Sunday, June 30, 2013

God Is among Us: The Church

God Is among Us: The Church


1 Corinthians 12: 12 – 31.


Introduction

Some of you may feel a little torn this week.  Thursday of this week is the biggest patriotic holiday of the year—the Fourth of July, Independence Day, or the day we set aside to celebrate the United States of America and the freedoms we enjoy as U.S. citizens.  However, Fourth of July 2013 comes one week after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a monumental decision about same-sex marriage.
On Facebook and Twitter this week, I read several posts from politicians and pastors about how this Supreme Court decision marks the end of American greatness, or even the beginning of the end of American civilization.  One post I read commented that this is the fulfillment of what the apostle Paul wrote about in Romans 1: 28 – 32…when people reject God, God then hands us over to our depravity.  A famous pastor with over one million followers on Twitter commented, “Why are you worried? God's Church has survived EVERY other culture that crumbled. It will outlast this one too.”
As a Christian and a pastor, I have strong convictions about what marriage is and what marriage is not.  Marriage is recognized by our state and our nation.  However, neither the state of Texas nor the United States of America “invented” marriage.  Marriage is older than our state and nation.  Marriage is also recognized by our church.  However, the church did not “invent” marriage either.  Marriage is older than the church.  In fact. Marriage was not “invented” by anyone…Marriage was “created” by God and has its foundation in the story of creation in Genesis 1 and 2.
In Genesis 1 and 2, we read that God created the heavens and the earth.  Then, God filled the heavens and earth with land and sea; plants and animals; birds and fish.  God also created the first man and soon realized that the man was lonely.  So, God created the first woman, placed them in relationship with each other and declared, “…a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh (Genesis 2: 24).”  This is the foundation of marriage.  Marriage was not invented by our culture.  Marriage was created by God when God created the first man and woman, brought them into relationship with each other, and united them together as one flesh.
For this reason, I will not perform a same-sex marriage; and, as long as I am pastor of this church, our church will not serve as the host for a same-sex marriage ceremony.  Of course I know that puts me at odds with the culture.  But, I believe I am in good company.  The church has always been at odds with the culture.  The church worships Jesus as Lord.  The culture around us worships self as lord (or freedom or government as lord).  The church defines and defends morality from the Bible.  The culture around us determines morality by what feels right or by Supreme Court decisions.  The church lives with a God-given purpose to redeem the world we live in.  And we live with the assurance that God still performs miracles and still has the power to change lives.
I do not always agree with the decisions the United States government makes.  But, I do not want to live anywhere else in the world.  We live in a free country.  We live in a pluralistic culture which consists of Christians, Jews, Muslims and “nones.”  We cannot force the rest of the culture to live as we live.  But, we can invite others to experience Jesus for themselves…to discover why we live the way we live…and trust in the power of God to change our culture one person at a time.
This is the work God has assigned to the church.  We are to change the culture by sharing the Love of Jesus with one person at a time.  Sometimes it seems like an impossible task.  But, there is some Good News.  God has not only given us the assignment.  God has also given us the Power we need to complete the assignment.  God has given us his Presence and his Power by giving us his Holy Spirit.
One of the places where we see God’s giving the Holy Spirit was on the Day of Pentecost.  When Jesus ascended into Heaven, he told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Spirit.  Ten days later, one hundred twenty men and women were gathered and waiting.  Suddenly, they heard the sound of a roaring wind (I like to think it sounded like an East Texas tornado).  They received the Holy Spirit, and the church was born.
It’s interesting to me to see a parallel with the birth of the church and the birth of Jesus.  Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and conceived by the Holy Spirit.  The church was born on the Day of Pentecost and (also) conceived by the Holy Spirit.  This tells me that the church is an extension of Jesus’ life and ministry.  Our job as the church is to continue doing what Jesus did.  We cannot do the work of Jesus by our own strength.  Therefore, God gives us the strength by filling us with his Presence and his Power.  The church has received gifts from the Holy Spirit.  Every church is gifted.  Every church member is gifted.  And, every member is a necessary part of the Body we call church.


1 Corinthians 12: 12 – 31.

12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 
14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 
21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets,third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret?  31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.


One of the most beautiful aspects of this Scripture is the fact that everyone “gets it.”  It doesn’t require a lot of interpretation, because it is an illustration we can all understand.  Paul tells us that the church is the Body of Christ.  And, just like our physical bodies are made up of many different parts, the church is made up of many different parts.  Just as our physical bodies depend on the health of individual parts of the body, the church depends on every member doing what God has gifted us individually to do.
Perhaps this is a good time to reflect on how you fit into the Body of Christ.  Some people have been gifted with sensitivity or mercy and function as the “heart” of the church.  Other people have a desire to work or get things accomplished and function as the “hands and feet” of the church.  Still other people are more of a distraction or a nuisance and function as the “nose hairs” of the church.  (I actually made that up.  No one is supposed to be a distraction or a nuisance in the church.  Don’t be the “nose hair” of the Body of Christ.)
Paul’s point in this extended illustration is that there is both unity and diversity in the church.  There are many different gifts.  But, there is only one Lord who brings us together to function as one church.  There are no unnecessary parts of the body.  God has arranged the parts and brought us all together to function as a united body.
The world thinks differences are divisive.  God takes our differences and creates unity.  God does not create division in the church.  Division is the result of our own sinfulness and our worldly mindset that tells us differences divide.  God uses our differences to create unity and interdependence.  We need each other in order to function as a healthy church.
Paul tells us in this Scripture a few characteristics about a healthy church.  He tells us that a healthy church is the Body of Christ.  There are many different body parts which come together to form one, healthy, functioning body.  But, have you ever read the rest of 1 Corinthians?  This was NOT a healthy church!  They were divided and suffering the results of sin in the church.  Paul instructed the church of Corinth by holding up an example of an ideal church.  They weren’t an ideal church.  Paul wanted them to strive to become an ideal church.
How many real churches live up to this ideal?  I believe there are no ideal churches.  This is because real churches are made up of real people.  Since people are imperfect, churches made of imperfect people are also imperfect.  Yet, God continues to use imperfect people and imperfect churches to accomplish his purpose.  God could accomplish everything he wants to do without us…and could probably get it done much more efficiently.  Yet, God uses the church.
This tells me God has a plan for the church.  God has not given up on the church…And we should not give up on the church either.  Instead, we should strive to become more like the ideal by fulfilling God’s purpose for our church.


