> 00:30:04.960 and there was this man who was filled with demons. 00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:08.480 And he shows that Jesus had this power over demonic powers, 00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:13.740 over spiritual forces that are unseen, but are deeply felt and experienced. 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:15.940 Jesus has power over those. 00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:20.640 Then he tells us that Jesus actually has power over death. 00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:22.420 There was this young girl. 00:30:22.620 --> 00:30:25.559 Her father's name was Jairus, and she was dead. 00:30:26.680 --> 00:30:29.140 And then Jesus made her live again. 00:30:29.140 --> 00:30:33.360 And then he tells us that there were 5,000 people who were hungry, 00:30:33.520 --> 00:30:37.960 and Jesus took a little boy's lunch, and he fed all of them with just this little boy's lunch, 00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:39.960 so that they had food even left over. 00:30:40.180 --> 00:30:41.980 He tells us of Jesus walking on water. 00:30:42.060 --> 00:30:44.620 He goes on and on and on and on and on. 00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:45.100 Why? 00:30:46.680 --> 00:30:50.380 So that we might believe that Jesus is the Son of God, 00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:53.820 and that since he's the Son of God, he must be the Messiah too. 00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:58.580 You say, well, how can we know any of those stories are true? 00:30:59.620 --> 00:31:02.120 Not a single one of those stories was done in a vacuum. 00:31:02.300 --> 00:31:04.040 Not a single one was done in private. 00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:06.900 They had eyewitnesses. 00:31:08.380 --> 00:31:11.820 And those eyewitnesses were still living at the time that Mark was writing this, 00:31:11.860 --> 00:31:15.860 and all the apostles were sharing it verbally as they were preaching from city to city 00:31:15.860 --> 00:31:16.920 and in the middle of Jerusalem. 00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:20.720 And the very reason that some of these gospel authors even wrote about it 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:23.700 is because they went and they interviewed the eyewitnesses to find out, 00:31:23.840 --> 00:31:24.840 now, is this really true? 00:31:24.940 --> 00:31:25.759 Is this what happened? 00:31:26.080 --> 00:31:27.740 Tell me what happened with this. 00:31:27.740 --> 00:31:31.940 At least 5,000 of them could have been interviewed for just the feeding one. 00:31:33.480 --> 00:31:34.920 I think we can trust that. 00:31:36.059 --> 00:31:41.680 Now, Mark's judgment that Jesus is deity doesn't just come out of thin air. 00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:46.279 The prophecies of the Old Testament point us to this. 00:31:47.340 --> 00:31:49.580 Take Isaiah's prophecy, for example. 00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:53.660 He said that the virgin-born child would be called what? 00:31:53.799 --> 00:31:54.539 What was the name? 00:31:55.660 --> 00:31:56.180 Emmanuel. 00:31:56.180 --> 00:31:56.500 Emmanuel. 00:31:56.500 --> 00:31:59.060 Well, that's Isaiah saying that. 00:31:59.600 --> 00:32:00.880 What does Emmanuel mean? 00:32:01.740 --> 00:32:03.680 God is with us. 00:32:03.860 --> 00:32:07.779 And what do we find in the person of Jesus, as the gospel authors tell us? 00:32:08.500 --> 00:32:13.539 That quite literally, God is with us in flesh. 00:32:13.539 --> 00:32:18.599 This explains the unprecedented displays of power. 