Ill:
• A father of a small boy was on active service in Afghanistan.
• He had been away from home for almost a year.
• Back home in the UK;
• The small boy looked frequently at a picture of his daddy on the table.
• After several months the boy had started to forget him as a person;
• But he would often look at the picture and say,
• "If only my father could step out of that picture and be real...."
• TRANSITION: Christmas is a reminder that God in the person of Jesus Christ;
• Stepped out of the photo, stepped out of the pages of scripture;
• And he stepped into the world that he had created!
Quote: Augustine’s Reflections
• Saint Augustine, was an early Christian theologian and philosopher
• He is accepted by most scholars;
• To be the most important figure in the ancient Western church,
• Fifteen centuries ago,
• Augustine tried to capture the mystery of the Incarnation:
“Maker of the sun,
He is made under the sun.
In the Father he remains,
From his mother he goes forth.
Creator of heaven and earth,
He was born on earth under heaven.
Unspeakably wise,
He is wisely speechless.
Filling the world,
He lies in a manger.
Ruler of the stars,
He nurses at his mother’s bosom.
He is both great in the nature of God,
And small in the form of a servant.”
We are continuing our mini-series of studies called; “He came to….”
• We know the primary reason Jesus came to planet earth was to die on a cross.
• We remember at his birth both Joseph and Mary;
• Were told specifically what to name the baby;
• “Give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins”
• (Matthew chapter 1 verse 21 & Luke chapter 1 verse 31).
• So primarily Jesus came to be the saviour;
• And he would do this through his sacrificial death on the cross.
But as a result of coming he also accomplished a variety of other things:
(a):
• Mathew chapter 5 verse 17 - He came to fulfil the Law.
• “Do not think that I HAVE COME to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
• I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them"
• Jesus the only perfect man and the only man to ever keep the Law of God 100%
• And because we are ‘in Christ’ we are the benefactors of his perfect life.
• He took our sin and in exchange he gives to us his righteousness.
• He took our guilt and in as a result we are justified.
• He was punished as a lawbreaker so that we can be considered righteous.
(b).
• i.e. Mathew chapter 9 verse 13 - He came to call sinners.
• "For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
• The word ‘sinner’ in the gospel accounts;
• Means something slightly different to how we normally understand it.
• It had a narrower, more specific application to Jewish people.
• In the gospels ‘sinners’ were primarily Jewish people who knew the Law;
• But chose not to obey it.
• i.e. The woman caught in adultery.
• She knew that was a wrong thing to do but went ahead anyway.
• i.e. Those who ignored and worked on the Sabbath:
• Remember the religious leaders accused Jesus of that (Luke chapter 13 verse 14)
• We tend to use the word today in a much broader sense;
• In that “All have sinned” – all have broken God’s Law.
• We are sinners by nature and sinners by practice (Romans chapter 3 verse 23)
(c).
• i.e. Matthew chapter 10 verse 34 - He came to bring division.
• “‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.
• I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."
• The division Jesus brought was real;
• But the sword he speaks about was never a literal one.
• In fact, when Peter took up a sword to defend Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane,
• Jesus rebuked him and told him to put away his sword,
• "For all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).
• A sword is a weapon which divides and severs.
• And following Jesus may well separate believers, even from friends and family!
• i.e. Moslem turns to Christ and is rejected by family & community.
(d).
• Matthew chapter 18 verse 11 - He came to save the lost.
• “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.”
• The religious leaders in the gospels despised ‘the lost’ and looked down on them;
• To them God was only interested in those who sought to follow him,
• Those who disciplined themselves to be godly with religion and charitable acts.
• But Jesus said; “It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick”;
• Once again he upset the religious leaders by suggesting and teaching;
• That God would care for ‘the lost’. For those who did not care about him!
• In Luke chapter 15 we have three classic parables teaching this truth;
• The lost sheep, lost coin, and the lost (prodigal) son.