Toward God


One way to describe the purpose of the church is to think about our activity and purpose toward God.  We could use the word “worship” to describe this.
Each Sunday, we gather as a church to worship God.  There are many other things we could do on Sunday mornings.  We could mow the yard, watch football games, sleep, follow our children to their activities, or hundreds of other activities.  Why do we choose to worship God on Sunday mornings over all the other choices?  There is only one good answer.  It is because God is worthy of our worship.
God is the creator and sustainer of the earth.  This alone is enough to worship God!  But there is more.  The God who created us also Loves us.  He never stops pursuing us.  He wants to be in relationship with us and has provided the way for us to know him.  He sent his only Son, Jesus, to be our Savior and Redeemer.  The almighty God of creation also wants to be your intimate Savior.  He is worthy of our worship.
Of course, it is possible to worship God privately.  You do not have to gather in the Sanctuary alongside other Christians to worship God.  But corporate worship is different.  We are better together than we are when we are separate.
I can’t think of a better way to design a Sanctuary than what we have.  But, I think our architecture communicates the wrong message about corporate worship.  The way things are set up, it looks like you are the audience and I am the performer.  But that is wrong.  All of us are the performers, and God is the audience.


Toward Ourselves


Another way to describe the activity and purpose is to think of how we relate toward each other…The church focused on itself and all the members of the church.
One way to think about this is to return to Paul’s image of the Body of Christ.  No one completely ignores the health and well-being of their own physical body.  We eat when we are hungry, drink when we are thirsty, sleep when we are tired, and go to the doctor when we are sick.  In the same way, the church responds to the physical and health needs inside the body.  In many ways, this is when the church is at its best…responding when church members are suffering.  The biblical image for this is to “carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6: 1).”
However, we also respond to spiritual needs through Bible study and discipleship.  We participate in Bible study and discipleship to strengthen the church by helping church members grow in faith.  The church becomes stronger when individual members grow in our understanding of Jesus and grow in our dependence on Jesus to meet our daily needs.



Toward the World


It is true that the church is a place of refuge for Christians to escape from the scary world.  We leave the troubles of the world outside and retreat to a place of refuge.  But no one actually stays inside the church all week long.  We leave the church to go out into the world.  And that describes another activity or purpose for the church.  We have a responsibility toward the world…to tell people outside the church about the Love of God, the Hope of Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Again, I think it is helpful to use Paul’s illustration about our physical bodies.  When our physical bodies are sick, we spend a lot of time concentrating on ourselves and trying to get healthy again.  But, once we are healthy, it is time to focus on other people.
The most important thing we can do for the world is to tell the world about Grace of God.  God Loves, not because we deserve to be Loved.  God Loves, because it is God’s nature to Love us and to pursue each of us for relationship.  Of course, talking about Grace is not enough if we are unwilling to extend the same kind of Grace to others that God has first extended to us.
And we are to show this Grace to the world the same way God showed Grace to us.  God demonstrated his Love and Grace through self-giving Love.  The only way we will ever make a difference in the world is by Loving others the way Jesus first Loved us.  Of course, I don’t mean to die on the cross…That is a one time event…Jesus died on the cross once and for all…  We demonstrate Love by giving ourselves away to others so that the broken world can be healed and so that people far from God can come to know Jesus the way we know Jesus.


Conclusion


In the late 1800’s, John Muir was an explorer who journalled about his experiences in the western United States.  He traveled from Alaska to California and wrote about what he saw in nature.  His journals are filled with Scripture references and praise to God who created the heavens and the earth.
In December 1874, Muir was visiting with a friend who had a cabin in the Sierra Mountains.  While Muir and his friend were enjoying to comfort and security of the cabin, a thunderstorm moved in from the Pacific Ocean.  Most of us would have been glad to be in the cabin during the storm.  Perhaps we would put another log on the fire and wrap up in blankets so we could weather the storm inside.  But, not John Muir…
Muir left the security of his friend’s cabin and went out into the storm to experience the wind for himself.  He even climbed into the top of a Douglas Fir and held on for dear life while the wind blew the trees back and forth (Eugene Peterson, “Foreword,” in Philip Yancey, Church: Why Bother? [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998], pp. 7 – 13).

Perhaps that is a good image for the church.  There are times when we retreat into the safety of the church to escape from the scary world outside.  But, we are not doing all of what God called us to do while we are inside the cabin.  We have to leave the safety of the church building and church meetings to go out into the world if we want to make a difference.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

God Is with Us: The Holy Spirit

God Is with Us: The Holy Spirit


John 14: 15 – 31.


