Twelve Tweets – I believe in God

Preaching notes

Discover how to use these preaching notes (authentically)

… and understand the abbreviations

Click me

If I asked you to jot down the top three things you believe as a Christian, I wonder what they would be?

  • Jesus Christ is going to figure in there somewhere – the clue is in the name!
  • For me the name ‘Christian’ has a particular poignancy: Christ first and Ian second.

We’re in a series of Sunday sessions on the Apostle’s Creed in 12 tweets. Today’s tweet “I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, our Lord.”

Best place to discover Jesus Christ – to read the gospels

  • they are, at their base line, historical accounts of what happened.
  • You may say “well aren’t they biased?”
  • This is history with a motive, and that motive is to help us understand who Jesus was, and is.

In order to believe in him, we need to know some thing about him.

All threes!

Three offices

It might surprise you to know that I’m not an employee of Victoria Baptist Church – instead I hold the office of minister. I don’t have a carefully framed job description with a list of tasks to be performed

I’m a office holder. Which means that you have trusted to me the sacred duty of preaching, leading and pastoring. It’s the role you’ve given me and I do my best to fulfil it in a God-honouring way – I feel the responsibility of it deeply.

Jesus has three offices (three roles) that were given him by God and they help us understand who He is.

Prophet

A prophet is someone who hears God’s voice and relays it. In a unique way the prophet brings God’s power to bear on situations in ordinary life. They bring God’s message which can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary

For example:

  • Jesus has just raised a widow’s son from the dead.
  • Story >>>
  • Town flabbergasted

Here is Luke’s fly-on-the-wall comment …

Luke 7:16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

Priest

Hebrews 5

At several points in the Bible we encounter an enigmatic character called Melchizedek.

Story goes that Abraham encountered Melchizedek on his journey to a new home. Melchizedek blessed Abraham and Abraham gave him a tenth of all his possessions.

This would only be of passing interest were it not for the fact that, for the Jews at the time, Abraham was the greatest of great patriarchs.

In their scheme of things the greater person blesses the lesser one. So who is this character who Abraham regarded as greater than himself?

The priest is God’s go-between

This priest acts on behalf of God himself.

To talk to the priest means you talk to God.

King

Not a constitutional monarch, but a reigning king

Jesus said “All authority is given to me” Matthew 28:20

From these three offices he provides what we really need when it comes to being a Christian.

  • At the outset we need information about God – that’s what a prophet gives us – God’s word in a digestible form
  • Then we need someone to plead our case, to act as an intermediary between us and God – that’s the job of a priest – and that’s what Jesus is.
  • And to live for him life-long we need a king. Someone to obey, someone under whose protection we can enjoy our relationship.

Jesus is prophet, priest and king.

Three names

In this tweet

Jesus Christ

Jesus is Greek – originates from Hebrew ‘Joshua’ meaning ‘God is saviour’

When Angel said to Mary ‘call him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins’ – he meant it literally. That’s what the name means

Christ – literally ‘Messiah or anointed one’

Not a surname – often associated with trade. Jesus would otherwise have been ‘Jesus Carpenter.

Matt 16:13-17 discussion Jesus had with the disciples

Matthew 16:13. (p983) 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?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

At this point they’d been with Jesus for some time BUT they hadn’t until that time realised who Jesus actually was.

  • You can be with someone and not recognise who they are

E.g. Studying for my Masters (in Maths)

One of the methods I’d used was the ‘Crank-Nicholson scheme’ – a very well-known and very effective method of solving these particular problems.

  • I completed the thesis, submitted it and went with knees knocking into my viva.
  • There behind the large desk taking notes were my supervisor, the Maths Department’s professor, and a visiting professor from London University. I was introduced to him as John Crank. We talked for a bit – and he was a charming man, genuinely interested, gracious and insightful.
  • We got talking about my thesis. I was pummelled with a whole variety of insightful questions from the interviewing panel. Half way through the viva, it suddenly dawned on me that the man sitting in front of me might be the professor who had come up with the brilliantly simple idea I’d been working on.
  • I felt like stopping my viva and saying “Excuse me, you’re not the Crank are you?!”

That’s the kind of moment being described here in Matthew. The disciples had been with Jesus but hadn’t realised until that moment that Jesus was the Christ – the son of the living God

Today, you could be where they were. You know Jesus as a towering figure of history, but never realised, until today, that he is the messiah. God come to planet earth to be one of us.

Jesus … Christ.

only begotten son

Five year old listening to Bible reading (clearly from KJV) “Mummy what does begat mean? Nobody will tell me”

  • this use of the word means to bring to life at a point in time.

