Sermon #1553 Miscellaneous Sermons
Title: “Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the Living God.”
Text: Matthew
13:13-17
Subject: The
Person and Work of Christ
Date: Sunday Morning—
Tape # X-95a
Introduction:
My text this morning is a
very familiar passage. It contains two questions raised by the Lord Jesus,
questions he asked his disciples. The first was apparently discussed among the
disciples and then answered by a consensus opinion. The second was apparently
answered immediately, without any discussion, by the apostle Peter. The text is
Matthew 16:13-16. Let’s read it together.
(Mat
16:13-14) "When Jesus came into the
coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom
do men say that I the Son of man am?”
Our Lord knew very well what the people thought of him. He asked his disciples this question that he might instruct them by drawing out the thoughts of their own minds. Our Lord was about to tell them about his death So he wanted them to have a very clear understanding about who he was and why he had come to the earth. So he asked them, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?"
The opinions of men about heavenly, spiritual things are really insignificant, but it is good to know what they are. As I said, the disciples apparently discussed the question a little and gave the consensus of opinion expressed in verse 14.
(v.
14) “And
they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and
others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets."
Obviously, these disciples,
like most of his disciples today, thought the world in general, particularly
their religious families, friends and neighbors had a much higher opinion of
the Master than they actually possessed.
These were all mere human
opinions. They were all far short of the truth. Yet, they had some truth in
them.
·
Herod’s notion that Jesus was John the Baptist, newly risen from the dead, appeared likely to many. Like that
mighty prophet, the Lord Jesus was a man of great boldness, courage, and
faithfulness to God.
·
Like Elijah, he seemed to be a singular man, a prophet whose words were
clothed with fire from heaven.
·
Like Jeremiah he was a weeping prophet, a man of constant sorrows.
·
The words of the prophets were manifestly evident both in his doctrine
and in his life. It is not surprising that many thought the Savior was
identical with them.
Men say many things that
appear to be true and honoring of our Lord. Yet, no man’s opinion of Christ is
true. ― The fact is, a
pretense of honoring Christ, while refusing to worship him as God and trust him
as Savior and Lord, is but a display of utter enmity toward, contempt for, and
hatred of him. Such a pretense is utter blasphemy! ― None know his true character, except those who are taught of
God, those to whom he is revealed. Precisely because the opinions of men are
always both wrong and insignificant, our Master does not even make a comment
about them.
(Mat 16:15-16) "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?”
About this question, no discussion was made. Peter
answered immediately, and answered for all the disciples. It seems to me that
his answered is given as it is because the Holy Spirit would have us understand
that this is the confession of all true disciples, of all true believers. This
confession is the foundation upon which the church and
(v. 16) “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
I take Peter’s confession as
my own. It is this confession that I want to declare to you this morning. ―
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
I believe that Jesus is the Christ,
not a Christ, but the Christ, the very Christ of God. This is the whole of my hope, peace, and
assurance before God. ― “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born
of God.” My conviction concerning
him is so thorough and complete that I rest my soul upon him alone. I trust
Jesus Christ alone for my everlasting salvation and my total acceptance with
God (1 Cor.
(1
Cor
(
·
Either I am redeemed by him, or I am not redeemed.
·
Either I am made righteous by him, or I have no righteousness.
·
Either I am sanctified in him, or I am not sanctified.
·
Either I am complete in him, or I am incomplete.
Outwardly, to the human eye,
to all natural appearance and reason, the Lord Jesus seemed to be an ordinary
man, as he walked through this world. They called him “The Nazarene” and “The Carpenter.”
Many even called him an evil man, a glutton and a winebibber. Isaiah told us
that when he came into the world he would have no impressive form or comeliness
to attract us to him, “no beauty that we
should desire him.” He said, “He is
despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and
we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him
not.”
1. He was born to a poor,
unknown, insignificant family.
2. Because there was no room
for him in the inn, he was laid in a stable’s manger.