Introduction

A couple of months ago, I drove home late at night from a long and tiring day at work.  As I was driving home, I had a very interesting conversation with myself.  I asked myself, “Why would anyone want to do what I do for a living?”  I answered myself by saying, “I feel like God has called me to be a pastor, and there is nothing else I want to do.”  Then I realized there is one thing I would like to do…I want to be on the TV show “MythBusters.”  But until MythBusters calls, this is the only thing I want to do.
I first felt like God was calling me to ministry when I was a sophomore in college.  I had worked as a camp counselor during the summer after my freshman year.  I had not declared a major as a freshman.  But, that first summer working with kids at camp started me thinking that God was calling me to ministry.  So, I returned to college and immediately declared as a Religion major.
Soon after that, I took my first church job as a youth minister in a small church in Carroll County, Mississippi.  I drove 82 miles (one-way) every Sunday and Wednesday.  And, they paid me $100 per week.
I had a similar arrangement while I was going through seminary.  I was the college minister at a church in Waco.  My job was defined as “three quarter time”—or more than part time and less than full time.  Every day, I went to class in the morning; worked in the church office in the afternoons; and stayed up late at night doing my studies for class.
As I reflect on my college and seminary education, I have two thoughts.  First, I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion / Bible; a Master’s Degree in Theology; and a Doctoral Degree in Preaching…I’m not qualified for anything other than being a pastor…so I truly need this to work out.  Second, I used to tell my classmates that I had an advantage over them since I was working in churches while I was in school.  I used to compare it to students who took biology and chemistry.  They had biology class and biology lab, or chemistry class and chemistry lab.  I had classes and lab in Bible, theology and ministry.
In many ways, I believe this is the best way to learn theology.  We have sold ourselves short when it comes to theology.  We have assigned theology to the “professional theologians” in colleges, universities and seminaries.  But, theology is something for anyone who dares to “think about God” or “speak about God.”  In fact, that is what the word theology means—thinking about God or speaking about God.
I believe that theology is a discipline for both the mind and the heart.  If all a person does is read the Bible and study theological writings, they are missing something very important.  They might learn a lot ABOUT God by committing their minds to theology.  But, what about the heart?  It is possible to know ABOUT God and never actually know God.  Good theology develops when both our minds and our hearts are engaged with God.  We need to study the Bible and theology with our minds…But we also need to experience God personally and intimately with our hearts.
That is why it is important for us to have a good understanding of the Holy Spirit.  We can study what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit, and we can read books about the Holy Spirit.  But, we will never understand the Holy Spirit until we experience him in our lives.
The Christian understanding of God is that God is One, and God is Trinity.  In my opinion, describing the Trinity is one of the most difficult tasks of theology and preaching.  We can use illustrations and analogies…But all of those illustrations and analogies will break down at some point and stop serving our purposes.  The best way to describe the Trinity is to observe how the Trinity appears in Scripture.
We see the Trinity at work in the life of Jesus.  We affirm that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ and the Son of God.  The Greek word “Christ” means “the Anointed One.”  Therefore, Jesus was and is anointed by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus was sent by his Father in Heaven and was anointed (or empowered) by the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit was at work in Jesus to inspire his preaching, to enable Jesus to heal the sick, and to raise Jesus from the dead.
One of the most obvious places where we encounter the Trinity in the life of Jesus was at Jesus’ baptism.  At the very beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River.  When Jesus came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus as a dove.  A voice from Heaven said, “This is my beloved Son.  In him I am well pleased.”  In that moment we witness the Trinity.  The Father sent the Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit.
We see the Spirit “come down” in the story of Jesus’ baptism.  However, this is not when Jesus was first anointed by the Spirit.  Jesus was anointed by the Spirit when he was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary.  Jesus was conceived by the power of the Spirit and was the Anointed Son of God from the very beginning of his life.  Jesus knew that he was the Anointed Son of God and understood his own life as being under the control of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus was led by the Spirit and was empowered by the Spirit.
Jesus is the first person who lived out an ongoing or permanent relationship with the Holy Spirit.  In the Old Testament there were kings, prophets and priests who were anointed by the Spirit.  But this anointing in the Old Testament was a temporary anointing which was not available for all people.  The Old Testament prophets spoke about a coming day when the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh—Kings and subjects; clergy and laypeople; slaves and free; male and female.
Jesus taught his disciples about the Holy Spirit.  One thing Jesus emphasized in his teachings about the Spirit is the fact that Jesus had to die and rise again before the Spirit could be poured out.


John 14: 15 – 31.
 15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him,because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." 
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?" 
23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 
28"You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, 31 but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. 
"Come now; let us leave."


This Scripture falls in the context of Jesus’ last address to his disciples before he was arrested and crucified.  Jesus spoke these words on Thursday before Good Friday and after he had shared the Last Supper with his disciples.
At the beginning of this farewell address, Jesus told his disciples that one of them would betray him, that Jesus would be crucified, and that all the disciples would abandon Jesus.  Peter insisted that he would never abandon Jesus.  Then, Jesus predicted that Peter would deny knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crows the next morning.
It is safe to say that Jesus’ words had shaken the disciples.  Their world was about to change, and life would never be the same again.  They had left their jobs and families to follow Jesus.  This was not the end they were expecting.  So Jesus promised that they would not be alone.  Jesus would not leave them as orphans.  They would receive the Holy Spirit to be with them after the crucifixion and Resurrection.

The Holy Spirit is an “Advocate.”  (v. 16)

Jesus gave them words of encouragement.  He encouraged them by promising them “another Counselor.”  The words here are significant. 
First, there are two Greek words that can be translated “another.”  One word is the word “heteros,” which means “another of a different kind.”  That is not the word we read in John 14.  The word we read is the word “allon,” which means “another of the same kind.”  More than likely, that is significant.  It tells us that Jesus will ask the Father to send the disciples another Counselor who will be just like Jesus.
Second, the word translated “Counselor” in the New International Version is the word “parakletos.”  This is a rare word in the New Testament.  John is the only biblical author who uses this word.  We can’t turn to the writings of Paul and see how Paul used this word to help us interpret it.  But, it was not rare in the ancient world.  In the ancient world, “parakletos” is a person who is “called alongside.”  Sometimes it refers to a person who is called on to assist with work.  Other times it refers to a person who is called on to assist in a courtroom, either as a character witness or as the defense attorney.
In verse 17, Jesus tells us this Counselor is the “Spirit of Truth.”  In verse 26, Jesus connects the Counselor with the Holy Spirit.  Notice that the Holy Spirit would be just like Jesus.  The Spirit would continue to do for the disciples after the Resurrection the same things Jesus had done for them before the crucifixion.


