What About The Christ? - Shahe Gergian 8/23/15

It's a pleasure and a privilege to be here.

And to be with you today to see many familiar faces.

Those who once were my fellow congregants here in this place

for so many years and to see many new faces those who were

not here the five years ago when I moved away.

And so I'm glad to see each and every one of you here today and

I'm thankful to be able to be here.

And to be with you this morning we're going to To take our

reading, from Matthew, the 22nd chapter.

And I'll have the scripture up here on the screen and all the

verses, unless otherwise marked will be from the new King James

version here on the screen. Now, the context of this scene

is Jesus is in Jerusalem, and he's at the temple and this

occurs just three days before he goes to the Cross, during the

final week of his life on Earth, the week of the Passover and

this Particular exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees comes at

the end or towards the end of a lengthy day where Jesus answered

questions from the audience. And now after he's answered

several questions, he turns to ask a question of his own and so

we'll read together in Matthew 22 beginning in verse 41, while

the Pharisees were gathered together.

Jesus asked them saying, what do you think about the Christ,

whose son? One, is he they said to him the

son of David. He said to them, how then does

David in the spirit. Call him Lord saying the Lord

said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies

your footstool, if David then calls him Lord.

How is he? His son?

And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day

on. Did anyone dare question him

anymore? We're going to look at this

exchange and consider the question asked by the Savior.

What about the Christ? The Bible is not a history

textbook, but it does contain loads of historical information.

This information was recorded by Bible writers, not for the

purpose of teaching World Civ 101 but primarily to trace God's

working in the world. This is especially demonstrated

in the Book of Genesis. The word Genesis means Or

beginning the Hebrew title given to the first book of Moses.

Is there a sheath, which means in the beginning, or at the

first a third Genesis though it's filled with Doctrine.

Primarily Moses is riding during the Wilderness wandering to

inform and remind the recently, emancipated Israelites of their

Heritage and what brought them to where they are and where

they're going, the promised land of Canaan.

When you examine Jenna, Assist you find that there are several

themes repeated over and over in its 50 chapters.

One of those themes is that of genealogies, in fact, some have

suggested that maybe the book should be called told death,

which is the Hebrew word for genealogy or Generations because

that word begins every new section in the book in Genesis 2

and verse 4. We read these are the

generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were

created in the day that the Lord God Made the earth and the

heavens Genesis 5:1. This is the book of the

Genesis 5:1

genealogy of Adam Genesis 6:9. This is the genealogy of Noah

Genesis 6:9

Genesis 10 1. This is the genealogy of the

sons of Noah. Genesis 11 27, this is the

genealogy of Tara Genesis 25:19. This is the genealogy of Isaac

Genesis 25:19

and Genesis 37 to. These are the generations of

Jacob by recording these. Genealogies Moses is showing

Where the Israelites originated. He's recording the continuity of

human history. He's setting the historical

background of Israel's national identity and he's tracing the

passing of promises. One of the other great themes of

the Book of Genesis is the idea of Covenant fulfillment.

In Genesis 12, God called Abraham out of UR of the

Chaldeans and he promised him that he would lead him to a

great. And he would give that land to

him that he would make him a great nation.

And also that from his lineage, all the families of the Earth

would be blessed. And we know that promise is the

promise of the Messiah that promise would then pass from

Abraham to Isaac. Not as mail from Isaac, it would

pass to Jacob. Not Esau and from Jacob, it

would pass not to his firstborn Ruben or two Simian, or to Levi,

but it would pass. To Judah the fourth son of

Jacob. And then if we fast forward

Beyond The Book of Genesis and Beyond The Exodus Into the

Wilderness wanderings and Beyond into the conquest of Canaan

under Joshua and we fast-forward through the times of the judges,

we come to the Golden Age of Israel, the age of the United

Kingdom, and they're in first Chronicles chapter 2, the Bible

1 Chronicles 2 · chapter mention

records, guess what? Another genealogy.

And the purpose here is in part to show that one of the

descendants of Judah to whom that abrahamic promise past is a

man named David. David was Israel's second king

chosen to replace the rebellious all during the reign of David

and Solomon. His son Israel was at its most

powerful. Its most majestic, its most

influential and not only that But because David was a

righteous man. God made him some promises.

Now there are many many passages in the Old Testament, which look

forward to the Messiah and many of them mentioned.

The fact that the Messiah would descend from David.