00:32:18.599 --> 00:32:27.279 It also shows how his death could truly provide a sufficient atonement for our sins. 00:32:28.279 --> 00:32:29.759 Which brings us to the next point. 00:32:29.919 --> 00:32:30.279 Number three. 00:32:30.719 --> 00:32:36.219 Jesus is the Christ because he died for our sins and rose from the dead. 00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:37.240 Okay? 00:32:37.640 --> 00:32:38.819 So we're on number three now. 00:32:39.160 --> 00:32:42.720 The first one was Jesus is the Christ because he's the son of Abraham and David. 00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:45.460 Which is just our way of saying he fulfills all the prophecies. 00:32:45.559 --> 00:32:46.059 Like, it's easy. 00:32:46.140 --> 00:32:47.079 You can piece it together. 00:32:47.180 --> 00:32:47.960 You can figure it out. 00:32:48.620 --> 00:32:49.120 Number two. 00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:51.299 Jesus is the Christ because he's the son of God. 00:32:51.339 --> 00:32:53.819 And we know that because of all of these other things that he did. 00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:57.539 And if he's God, then that must mean he's also Messiah. 00:32:57.960 --> 00:32:58.420 Number three. 00:32:58.859 --> 00:33:02.440 He's Christ because he died for our sins and rose from the dead. 00:33:02.519 --> 00:33:04.319 For this, we go to the gospel of Luke. 00:33:04.779 --> 00:33:05.019 Okay? 00:33:05.359 --> 00:33:06.460 The gospel of Luke. 00:33:06.460 --> 00:33:07.880 But we're not going to start at the beginning. 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:08.680 We could do that. 00:33:08.819 --> 00:33:11.579 We see that in the birth narrative of Luke's gospel. 00:33:11.860 --> 00:33:13.220 I want you to go to the end. 00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:15.340 To Luke chapter 24. 00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:17.759 Luke chapter 24. 00:33:19.819 --> 00:33:29.600 Now, the gospels are keen on arguing not only for Jesus' messianic identity, but also his purpose. 00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:32.120 Why did the Christ come? 00:33:32.119 --> 00:33:38.739 Like I said, during Jesus' own time, there was a lot of confusion about this, even among his own disciples. 00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:51.440 Despite clearly teaching, they seemed to have no intellectual capacity for a Messiah who would suffer. 00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:54.680 They just, they couldn't comprehend that. 00:33:54.680 --> 00:34:04.120 Which is why the disciples struggled over and over and over, despite Jesus' clear teaching, to grasp what it was that he was actually getting at. 00:34:04.180 --> 00:34:06.900 It's why they all ran and were devastated at his death. 00:34:07.720 --> 00:34:08.900 They just didn't understand. 00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:10.660 Again, which tells us something. 00:34:11.320 --> 00:34:22.320 That it ultimately took Jesus going through it before anyone could actually begin to grasp the significance of his purpose. 00:34:22.320 --> 00:34:35.140 And what that does is it makes Jesus' resurrection in particular the strongest possible evidence that he is indeed the Christ and the Son of God. 00:34:35.860 --> 00:34:37.660 So look with me at Luke 24. 00:34:37.840 --> 00:34:39.960 Look at verse 44. 00:34:40.620 --> 00:34:42.420 This is after Jesus' resurrection. 00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:46.220 He is appearing to his disciples, many of them for the first time now. 00:34:46.559 --> 00:34:48.160 And this is what he says to them. 00:34:49.660 --> 00:34:50.500 Verse 44. 00:34:50.500 --> 00:34:51.880 Then he said to them, 00:34:52.760 --> 00:34:56.780 These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you. 00:34:57.719 --> 00:35:05.119 That everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. 