The Holy Spirit is the Constant Presence of God.  (v. 16)

Another important point Jesus makes in verse 16 is that the Holy Spirit will be with the disciples forever.  Jesus is not promising a temporary anointing like we read about in the Old Testament.  Jesus is promising a permanent anointing and a constant presence of God in their lives.
As long as Jesus lived on earth among the disciples, Jesus was limited by time and space.  He could only be in one place at a time.  Sometimes, the disciples would wake up in the mornings, and Jesus was not there with them.  He was off somewhere by himself praying…spending time alone with God.  This would not be the case when the Spirit comes.  The Spirit would always be with them.  They would always experience the presence of God in their lives in every place, at all times.


The Holy Spirit is Available to All Believers.  (v. 17)

In verse 17, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to all his disciples.  Notice that there is no mention of the Holy Spirit as a sign of elite spirituality or that the Holy Spirit is only available to SOME Christians. 
The New Testament never teaches a “second blessing” of the Holy Spirit.  Instead, the New Testament teaches us that every person who confesses Jesus as Lord receives the Holy Spirit.  Christian groups who emphasize a “second blessing” of the Holy Spirit associate the “second blessing” with speaking in tongues and other unusual manifestations. 
If you go back and read the conversion stories in the Book of Acts, you will notice that some people began to speak in tongues when they received the Holy Spirit.  But, not everyone spoke in tongues.  Remarkably, in Acts 9, we read the story of Paul’s conversion.  When Paul received the Holy Spirit, he began to speak about Jesus.  But, it makes no mention of Paul’s speaking in tongues.
Perhaps speaking in tongues is not the best way to judge whether or not someone has received the Holy Spirit.  In fact, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 – 14 that not everyone will speak in tongues.  In Galatians 5: 22 – 23, Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit produces fruit (or a harvest) in us.  The Harvest of the Spirit includes Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.
In short, the Holy Spirit is given to every person who confesses Jesus as Lord.  Then, the Holy Spirit begins to shape our lives and produce fruit (or harvest) in us.  The result is that we begin to look more and more like Jesus.  Through the Holy Spirit in us, we can live like Jesus lived, love like Jesus loved, and obey like Jesus obeyed.


The Holy Spirit is a Teacher.  (v. 26)

The Holy Spirit is more than just the presence of God in our lives.  The Spirit is also our teacher.
Notice in verse 26 what and how the Holy Spirit teaches us.  The Holy Spirit teaches us all things by reminding us of what Jesus has said.  This is significant in a couple of ways. 
First, we ought to take seriously the inspiration of the Scripture.  The Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Literally the word “inspired” means “to breathe in.”   If the Holy Spirit has breathed the words of Scripture, then Scripture is the Word of God.  God has spoken to us in Scripture, and the Holy Spirit is using Scripture to teach us all things. 
Second, we ought to take seriously Jesus’ words that the Holy Spirit will remind us of what Jesus has already said.  In other words, the Holy Spirit is not saying anything new.  God’s Word is closed.  Through the Holy Spirit, we might find new insights and new understandings of what the Bible says.  However, God is not adding new books and new words to the Bible.  Always be wary of a “new word.”


The Holy Spirit Gives Testimony (Witness).  (vv. 30 - 31)

Jesus closed this section with two statements that seem to be contradictory.  Jesus said he would not speak with his disciples much longer.  Then, Jesus said the world must know who Jesus is in relation to the Father in Heaven.  How will the world know who Jesus is if Jesus does not continue to speak?
This is our job as Jesus’ disciples.  When Jesus ascended into Heaven, Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit and an assignment.  We are to tell all nations who Jesus is.  We are to make disciples all over the world.  Jesus gave us the assignment, and Jesus gave us the power we need to fulfill this assignment.
No one demonstrates this power better than Peter.  Before Jesus died on the cross, Peter ran away and denied knowing who Jesus is.  After Peter received the Holy Spirit, Peter preached the Gospel with Power and unashamed of his relationship with Jesus.  Peter could not do that on his own strength.  Peter was anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
One way we can say this is to say that God uses weak people.  God takes a weak person like Peter (or you and me).  Then, God transforms that weak person into a person who is unashamed of the Gospel.  This is the Holy Spirit in us.


Conclusion


The Holy Spirit is not something to be afraid of.  In fact, the Holy Spirit is not a thing at all.  The Holy Spirit is a Person…The personal presence of God in your life.
If you have professed Jesus as Lord, then the Holy Spirit is at work in your life right now.  The Spirit is not given for your personal glory.  No.  The Spirit is given to do two things in your life.  First, to shape you and strengthen you to obey God.  Second, to empower you to tell others about Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is not given only to certain, super Christians.  The Spirit is given to everyone who believes.
The Holy Spirit is not given in degrees…that one person has more Spirit than another.  No.  We should never ask how much Spirit you have in your life.  Instead, we should ask how much of your life does the Spirit have!

God is present.  He has promised to always be present.  Will you be open to receive and experience the Holy Spirit?  Will you allow the Spirit to lead you to a life of total dependence on God…to shape you and produce fruit in your life…to empower you to be a bold witness?