For example, a child will be born to take the Throne of

David. Isaiah 9, God's blessings will

be on the rod from the stem of, Jesse Isaiah. 11 a king will

come from the branch of David, Jeremiah 23 and the one to be

ruler and Israel will be born in Bethlehem.

The city of David Micah 5 and verse 2.

And so on that day during the final week of the Lord's life

here on Earth as Jesus, stood arguing with the Pharisees and

the Sadducees and the herodians. Over all manner of issues, Jesus

fielded some complicated questions.

He fielded a question about whether it was right or not to

pay taxes to Caesar, he fielded a question about a woman who had

been married seven times and they wouldn't know in the

resurrection. Who would she be married to?

He fielded a question about which commandment was the

greatest of all commandments? These were hot button issues

these These were issues which were being debated and argued

over amongst the Jews, these were complicated questions.

And so then when Jesus steps up and he asks his question, he

asked maybe what could have been the simplest question of all

from whom is the Messiah to descend whose son is he?

And it seems that they unite together this audience which had

been divided all day long to answer this silly question.

Well, He's the son of David, of course, and they were right.

They were correct. There is a reason that both

Matthew and Luke include genealogies in their gospels.

It's not just to fill space but in those genealogies rather the

Apostle and Luke both record this great lineage Matthew

records, the lineage from Abraham to David to Jesus.

Luke goes all the way back to Adam and traces.

His genealogy to Jesus showing that the Messiah is not just the

Messiah for the Jews, but he's a messiah for all the descendants

of Adam for all people, of all Nations during the lifetime of

Jesus and his time on Earth. No one.

Bird challenge. That he was descended of David.

No one ever questioned, or a challenge his davidic ancestry

before. Jerusalem was destroyed in ad

70, the records and genealogies of the Jews were meticulously

capped, at any point during Jesus, preaching career.

And he Israelite could have gone into Jerusalem and gone down to

the hall of records and looked up the information about Jesus

of Nazareth. The son.

Son of Joseph and Mary. And if that no other time in his

ministry, certainly someone would have done that during the

final week the Passover week, because just two days before

Jesus asked his question, Jesus had rode into Jerusalem on the

back of the donkey in the triumphal entry, he'd been gone

from Jerusalem for months and now he's come back for the

Passover week. And when he rides into town,

listen to what they say about him.

Matthew 21 verse 9, the multitudes who went before and

Matthew 21:9

those who followed cried out saying, Hosanna to the son of

David. I should say.

So, they said that to Jesus blessed, is he?

Who comes in the name of the Lord hosanna in the highest Mark

says in Mark 11 9. And 10 of those who went before,

and those, who followed cried out saying, Hosanna blessed.

Is he who comes in the name of Lord blessed is the kingdom of

Our Father. David, that comes in the name of

the Lord hosanna in the highest. The next day, when Jesus

cleansed the temple. The Bible says that some

children cried out saying, Hosanna to The son of David.

And of course, the priests and scribes were indignant at that.

I think it's easy for us to assume then that somebody did

some checking if Jesus was being heralded as the son of David, a

quick record inspection, could have shown whether this was true

or false, yet no one challenged his ancestry.

And so I think that it can be deduced that they all believed

that he was a descendant of the great king.

But so what? So what who knows how many

hundreds or thousands of Israelites who were living at

this time? Had Royal Blood coursing through

their veins? Who knows how many of them were

The Offspring of David? Is that enough to make somebody

the Messiah? Well, of course not.

And this is the point, Jesus is about to drive home in Matthew,

22, beginning in verse 43, Jesus said how, then does David say in

the spirit Lord. The Lord said to my Lord, sit at

my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool, if David

calls him Lord. How is he his son?

The question. Jesus, essentially asks is, how

can the Messiah be David's, son and David's Lord at the same

time? That's the question, how can the

Messiah be David's, son, and David's Lord.

At the same time, Jesus quotes here from the 110th Psalm, which

is a highly Messianic. Psalm David wrote The Psalm in

the first person. And it begins by saying the Lord

said to my Lord, now the first word there in the Old Testament

in 100, in psalm, for Lord, is the sacred.

Name of God. That's the name that God gave to

Moses at the burning bush. You tell them I am sent you.

That's the name of the Lord but the second Lord, the Lord said

to, my Lord is the word Adonai and that's a word that means

ruler or Master. It's the most common title given

to God, as in Daniel 523 when God has called the Lord, the

ruler of Heaven. So David is riding in the spirit

which means by inspiration and he wrote that the Lord God said

to David's Lord the mighty ruler sit at my right hand until I

make your enemies your footstool.