00:35:06.260 --> 00:35:09.280 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:11.659 And he said to them, 00:35:12.500 --> 00:35:17.900 Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer. 00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:35.400 Notice what Jesus does. 00:35:35.400 --> 00:35:43.559 Jesus could have simply appealed to the experience they were having in that moment. 00:35:43.559 --> 00:35:49.619 Of witnessing a man who three days before was dead. 00:35:50.619 --> 00:35:53.220 And now suddenly he's alive. 00:35:53.660 --> 00:35:55.900 Not in spirit, but in bodily form. 00:35:56.079 --> 00:35:58.320 And that's the paragraph before he explains that. 00:35:58.420 --> 00:35:59.300 And they explain that. 00:35:59.380 --> 00:35:59.960 They see that. 00:35:59.960 --> 00:36:03.720 He could have just appealed to that experience and said, 00:36:03.720 --> 00:36:08.039 Look, based on just how can you not trust me after seeing me right now? 00:36:08.220 --> 00:36:09.539 Let me just tell you all this stuff. 00:36:09.880 --> 00:36:10.720 That's not what he does. 00:36:10.780 --> 00:36:11.400 What does he do? 00:36:12.119 --> 00:36:12.760 He says, 00:36:12.920 --> 00:36:15.300 Let me tell you what the scriptures say again. 00:36:16.840 --> 00:36:17.639 And he says, 00:36:17.720 --> 00:36:20.119 This was necessary that the Christ, 00:36:20.240 --> 00:36:21.860 The one that the scriptures are speaking of, 00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:27.679 Had to go through this in order for forgiveness of sins to actually come. 00:36:27.679 --> 00:36:30.759 According to the scriptures, 00:36:31.019 --> 00:36:32.019 Christ had to suffer. 00:36:32.579 --> 00:36:33.419 He had to die. 00:36:33.759 --> 00:36:34.839 He had to rise. 00:36:35.179 --> 00:36:38.239 Before he could ever establish a kingdom over which to rule. 00:36:40.719 --> 00:36:43.319 Then Jesus explained that it was all necessary 00:36:43.319 --> 00:36:46.000 In order for people of all nations, 00:36:46.960 --> 00:36:47.940 Including Israel, 00:36:48.679 --> 00:36:49.819 To have their sins forgiven. 00:36:50.599 --> 00:36:51.679 You know, what is this all about? 00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:57.279 You see, God required a perfect, sinless sacrifice 00:36:57.279 --> 00:36:59.940 To atone for our sins. 00:37:00.599 --> 00:37:03.159 To appease God's wrath against our sins. 00:37:03.259 --> 00:37:05.819 That took a very specific kind of atonement. 00:37:08.619 --> 00:37:13.239 No created being would ever be able to do that. 00:37:13.239 --> 00:37:17.019 Because every one of us is born in sin. 00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:22.039 Meaning that our death is a payment for our own sin. 00:37:24.639 --> 00:37:31.379 This required that God himself be born as a man. 00:37:32.899 --> 00:37:36.899 Perfectly fulfill the law that all of us have broken. 00:37:36.900 --> 00:37:41.380 And give his life as a ransom for those of us. 00:37:41.680 --> 00:37:42.980 Who have broken it. 00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:48.119 And it was his resurrection from the dead. 00:37:48.900 --> 00:37:50.960 That proved the effectiveness. 00:37:52.460 --> 00:37:54.780 Of his death as an atonement. 00:37:55.340 --> 00:37:56.119 On the cross. 00:37:57.519 --> 00:38:00.380 So according to the resurrected Christ. 00:38:00.380 --> 00:38:03.519 His crucifixion and resurrection. 00:38:04.200 --> 00:38:06.700 Are the most important evidences. 00:38:07.500 --> 00:38:10.099 Of his messianic identity. 00:38:11.059 --> 00:38:13.180 Why do we believe Jesus is the Christ? 00:38:14.000 --> 00:38:14.460 First. 