How Do We Know That Christ Was The One?

Temple Baptist Church - 12-6-2015

Luke 7:19-22

Introduction: 

A.  Yes, this will be one of my Christmas messages.  I have picked a strange text for this morning but I believe it is what the Lord would have me to preach so hang on and put on your listening ears.  The world is full of different religions and I have been asked, “How do you know that you are worshiping the right One?”  I believe that this is a legitimate question and needs to be answered.

B.  There are thousands of religions in the world and everyone thinks that theirs is the right one.  The innate desire to know and worship a “creator” shows the reality of God.  If there was no God, then all men would be born atheistic and have to be taught the concept of God but all men, everywhere, worship a god and have to be taught to be an atheist.  Atheism is a learned behavior.   If there is a Creator, and there is, then there is one and only one way or true worship. 

C.  Was this Jesus who was born so long ago who He claimed to be?  Was He the long awaited Messiah of Israel?  The question is legitimate because it is here that our eternity hinges!  I believe that He was exactly that: Almighty God, the Saviour of the world, born in the flesh.  There are many things that differentiate our Lord from the little “g” gods of this world and I do not have time this morning to teach a course in Systematic Theology, so I will mention a few.

1.  His Person makes Him different.  Our Lord is a God that created all things for us to richly enjoy and loves those whom He created.  He is infinitely holy and almighty in power yet condescends to sinful and weak men.  There is just too much to speak of here but you get the gist of it.

2.  His Purpose makes Him different.  Our Lord desires our fellowship instead of homage alone.  He listens to our prayers and gives to us the desires of our hearts.  He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked and finds preciousness in the death of His saints.

3.  His Propitiation makes Him different.  Our Lord died for us!  He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  Instead of mankind dying for God, God died for mankind.

4.  His Place makes Him different.  Our Lord made heaven for us (most religions teach a form of paradise) and His heaven is a holy place of eternal joy where no carnality or sin is.  A prepared place for a prepared people not based upon works but founded in the amazing grace of God.

5.  His Promise makes Him different.  Our Lord made salvation easy and free!  He paid the price and we are free indeed from the penalty of sin.

6.  His Perfect Word makes Him different.  Our Lord has given us a bible without flaw: historically correct, scientifically correct, medically correct, correct in every aspect before man ever experientially learn the truth on his own.

7.  I will stop here for time sake because this will introduce my message for this morning.

D.  John the Baptist asked: “Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?”  I want to look at our Lord’s message to John and find the answer to the question.  I believe that it answered John in a very personal way because our Lord has affected us in the same ways.  “Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard!”

1.  I know that Jesus is the one because the blind see.  Our Lord gave sight to a blind man but He also gave sight spiritually to us in salvation.  The world sees through blinded eyes and cannot see afar off but we, as God’s children, can see through the scripture what is and will transpire. 

2 Corinthians 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2.  I know that Jesus is the one because the lame walk.  Our Lord gave strength to the legs of the lame so that they leaped with joy in His presence.  The world walks according to the dictates of the “god of this world” but we that are saved have a new walk of righteousness.

1 Peter 4:3-4  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:  (4)  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

3.  I know that Jesus is the one because the lepers are cleansed.  Throughout His ministry, Christ cleansed the lepers.  This world is full of the leprosy of sin!  I have never seen it on this wise but I know what Jesus did for me!  When He saved me, He took away all of my sin!  You ask me why I am happy?  Because my sins are gone!

Isaiah 38:17  Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

4.  I know that Jesus is the one because the deaf hear.  Our Lord gave physical hearing to those who could not hear.  The world of our day refuse to hear the Word of God but I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that, one day, He gave me the opportunity to hear the Word of God and live!

John 5:25-26  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.  (26)  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

5.  I know that Jesus is the one because the dead are raised.  Jesus is the LIFE and gives to us physical life.  Every one of us got our physical life from the LORD but one day the LORD raised me from the dead to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:1, 4-5  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins … 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.  I know that Jesus is the one because to the poor the gospel is preached.  In the world, the rich have privilege!  They do not walk by the same rule as the poor walk.  But, in Christ Jesus, the poor have privilege!  It is not that the LORD cannot save the rich but that the rich do not desire Him.  Last night, we rode around Lake Lyman and, as I looked at some of the water front homes, I made this comment: “This is their heaven.  Their heaven is on this earth but I thank the Lord that—though I may not live in “heaven” on earth, I will life forever in the real heaven with the Lord.”

James 2:5  Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

Conclusion:  Matthew 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.