3. To escape the wrath of
Herod, he was carried into
4. He grew up in a small, out of the way town called
5. He began preaching when he
was about thirty years old; but his ministry was attended by no one but a few
poor, uneducated fishermen and insignificant women.
6. Everything he taught about
himself, God, sin, righteousness, redemption, and salvation was rejected by all
the religious leaders of the day.
7. Finally, even popular
opinion turned against him and the Lord of glory was crucified like a common
criminal upon a Roman cross.
8. When he died, he was taken
down from the cross and buried in a borrowed tomb.
The religious people thought
they were through with this man called Jesus. And, if he had only been an
ordinary man, they would have been through with him. But this Man was no
ordinary man. This Man was and is the Christ of God, the Son of the living God!
After three days, the Father raised him up from the grave, seated him upon his
own right hand, and declared him to be both Lord and Christ.
“What think ye of Christ?” Who is he? What did he do?
Why did he do it? Where is he now? What is he doing? Simple as those questions
are, they are the most important, most crucial questions you will ever face.
Let me show you from the Scriptures what I believe about Jesus of Nazareth.
Proposition: Jesus is the Christ of
God, the Messiah, the Redeemer, the King, the Savior
promised, prophesied, and portrayed in all the Old Testament Scriptures.
I. As indicated by the title of
this message, I believe that Jesus
of
Throughout the Old Testament
Scriptures, from Genesis to Malachi, there was the promise of a man who would
be God’s Messiah, One who would come to the earth to redeem and save his
people. He is called the Seed of woman, the Seed of Abraham, the Son of David, a Prophet like Moses, a Priest like Melchisedek, and the
King of glory. “To him give all the
prophets witness” (Acts
A. This is what Peter declares
in our text. ― “Thou art the
Christ!”
B. This what is all the people asked the
Pharisees. ― “Is not this the
Christ?” (John 4:29).
C. This was what the Lord Jesus
himself proclaimed (John
II.
I believe that Jesus of
Yes, he is a Man, bone of
our bone and flesh of our flesh; but this Man is God. He is the God-man. ―
“In him dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily!”
A. This is what all the Old
Testament prophecies teach us (Isa.
(Isa 7:14) "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
(Isa
9:6-7) "For unto us a child is
born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. {7} Of
the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,
upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish
it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of
the LORD of hosts will perform this."
B. This is what all the New
Testament writers declare (John 1:1-3, 14-18; Rom. 9:5; Heb. 1:1-3, 8; 1 John
5:7).
(John
1:1-3) "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. {2} The same was in the beginning with God. {3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any
thing made that was made."
(John
1:14-18) "And the Word was made
flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. {15} John bare witness
of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I
spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
{16} And of his fulness have all we received, and
grace for grace. {17} For the law was given by
Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. {18} No man hath
seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the
Father, he hath declared him."
(Rom
9:5) "Whose are the fathers,
and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God
blessed for ever. Amen."
(Heb
1:1-3) "God, who at sundry times
and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
{2} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; {3} Who
being 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 on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"
(Heb
1:8) "But unto the Son he saith,
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is
the sceptre of thy kingdom."
(1
John 5:7) "For there are three that
bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these
three are one."
·
None but God could satisfy justice.
·
None but God could put away sin.
·
None but God can forgive sin.
Illustration: Thomas ― “My Lord and my God!”
III. I
believe that Jesus of
(1
Cor
(1
Cor
A. The teaching of the Scriptures with regard to
Christ’s being the federal head and representative of God’s elect is plain and
clear
(Rom. 5:12-19).
Explain
the parenthesis
in
Romans 5:13-17.
(Rom 5:12-19) "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered
into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned: {13} (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin
is not imputed when there is no law. {14} Nevertheless death reigned
from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of
Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. {15} But
not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence
of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which
is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. {16} And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the
gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is
of many offences unto justification. {17} For if by one man's
offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace
and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
{18} Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men
to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon
all men unto justification of life. {19} For as
by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one
shall many be made righteous."