• “The Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.”
(e).
• Matthew chapter 20 verse 27-28 - He came to die.
• "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
• And to give his life as a ransom for many."
• We looked at this verse last Sunday morning;
• Everything Jesus achieved he achieved he achieved through his death on the cross.
Pause to say:
• When preparing this talk I feel a bit like Jude when he wrote his letter;
• Jude tells us in his letter that he started with one set of thoughts;
• But ended up with another focus to his writings.
• i.e.: Jude verse 3 - Jude says was going to write about ‘the salvation we share’.
• He was going to pen a treatise, a discourse on the Christian faith.
• But got distracted by the Holy Spirit and instead wrote a letter of warning.
• I believe I got distracted by the Holy Spirit this week in my preparations;
• And before we briefly look (and it will be brief) John chapter 14 verses 5 to 9b.
• I want us to dwell, be side-tracked, unpack, think a little bit more regarding this last point.
• Matthew chapter 20 verse 27-28 - He came to die.
• "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
• And to give his life as a ransom for many."
Ill:
• Man distracted by driving DVD clip
• http://youtu.be/GxJV71Mv39w
• TRANSITION: Hope you found that funny;
• Now please don’t get distracted through these next few points!
• Matthew chapter 20 verse 27-28 - He came to die.
• "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
• And to give his life as a ransom for many."
Note: There are six things Jesus achieved by his death:
FIRST: EXPIATION
• Expiation means the removal of our sin and guilt.
• Christ’s death removes — expiates — our sin and guilt.
• The guilt of our sin was taken away from us;
• And placed on Christ, who discharged it by his death.
• John chapter 1 verse 29, John the Baptist calls Jesus:
• “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
• He obviously did not mean Jesus was white & fluffy!
• But just as a lamb in the Old Testament was used in sacrifice to bear a person’s sin.
• So Jesus would be the two to take away, that is, expiates, our sins.
• Quote: Isaiah chapter 53 verse 6 says;
• “The Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him,”
SECOND: PROPITIATION
• Whereas expiation refers to the removal of our sins,
• Propitiation refers to the removal of God’s wrath.
Quote: Hymn ‘In Christ Alone’.
“Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live”
• Justice demanded punishment for an offence that had been committed;
• You and I were the wrongdoers and therefore due to be penalised.
• And yet Christ removed the wrath of a holy God that we sinful people justly deserved.
• In fact, propitiation goes even further, is not simply a sacrifice that removes wrath,
• But a sacrifice that removes wrath and turns it into favour.
• Several new Testament passages speak of Christ’s death as a propitiation for our sins.
• Hebrews chapter 2 verse 17 says:
• That Christ made “propitiation for the sins of the people”
• And 1 John chapter 4 verse 10 says;
• “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us;
• and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
THIRD: RECONCILIATION:
• Whereas expiation refers to the removal of our sins,
• And propitiation refers to the removal of God’s wrath,
• Reconciliation refers to the removal of our alienation from God.
• Because of our sins, we were alienated – separated — from God.
• Christ’s death removed this alienation;
• And gives us the opportunity to be reconciled to God.
• We see this, for example, in Romans chapter 5 verses 10-11:
“For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”
Note:
• There is a difference between reconciliation and forgiveness.
• In the cross, Jesus provided for the forgiveness of everyone.
• But not everyone will be reconciled with Him;
• Because they won’t seek to be reconciled with Him.
Ill:
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer (4 February 1906 – 9 April 1945);
• Was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, anti-Nazi dissident.
• His writings on Christianity's role in the secular world have become widely influential,
• And his book The Cost of Discipleship became a modern classic.
• Apart from his theological writings,
• Bonhoeffer was known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship,
• Including vocal opposition to Hitler's euthanasia program;
• And genocidal persecution of the Jews.
• As you might expect that did not go down well and in April m1943;
• He was arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned at Tegel prison for one and a half years.
