SIGN’S
ONE WAY “The Deity of Christ”
by Pastor Donny Granberry
This morning we covered the One True God and tonight we want to take a look at “The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Christ being “Deity” simply means that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God.
There are several things that clarify how we know for certain that Jesus was truly deity.
John 1: 1-5, 10-15 NIV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’"
There are several things that establish His deity.
1. His Virgin Birth
Matthew 1:23-25 NIV
The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"-which means, "God with us."
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Luke 1:31-35 NIV
You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
God went against the natural to do the supernatural.
Before this time, you always had to bring a sacrifice for sin.
That sacrifice had to be slain and blood was sprinkled on the altar.
This institution began in Egypt, the blood had to be placed over the door post and frame and when He saw the blood, there would be no loss of life.
The sacrificial offering was carried on into the Wilderness Tent of Meeting, and on into the Temple.
Now God is starting a new covenant with man, but the blood sacrifice remained.
God said that, “Without the shedding of blood, there was no remission of sin.”
From the very beginning of God’s covenant with man, the sacrifice was always a part of God’s creation.
This time would be different; Deity would be joined together with humanity.
God and man joined together. = Relationship.
His virgin birth establishes divinity, also…
2. His Sinless Life
Hebrews 7:26 NIV
Such a high priest meets our need-one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
1 Peter 2:22 NIV
22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
• Christ lived a sinless life, not because it was easy since he was God-Man.
• He lived a sinless life he faced no challenges
• He lived a sinless life not because He was never tempted
Christ lived a sinless life because he chose to.
He had a divine purpose; He was here by divine appointment with a divine destiny.
He was on an assignment from the Father and He decided that He was not going to fail.
His deity is established through His virgin birth, sinless life, and…
3. His Miracles
Acts 2:22 NIV
"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
Acts 10:38 NIV
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
His deity was established everywhere he went.
• The blinded eyes were opened,
• The lame were healed
• The deaf could hear
• The dumb could talk
• Withered hands were healed
• The woman’s issue of blood was stopped
• The demons had no power to stay or speak
• The storm was calmed
• Simon Peter walked on water
• The multitudes were fed and healed
• The dead were raised
Today, if He were here in physical form, it would be evidenced with a pile of wheel chairs, walkers, canes, glasses, casts, and empty caskets.
How did this happen? Listen to His answer.
Luke 4:18-19 NIV
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
Christ’s Deity is established through his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and…
4. His Substitutionary work on the Cross
1 Corinthians 15:3 NIV
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
• Let’s look back at his sinless life, and his virgin birth.
• We are born into sin, therefore we need a Savior.
• He came, born in deity and purity, to become our Savior.
Calvary did not bring atonement, Christ did.
Calvary did not die for our sin, Christ died for our sin.
Christ’s death was not just a spiritual death, but a physical death, because without the shedding of blood there was no remission of sin.
When God looks at us from heaven, He sees us through the blood.
Christ’s Deity is established through his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, substitutionary death, and…
5. His Bodily Resurrection from the Dead
Matt 28:6 NIV
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6 NIV
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time…
A wonderful Easter song is:
Up from the Grave He arose, with a mighty triumph ore His foes,
He arose the victor of the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign,
He arose, He arose, Halleluiah Christ arose.
Thomas had a hard time believing that he had risen.
Look and fell the scars in my hands, feel where I was pierced in the side, look at my feet.
After touching Him he proclaimed, “My Lord and My God.”
Christ’s Deity is established through his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, substitutionary death, resurrection from the dead, and…
6. His Exaltation to the Right Hand of God
Acts 1:9-11 NIV
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Philippians 2:9-11 NIV
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
These explanations establish the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What I ask people so many times is this, if there is really nothing to the fact of Jesus’ deity.
If he was just a good man, or just a prophet, then why for over 2,000 years have people tried so hard to destroy the fact that Christ is the true, one and only begotten son of the Father?
• The very people who hanged Christ never accused Him of being a bore; on the contrary, they thought Him too dynamic to be safe.
• They have attempted to de-claw the Lion of Judah, certifying Him to be meek and mild, making Him as some household pet.
• He had no milk-and-water personality; they saw Him as a dangerous firebrand.
• He was tender to the unfortunate, patient with honest inquirers, and humble before heaven.
• He went to parties with disreputable company and was accused of being the friend of sinners.
I can tell you tonight, I’m glad I know who Jesus is.
• His love is limitless, His promises are sure
• His mercy is everlasting, His grace is sufficient, His reign is righteousness
• His yoke is easy and His burden is light
• He is enduringly strong, eternally steadfast, and impartially merciful.
• John declared Him the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth,
• He is the centerpiece of civilization and the miracle of the ages.
• He is the giver of every good and perfect gift, for He alone can supply all of your needs.
Who is Jesus to you?
• He is the doorway to deliverance,
• the pathway to peace, the roadway to righteousness,
• The highway to holiness and the gateway to glory.
• He is indescribable, incomprehensible, invincible, and irresistible.
• The heavens cannot contain Him, let alone can man explain Him.
• You cannot outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him.
• Pilate found no fault in Him, Herod could not kill Him,
• Death could not handle Him, and the grave could not hold Him.
• He had no predecessor, and He will have no successor,
• There was none before Him and there will be none after Him
There is but one way to heaven, and that is through the Son.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life, NO ONE comes to the father except by me.”
