There are two scripture readings this morning are from the Gospels, and we read first of all
from Luke's Gospel chapter 5. Luke's Gospel chapter 5, and we read together verses 1 to 11.
Jesus is ministering in different places. He's wandering about. He has already done a lot of teaching and performed some miracles.
So Luke chapter 5, verses 1 to 11.
On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,
and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked them to put out a little from the land,
and he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.
And Simon answered, Master, we toiled all night and took nothing,
but at your word I will let down the nets.
And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish,
and their nets were breaking.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them,
and they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink.
But when Simon Peter saw it,
he fell down at Jesus' knees saying,
Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken.
And so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.
And Jesus said to Simon,
Do not be afraid.
From now on you will be catching men.
And when they had brought their boats to land,
they left everything and followed him.
And our second reading is from the Gospel according to Mark, chapter 8.
And we read from the verse Mark 27.
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Cederae of Philippi.
And on the way he asked his disciples,
Who do people say that I am?
And they told him,
John the Baptist.
And others say,
Elijah.
And others,
one of the prophets.
And they asked him,
But who do you say that I am?
Peter answered him,
You are the Christ.
And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.
Amen.
This is the word of God.
In an address in 1963,
the then President of the United States, Richard Nixon, said,
that the greatest event in human history happened
when man walked upon the moon.
The astronaut,
Hale Irwin,
chose to disagree.
And he said,
the greatest event in human history
happened
when God in Christ
walked on the earth.
And
we're here this morning
because
we agree with Hale Irwin.
And in recent weeks
with Christians
here in Edinburgh
and across the globe,
we've been celebrating
the birth
of the baby
in the manger.
And
with so many
different Christians,
our minister
has constantly
been reminding us
that the birth
of the baby
in the manger
was neither
the beginning
nor the end
of God's
loving purposes
for us.
C.H. Spurgeon,
the great Baptist preacher,
said on one occasion,
Jesus Christ
is the arm
and substance
of the gospel.
He is in himself
all theology.
He is the foundation
of every
precious truth.
Christy Annette,
it's about
various
other things
as well,
but essentially
it is about
Jesus.
It's about
Jesus.
But who is he?
He himself
asked that question
of the disciples
when they were
in Caesarea Philippi.
Very important
question
because
the scholars
all tell us
that
once there was
a confession,
once
Peter and the
disciples
recognized
that he was
the Messiah,
the promised
deliverer,
the saviour,
Jesus made
his way
down
from the very
north of Galilee
down through
Samaria,
Judea,
to Jerusalem
and to the cross.
He knew
that he would
leave witnesses
there.
But who was he?
C.S. Lewis,
the famous
Christian
apologist
and
Ulsterman
once
asked the
question,
what are we
to make
of Jesus?
And he
goes on to
say,
look,
if Jesus
of Nazareth,
a historical
figure,
it's not just
Christians who
believe that
this man
Jesus was
real.
And
both
Jewish and
Roman
historians
acknowledge
there was
such a
man.
They don't
believe he
was the
son of
God.
But Lewis
says,
look,
if he
is who
he says
he was,
the son
of God,
you know,
he's able
to forgive
our sins.
He's able
to heal
the sick.
He's able
to take
us to
heaven
when our
bodies die.
Then
we should
bow before
him.
But if
he's not,
if he's
a megalomaniac,
you know,
who lives
in a fantasy
world and
he's on
an ego
trip,
then we
can just
forget all
about him.
Now,
fortunately,
there are
four biographies
written of
Jesus from
the time in
which he
lived and
walked on
earth.
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke and
John.
And
between
them,
they answer
for us
the three
big questions
we all
need to ask
about Jesus.
first of
all,
what was
his life
like?
We know
there was
such a
man,
but what
was his
life
like?
Then,
secondly,
what was
his life
for?
And
finally,
what has
his life
meant?
What was
his life
like?
Well,
it was
unique.
It was
difficult.
It was
demanding.
It was
incredibly
full.
I mean,
the number
of things
that the
gospel
writers say
he did
and the
words that
he spoke,
but John,
at the end
of his
gospel,
he said,
look,
there are
many other
things that
Jesus did,
the which,
if they should
all be written
down,
he said,
I suppose
all the
books in
the world
couldn't
contain
what is
written.
And
interestingly,
after the
stories of
his birth,
Jesus is
only mentioned
twice before
he's an
adult man
in his
thirties.
Once,
when he's
forty days
old,
he's brought
to the
temple in
Jerusalem,
according to
the Jewish
traditions,
and then
when he was
about twelve,
he came up
with his
parents to
Jerusalem to
celebrate the
feast of the
Passover.
But when he
was about
thirty,
he began
a roving,
itinerant,
preaching,
teaching,
healing,
ministry,
where he
does miracles
and he
speaks,
you know,
constantly
to the
people.
