Who Art Thou, Lord?

TEXTJohn 14:6Acts 9:1-5

INTRODUCTION:

A.  THE PERTINENT QUESTION:  “WHO ART THOU, LORD?”

          1.  Who is Jesus?  Where did he come from, what was expected of him?

          2.  These are primary questions.

B  WAS JESUS REAL?

          1.  Misconceptions of Bible characters (Matt. 16:13-14Mark 6:14).

          2.  There were those who denied his existence in the first century (1 John 4:2).

          3.  Some skeptics today deny that he ever lived.

          4.  Some would so alter his character and mission that he might well have never existed.

C.  TWO QUESTIONS:

          1.  Did Jesus exist?

          2.  Why did he come?

I.      DID JESUS EXIST?

A.  AMONG PAGAN SOURCES.

          1.  Thallus (a Samaritan historian, 52 A.D.)wrote attempting to give a natural explanation

                   for the darkness which occurred at the crucifixion of Jesus.   He did not deny the

                   existence of Jesus, but only tried to explain away the strange circumstances

                   surrounding His death

          2.       Letter of Mara-Serapion(written to his son, 73 A.D.)tells of the deaths of

                   Socrates, Pythagoras, and of Jesus.  "What advantage did the Jews gain from

                   executing their wise king?...Nor did the wise king die for good; he lived on in the

                   teaching which he had given."

          3.       Cornelius Tacitus(Roman historian, 112 A.D.)writes of Jesus in his Annals,

                   "Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator

                   of Judea in the reign of Tiberias."

          4.       Pliny the Younger(Governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor, 112 A.D.)wrote to

                   the emperor Trajan about Christians and their devotion to Christ.

          5.       SEUTONIUS (Court official and annalist under Hadrian, 120 A.D.)"As the Jews

                   were making constant disturbance at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them

                   from Rome."  Luke makes reference to this same expulsion in Acts 18:1-2.

B.  JEWISH SOURCES.

          1.       The Talmud, two separate books dealing with Jewish law, written during the period

                   from 100 A.D. to 500 A.D. speaking often of Jesus , in unfriendly terms, of course,

                   but never disputing his status as a historical figure.

          2.       Flavius Josephus(Jewish general turned Roman historian, born 37 A.D.) makes

                   several references to Jesus in his History Of The Jews, "...and brought before it

                   the brother of Jesus, the so-called Christ, whose name was James."

C.  THE BIBLE ITSELF.  Eyewitness testimony, rejected solely because of its power.

II.  WHO IS THIS JESUS? (Matt. 16:16-18PETER TELLS US.

A.  THOU ART THE CHRIST (John 5:39-40, 45-47).

          1.  The Promise (Gen. 3:1512:1-3).  The unfolding of this promis comes in the form of

                   Prophecies.

                   a.  The blessing promised would come through the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10),

                       specifically, the family of David (2 Sam. 7:12-13).  Fulfilled (Matt. 1:1,2,17).

                   b.  The sign would be that of a virgin conceiving and bringing forth a son

                       ( Isa. 7:14 ).  Fulfilled ( Matt. 1:18-25 ).

                   c.  Born in Bethlehem ( Micah 5:2 ).  Fulfilled( Matt. 2:1 ).

                   d.  Preceded by a great prophet ( Mal.3:1 ). Fulfilled( Matt. 3:1-3 ).

                   e.  He would be a great prophet ( Deut. 18:15-19 ). ( Acts 3:22-23 ).

                   f.  A priest & king ( Zech. 6:12-13 ). ( Acts 2:36;  Heb. 4:14 ).

                   g.  His sacrifice (Isa. 53:5-6)(John 8:46Mat. 27:4; 19:4-6; 1 Pet. 2:21-24).

          2.  As Jesus is the fulfillment of these prophecies, he is also the fulfillment of the

                   Promises made to Abraham and Eve.

                   a.  His victory over sin and death (Acts 2:22-241 Cor. 15:54-57).

                   b.  There is no spiritual blessing outside Christ (Eph. 1:3).  All things are summed

                             up in him (vs. 10).

                   c.  Acts 2:36.  Both Lord and Christ.

B.  THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.

          1.  Obvious thoughts of his origin and divinity (Luke 1:30-35Col. 2:9).

          2.  Has to do with the fellowship of God and Jesus (John 14:8-10).

          3.  Has to do with his position of authority and glory.

                   a.  A prophecied position (Heb. 1:5;  Acts 12:33).

                   b.  When Jesus was raised, where did he go? (Eph. 1:20-23).

                   c.  Rom. 1:3-4.

C.  I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.

          1.  Death wouldn’t stop him (Matt. 16:18Acts 20:28).  His death made it possible.

          2.  The church is not the invention of men (Eph. 3:10-11).  Part of the eternal purpose.

          3.  It is his church, he is the head (Col. 1:183:17).

CONCLUSION:

A.  GOD MADE JESUS LORD AND CHRIST.  FOR WHOM? (Matt. 28:18).

B.  HE IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH (Eph. 1:22-23).

C.  ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSING ARE IN HIM (Eph. 1:3)

D.  ARE YOU IN CHRIST? (Gal. 3:26-27)