00:38:15.260 --> 00:38:17.039 Because he rose from the dead. 00:38:18.980 --> 00:38:21.280 If Jesus rose from the dead. 00:38:22.220 --> 00:38:25.680 It literally changes everything. 00:38:27.000 --> 00:38:28.780 And he did rise from the dead. 00:38:30.380 --> 00:38:31.680 Without the cross. 00:38:31.960 --> 00:38:33.119 And the empty tomb. 00:38:33.680 --> 00:38:36.780 There would be no reason for us to believe that Jesus was Messiah. 00:38:36.880 --> 00:38:38.400 Because even according to Jesus. 00:38:38.780 --> 00:38:40.160 The Christ had to do this. 00:38:40.200 --> 00:38:41.760 If he was going to truly be the Christ. 00:38:43.800 --> 00:38:46.280 There would be no way for us to have forgiveness of sins. 00:38:46.300 --> 00:38:47.160 If this didn't happen. 00:38:47.740 --> 00:38:49.660 There would be no way for us to have eternal life. 00:38:49.700 --> 00:38:51.079 If there wasn't someone who proved. 00:38:51.220 --> 00:38:53.280 That they had power over death and life. 00:38:54.920 --> 00:38:56.599 And this was the message. 00:38:56.599 --> 00:38:58.240 That the apostles began to preach. 00:38:58.240 --> 00:39:00.220 After this moment of resurrection. 00:39:01.099 --> 00:39:04.260 Listen to part of Peter's sermon in Acts chapter 2. 00:39:05.300 --> 00:39:06.400 Jesus of Nazareth. 00:39:06.519 --> 00:39:08.619 A man attested to you by God. 00:39:08.720 --> 00:39:11.599 With mighty works and wonders and signs. 00:39:11.760 --> 00:39:13.079 That God did through him. 00:39:14.240 --> 00:39:16.079 This Jesus delivered up. 00:39:16.119 --> 00:39:17.880 According to the definite plan. 00:39:18.000 --> 00:39:19.000 And foreknowledge of God. 00:39:19.099 --> 00:39:21.200 In other words this was God's doing. 00:39:21.840 --> 00:39:23.220 God did this. 00:39:23.760 --> 00:39:24.980 He planned it. 00:39:25.440 --> 00:39:26.619 He performed it. 00:39:26.680 --> 00:39:27.840 From beginning to end. 00:39:27.840 --> 00:39:31.059 You crucified according to God's plan. 00:39:31.059 --> 00:39:33.820 And killed him by the hands of lawless men. 00:39:33.940 --> 00:39:34.600 And then he says. 00:39:34.800 --> 00:39:36.660 God raised him up. 00:39:37.360 --> 00:39:38.920 Loosing the pains of death. 00:39:38.980 --> 00:39:40.960 And then there's this really important phrase. 00:39:40.960 --> 00:39:42.260 That Peter uses. 00:39:42.620 --> 00:39:45.039 Because it was not possible. 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:47.840 For him to be held by death. 00:39:47.840 --> 00:39:51.960 Why was it not possible for Jesus to be held by death? 00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:53.660 Like I said. 00:39:54.280 --> 00:39:55.500 You and I die. 00:39:55.960 --> 00:39:56.860 Because we're sinners. 00:39:58.200 --> 00:39:59.559 Jesus has no sin. 00:40:00.760 --> 00:40:04.079 His death therefore pays for no sin of his own. 00:40:04.360 --> 00:40:05.740 But for the sins of others. 00:40:07.100 --> 00:40:08.680 Death has no claim on him. 00:40:08.679 --> 00:40:11.980 Why? 00:40:13.059 --> 00:40:14.199 Because he's the Christ. 00:40:15.159 --> 00:40:16.440 The son of God. 00:40:18.599 --> 00:40:19.559 Number four. 00:40:19.679 --> 00:40:20.139 And we're finished. 00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:24.119 Jesus offers you life. 00:40:24.460 --> 00:40:25.539 And forgiveness. 00:40:26.619 --> 00:40:28.659 In his name alone. 00:40:30.659 --> 00:40:31.940 Jesus offers you. 00:40:33.239 --> 00:40:34.179 You and me. 00:40:35.899 --> 00:40:37.259 People of all nations. 00:40:37.260 --> 00:40:39.580 Life. 00:40:40.880 --> 00:40:41.760 And forgiveness. 00:40:43.920 --> 00:40:45.240 In his name alone. 00:40:46.020 --> 00:40:47.060 And for this final note. 00:40:47.160 --> 00:40:47.840 We move to. 00:40:48.380 --> 00:40:49.120 John's gospel. 00:40:49.720 --> 00:40:52.100 I feel like I've done a really cheap presentation. 