Notice that the Messiah is not just called Lord but also he

sits at God's right hand and he tramples his enemies underfoot.

This is the same song that's quoted by the Hebrew writer.

When it says, the Lord has sworn and will not relent you are a

priest forever. According to the order of

Melchizedek, this is about Jesus.

And so if David calls him Lord how is he?

His son. And no one was able to answer

him a word. You see, friends, the Jews were

like, many people of today many people.

Hold some truth about Jesus, but their view of him is

insufficient in one way or another.

The Jews were right in that, they knew the Messiah would

descend from David, but they missed all the Old Testament

passages. That taught that the Messiah

would be more than just a man. They failed to see the Messiah

would also be the Son of God. And so what I want to do for the

remainder of our time, this morning is to look at some

common views about Jesus today. Some common ways that people see

Jesus today, and we're going to ask the question if that is

accurate according to the scripture, or if there's

something inadequate about that view and the First view may be a

bit surprising to you, but the first few that I want to talk

about this morning is the Islamic view of Jesus.

A did you know that Muslims believe that Jesus was one of

25? Prophets sent by Allah into the

world to reveal Heavens, message to Mankind in the Quran.

The fifth chapter and the 46 verse it says, an in their

footsteps, we sent Jesus, the son of Mary, Mary confirming the

law that had come before him, we sent him.

The gospel therein was guidance and light and the confirmation

of the law that had come before him a guidance.

And an admonition to those who fear Allah, the Quran Praises

Jesus. As one of the finest profits to

ever walk the earth, he was one who held forth.

Truth to a reprobate people who had rejected his message.

Jesus along with me. Muhammad According to Islamic

belief will stand together with Allah and judge the world.

Now, there's some people today who lost the Muslim belief

concerning Jesus. They're impressed that Muslims

have such a high view of him as a prophet.

And even believe that certain types of religious Fellowship

can be extended by Christian people to Muslims because of

their common beliefs were friends.

This is wrong. Let me give you just one reason

why it's wrong. Jesus was, of course, a prophet

sent by God to reveal truth. That's correct.

They have one truth about Jesus, but we know that he was so much

more than that. He was God's son, Muslims, deny

the deity of Christ. They also deny that he was

crucified and that he died a substitutionary sacrifice for

sin. My friends to deny this is to

now the gospel because Paul wrote In First Corinthians 15

and verse 34. I delivered to you first of all,

that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins.

According to the scriptures, the Islamic view fall short, because

they deny the Cornerstone of the Gospel.

But number two, let me talk about another view with you few

minutes, and that's the liberal view.

Now, we use the word liberal in a broad sense.

Since today. But historically, what's known

as theological liberalism or Protestant, liberalism was a

movement that began in the 19th century and it was rooted in the

philosophies of men like Immanuel Kant and the religious

teachings of this man Friedrich schleiermacher and basically

this movement which is still very common.

Today is a movement which tries to meld religious Christian

convictions with scientific. Facts or what they claim are

scientific facts. And so this type of liberalism

was known for its denial of the supernatural.

It's denial of Miracles or the inspiration of the Bible and it

promoted a more relativistic or pluralistic or non doctrinal

approach to Christianity in the liberal view.

Jesus was a great moral teacher. He was a great moral teacher.

He had a view of ethics that have never been seen in the

world before his time. He shine forth to the darkness

of pharisaic Judaism to shed. New light on themes, Like Loving

ones neighbor and doing good unto others.

He was an incredibly inspiring man.

Is that true about Jesus? Yes, of course, was Jesus a

great moral teacher. Absolutely.

But, of course, he was so much more than that.

One of the greatest testimonials concerning, the authority of

Christ. Was the fact that he worked

miracles and Acts chapter 2, as the Apostle Peter is preaching

Acts 2 · chapter mention

on Pentecost. He says, in verse 22, men of

Israel. Hear these words, Jesus of

Nazareth, a man attested by God to you by Miracles, wonders, and

signs, which God did through him in your midst, as you

yourselves. Also know, you know what I love

about this passage just a few minutes ago, when Peter, and the

other Apostles started to preach the crowd blurted out an

accusation against them. Remember what it was the

accusation was these men are drunk.