And then,
as now,
the judgments
about him
varied.
You know,
there was
a judgment
really of
class.
The people
who lived
in his
village and
lived round
about,
knew his
background,
the family
he came
from.
When he
went to
the synagogue
and opened
the scriptures
and began
to expound
them,
they said,
but isn't
this the
carpenter's
son?
You know,
as if a
man who
worked with
his hands
couldn't
know about
God.
And then
there was
the judgment
of contempt.
The religious
leaders,
the scribes,
the Pharisees,
you know,
oh,
look at him,
he's a
friend of
publicans
and sinners.
You know,
again,
because he
mixed with
what we
would call
ordinary
people,
well,
they weren't
having any
of that.
But of course,
there was a
judgment of
conviction.
There were
people who
believed.
We read how
Peter said,
you are the
Christ,
you're the
Messiah.
And at the
cross,
the Roman
centurion
said,
truly,
this man
was the
Son of
God.
But in
all that he
did,
look,
he was
misunderstood
even by
his own
family.
He was
deserted
by his
disciples.
He was
denied by
his friends.
He knew
temptations
almost beyond
measure.
You know,
he knew
hours of
loneliness
and what
it felt
like to
be rejected.
And yet,
yet all
through that,
his sole
concern was
for the
souls of
men and
women.
He sought
to warn
about and
expose those
evil things
that damage
and destroy
and mar
our natures.
believers.
He sought
to expose,
he was
courageous
in doing
it,
religious
sham and
hypocrisy,
the false
religion that
only leads
people to
destruction.
He was
always teaching
that to be
right with
God,
you had to
live in the
way God
taught and
God sought,
to live
righteously,
to live
morally.
And right
was always
going to be
right,
even if
nobody did
it.
And wrong
was always
going to be
wrong,
even if
everybody
did it.
You know,
there was a
moral dimension
to life
that God
had set in
place.
And of course,
he constantly
battled against
Satan in
all his
guises.
But what
was perhaps
most impressive
about this
man's life
was the
manner in
which he
conducted
himself.
How he
responded
to the
abuse and
the lies
that were
told about
him.
You know,
when he was
introduced
and maligned
and lied
about,
you know,
even at the
end of his
life,
when,
you know,
false charges
were brought
against him.
There was
that terrible,
you know,
that terrible
miscarriage of
justice when
he was a
victim of
lies.
And then
he was,
you know,
he was
demeaned
and he
was beaten
and he
was crucified.
There was
absolutely
no self
pity.
There was
no self
defense.
There was
no pride.
There was
no arrogance.
there just
weren't any
selfish desires
in his
life.
No selfish
ambition or
improper
desires.
And we
look in
vain for
a stain
on his
character.
You know,
he didn't
injure anyone.
He didn't
take advantage
of anyone.
He didn't
lie about
people.
He didn't
mistreat
people.
He didn't
commit a
wrong action.
In a way,
it's all
summed up
in Mark's
Gospel
chapter 7
where
one of
the
folk
testifies
and says,
you know,
truly,
this man,
he has
done all
things well.
what a
testimony
that was.
So,
that's what
his life
was like.
But what
was his
life for?
Well,
two main
things,
really.
He came,
first of all,
to show
people what
God was
like.
And secondly,
to save
people from
the consequences
of their
sin.
He came,
first of all,
to show
people what
God is
like.
You know,
philosophers
with their
inquiring
intellects,
and little
children with
their innocent
questions ask,
what is God
like?
We all want
to know what
is God
like.
And Jesus
gives a very
simple answer.
He says,
whoever has
seen me
has seen
the Father.
That's what
God is like.
God is
like Jesus.
See,
before his
coming,
people knew,
those who
believed,
that God
was the
creator of
the heavens
and the
earth.
He was
almighty.
He was
all-powerful.
He was
holy.
You know,
he was
wise.
He was
merciful.
But when
Jesus came,
they saw
him bringing
little children
to sit
around him.
You know,
they saw
him mixing
with people
nobody else
would mix
with.
Lepers,
beggars,
outcasts.
They saw
him,
they saw
him,
you know,
healing the
sick,
lifting up
the sad,
spending
time with
the fallen,
the outcasts
of society.
Jesus,
when he
came,
showed
that God
is loving
and compassionate
and personal.
There's an old
hymn written
by a 19th
century English
clergyman,
F.W.
Faber,
where he
says,
you know,
there's a
wideness
in God's
mercy,
like the
wideness
of the
sea.
And he
goes on
to talk
in the hymn,
there is
no place
where
earth's
sorrows
are more
felt than
up in
heaven.
There is
no place
where
earth's
feelings
have such
kindly
judgment
given.
heaven.
Jesus
came to
show us
what God
is like
and that's
what he's
like.
And he
came to
save people
from the
consequences
of their
sin.