• Later he was transferred to a Nazi concentration camp.
• He was executed by hanging on 9 April 1945;
• Just two weeks before Allied forces liberated the camp,
• And three weeks before Hitler's suicide.
• Now here is the point!
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer forgave his Nazi guards who imprisoned him & executed him,
• But…he was never reconciled with them.
• TRANSITION: The same is true for you.
• You can forgive anyone who hurts you, even if they don’t seek your reconciliation,
• But reconciliation requires two opposite parties wanting to come together.
• God in Christ offers his hand out to you this morning;
• Will you take it!
FOURTH: REDEMPTION
• This word means ‘setting someone free by paying a price’.
• It was used in connection with a slave buying his or her own freedom.
• A price was paid and the result was someone or something being set free!
• TRANSITION: Our sins had put us in captivity from which we need to be delivered.
• Christ’s death accomplished redemption for us.
• We are set free from three things;
• We had to be released from: the curse of the law, the guilt of sin, and the power of sin.
• Christ redeemed us from each of these.
• Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law - Galatians chapter 3 verses 13-14.
• “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us”
• Christ redeemed us from the guilt of our sin - Romans chapter 3 verse 24.
• We are “justified as a gift by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus”
• Christ redeemed us from the power of sin - 1 Peter chapter 1 verses 18-19:
• To be redeemed from the power of sin means that our slavery to sin is broken.
• We are now free to live to righteousness.
“knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ”
FIFTH: DESTRUCTION
• Christ’s death was to destroy and defeat the power of Satan.
• 1 John chapter 3 verse 8b:
• "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work "
Ill:
• Winning a war is often determined by a decisive battle,
• One that shifts the advantage.
• With that decisive battle won,
• Winning the war becomes just a matter of time.
• For example, World War II ended on 8th May 1945.
• That day was “VE-Day”, the day of victory and celebration.
• That victory came about because of the decisive change that came about on 6th June 1944.
• That was when the Allies landed at Normandy.
• That day was known as “D-Day”.
• It was the decisive battle that began the change that finally led to victory.
• TRANSITION: Satan has had his ‘D-Day’.
• On the cross he lost the battle, he lost his hold over humanity.
• By the death of Jesus Satan has been defeated he has had his ‘D-day.’
• And soon – we don’t know when – but soon;
• Satan will face ‘VE Day’.
• On that occasion God will put an end to wickedness?
• God will He eliminate Satan's influence forever.
• You can read about it in the book of Revelation.
Ill:
• We have an expression ‘Dead man walking’.
• It's an American prison term for people on death row;
• Who are taking their last trip down the hallway.
• Although they are alive and breathing and moving and talking etc.
• It is only a matter of time before they meet their fate.
• TRANSITION: The devil is a dead being walking.
• At the cross he his hold over humanity was destroyed by Jesus.
• Although he may still be around and still active;
• His powers have been weakened and it is only a matter of time before he faces his fate.
SIXTH: SUBSTITUTION
• The reality of substitution is at the heart of the atonement.
• Christ accomplished all of the above benefits for us by dying in our place;
• That is, by dying instead of us.
• We deserved to die,
• He stood in - he took our sin upon him and paid the penalty himself.
Quote: Isaiah says in chapter 53 verses 5-6:
“He was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities . . . the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him”
• Substitution underlies all of the benefits discussed above:
• Without substitution none of the above are possible!
Ill:
• Sometimes I show the young people a DVD clip;
• It is a very familiar illustration that preachers use – it does make a point!
• YouTube: http://youtu.be/73qAysK7zlk
• Substitution underlies all of the benefits discussed above:
• Without substitution none of the above are possible!
• Now detour over!
• Let’s quickly look at John chapter 14 verses 5-9b.
The context:
Ill:
• Lord Halifax, a former foreign secretary of Great Britain,
• Once shared a railway compartment with two prim-looking spinsters.
• A few moments before reaching his destination the train passed through a tunnel.