Sunday, June 16, 2013

The Work of Christ

The Work of Christ


1 John 2: 1 – 2.


Introduction

One of the most familiar biblical images for God is that God is our Heavenly Father.  Jesus is the Unique Son of God.  He is the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary.  But, Jesus taught us to address God as “Our Father in Heaven” when we pray.  This biblical image has led to two erroneous views about God.
First, some people wrongly believe that we are all God’s children.  Yes, Jesus teaches us to pray to God as our Heavenly Father.  But this does not mean that all people are God’s children.  No, the Bible teaches us that we become children of God through faith in Jesus.  There are two ways the Bible describes this new relationship through faith.  The Apostle Paul says we are adopted by God and become co-heirs with Christ.  The Apostle John uses the phrase “born again” and tells us that in order to become God’s children we must be born again through faith in Jesus.
Second, some people have a hard time accepting the Christian faith, because they have had such a bad relationship with their earthly fathers.  This is backwards.  Instead of projecting earthly father characteristics onto our Heavenly Father, we ought to think of God as the perfect example of Fatherhood.  As men, we ought to strive to follow God’s example in our relationship with our own children.  As children, we ought to recognize that God is the only perfect Father and that our earthly fathers will not always be perfect.
If God is the perfect example of Fatherhood, then we ought to allow the Bible to shape our own understanding of what fatherhood looks like.  As the Perfect Father, God has created us and given us life.  God has provided for all our needs—both our physical needs and our spiritual needs.  And, God has demonstrated his Love for us by sending his Son, Jesus, to give us forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
Last Sunday, our sermon focused on the Person of Jesus—the personal characteristics of Jesus and who Jesus is.  The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the Son of Man, the Christ (or the Messiah) and the Son of God.  In the first four hundred years of Christian theology, several controversies arose about the character of Jesus.  As a result, theologians and church leaders held several Church Councils to distinguish between heresy (or false teachings) and orthodoxy (or right teachings) about Jesus.  The orthodox position is that Jesus is both fully God and fully human.
Today, we will focus on the work of Jesus—or what Jesus did for us in his crucifixion and Resurrection.  In some ways, it is easier to talk about the Person of Christ than it is to talk about the Work of Christ.  For example, the Bible consistently teaches only one thing about the Person of Jesus—Jesus is fully God and fully human—and theologians have clearly set the boundaries to distinguish between what is false and what is true.  This is not the case with the Work of Christ.  We don’t have one accepted way to talk about what Jesus did for us on the cross, because the Bible describes it in many different ways.  The Bible tells us that Jesus gave his life as a Ransom…that Jesus’ death satisfied the Righteousness of God…that Jesus died as a Substitute for our sins…and even that Jesus died as an Example for us to remain faithful and obedient to God until death…
Since all of these ideas about the Work of Christ can be found in the Bible, I believe they are all correct interpretations of the Work of Christ.  However, I believe that none of them can adequately describe the Work of Christ.  The Work of Christ is too big and too wonderful to be captured in just one image.
The theological term for the Work of Christ is the word “atonement.”  Atonement is actually and English word which means that Jesus died on the cross so that we could be atoned or “at one” with God.  I chose the Scripture for this morning because the word “atone” shows up…or at least “atoning sacrifice.”


1 John 2: 1 – 2.


1 John 2: 1 – 2 …1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 

Some people don’t like to read the Book of 1 John, because it makes them feel guilty.  They think John is teaching an unrealistic view of sinless Christian life.  For example, in this passage John says he is writing to us so that we “will not sin.”  However, we need to read this in context and pay close attention to the way he shifts between different verb tenses.
When John says we “will not sin,” he does not mean that we will never commit another sin.  Instead, he is teaching us something very important about sin.  According to John, sin is evil and opposed to God’s will for our lives.  It is not acceptable for Christians to live in continuous sin.  In fact, it is not acceptable for Christians to be comfortable with sin. 
Of course, he then follows up this statement with an affirmation that Christians will commit individual sinful acts.  There is hope for the Christian who sins.  Our hope is what Jesus is doing on our behalf while seated at the right hand of our Heavenly Father.  Jesus is defending us and speaking to the Father on our behalf.  Jesus is interceding for us in the presence of God.
But, intercession is not the only thing Jesus has done for us.  Jesus also gave his life as “the atoning sacrifice” for our sins.


Direction of Christ’s Work


I am reading from the New International Version.  But, I know some of you read from other translations.  Your translation may not use the phrase “atoning sacrifice.”  I know the King James Version, New American Standard Bible and the English Standard Version use the word “propitiation;” and the Revised Standard Version uses the word “expiation.” 
It’s true that the Greek word here can mean either “propitiation” or “expiation,” but “propitiation” and “expiation” do not mean the same thing.  In some ways, they have opposite meanings.  So, we have to make a choice between “propitiation” and “expiation.”  And that is what the translators have done.  They have chosen “propitiation” over “expiation.”
“Propitiation” is a word which is normally associated with the world of animal sacrifice.  In the pagan world, people believed that their gods were angry with them and required animal sacrifices to appease their anger.  By killing an animal and burning the dead animal on a sacrificial altar, they could change the mood or attitude of their gods.  The sacrifice was directed toward the gods.  A human being offered the sacrifice so that the gods would be pleased with them.
“Expiation” also comes from the world of animal sacrifice.  However, it differs from “propitiation” in the direction of the sacrifice.  It was not offered to the gods.  It was offered toward the sins.  The blood of the sacrifice was not intended to appease the anger of the gods.  Instead, the blood was used to cover over or to cleanse the sin.
If we want to have a biblical view of sacrifice, we need to examine the ways sacrifices were used and described in the Old Testament.  Since the earliest Christians (including Jesus and his disciples) came out of Judaism, it is reasonable to say they were shaped by their understanding of the Old Testament.
Some sacrifices in the Old Testament were obviously directed toward God.  God was angered by the sins of his people.  God’s people deserved to experience the full wrath of God because of their sins.  Therefore, they offered sacrifices to appease God’s anger.
Other sacrifices in the Old Testament were directed toward the sins of the people.  A couple of examples can be found in the procedures for consecrating the priests, consecrating the altar, and even in the Jewish Day of Atonement.  In these cases, an animal was killed, and the blood of the animal was used to cleanse the priest, the altar and the people of Israel.
Perhaps we should not choose between “propitiation” and “expiation.”  Both of these concepts can be found in biblical sacrifices.  And, I believe both concepts are at work in the death of Jesus on the cross.  Jesus died on the cross to turn away God’s wrath from us, because our sins deserve to experience the full weight of God’s wrath.  Jesus also died on the cross to wash away our sins…to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The only thing I would insist on is to say that we do not offer the sacrifice.  In the Old Testament sacrifices, animals were not willing sacrifices.  The animals did not know what was happening to them.  The animals had to be captured and restrained in order to be offered as sacrifices.  Jesus did not have to be captured.  Jesus willingly gave his life—his life was not taken from him.  Therefore, since Jesus is fully God and fully human, God himself is both the subject and the object of the sacrifice.  God provided the means for us to escape the wrath of God as well as the means to have our sins washed away.