On the
cross,
Jesus
said,
Father,
I have
finished
the work
you gave
me to
do.
And that
work was
a rescue
work.
Christianity
is a
rescue
religion.
You know,
there's a
great barrier
between us
and God
that needs
to be
broken.
There's a
great gulf.
There's a
bridge that
needs to
be built
to take
us back
to God.
And Jesus
came to
do that.
The Apostle
Paul had
that testimony,
didn't he?
He says,
there's one
mediator,
one maker
of peace
between God
and man,
the man
Christ Jesus.
Peter,
in his
first letter,
he says
pretty much
the same
thing.
He says,
he died
the just
for the
unjust
that he
might bring
us to
God.
And then
going to
the cross
and bearing
our sins,
Jesus broke
that great
barrier
between God
and people.
He built
a bridge
that people
could get
back to
God.
And down
through the
centuries,
this wonderful
message
has
resonated
in the
Christian
church.
And as
one hymn
writer puts
it,
there was
no other
good enough
to pay
the price
of sin.
He only
could unlock
the gates
of heaven
and let
us sin.
So that's
what his
life was
like.
And that's
what his
life was
for.
But what
has his
life meant?
Well,
what does
the coming
of this
unique
man who
was also
God
mean?
Who lived
this
extraordinarily
gracious
and selfless
life?
Who claimed
that he did
this to show
us God
and to
save us
from the
consequences
of our
sin?
Well,
really,
it does
many things,
but two
things
primarily.
Firstly,
it transforms
our human
nature.
That's what
his life
has done,
if we
will allow
it.
And secondly,
it assures
us of
the future.
First of
all,
it transforms
our human
nature.
Apparently,
90% of
Britain,
90% of
people,
I beg your
pardon,
in Britain,
in the
UK,
are unhappy
with their
appearance.
They would
like to
change.
You know,
so anti-wrinkle
cream doesn't
work, by the
way, let me
tell you,
and plastic
surgery,
all of that,
you know,
to change
their appearance.
45 million
people in
Britain this
weekend have
bought lottery
tickets in the
hope of winning
millions of
pounds,
things,
because that
will change
their lives,
they reckon.
No.
We don't
need our
appearance,
well, okay,
some of us
need our
appearances to
change,
but most of
you folk
don't.
we don't need
our appearances
to change.
You know,
we don't need
more stuff
that money
will buy.
We need
our hearts
to change,
and that's
what Jesus
Christ
has done.
Human nature,
our natures,
are not in
themselves good.
We are
utterly,
utterly selfish.
selfish.
We just
are,
you know,
and our
nature has
been warped
and wasted
by sin,
stained and
solid by
wrongdoing
against God,
and it
needs to
be remade.
And Jesus
comes and
does that.
He says to
the religious
leader,
Nicodemus,
look,
you need to
be born again.
You need to
be born from
above.
And that
has become,
well,
it's misused
a lot nowadays,
isn't it?
But actually,
because it's
the word of
God,
and Jesus
said it,
it's true.
And if I
could,
if you'll
excuse a
personal
reminisce,
when I was
a teenager
growing up
on Northern
Ireland,
I wasn't a
Christian.
I went to
church on
Sunday morning.
It was part
of the social
round.
It's what you
did.
But three
of my
grandparents
died within
about 18
months of
each other.
And three
different
ministers
conducted
their
funerals.
I remember
virtually nothing
about them.
Except,
when we
were in
the cemeteries,
and the
coffins were
being put
into the
ground,
each of the
ministers
quoted,
what I
now know
are words
of Jesus.
Jesus
said,
I am the
resurrection
and the
life.
Whosoever
believeth in
me,
though he
were dead,
yet shall
he live.
And whosoever
lives and
believes in
me will
never die.
Now,
if I thought
about it at
12, I
thought that
was just
mumbo
jumbo.
How can
you be
dead,
but yet
live,
and yet
live and
never die?
And there
they are,
putting my
grandparents'
coffin in
the ground.
But of
course,
what Jesus
was talking
about was
spiritual life
and death.
All of us
have a
physical life.
You know,
we were all
born and
came into the
world and
grown up.
But there's
also a
spiritual life,
the life of
the soul.
And by
nature, we
are spiritually
dead.
You know,
we're cut
off from
God.
And when
we come in
faith and
repentance to
Jesus Christ,
to the cross,
and accept
that he took
the punishment
that we
deserve,
and when we
put our
trust in him
and accept
his forgiveness,
we're given
a new heart,
a new life.
it was
promised.
Even in the
Old Testament,
it was promised
by God that
that would
happen.
And of
course,
it transforms
people's lives.
And that
is what
it means.
It means
the life of
Jesus means
transformation
for those
who will
trust in
him.
And of
course,
he comes
to
reshape
our
future.