• In the pitch black darkness of the tunnel.
• Lord Halifax started to passionately and nosily kiss the back of his hand.
• When the train came out of the tunnel and back into the light;
• The two prim-looking spinsters just stared at the floor and nobody said anything.
• When the train drew into the station,
• Lord Halifax stood up, lifted his hat,
• And in a gentlemanly way said: “May I thank whichever one of you two ladies
• I am indebted to for the charming incident in the tunnel.”
• He then beat a hasty retreat,
• Leaving the two ladies glaring at each other in disbelief and doubt!
• TRANSITION: This situation in John 14 is one of disbelief and doubt!
• The context Jesus says these familiar yet incredible words:
• Is when Jesus has told the disciples he is going away.
• As you can imagine this has caused sadness, anxiety and concern among them.
• They had given up everything and followed Jesus for three years;
• And now he is going away without them!
• The announcement not only shocked them;
• It has also caused confusion them - they do not understand.
• So Thomas in verse five does what we should all do when we don’t understand;
• He asks Jesus a question
“Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going,
so how can we know the way?"”
• Thomas may have to bear the nick-name throughout history as ‘doubting’ Thomas;
• But he is also ‘honest’ Thomas.
• Thomas would not sit quietly in ignorance or confusion;
• When he had the opportunity to ask Jesus to clarify his teaching.
• Just think if Thomas had not expressed his doubts and his failure to understand;
• Then Jesus may never had made this truly remarkable statement;
• "I am…Way, truth & life, no one comes to the Father except through me”.
The question:
• Verse 8:
• Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’
Ill:
• There is a story that St. Augustine was walking on the beach;
• He was contemplating the mystery of the Trinity.
• Trying to figure out how one God can be Father, Son & Holy Spirit;
• And at the same time these three are one.
• Then he saw a boy in front of him who had dug a hole in the sand;
• And the boy was going out to the sea again and again and again;
• Each time bringing some water to pour into the hole.
• St. Augustine asked him, “What are you doing?”
• The boy replied; “I’m going to pour the entire ocean into this hole.”
• St. Augustine replied;
• “That is impossible, the whole ocean will not fit in the hole you have made”
• Then the boy looked at him and said:
• “And you cannot fit the Trinity in your tiny little brain.”
• The story concludes by saying that the boy vanished;
• Because St. Augustine had been talking to an angel.
• TRANSITION: although the story is apocryphal;
• The point it makes is true – how can we grasp hold of who God is?
• It is impossible, and likewise Phillip’s question is impossible to answer.
So in response to an unanswerable question Jesus gives an answer (vs 9-10):
“Jesus answered: ‘Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?’”
Ill:
• When you know someone, you learn certain things about their family;
• Even if you’ve never met the family;
• The offspring often will have picked up values, attitudes;
• And characteristics from their family.
• Hence our saying; “Like father like son”
• That may be true in physical looks or behavioural mannerisms and characteristics.
• TRANSITION: For the people who saw Jesus in action.
• The same was true.
• Although there was no physical similarity (for God is spirit);
• They could learn all about God the Father’s values, attitudes;
• And characteristics from observing Jesus!
• Is God the Father caring – yes because Jesus cared!
• Does God the Father have time for people – yes because Jesus gave time to people!
• Is God the Father holy – yes because Jesus was holy!
• Is God the Father loving – yes because Jesus loving!
• Is God the Father forgiving – yes because Jesus forgave!
• Is God the Father wise– yes because Jesus was wise!
• Is God the Father good – yes because Jesus as good!
• Is God the Father righteous – yes because Jesus was righteous
• Everything we need to know about the invisible God;
• We see made visible in Jesus.
• No wonder Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 calls him; “The image of the invisible God”
• That verse is mind-blowing;
• It is like me saying, “Look! Here is a statue of the invisible man”
• But what is impossible for us to do God has done;
• You and I can see the invisible God made visible in Jesus Christ!