Scope of Christ’s Work


One aspect of the atonement (the Work of Christ) that has occupied theological discussions for centuries can be described in the question, “For whom did Jesus die on the cross?”  Did Jesus die only for the elect—those who would be saved?  Or, did Jess die for everyone—both the saved and the unsaved?
Theologians who say Jesus only died for the elect raise two interesting questions. 
If Jesus died to turn away God’s wrath, then there are some sins which are punished twice.  All the sins of the world were punished in Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross.  Then, some sins receive a second punishment in Hell. 
If Jesus died to wash away sins, then the death of Jesus was not 100 percent effective.  Jesus was successful in forgiving the sins of those who are saved.  But, Jesus failed to forgive the sins of those who are not saved.
I believe this can be reconciled by describing the difference between the accomplishment of atonement and the application of atonement.  When Jesus died on the cross, Jesus accomplished atonement for all the world—God’s wrath was turned away and sins were forgiven.  However, this accomplished work of Christ is not applied universally to all the world.  The accomplished work of Christ is applied personally and individually through faith.
The Work of Christ contains aspects of universality and exclusivity.  Jesus’ death is universal because it is offered freely to all people and all races and all nations at all points in history.  However, Jesus’ death is exclusive because it is the only way God has provided for us to escape from God’s wrath and have our sins forgiven.


Motivation for Christ’s Work


The theological phrase “atoning sacrifice” shows up twice in the Book of 1 John…

1 John 2: 1 – 2 …1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 

1 John 4: 10…This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 

These two references have something very important in common.  In both passages, Jesus is the “atoning sacrifice.”  Jesus not only offered the sacrifice.  Jesus IS the sacrifice.  He was the spotless lamb who turned away God’s wrath and washed away our sins.
However, these two references also make two different points about why Jesus offered himself as the “atoning sacrifice.”
1 John 2 tells us that Jesus was motivated by Righteousness.  His death on the cross satisfied the Righteous requirements of God.  His death on the cross was sufficient because Jesus was truly Righteous.  His life was perfect and sinless.  Jesus was uniquely qualified to serve as our representative priest before God.  AND, Jesus was uniquely qualified to be the Righteous sacrifice.
1 John 4 tells us that Jesus was motivated by Love.  God loved us so much that he provided the only way for us to be “at one” or reconciled with God.  AND, Jesus loved us so much that Jesus was faithful and obedient to God’s plan for his life.
Both Righteousness and Love are important concepts for us to understand why Jesus offered his life as the “atoning sacrifice.”  Because God is Righteous, God cannot tolerate human sin.  Our relationship with God is broken as a result of our unrighteousness.  Because God is Love, God cannot tolerate this broken relationship.  God could maintain his Righteousness without ever offering us a way to be in relationship with himself…But without relationship, there would be no Love.  God could maintain his Love for us by tolerating any and all forms of human sin…But by tolerating human sin, God’s Righteousness would be compromised.  The death of Jesus on the cross is the only way to reconcile God’s Righteousness and Love.  God provided the sacrifice that satisfies his Righteousness and demonstrates his Love.


Conclusion


One of my favorite ways to describe the Work of Christ is to use a human illustration about forgiveness.  I got this illustration from a book I read in a college theology course (Fisher Humphreys, Thinking about God: An Introduction to Christian Theology, [New Orleans: Insight Press, 1974]).
Imagine that you are in business with someone who has been your life-long friend.  After a long and successful career, you discover that your friend and business partner has been stealing money from you.  When you find out all the details, you discover that your friend and business partner has stolen your entire life savings.  There are three ways you can respond.
First, you can simply ignore the theft.  You can continue to be friends and business partners.  This is what most people think of when they think of forgiveness.  However, forgetting is not the same thing as forgiveness.  In fact, forgetting is not a good option.  By ignoring the problem, you are not helping your friend and business partner—he will continue to steal, because he has gotten away with it.  By ignoring the problem, you are also an accomplice to the crime.  You knew about it and did nothing.
Second, you can punish the criminal.  If you punish the criminal, you alleviate your own guilt, you help the criminal to “learn his lesson” and hopefully correct his ways.  You even have the satisfaction of “doing the right thing” and seeking justice.  But, justice does not fix the relationship.  In fact, justice is probably going to destroy the relationship.
The third way is the way of forgiveness.  Forgiveness is not the same thing as forgetting or ignoring the crime.  Forgiveness is not the same thing as justice.  Forgiveness is suffering the consequences of someone else’s actions and working to restore the relationship.

