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We are looking at that question – “Who is this Jesus?” - from Matthew Chapter 21and verse 10 – focusing our thoughts upon the humanity of Jesus – the manliness of Jesus Christ.

We saw that from every page of the Gospels as we roamed all over the various aspects of the life of Jesus – there emerges that picture of Jesus the man – “Down to such a world as this”.

Today we look at Jesus Christ – the Son of God.

I have no idea as to what the answer to these questions might be – but have you ever imagined what it must have been like in heaven when the Son of God laid aside his glory – and cast off his eternal royal robe – and left heaven for Mary’s womb? What did God the Father say? How did the God the Holy Spirit react? Were the angels watching?

“Gabriel – you said this was going to happen – and we could hardly believe it, when we first heard it.” Think – think – wonder – wonder at the wonder of it all.

And angels watching – and watching over these next 33years – every move of Jesus, the Son of God – and the Father keeping an eye on everything – does all this not come out when Jesus teaches about the love of the loving heavenly Father?

Does this not make you think about that boy who went away from home for a season – for very different reason – but father was waiting and looking?

We have read of Jesus the man – weary – weeping – tempted – experiencing conflict – betrayal – being denied and deserted – suffering the agonising and humiliating pain of crucifixion. The angels were on watch that night.

Is it not only as we consent to follow Jesus that we discover and continue to go on discovering what it means – that he was and is the Son of God?

We have to be inside the fellowship of the church to see this – is this not privileged information – which can be preached and heralded and proclaimed – but it is only understood as he gives us “insider information”?

Turn to Jesus the man, in prayer. In your saddest and gloomiest and most painful moments, don’t you find or discover afresh that it is God with whom you are carrying on a conversation. Have we not found that over these past weeks and months – and even years?

To the man who has no desire to lead a life of discipleship and obedience and faithfulness to Jesus Christ – this could sound false and strange and almost weird – but not to those who have found it to be so true and real and lasting.

Would it not be like trying to convince a man who has never seen a television set that a television set can produce a vision and sound when plugged in and switched on? Or – the deeper levels of friendship when you have to trust yourself to a friend?

It is like Jerusalem itself – all this can only be seen and understood from the inside.

1 – Consider the claims Jesus made for himself – Jesus does not claim to have found the answer to man’s needs – Jesus claims to be the answer to man’s needs. “Come unto me all you who labour and are heavily laden and I will give you rest.”

No other prophet or teacher has ever dared to say that – not Moses or Samuel or Isaiah – and certainly not Peter or Paul or John. They pointed to Jesus who was and is and is to come. “A greater than Solomon is here – prophets and kings have desired to see those things which you see – and they did not see them. Before Abraham was, I am! Somehow, on the lips of Jesus, these words sound entirely fitting and apt and just and credible.

2 – Consider His sinlessness – His enemies turned the fiercest searchlights upon His life – and could find no fault. They could not detect one flaw or spot or blemish in his moral character. Never once is Jesus heard confessing sin.

He came so close to sinners of every type and kind – and faced the same temptations as we do – YET WTHOUT SIN. The saintliest people in the world have been so conscious of their own sin.

So – who is he who knew no sin? Jesus Christ who calls us to come to him for rest.

3 – Consider this – Jesus Christ does for men what only GOD could do.

I am thinking particularly of the experience of being forgiven.

Margherita Lahski said many years ago – “I do envy you Christians, in a way, because I have no one to forgive me.”

The divine godly supernatural miraculous things – which only God can do – Jesus does! Take up your bed and walk – your sins are forgiven.

Only God can open the gate of heaven – and Jesus says, I am the door.

Only God can redeem – buy back – and Jesus has paid the price to buy us back from sin, and sin’s grip and hold, by shedding his blood for us on Calvary’s Cross – only God can do that type of thing!

Jesus redeems us. He buys us back for God – and the price is his sacrificial blood – that is the Gospel – the Good News – I can be forgiven!

4 – Consider how universal it is – it is worth thinking on. Peter and John were poles apart temperamentally – and yet in Jesus they saw the answer to their problems.

Matthew the Jewish tax collector and Luke the Gentile doctor had nothing whatsoever in common, until they came to know Jesus – yet to draw his portrait for the world to see, Jesus used these two men – Jesus became the only thing that mattered to them.

Martin Luther and John Calvin – two very different men – Moody and General Booth – another two very different men – yet in Christ, they became one – and preached and proclaimed his glorious name.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can unite the most unlikely people.

But we can bring it all down to a very personal level where you just know that Jesus Christ is your Saviour and Lord. It can be quite dangerous to be so subjective – yet it is true – and dynamic and comforting and reassuring – and it will make you take amazing risks – like going and praying for people – believing that the living God will do something through you. And He does as we use the Name of Jesus.

You step out in faith one day – like walking on water – and as long as you keep your eyes on Jesus – you do not sink – and if you were to take your eyes off Jesus the very arm of the Son of God would reach out to rescue you and uphold you.

All I know about God comes to me through Jesus – sin – forgiveness through the blood shed – his love – his joy – his peace – his gifts – his holy character – his nature – his ways of working which are so very different from our ways – all this comes to us through Jesus Christ. YOU ARE THE KING OF GLORY!

“Who is this? Who is this JESUS?” We have the complete answer. Do we? Or is it just half the answer?

When Saul of Tarsus in that dramatic moment on the Damascus Road received an answer to his first impulsive cry – Who are You Lord? Immediately came a second question – “What will you have me to do? Acts Chapter 22 .

When we see Jesus, we see him as a man – and realise that he is also the Son of God – and there arises that challenge – Jesus what can I do for you?

We could as far and say that the person who is doing nothing and remains unchallenged, and is not upset or disturbed by that, has never really seen who Jesus is!

Ten days or so after Jesus is risen from the dead – we read of that scene when seven went back to the fishing – and Jesus is on the shore cooking breakfast – and through the early morning mist on the surface of the lake it is John who peers through the physical and emotional and spiritual confusion – and says to Peter – “It is the Lord!” And 60 years later John is still faithfully writing – completing the Scriptures.

When we see who Jesus really is – something like that happens – you are just faithful right to the very end.

That Saul of Tarsus – Paul – writes about our God and Saviour – Jesus Christ – in what is called the Pastoral Epistles. That is when the whole vital area was beginning to be questioned. Was he man? Was he God? Who is this? Who is this Jesus?

Jesus is the Saviour and Lord – who chooses us and calls us – who knew what it was to experience weariness and weeping – who knew what it was to be betrayed – denied – deserted and crucified.

He is our risen Christ – our living King – where is he who is born King of the Jews? He is on the throne of the Universe – never never forget that, in these confused tense troublesome dark days.

“Loving Father – thank You – thank You for the wonder that Jesus Christ comes and chooses and calls men and women today – just as he did by the lakeside or the tax collector’s desk or little Zacchaeus up the Jericho tree. Thank you for the wonder of it – thank You that is it real – and thank You that it lasts. We praise you loving Father, in Jesus’ name.” Amen.

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Washed by the Water of the Word