00:40:52.280 --> 00:40:53.000 Of these gospels. 00:40:53.120 --> 00:40:54.840 Only looking at a verse at a time. 00:40:55.160 --> 00:40:56.380 I hope you'll go read them. 00:40:56.700 --> 00:40:58.160 Go read these gospels yourself. 00:40:58.280 --> 00:40:59.420 You'll see there's so much more here. 00:40:59.680 --> 00:41:01.900 But I want you to turn to John chapter 20. 00:41:03.120 --> 00:41:04.320 John chapter 20. 00:41:07.260 --> 00:41:16.120 John has so much to say. 00:41:16.120 --> 00:41:17.600 About the identity of the Christ. 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:19.240 If you just read the prologue. 00:41:19.380 --> 00:41:20.620 In the very first chapter. 00:41:20.860 --> 00:41:22.560 He gives us this amazing. 00:41:23.200 --> 00:41:25.120 Amazing look at the incarnation. 00:41:25.700 --> 00:41:27.660 Not from a birth narrative perspective. 00:41:27.820 --> 00:41:28.140 But that. 00:41:28.300 --> 00:41:29.440 That wonderful passage. 00:41:29.560 --> 00:41:31.200 The word became flesh. 00:41:31.200 --> 00:41:32.340 And dwelt among us. 00:41:32.340 --> 00:41:33.760 And we have seen his glory. 00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:37.180 Glory as the only begotten from the father. 00:41:37.300 --> 00:41:38.559 It's an amazing passage. 00:41:38.559 --> 00:41:40.660 And statement of Jesus's identity. 00:41:40.660 --> 00:41:42.519 But I want you to see here in chapter 20. 00:41:42.880 --> 00:41:44.519 Look with me at verse 30. 00:41:44.519 --> 00:41:50.320 This is John speaking to the reader now. 00:41:51.360 --> 00:41:52.340 Remember the thesis. 00:41:53.239 --> 00:41:55.780 The thesis is that what these gospel authors are doing. 00:41:56.059 --> 00:41:58.780 Is trying to convince us of something specific about Jesus. 00:41:58.880 --> 00:41:59.719 So that we'll believe him. 00:42:00.019 --> 00:42:00.199 Okay. 00:42:00.820 --> 00:42:02.539 And John tells us straightforwardly. 00:42:03.199 --> 00:42:06.159 Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples. 00:42:07.300 --> 00:42:08.719 Which are not written in this book. 00:42:08.759 --> 00:42:09.519 I didn't write them all. 00:42:09.519 --> 00:42:12.940 But these things are written. 00:42:13.259 --> 00:42:14.099 Why? 00:42:15.159 --> 00:42:18.420 So that you may believe. 00:42:18.739 --> 00:42:21.840 That Jesus is the Christ. 00:42:22.460 --> 00:42:23.880 The son of God. 00:42:24.880 --> 00:42:27.219 And that by believing. 00:42:28.139 --> 00:42:30.659 You may have life. 00:42:31.440 --> 00:42:32.820 In his name. 00:42:33.960 --> 00:42:35.000 Let's read it one more time. 00:42:35.059 --> 00:42:36.139 This is so good. 00:42:37.420 --> 00:42:38.440 Verse 31. 00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:41.579 I have written these things. 00:42:41.780 --> 00:42:44.219 So that you will believe. 00:42:45.099 --> 00:42:46.000 Believe what? 00:42:47.019 --> 00:42:49.059 That Jesus is the Christ. 00:42:49.139 --> 00:42:50.099 The son of God. 00:42:50.860 --> 00:42:53.559 And why should I believe that Jesus is the Christ. 00:42:53.619 --> 00:42:54.320 The son of God? 00:42:55.159 --> 00:42:57.000 Because by believing. 00:42:57.440 --> 00:43:00.219 You will have life. 00:43:00.679 --> 00:43:01.519 What life? 00:43:02.079 --> 00:43:03.059 His life. 00:43:05.599 --> 00:43:06.860 In his name. 00:43:06.860 --> 00:43:08.720 Now what would be the purpose. 00:43:09.039 --> 00:43:10.880 Of Jesus' death and resurrection. 00:43:11.240 --> 00:43:13.820 If he didn't bother to offer us anything. 00:43:13.980 --> 00:43:15.140 In response to it. 00:43:17.160 --> 00:43:18.240 But it had a purpose. 00:43:18.680 --> 00:43:19.660 He didn't just do it. 00:43:19.720 --> 00:43:20.480 Just to do it. 00:43:20.840 --> 00:43:22.320 There are weird people who do stuff. 