October 7, 2007

Cawson St. Church of Christ

Hopewell, Virginia

Mural Worthey

 

Knowing Jesus

 

Introduction: Jesus asked Philip, “Have I been so long time with you and yet you have not known me?” (John 14:9.) Paul added: “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord . . . that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings. . . “ (Phil. 3:7-10.) “We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true. . . .” (1 John 5:20.)

 

How do we know Jesus? The first disciples struggled with it, especially coming to the realization that Jesus was the Christ. They probably thought of him just as a prophet, a teacher and one sent from God. Yet when asked, they usually answered with conviction that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God. How do we know him today? It is easier if you talk with someone and spent time with them. The physical aspects tell you a lot of about a person. Yet we can know Jesus today; the physical characteristics are not important and may hinder one’s knowledge of Jesus Christ. There are some things do not matter concerning Jesus: it does not matter about his race or culture in which he was born. Jesus was a Jewish man; but if we really know him, this does not enter into the picture. For Arabs though, who are long-time enemies of the Jews, this is a hurdle to overcome.

 

I want to present some ways that we can know him today. Much that we hear about Jesus from religious people is not true. The only way we can know Jesus is by revelation, by the Word of God.

 

By What He Said

 

The words of Jesus reveal his heart and thinking, just as they reveal who we are. Jesus explained: “For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things; an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matt. 12:34-35.) Later in chapter 15, Jesus said, “That which goes into the mouth does not defile a man, but that which comes out of the mouth; this defiles a man.” (Matt. 15:11.) We are known by our words; they reveal the heart.

 

Here are some of the things that Jesus said: “Even as the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28.) What if Jesus had said, I came for people to serve me. I am a king! Bring me this and that. Prepare me the best food that money can buy. What if Jesus rode into Jerusalem in a chariot pulled by beautiful white horses and made servants run before him? What if he dressed in purple clothes that kings wore? If he did, we would have a very different picture of him. Some tried to make him a king like that. (John 6:15.) They wanted him to overthrow the Roman yoke.

 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3.) What if Jesus said, Blessed are the proud in spirit? Blessed are the haughty and arrogant? If he did, we would have a very different understanding of Jesus Christ. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5.) “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matt. 5:9.) (See Matt. 11:28-30.)

 

“You have heard of old time, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies.” (Matt. 5:43.) What if Jesus taught us to hate our enemies and kill them with the sword and explosives? What if Jesus taught an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, like the Law of Moses did? What would we think of him?

 

But these are not the only kind of words we have from the mouth of Jesus. He also said things like: “Ye blind guides which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” (Matt. 23:24-25.) Jesus had harsh and condemning things to say to the Pharisees and scribes. Why? Because they were hypocrites and arrogant sinners who refused to repent even in his presence. People today condemn Jesus for speaking such words. But they teach us something about Jesus. He loves all people, but he hates sin. He will judge the world in righteousness. Jesus is not a permissive grandfather or grandmother. God has given all judgment to the Son, so that all men might honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which hath sent him.” (John 5:22-23.)

By His Relationship with Sinners

 

If sinners were impenitent and arrogant, as the Pharisees and scribes were, Jesus was very stern and warned them of the coming judgment. If they were being trampled on by self-righteous people, he defended them. Jesus chose to eat with sinners rather than with the self-righteous religious people of his day. This tells us a lot about Jesus.

 

The Pharisees and scribes murmured against Jesus saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:2.) To answer them, Jesus told three stories about lost things: the parable of the sheep, the lost coin and the lost boy. (15:3-32.) By these words, multitudes have been drawn to Jesus. His words of love and compassion reveal his heart. Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost. (Luke 19:10.)

 

The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman into Jesus’ midst. They said that she was caught in the act of adultery. But they did not bring the man. (Apparently, they thought it was okay for a man to sin, but not for women.) They did not care about her feelings; they were simply trying to embarrass and trap Jesus. Big mistake! They did not know or believe who they were trying to trap in a theological mistake. They set up the problem like this. Okay, teacher, the Law of Moses taught that such a person ought to be stoned. She is guilty; we testify to that fact. What do you teach? Jesus did not answer at first. He wrote on the ground. This pause probably made them feel very uncomfortable. Jesus did not need time to think of a good answer. He was allowing the situation to fully develop. They pressed Jesus for an answer. He replied, “He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone.” (John 8:7.) After they all left, beginning with the eldest, Jesus and the woman was left alone. She probably expected Jesus to give her a lecture about immorality. But instead, he asked her, Where are your accusers? She said, There are none. Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more. (8:11.)

 

Jesus did not approve of sin. He told her to sin no more, but he was compassionate with sinners. Everyone is a sinner; some know it and others deny it. Some are humble and penitent; others are arrogant and condescending.

 

By His Relationship with Children

 

Jesus was asked, Who is the greatest in the Kingdom? (Matt. 18:1.) These are the kind of questions that reveal the hearts of men. Jesus called a little child unto him and said, “Unless you are converted and become as little children, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (18:3-4.)

 

On another occasion, parents brought little children to Jesus for him to lay hands upon them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said to his disciples, “Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 19:13-14.) What if Jesus were harsh and unkind to little children? That would change our perception of Jesus greatly. But the heart of Jesus is known by these two passages concerning little children.

 

By His Relationship with Creation

 

The Bible says, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones, dominions, principalities and powers; all things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things and by him all things consist.” (Col. 1:16-17.) “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1-3.)

 

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit were all involved in the creation of the world. One of the great divisions in church history is over the nature of Jesus. Arius, who lived in the 4^th century, taught that Jesus was the creator of the world, but that he was the first one created by God. He taught the contradictory doctrine that a creature can create other things. Athanasius opposed Arius saying that only a divine being should be worshipped; Jesus is a divine being, not a created being. Today, we have descendants of Arius who refuse to bow before the Lord and worship Him. In trying to resolve the “problem” of the Trinity, they created a greater problem. They made Jesus “a lesser god” than the Father. Yet Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30.)

By His Miracles of Compassion

 

Peter said, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of these things which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Him God raised up the third day and showed him openly.” (Acts 10:38-40.)

 

“And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well; he makes both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.” (Mark 7:37.) It tells you something about a man when you see what he does. Does he care about others when they suffer in life? Does he use his power and ability for the good of others? Jesus did.

 

Someone might say, If he has unlimited power, why did he not heal the whole world and remove all disease and pain and death? He will one day; but now we are in a fallen state and await the restoration of all things.

 

By his death on the cross. Jesus is perhaps best known by the cross on Calvary. He said this about this event himself: “This is my commandment, That you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13.) “I came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give my life a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28.) The cross tells us a lot about Jesus. The cross is the truth about us, about Jesus and about God.