‘Begotten’ in the Biblical use is a different idea

  • The Greek word ‘monogenes’ means ‘one of a kind’, ‘utterly unique’, ‘unrepeatable’, ‘irreplaceable’.
  • Jesus was the one son of God and there will never be another.

John 3:16 in KJV: “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life”

God sent his unique son – he came himself in the form of his son – so that you and I could know him – personally. It is both very simple and very profound.

Our Lord

Lord in the sense of Lord and Master

[onetimeblind video – the stool]

And there are a whole host of other names used bout Jesus in the Bible to help us understand him. Whoever we are and whatever you background

  • Jesus is the bread of life so that bakers can understand
  • Jesus is the water of life so that plumbers can understand
  • Jesus is the light of the world so that electricians can understand
  • Jesus is the cornerstone so that architects can understand
  • Jesus is the sun of righteousness so that astronomers can understand
  • Jesus is the hidden treasure so that bankers can understand
  • Jesus is the life so that biologists can understand
  • Jesus is the great physician so that doctors and nurses can understand
  • Jesus is the good teacher so that educators can understand
  • Jesus is the lily of the valley so that florists can understand
  • Jesus is the rock of ages so that geologists can understand
  • Jesus is the true vine so that horticulturalists can understand
  • Jesus is the righteous one so that judges can understand
  • Jesus is the pearl of great price so that jewellers can understand
  • Jesus is the wisdom so that philosophers can understand
  • Jesus is the word so that actors can understand
  • Jesus is the good shepherd so that farmers can understand
  • Jesus is the alpha and omega so that mathematicians can understand
  • Jesus is the resurrection so that even funeral directors can understand
  • Jesus is the king of kings so that royalty can understand
  • Jesus is the way so that traffic wardens can understand
  • Jesus is the truth so that politicians can understand
  • Jesus is the life so that we can live – and live in the way God always wanted and intended us to!

Jesus never contradicted the titles used of him

For example – he said he could forgive sins

Mark 2:5 (p1003) When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

It’s hard for us to feel the shock waves that went through the crowd when Jesus said this. So many people wanted to hear Jesus the whole house crowded out

  • men lowered friend through the roof

To say to someone ‘your sins are forgiven’ you need to have the right to say it

E.g. I want you to imagine that Martin was annoyed at me asking him to so something. In fact he was so frustrated that he came and hit me in the face – knocked me clean out.

  • He, on reflection, might want to say sorry
  • But instead of coming to me, He went to Joy and she said ‘That’s OK, I forgive you’
  • I would protest. “It’s me he ought to be seeking forgiveness from – I’m the injured party”

The religious experts in the house where Jesus was speaking knew this only too well

  • God was the only one who could truly forgive sins
  • So when Jesus said “I forgive your sins” he was equating himself with God
  • In offending God you’re offending me
  • forgiveness can only be offered by the person who has been wronged

There is hardly a person in this room who isn’t aware that something on the shadow side of life which needs to be forgiven.

At the heart of Christianity is not a church, or a religion, or a theology or a system

At the heart of Christianity is God’s forgiveness

  • which he gives freely and without demanding a payment.
  • We call it Grace. Free … totally undeserved … rescue for our wrongdoing to be transformed into the people God made us to be.

Three reactions

Reject

This isn’t for me. I don’t need God

Continue search

I’ve still got questions

  • that’s fine – consider ‘doubting Thomas’ – Jesus gave him the evidence he was seeking
  • contact us

Accept him.

How? Simples!

Admit,

  • that there is something missing. I’m on a spiritual search. That there’s stuff behind the scenes that produces guilt or shame that needs forgiveness.

Believe

  • Say to JC ‘I’m asking for your forgiveness. Please give it to me
  • I thank you that you turn away nobody – not even me,

Commit

  • as bes I can I hand my life over to you.
  • I know you will accept me – and I tnk you in this moment for the rescue and forgiveness that you have given me.

Declare

  • Tell someone

Shall we do it?

Pray.

Lord, I admit that there is something missing in my life. That spiritually my life is incomplete. I’m on a spiritual search.

  • I confess to you there’s stuff behind the scenes that produces guilt or shame that needs forgiveness.
  • Lord, right now I’m asking for your forgiveness. Please give it to me
  • (pause – if anything specific comes to mind.)
  • I thank you that you turn away nobody – not even me,
  • as best I can I hand my life over to you.
  • I know you will accept me – and I thank you in this moment for the rescue and forgiveness that you have given me.

If you prayed that prayer sincerely for the first time we would love to have a conversation with you.

  • Use welcome card

Pray >>>

Back to Twelve Tweets series
Back to all preaching