00:43:22.400 --> 00:43:23.019 Just to do it. 00:43:23.360 --> 00:43:23.559 Right? 00:43:24.039 --> 00:43:24.840 A few years ago. 00:43:26.019 --> 00:43:27.220 I got this weird idea. 00:43:27.320 --> 00:43:28.260 That I was going to run a marathon. 00:43:28.720 --> 00:43:29.559 For no reason. 00:43:31.360 --> 00:43:32.440 That was dumb. 00:43:32.440 --> 00:43:36.460 Jesus didn't just wake up one day. 00:43:36.539 --> 00:43:37.300 And say you know what? 00:43:38.820 --> 00:43:39.619 Father God. 00:43:40.059 --> 00:43:41.460 I think I'm going to become a man. 00:43:41.559 --> 00:43:42.300 And I'm going to suffer. 00:43:42.820 --> 00:43:43.599 And I'm going to die. 00:43:43.659 --> 00:43:44.599 And I'm going to race from the dead. 00:43:44.639 --> 00:43:46.000 Just because I want to do it. 00:43:47.119 --> 00:43:48.360 And there's a purpose to it. 00:43:48.400 --> 00:43:48.800 Isn't there? 00:43:49.579 --> 00:43:50.659 And what is the purpose? 00:43:51.360 --> 00:43:53.519 So that we might have salvation. 00:43:54.099 --> 00:43:55.159 Eternal salvation. 00:43:55.700 --> 00:43:57.519 And that's precisely John's point here. 00:43:57.519 --> 00:43:59.759 He wrote all of these things about Jesus. 00:43:59.759 --> 00:44:02.239 Not so that you would have some interesting stories. 00:44:02.239 --> 00:44:04.500 About the life of a first century rabbi. 00:44:04.820 --> 00:44:06.759 But that you might be convinced. 00:44:06.759 --> 00:44:09.139 That Jesus is the Christ and son of God. 00:44:10.099 --> 00:44:12.139 And he wants you to know this truth. 00:44:12.800 --> 00:44:15.239 Has immediate relevance for your life today. 00:44:16.860 --> 00:44:19.980 That if you will just believe. 00:44:20.579 --> 00:44:22.880 That Jesus is the Christ and son of God. 00:44:23.119 --> 00:44:24.360 Turning from sin. 00:44:24.360 --> 00:44:27.019 And trusting wholly in his person and work. 00:44:27.679 --> 00:44:29.960 You will have eternal life. 00:44:30.280 --> 00:44:31.440 In his name. 00:44:32.340 --> 00:44:33.480 That's the whole point. 00:44:34.119 --> 00:44:35.179 Why do we celebrate Christmas? 00:44:35.559 --> 00:44:36.199 That's why. 00:44:36.960 --> 00:44:37.539 That's why. 00:44:38.199 --> 00:44:39.519 What is the advent about? 00:44:40.119 --> 00:44:40.380 Well yeah. 00:44:40.480 --> 00:44:42.340 It's about hope and peace and joy. 00:44:42.579 --> 00:44:43.300 And love. 00:44:43.400 --> 00:44:44.559 And all the things that we've talked about. 00:44:44.659 --> 00:44:46.259 But it's only because of those things. 00:44:46.340 --> 00:44:47.719 Because of this thing. 00:44:49.099 --> 00:44:51.059 That the Christ has come to give us life. 00:44:52.519 --> 00:44:53.759 These gospel authors. 00:44:53.920 --> 00:44:55.780 They had so much more to say. 00:44:55.800 --> 00:44:56.559 About Jesus. 00:44:56.559 --> 00:44:58.779 Than the very little bit. 00:44:58.779 --> 00:45:00.099 That we've covered this morning. 00:45:00.320 --> 00:45:02.880 But they didn't say anything less about him. 00:45:02.940 --> 00:45:04.259 Than what I've shared with you this morning. 00:45:05.179 --> 00:45:06.559 This is the baseline. 00:45:08.559 --> 00:45:10.480 And they had a very distinct purpose. 00:45:10.480 --> 00:45:11.219 In doing it. 00:45:12.500 --> 00:45:14.199 Guided by the spirit of God. 00:45:14.599 --> 00:45:15.380 They wrote. 00:45:15.559 --> 00:45:17.199 So that we might be forgiven. 00:45:18.400 --> 00:45:20.019 And reconciled to God. 00:45:20.019 --> 00:45:20.519 God. 00:45:20.519 --> 00:45:23.559 And this is the message. 00:45:23.559 --> 00:45:24.940 That the apostles preach. 00:45:24.940 --> 00:45:25.780 From the very beginning. 00:45:26.239 --> 00:45:26.679 Why? 00:45:26.800 --> 00:45:27.920 Because there's salvation. 