Ill:
• Imagine you’re peering through a keyhole into a room.
• As far as you’re concerned, for that moment:
• That room is keyhole-shaped and contains only the things you can see within that shape.
• It’s not until you go through the door, into the room,
• That you appreciate the size and scope of the room, and see everything that’s in it.
• TRANSITION: Jesus is like that keyhole.
• Through him, we see certain aspects of God the Father;
• But we must accept that God is more vast than we can visualise.
“KNOW ME, KNOW THE FATHER” (vs 7-9)
Question: What does it mean to “know the Father?”
Answer:
• John in his Gospel uses that word 141 times,
• But it does not always carry the same meaning.
• Let’s look at each of those 141 meanings;
• Only joking!
There are four different levels of knowing:
• (a). The lowest level is simply knowing a fact.
• i.e. 2x2=4 you all should know that!
• (b). The next level is to understand the truth behind that fact.
• i.e. Fact: 2x2 =4. The truth behind that fact is 2 items and another two items;
• Together make a collective of four items.
• (c). The third level introduces relationship; “to know”
• Means “to believe in a person and become related to him or her.”
• i.e. You know the Prime Minister David Cameron but only at those first two levels;
• You know facts about him and understand a little of what those facts relate to.
• i.e. And yet his wife Samantha “Knows” him at a deeper level;
• Because she is in a relationship with him!
• (d). The fourth use of the word “know” means;
• “To have a deeper relationship with a person, a deeper communion.”
• It was this level the apostle Paul was referring to;
• i.e. When he wrote in Philippians chapter 3 verse 10. “That I may know Him”
Note:
• So Jesus in answering Phillip’s question is saying:
• If the disciples had had gotten to know Him on more than a surface level,
• If they had really paid attention and grown close to Him in relationship,
• They would have no need to ask questions about the Father;
• For they would know Him also in Christ.
Conclusion:
• Here is the conclusion, the punchline, the challenge.
• At the end of another year how well have I used these twelve months to “know” Jesus!
• When you come along week by week or how ever often you come;
• What level have you stayed on?
• Level 1:The lowest level is simply knowing a facts about Jesus.
• Content to hear a sermon and to go away knowing more of the message of Christianity.
• Level 2: Understand the truth behind that facts.
• Content to hear a sermon and enjoy discovering how various parts of the Bible;
• Fit together to give us the bigger picture.
• Level 3: The third level introduces relationship; “to know”
• Having come to faith you are seeking to develop that faith week by week.
• (d). The fourth use of the word “know” means;
• “To have a deeper relationship with a person, a deeper communion.”
• Not satisfied with hearing sermons about God;
• But wanting to experience God in deeper ways;
• Surrendering to his will; “Not my will be done but yours…”
• Allowing him to deal with issues in our lives we know to be wrong;
• Seeking to put him first; “To deny self, take up our cross and to follow him”
• The deeper the relationship the more of ourselves we must give to it!
• Question: What level have we been at in 2014?
• Question: What level do we want to be at in 2015>
Quote:
• Alexander Maclaren (1826 – 5 May, 1910);
• Was an English non-conformist minister & an excellent Bible commentator:
• He once said:
• "We are able to have as much of God as we want.
• Christ puts the key to His treasure chest in our hands and invites us to take all we desire.
• If someone is allowed into a bank vault, told to help himself to the money,
• And leaves without one cent, whose fault is it if he remains poor?
• And whose fault is it;
• That Christians usually have some meagre portions of the free riches of God?"
Video clips used:
Man distracted by driving DVD clip - http://youtu.be/GxJV71Mv39w
Why did Jesus die? = YouTube: http://youtu.be/73qAysK7zlk
Download audio sermon link:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=c2ILA2jnhj12w0XGn9bLzSVVnq4D3OKC&forceSave=He_Came_to_Show_us_the_Father_-_sermon_by_Gordon_Curley.mp3