Because,
you know,
we need
guidance.
We need
leading in
life.
You know,
and it's
not just
young people.
We think
young people,
oh,
they need
career guidance,
and they need
this,
and they need
that.
All of us
need it.
Older folk
as well.
You know,
there's this
assumption
sometimes that
old people
are wise.
Not a bit
of it.
You know,
the Bible
talks about
an old
and foolish
king.
And so
many stories,
particularly in
the Old
Testament,
are of
people who
really lost
things as
they got
older.
So,
we need
God to
redirect our
paths,
to give us
destiny as
the children
of God.
Because
without that,
what is
life really?
William Shakespeare
has a great
quote in
Macbeth.
He says,
life is a
tale told
by an
idiot
full of
sound and
fury,
signifying
nothing.
Carl Jung,
one of the
great psychoanalysts
of the
20th century,
he wrote
that really
the central
neuroses
of our
time is
emptiness.
You know,
what's life
all about?
What's life
for?
They say.
And of course,
the Rolling
Stones,
with their
most famous
song of
all,
you know,
can't get
no satisfaction
for getting
the bad
grammar
we know
what they
meant.
If you're
ever in
the north
of Scotland,
up in the
Highlands,
and going
into
Inverness,
if you're
going in
on the
road from
Nairn
into
Inverness
City,
there's this
huge billboard,
big sign,
massive letters,
and it says,
no,
your car
shouldn't be
making that
noise.
and it
gives the
address of
a garage
down below
where you
could go
and spend
money and
get your
car fixed.
How many
of us have
been in
that position?
You know
there's
something wrong.
Yeah,
your car
shouldn't
really be
making that
noise.
You know
something's
wrong.
You're not
quite sure
because you're
not a
mechanic.
You don't
know what
it is,
but you
know something's
not right.
Life's like
that.
Life's like
that.
We know,
without God
and without
Jesus,
we know
that
something
is not
right.
And we
need Jesus
to transform
our life
and help
move the
center of
gravity
from self
to Jesus
so that
we serve
him.
We serve
other people.
We work
for the
extension of
his kingdom.
And of
course,
we have
hope.
Don't we?
We have
hope of
eternal life
with Jesus
in heaven.
And the
other thing,
on a
practical
level,
you know,
it's so
difficult to
explain to
people sometimes,
but Jesus
takes us to
where the
good things
are.
You know
that story
we read
from Luke
where Jesus
goes to
Peter and
they've been
fishing all
day and
they haven't
caught anything
and here
comes this
carpenter
and tells
them to put
out into
the deep,
you know,
but they
go and
do it
and what
do they
discover?
That he
has taken
them to
where the
good things
are.
And he
does that
again and
again.
I bet,
no, I don't
bet, I'm not a
betting man,
but I guarantee
if I asked
the Christians
who, people
here this
morning, who've
been Christians
for maybe 15
or 20 years,
to tell you a
story when
Jesus in
their lives
led them
through a
situation and
they couldn't
understand, why
am I going
through this?
Why is God
allowing this
to happen?
But he
brought them
to where the
good things
are.
I could
guarantee
almost everyone
would be able
to do that.
See this
pulpit?
It's a
replica,
exact replica,
of the pulpit
in Milan
Cathedral.
And if you
were to go to
Milan Cathedral
today and
approaching that
huge, huge,
apparently it's
one of the
greatest cathedrals
in Europe,
there's three
great doors
and there are
arches over
each door with
carvings on
them.
And over the
door on the
left, it
says, all
that pleases
is but for
a moment.
And over the
door on the
right, it
says, all
that troubles
is but for
a moment.
But over the
big central
arch, it
said, that
only is
important,
which is
eternal.
Can I ask
this morning,
are you
thinking about
eternal
things?
do you
think much
about the
living God
who made
you?
What are
you making
of Jesus
to use
C.S.
Lewis'
question?
But of
course,
really,
the only
question that
really,
truly matters
is the one
that Jesus
asked Peter
and he
asks each
of us,
who do
you say
that I
am?
Let's
pray.
Our
loving
Heavenly
Father,
we thank
you that
your great
plan of
salvation
was to
bring Jesus
as a baby
in a manger
to live
and grow
and then
die on a
cross and
be resurrected
that we
sinful
sons of
men
might
know
new life,
know
eternal
life
in our
souls.
And so
we thank
you again
for Jesus,
the wonderful
example he
showed us
in his life
of how to
live.
And in
his death,
he was a
sacrifice
for our
sins.
in his
resurrection,
a conqueror,
in his
ascension,
a king,
and in his
intercession for
us day by
day, a
great high
priest.
Lord, we
thank you for
him and
we pray that
you would
give us
each one the
grace this
morning to
answer that
Jesus is not
just a
saviour,
but he is
my saviour.
In his
name we pray
this.
Amen.