B. Imputation and representation are vital aspects of
gospel truth, so vital that to deny them is to deny the gospel.
This is not a fine,
insignificant point of theological orthodoxy. This is vital. If we deny our
sin, fall and ruin by Adam, we must deny righteousness, redemption, and
salvation by Christ. If we deny salvation by Christ alone, we must deny our
fall in Adam. Both stand or fall together. Both are by imputation. The Bible reveals three great acts of
imputation by our God.
1. Adam’s sin was imputed to
all men (Rom.
2. The sins of God’s elect were
imputed to Christ (Isa. 53:6; 2 Cor.
3. Christ’s righteousness is
imputed to all who believe on him as their Savior and Lord (Rom.
(Rom
4:21-25) "And being fully persuaded
that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. {22} And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
{23} Now it was not written for his sake alone,
that it was imputed to him; {24} But for us also, to whom it shall be (The
word here is a present, active verb. It should read “to whom it is being
imputed.” )
imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our
Lord from the dead; {25} Who was delivered for our offences, and was
raised again for our justification."
(Rom
5:1) "Therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"
(Rom
IV.
I believe that this Man who is God, Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
holds the fate and eternal destiny of all men in his hands (Matt.
28:18; John 3:35; 5:21; 17:2; Rom. 14:9; Phil. 2:9-11).
(Mat
28:18) "And Jesus came and spake
unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth."
(John
3:35) "The Father loveth the Son,
and hath given all things into his hand."
(John
5:21) "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the
Son quickeneth whom he will."
(John
17:2) "As thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given
him."
(Rom
14:9) "For to this end Christ both
died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and
living."
(Phil
2:9-11) "Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: {10} That
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things
in earth, and things under the earth; {11} And that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father."
Somewhere along the road
this religious generation has gotten everything turned around. The great
question and concern is not “What will you do with Christ?”, but “What will
Christ do with you?” Anyone who knows who Christ is knows that mercy, grace,
salvation, and eternal life are his prerogative. ― “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me
clean” (Matt. 8:2).
We would be wise to recognize this and cry with the hymn writer,
“Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry:
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by!”
V. I
believe that all praise, honor, glory, and pre-eminence has been given to, and
rightly belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ (Col.
1:18-19; John
(John
5:23) "That all men should
honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son
honoureth not the Father which hath sent him."
(1
Cor
(Phil
2:5-9) "Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus: {6} Who, being in the form of God, thought it
not robbery to be equal with God: {7} But made himself of no reputation,
and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
{8} And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. {9} Wherefore God also
hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:"
(
(Heb 1:6) "And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him."
(
(Rev
5:9-13) "And they sung a new song,
saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for
thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred,
and tongue, and people, and nation; {10} And hast made us unto our God
kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. {11} And I beheld,
and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and
the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and
thousands of thousands; {12} Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and
honour, and glory, and blessing. {13} And every creature which is in
heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and
all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and
power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for
ever and ever."
A. He is the Lord our
Righteousness (Jer. 23:6)
B. He is the Lord our
Substitute (2Cor.
C. He is the Lord our Mediator
(1 Tim. 2:5).
D. He is the Lord our God (1
Tim.
VI.
I believe that all (Jew
or Gentile, male or female, young or old, rich or poor) who hear his voice of mercy, his word of grace and life in the gospel and believe in their
hearts that Jesus is the Christ have eternal life. ―
“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John
5:1).
This
is the grand article of faith. This is the one thing needful for your souls. Do
you believe that Jesus is the Christ? If you do, it is because you are born of
God.
A. You have already passed from
death unto life and shall not come into condemnation (John
(John
5:24) "Verily, verily, I say unto
you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from
death unto life."
(Rom
8:1-4) "There is therefore
now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit. {2} For the law of
the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. {3} For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through
the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for
sin, condemned sin in the flesh: {4} That the righteousness of the law
might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit."