These men are intoxicated, that's what explains what's

going on here. And of course, the Apostle said,

we're not drunk. Unk, this is what was spoken of

by the prophet. Joel, the prophets, look forward

to this time. But when we get to this part

right here in verse 22, and Peter says, God testified that

he was with Jesus by signs and wonders and miracles as you

yourselves, also know. Nobody said a word.

Nobody said a word. Because everybody knew it was

true. Nobody could deny it, no one

could deny the Miracles worked by God in Jesus Christ.

As you yourselves also know, you know that it is true.

Peter says to deny the Supernatural is to deny the

Divine authority of Jesus. The greatest of the miraculous

Atta stations of Jesus was the resurrection.

Others worked miracles before Jesus, and others, worked

miracles after, but the resurrection makes all the

difference. If Jesus arose, and is alive.

He must be the Son of God. If not why pay any attention to

him. And so, back in First

Corinthians 15, when Paul is writing about the gospel, he

says, we know that these things are true.

We know that Christ died for our Sins according to the

scriptures, we know that he was buried and we know that he rose

again the third day because all these people saw him, you ever

wonder why Paul names all these names in 1st Corinthians 15?

This is me reading a little between the lines.

But it seems to me that Paul is saying, if you don't believe it,

go talk to this person. You don't believe what I'm

writing. I'll give you a reference.

Here's somebody, you can go talk to about these people solve

Jesus. After he had risen from the dead

and that witness makes all the difference.

So this view fall short. And now we go to our third View

and maybe these first two views haven't been too common and

people you've encountered today, that's okay, because I know

you've heard this third View and I'm going to call it the

denominational View. A common Mantra in the

denominational world today is to say, Jesus is my personal

savior. You ever heard somebody say that

certainly you have certainly you've heard maybe a TV or radio

preacher who will look into the camera or speak into the

microphone and say something like have you accepted Jesus as

your personal Savior and then that question is usually

followed by some unbiblical jargon about Inviting Jesus into

your heart and reciting a sinner's prayer such as not

found in the New Testament and never is given as an

Invitational plea in the Bible. Now, the phrase itself might

have some Merit Jesus is my personal savior died, identifies

the name of Jesus and ascribe to him, the title of Savior, and

that's good. And even the idea of a personal

savior, might not be wrong. In the fact that each individual

must decide whether or not to follow, oh, oh, Jesus, and faith

and obedience. But there are at least two

problems with this view, which I think makes them makes it

insufficient. First of all, it promotes the

notion of Lone Wolf Christianity.

You see, Jesus is not merely a personal savior, he's a

corporate savior. He's a corporate savior.

Paul wrote that the husband is the head of the wife as also

Christ is head of the church and savior of the body.

Savior of the body Ephesians 5:23.

Ephesians 5:23

Jesus purchased the church with his blood and he is the savior

of the body. Not really the same as a

personal savior, but the second reason why this view is

insufficient, is that while it acknowledges that Jesus is a

savior, it ignores the fact that Jesus is also Lord.

See, this is the nature of so much.

Modern religion, folks today, want to call Jesus Savior, but

they don't want to follow him as Lord.

They want Redemption without repentance they want,

forgiveness without faithfulness.

They want heaven without the hard work.

And so when Peter, preached much different than telling people to

accept Jesus as their personal savior, he told them to repent

and to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the

remission of sins. You want to know what to be.

So what to do to be saved. That's an answer that you ought

to hear. And if you hear something

different than that, you're hearing something different than

what the apostles preached and what the Bible teaches.

The denominational view is insufficient and fall short.

One more, one more, I want to discuss with you before we

close. You've been so patient with me

this far. Hang in there for a few more

minutes while we talk about what I'm going to call the cultic

view, the cultic view. Now a few hundred years ago,

there were a couple of religious bodies which emerged in America

and they proposed a lot of very bizarre beliefs and so because

of their outrageous beliefs. People label them as a cult.

For example, some deny that Sunday is the Christian day of

worship. Some deny that God is eternal.

Some deny that Jesus is God. They claim that Jesus was a

created being. And that before the universe was

created God created Jesus. And then through Jesus, he made

the rest of creation. It's important to note that

those who believe this about Jesus that he was a created

being will. Still call Jesus, the son of

God. But they mean something very

different by that. So if you ever have a chance to

speak with the Jehovah's Witness, you'll discover that

they use. A lot of the same words you use,

but they're playing by different dictionary.