00:45:27.920 --> 00:45:29.280 In no other name. 00:45:30.400 --> 00:45:31.440 No other way. 00:45:31.440 --> 00:45:32.199 For you to have. 00:45:32.400 --> 00:45:33.340 Your sins forgiven. 00:45:33.679 --> 00:45:34.300 No other way. 00:45:34.300 --> 00:45:35.320 For you to have life. 00:45:35.320 --> 00:45:36.039 After death. 00:45:36.039 --> 00:46:06.039 NINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNING 00:46:06.039 --> 00:46:11.019 all of these people were alive during Jesus's time. 00:46:11.099 --> 00:46:13.559 This is just a matter of days after his death and resurrection. 00:46:14.940 --> 00:46:17.099 Peter preaches this gospel message. 00:46:19.360 --> 00:46:21.239 And they say, we messed up. 00:46:21.860 --> 00:46:23.619 He was here and we just completely missed it. 00:46:23.659 --> 00:46:25.279 In fact, we're responsible for his death. 00:46:25.559 --> 00:46:26.360 What do we do? 00:46:27.360 --> 00:46:32.079 Peter said to them, repent, turn, 00:46:32.079 --> 00:46:37.480 and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. 00:46:38.400 --> 00:46:38.699 Why? 00:46:39.679 --> 00:46:41.699 For the forgiveness of your sins. 00:46:42.559 --> 00:46:45.239 And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 00:46:48.219 --> 00:46:50.019 For the promise is for you. 00:46:51.440 --> 00:46:52.539 Isn't that amazing? 00:46:53.440 --> 00:46:56.119 The promise of the Spirit is what he specifically has in mind there. 00:46:56.239 --> 00:47:00.099 The indwelling presence of God's Spirit that redeems us and regenerates us 00:47:00.099 --> 00:47:02.960 and then renews us and eventually is going to glorify us in heaven. 00:47:03.400 --> 00:47:05.019 And he says, this promise is for you. 00:47:05.880 --> 00:47:07.279 And it's for your children. 00:47:07.679 --> 00:47:10.920 And it's for all who are far off from here. 00:47:12.259 --> 00:47:16.679 Everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. 00:47:16.799 --> 00:47:18.139 That's who the promise is for. 00:47:18.139 --> 00:47:21.739 So repent and believe, he says. 00:47:23.219 --> 00:47:27.579 And perhaps you're in the same predicament as the people listening to Peter. 00:47:27.579 --> 00:47:32.719 And you're wondering, well, what do I do now? 00:47:33.759 --> 00:47:38.299 Okay, I see that these things make sense according to the scriptures at least. 00:47:38.460 --> 00:47:41.139 But what am I supposed to do about that? 00:47:42.119 --> 00:47:44.819 And the answer is the same for you that it was for them. 00:47:46.519 --> 00:47:47.619 You need to repent. 00:47:49.619 --> 00:47:51.559 You need to turn away from your sin. 00:47:52.759 --> 00:47:53.519 Abandon it. 00:47:54.440 --> 00:47:55.159 Forsake it. 00:47:55.159 --> 00:47:57.440 Your idolatry. 00:47:58.819 --> 00:48:00.259 Your sexual sin. 00:48:01.119 --> 00:48:02.699 Your interpersonal sin. 00:48:02.980 --> 00:48:03.659 False sin. 00:48:05.420 --> 00:48:06.699 Turn away from it. 00:48:07.980 --> 00:48:11.539 And be baptized as a profession of your faith 00:48:11.539 --> 00:48:13.980 in Jesus Christ 00:48:13.980 --> 00:48:16.619 for the forgiveness of your sins. 00:48:17.539 --> 00:48:18.659 That's what you must do. 00:48:19.779 --> 00:48:20.859 That's what you must do. 00:48:23.079 --> 00:48:23.879 So do it. 00:48:25.159 --> 00:48:25.719 Turn. 00:48:27.139 --> 00:48:27.500 Believe. 00:48:29.219 --> 00:48:31.739 And make the same confession that Peter made. 00:48:32.019 --> 00:48:32.980 Not superficially. 00:48:33.799 --> 00:48:35.059 We know it doesn't work that way. 00:48:37.039 --> 00:48:37.559 Genuinely. 00:48:38.179 --> 00:48:38.920 Come to Christ. 00:48:40.940 --> 00:48:42.579 That Christ has come for you. 00:48:42.719 --> 00:48:44.639 That's the Advent portion, right? 00:48:44.639 --> 00:48:48.219 Now it's time for you to come to Him. 00:48:48.219 --> 00:48:49.839 In faith. 00:48:49.840 --> 00:49:19.820 Thank you.