This is what Jesus did on the cross.  Jesus did not suffer the consequences of his own sins.  Jesus suffered because of our sins.  Jesus did not give us what we deserve.  Jesus took the punishment and consequences that we deserved so that we could be reconciled to God.

Sunday, June 09, 2013

Who Is Jesus?

Who Is Jesus?


Matthew 16: 13 – 20.


Introduction

I am in the middle of a series of sermons on Basic Christian Theology.  Over the past several weeks I have preached about theological themes like God, the ways God reveals himself to us, God’s relationship with the world, and sin.  Today, I am preaching about a theme that truly stands at the heart of Christian faith and theology.  What do you believe about Jesus?
Ultimately, this is the one thing that separates Christianity from other world religions.  As Christians, we believe that Jesus is God.  Any belief system that claims Jesus is not God falls outside the realm of Christianity.  It might be religious…It may stress morality, clean living or even justice for all people…But such a belief is not Christian.
Jesus is a truly interesting person.  For some people, just mentioning the name Jesus is offensive.  We are all familiar with efforts to remove the name Jesus from public prayers and public displays.  However, most people are willing to say good things about Jesus as a person.  Both Jews and Muslims reject Jesus as God…But they are willing to acknowledge that Jesus was a prophet.  Hindus and Buddhists also reject Jesus as God…But acknowledge that Jesus was a holy man.  Even secular people with no particular religious beliefs are often willing to say that Jesus was a good man.
The problem with these views of Jesus is the fact that they do not go far enough.  Jesus is a prophet, a holy man and a good man (who set an example for us to follow).  But Jesus was and is more than that.  As Christians, we affirm all of these views and insist that Jesus is also God Incarnate—God in the Flesh, or God with us.
We ought to allow our views on Jesus to be shaped by the biblical witness.  In particular, we ought to allow Jesus to speak for himself and read what Jesus says about himself in the Gospels.


Matthew 16: 13 – 20.

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 
14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 
15 "But what about you (y'all)?" he asked. "Who do you (y'all) say I am?" 
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 
17 Jesus replied,"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.


There are a couple of issues I want to address at the beginning so they will not distract us from the point of this conversation between Jesus and his disciples.
First, the argument could be made that Jesus never addresses his identity in this passage.  Jesus asks his disciples what the crowds of people think about the Son of Man.  Then Jesus asks his disciples for their opinions about the Son of Man.  Such a view would say that this passage is not about Jesus at all.  It is about what the crowds and disciples think about the coming Son of man.  However, that all breaks down when you compare the two questions Jesus asked his disciples.  In verse 13, Jesus asked, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”  Then, in verse 15, Jesus asked, “But what about ya’ll?  Who do ya’ll say I am?”  In a very subtle way, Jesus has just identified himself as the Son of Man.
Second, much has been made of the last verse of our Scripture.  In that verse, we read that Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone that Jesus is the Christ.  Some people might use this to say that Jesus is not the Christ and therefore didn’t want his disciples spreading a false rumor about him.  If that position is true, then Jesus would never want his disciples to spread the word about what they believe about Jesus.  We get a better understanding of what Jesus was saying when we compare what he says here in Matthew 16 to what he says in Matthew 28.  In Matthew 28, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go to all nations and make more disciples of Jesus.  It was not yet time to tell the world, because it was before the cross and the Resurrection.


The Son of Man


Throughout the Gospels, this is Jesus’ favorite way to describe himself.  Jesus called himself the Son of man.  But, Jesus never defined specifically what that title means.  This tells us that his First Century audience would have been very familiar with both the phrase Son of Man and what it meant in an early Jewish context.
More than likely, Jesus and his disciples would have understood Son of Man as it was previously defined in the Old Testament book of Daniel.  Daniel describes the Son of Man as an exalted figure who will be revealed in the end times.  The Son of Man would be seen in the clouds and would be seated at the right hand of God.  The Son of Man serves an important role in judging the nations.
If Jesus claimed to be the Son of Man in this sense, then Jesus understood that he had an important role to play in the final outcome of the world as we know it.  Jesus knew that he would be exalted over all the earth and would be assigned the responsibility to judge between those who were Righteous and those who were un-Righteous.  Jesus knew he would be seated at the right hand of God in the coming Kingdom of God—the right hand being the place of highest honor.  And, Jesus knew that a new day had dawned on the earth.
If Jesus is the Son of Man, then the life of Jesus is the beginning of something new.  A new day (or a new age) has come upon the earth.  Jesus’ life was the beginning of this new age, but this new age will not be fully realized until Jesus has ascended into Heaven and returned to earth to judge the nations. 