B. You are free from the curse,
penalty, condemnation, and dominion of the law (Gal.
(Gal 3:13)
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a
tree:"
(Rom
10:4) "For Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that
believeth."
C. You have already been judged
in Christ, punished in Christ, and raised up to glory in Christ, for you lived,
died, and rose again with him (Gal. 2:20; Eph. 2:4-6).
(Gal
2:20) "I am crucified (The
verb here is in the perfect tense. That means that it refers to something done
in the past, once and for all, and never needs to be repeated.) with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of
the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
(Eph
2:4-6) "But God, who is rich in
mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, {5} Even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
{6} And hath raised us up together, and
made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
“I am not skilled to understand
What God hath willed, what God hath planned.
I only know at His right hand
Is one who is my Savior.”
I take Him at His word indeed,
(Christ died for sinners, this I read.),
For in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my Savior.”
VII.
I believe that, at the hour appointed by God before the world
began, Jesus Christ shall come again (Acts
(Acts
17:30-31) "And the times of this
ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
{31} Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world
in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he
hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the
dead."
(Rev
1:7) "Behold, he cometh with
clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him:
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even
so, Amen."
At the hour appointed by God
we shall die. ― “It is appointed
unto men once to die!” God has set the bounds of your habitation and mine.
At the appointed hour and by the appointed means you and I will leave this
world. You must soon die; and I must soon die. But that is not the end. Christ
is coming again.
A. Everyone shall hear his
voice (John
B. There shall be a
resurrection of the dead (John
C. Every eye shall see him
(Rev. 1:7).
D. This same Jesus, who is the
Christ, the Son of the living God, shall judge us all in strict justice (John
E. Everyone of us will spend eternity
either in the bliss of his presence in heaven or in the terror of his wrath in
hell.
·
Every believer shall be gloriously transformed into the very likeness
of the Son of God, perfectly conformed to his image (1 John 3:2).
·
Every unbeliever shall be forever damned, forever tormented, and
forever lost in hell.
“To say Hell is a horrible place is an understatement. Most people
think of Hell as the farthest point from God. It is the caves where Satan’s
minions scamper about, poking feeble folk with tiny pikes and taunting them for
all eternity. As bad as this seems, it does not even compare to what Hell
really is. Hell is the very presence of God and His wrath without Christ as a
mediator. Hell is the “place” where men face God without a savior, without
anybody to pay their debt of sin. If you thought Satan’s minions were scary,
imagine being face to face with all God’s wrath with no Jesus in sight.”
Nathan Terrell
Application:
Before I send you home, I
want us to go back to our text in Matthew 16. I have given you my confession. ―
“I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This is
the whole of my hope, peace, and assurance before God. Now, I ask you again, Do you “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the
living God”? Look at our Lord’s response to this confession (v. 17).
(Mat
“Blessed art thou!”
― You have not learned this on your own. You
have not been brought to faith by “flesh and blood.” No mere man has
revealed this to you. Oh, no! If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, it is
because God the Father chose you, God the Son redeemed you, and God the Holy
Spirit has given you life and faith in Christ, revealing him in you. Therefore,
I say to you who believe, Christ himself says to you, “Blessed art thou!”
(Eph
1:3-14) "Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ: {4} According as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him in love: {5} Having predestinated us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure
of his will, {6} To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he
hath made us accepted in the beloved. {7} In whom we have redemption
through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his
grace; {8} Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and
prudence; {9} Having made known unto us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: {10} That
in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in
him: {11} In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will: {12} That we should be to the praise of his
glory, who first trusted in Christ. {13} In whom ye also trusted, after
that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also
after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
{14} Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
(Eph
2:1) "And you hath he quickened,
who were dead in trespasses and sins:"
(Eph
2:8-9) "For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {9}
Not of works, lest any man should boast."
“Blessed art thou,”
my brother! “Blessed art thou,” my sister!
·
Forever blessed!
·
Completely blessed!
·
Irrevocably blessed!
Amen.