They have a different understanding of what those

words mean. And so when they say Jesus is

the son of God, they mean something different than you

mean when you You say that can Jesus be called The Son of God

if he, if one believes that he is not actually God, that's the

question here. Can Jesus be called The Son of

God? If you don't believe that he is

God, let me say very quickly that there are many passages in

the Bible which teach that the Messiah would be God on Earth.

Let me look at a few with you and Isaiah chapter 9 and verse

Isaiah 9 · chapter mention

6. The prophet says this or unto us

a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government will

be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called

wonderful, counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting father, Prince

of Peace. So in Prophecy, as Isaiah is

given a vision of things to come.

He declares that a child will be born.

Born, the Messiah will come into the world and one of his name's

one of his titles will be that he is mighty God.

And so when Matthew writes this in Matthew chapter 1, beginning

Matthew 1 · chapter mention

in verse 21, we have to understand what Isaiah said

before. It Matthew wrote a concerning

Mary, she will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus

for. He will save his people from

their sins. Now, all this took place to

fulfill what was spoken by the Lord, through the prophet.

behold the Virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and

they shall call his name Emmanuel which is translated

what God With Us. God With Us one more, one more

passage. Now, look at this one here.

This is second. Peter 1 verse 1.

2 Peter 1:1

Peter is beginning to write his second letter and he says, Simon

Peter a bomb servant Apostle of Jesus Christ to those who have

obtained like Precious Faith with us by the righteousness of

our God and savior. Jesus Christ.

Now Peter when he writes this says that Jesus is God and

savior. If you ever have an opportunity

to study with someone who's a Jehovah's Witness, one thing,

you'll need to discuss is the translation of the Bible.

They use, they use something called The New World

Translation. And the New World Translation is

very good at avoiding passages, like second, Peter 1 verse 1.

So, look at what they've done here.

Thanks. I'm Peter slave and Apostle of

Jesus Christ to those who acquire Faith as precious as

ours to the righteousness of our God.

And the savior, Jesus Christ. Now that might not seem like a

major change, but just adding that, the sort of makes it seem

like there's God. And then, there's the Savior

Jesus Christ. And these two are not the same

people, is that kind of what it, that's how you would read, it,

wouldn't you? But there's a problem with that.

And the problem is that this, the isn't in the Greek Bible.

How do I know that? Because there's the Greek right

there. So, we have in diaper soon,

etouffee. Oh, hey, Mom.

That's this right here. The righteousness of our God,

the righteousness of our God. Then, look here and Savior,

Jesus Christ. there's no, the There's no thought this right

here. They just threw it in.

It's not there and that's something you'll have to deal

with if you ever happen to have an opportunity to study with

someone who's a Jehovah's Witness, the Bible affirms, that

Jesus is God and savior. The fact that he was begotten of

the father speaks of his Incarnation when he was born

into a human body. And so this View That says Jesus

is the son of God but denies that he is God falls short.

What do you think about the Christ?

This morning? Was he a great prophet?

And a long series of prophets? Was he an extraordinary moral

and ethical teacher? Was he a personal savior?

Was he begotten? Son of God.

Was he the son of David? Yes, he was all these and more.

The Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand until I make your

enemies, your footstool, in the beginning was the word and the

Word was with God. And the Word was God, and the

word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his

glory, he is the image of the invisible God.

He is the brightness of his glory and the express image of

his person and upholding All Things by the word of his power.

When he had by himself purged, our sins sat down at the right

hand of the Majesty on high. He is the first and the last and

in him, we have Redemption through his blood, the

Forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his glory, he

is the Christ, the son of the Living, God, and the Lord Jesus

Christ, the lord of Glory. That's what the Bible says.

About Jesus. What about you today?

What do you believe about Jesus? Are you ready today to look to

Jesus as the author and finisher of your faith?

We already wet read what Peter said to those who were pricked

in their hearts and interested in knowing what they needed to

do to be saved. They had declared their faith in

Christ. And so, Peter turned to them and

said, repent. And let every one of you be

baptized in the name of Jesus, perhaps you're here today, and

you've not done, that Jesus himself said, while he was still

on the earth, he who believes and is baptized will be saved.

Saved in Mark 16 and verse 16. If you're ready to come to

Christ and obey the gospel. Today, we are here for you.

We're here to help you in any way that we can.

We can baptize you into Christ today.

We want to do anything. We can to help you to come to

the Lord. So if you're ready to do that,

we asked you to come forward while we stand.

And while we say, We thank you for listening to our podcast,

put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.

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