The Christ


In our day, the word “Christ” has become a proper noun and a part of the name Jesus Christ.  In the First Century, however, “Christ” had not yet become a proper noun.  It was actually the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah.”  Both “Christ” and “Messiah” can be translated as “the Anointed One.”  Therefore, the proper noun Jesus Christ could just as well mean Jesus Messiah.
In the Old Testament, men were anointed with oil when they began serving as kings or priests.  This anointing was a way to set them apart from the rest of the people and indicated they had been called to special service.  It was also a symbolic way to indicate that these men had been endowed with the Holy Spirit.
Eventually, the Jews began to hope for a Coming Messiah who would permanently fulfill the role of Anointed King and Anointed Priest for Israel.  When the Messiah came (in the future), he would bring a permanent peace in Israel; he would establish God’s Righteousness and justice throughout the world; he would bring prosperity to Israel; and he would lead all peoples of the world to a proper knowledge and worship of the One True God.  This Messiah would usher in a new and different future for all peoples and would restore paradise on the earth.
One important Jewish belief about the Coming Messiah was his family heritage.  In order for this Messiah to be God’s Anointed One, he must come from the lineage of David, the ideal King of Israel.  This would be in fulfillment of the words spoken to David by the prophet Nathan.  There would always be a descendent of David to rule over the nation of Israel.
Both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke go to great lengths to trace Jesus’ ancestry back through David.  This is significant as it shows how Jesus can be the Messiah Israel had been looking for.  Jesus is the answer to Israel’s hopes and prayers for the future.  Jesus is the Promised Anointed One.
Of course, not all of the First Century Jews acknowledged Jesus as their Promised Messiah.  In their understanding of the Messiah, they were looking for a political or a military leader.  They were looking for someone who could overthrow the Roman Empire.  They were not looking for a Messiah who would suffer and die on a Roman cross.  In fact, we often forget that in the years leading up to the birth of Jesus there had been many men who claimed to be the Promised Messiah.  They led rebellions against Rome and suffered as a result.  Some were probably even crucified by the Romans.  By the time Jesus went to the cross, crucifixion was not a sign of a true Messiah.  It was a sign of a failed (or a false) Messiah.
The difference is that crucifixion was not the end for Jesus.  Three days after the crucifixion, Jesus rose again.  The Resurrection of Jesus is significant to his claims that he was the Promised Messiah.  Crucifixion without Resurrection would have been a failure.  But, the Resurrection shows that Jesus has been vindicated by God.  In the Resurrection, God has placed his stamp of approval on everything Jesus said and did during his earthly life.  He taught us about the Kingdom of God—the sovereign rule of God on the earth.  He demonstrated the Kingdom of God breaking into the earthly realm by healing the sick, casting out demons and rolling back the power of darkness on earth.  God has demonstrated his sovereignty by creating and sustaining the earth.  However, we have a difficult time recognizing the sovereignty of God because the world is filled with death, sickness and evil.  The life and ministry of Jesus shows us what the world is supposed to look like.  Good is supposed to defeat evil and darkness is supposed to be dispelled by the light.
As the Messiah (or Christ), Jesus is the King.  However, Jesus is not a political or military king.  Jesus is the King who gave his life so that we can be free from the sin, death, sickness and evil which have dominated our lives.


The Son of God


In the Old Testament, Son of God usually referred to a divine being.  In the New Testament, this is a title for Jesus.  If the early Christians who wrote the New Testament were shaped by their understanding of the Old Testament, then it is easy to see they actually believed Jesus was divine.  Jesus is God Incarnate—God in the Flesh.
There are three occasions in the life of Jesus where the New Testament emphasizes that Jesus is the Son of God.  One occasion was Jesus’ baptism.  When Jesus came out of the Jordan River, the Spirit of God descended like a dove and a voice from Heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in him I am well pleased.”  Another occasion was on the Mount of Transfiguration.  Jesus took Peter, James and John to the top of a mountain and showed them his glory.  Jesus’ clothes became dazzling white.  Moses and Elijah appeared alongside Jesus.  And a voice from Heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.”  The other occasion was the miraculous birth of Jesus.
According to the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was born to Mary at a time when she was still a virgin.  Jesus did not have a normal birth like you and I did.  Jesus was not conceived by a husband and wife.  Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit.  God himself is Jesus’ Father.
Jesus is the Unique Son of God.  His miraculous birth demonstrates that Jesus came from Heaven.  Throughout his life, Jesus maintained a close and intimate relationship with God.  Jesus lived his life as God’s loyal Son.  Jesus imitated his Father in everything he did and said.  Jesus did nothing on his own initiative.  He modeled God’s character and was always faithful and obedient to God as his Father.
This leads us to what is perhaps the most important thing we can say about Jesus.  Jesus was God Incarnate or God in the Flesh.  Jesus was and is both divine and human.  We see his divinity in the fact that all of creation was under Jesus’ control.  He could heal the sick.  He could even control the wind and the storms.  We see Jesus’ humanity in the fact that he experienced everything it means to be human.  The Bible tells us that Jesus was hungry and ate food.  Jesus was thirsty and asked for a drink (on the cross).  Jesus was tired and rested near a Samaritan well.  Jesus was sad and grieved at the grave of a friend.  Jesus was angry when he overturned the tables in the Temple.  Jesus was even tempted by Satan when he fasted in the desert for forty days.
The proper theological view of Jesus is to say that Jesus was and is both fully divine and fully human.  If Jesus is ONLY human, then God has not come down to save us from our sins.  If Jesus is ONLY divine, then God has not entered our world.  If Jesus is BOTH divine and human, then God has entered the world of sin and evil…God has set an example for how we ought to live our lives…And God has provided the way for our sins to be forgiven and for us to have an eternal relationship with the living God.


Conclusion


In this Scripture, we discover three important titles for Jesus: the Son of Man, who will judge between the Righteous and the un-Righteous; the Christ, who is the ideal King over all creation; and the Son of God, who is both divine and human.
Notice how Jesus responds to Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.”  In other words, Jesus said, “You are right.”  That is significant, because Jesus agrees with Peter’s confession.  Jesus claimed to be divine!
If Jesus claimed to be God, we have to take those claims seriously.  If Jesus claimed to be God, then we have only a few choices.  One way to interpret Jesus’ words about himself is to say that Jesus was a Liar—he knew that he was just an ordinary human being but deliberately misrepresented himself by claiming to be God.  Or, perhaps Jesus was a Lunatic—he honestly believed he was God but was suffering from some sort of delusion.  Or, Jesus is Lord—Jesus truly is who he claims to be.


How will you respond to these claims?  Is Jesus a Liar, a Lunatic or the Lord?