Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 5. Was Jesus Christ Simply Just A Good Moral Teacher? Today we have another question? Was Jesus Christ simply a good moral teacher, and nothing more? It is often a statement often associated with Jesus Christ, that he was simply a good moral teacher. Nothing more. Nothing less. This thinking is also untenable and unworkable. How so? We start by asking ourselves, if Jesus’ teaching reflects a good way to live, and if they do, what did he teach? Jesus’ moral code, revolving around the part of the Bible we call the Old Testament, can be summarized as “do to others, what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12). Some people refer to this as the “Golden Rule“. However, Jesus with greater insight went further than anybody else. He goes on to say that it is not only the outward actions of a person that makes them morally good, it is also the internal attitude behind it (Matthew 15:17–20). People often think Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is the most wonderful teaching and therefore think Jesus was a great teacher (Matthew 5-7). But they have not understood what he was saying, and why he said it. Therefore, while this may indeed be the best-known teaching of Jesus, it is quite possibly also the most misunderstood. It is most certainly the least obeyed of all his teaching. Again, how is that so? Quite often today Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is seen as mostly a call not to react violently even when faced with direct provocation. However this was never Jesus intention. It was never meant to be a group of general guidelines for our comfort to wallow in. Nor was it designed to give us boundless joy in how good we are being! Upon reading this teaching of Jesus, we see that Jesus’ original intention for this teaching was that it was to reflect the values, standards and priorities of God’s Kingdom. This is what Jesus was talking about when he gave the “Sermon on the Mount”. Certainly Jesus was a good moral teacher! Moreover, was he simply a good moral teacher or was he more than this simple claim? To assert that Jesus was merely a good moral teacher, nothing more and nothing less, is a foolish thing to think or express. Nobody could do or say the things that Jesus did, and not be who he said and showed he was: Almighty God. Two Questions To Ponder: 1. Why do you think that Jesus would be more than just a good moral teacher? 2. Have I ever failed my own moral code?   Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 4. Why Would God Become Human? A natural question now follows. Why would God become human? God Himself has taken on the responsibility for our sins. Jesus when he died on the cross bore our sins. Although he was sinless, he therefore became sin for us. By doing this, we are drawn to him in a personal way. God has shown that he loves us and wants us in a relationship with himself. God is one and therefore there could only be one incarnation - that is God taking on a human form – fully God and fully human. By doing away with the incarnation, could God’s salvation plan be fulfilled? No way! If Jesus was not fully God, then he would be part of the problem and therefore need to be redeemed himself! That would not work as there then would be no possibility of redeeming humanity so that they could have relationship and fellowship with God. God Himself has bridged the gap between the supernatural and the natural, the infinite and the finite. God did this to show humanity what he is like. Jesus as God in person gives us a focal point to respond to. God does not force people to love Him, for that would not be love. His love is compelling but it is not coercive. God does invite all into a dynamic relationship with him. Clarification can be seen through reading the Bible. For example, Jesus, the Son of God came as a man to: humble Himself (Philippians 2:8) reveal God the Father (John 1:18, 14:9) become our advocate before God (1 John 2:1) destroy satan’s work (Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8) give an example of a perfect life (1 Peter 2:21) prepare for creation’s redemption (1 John 2:2) We also know Jesus’ full glory was hidden during his time on earth (John 17:6) and that he lived on the resources of his Father (John 5:19-20 & 30, 14:10). Jesus emptied Himself (Philippians 2:5-7) and was made like us (Philippians 2:7) when he became human (John 1:4). If Jesus Christ was not fully God and fully human, then he would be part of the problem. Therefore he would need to be redeemed himself! Simply put, that is untenable and unworkable! Jesus whilst being fully God, didn’t lose any of his divinity when he became human. Instead Jesus Christ gained humanity and we call this divine and human nature unity - a ‘hypostatic union‘. Two Questions To Ponder: 1. Why would Jesus need to be have been simultaneously both fully God and fully human? 2. What does having a dynamic relationship with Jesus mean? Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 3. Jesus is fully Human We looked very briefly yesterday about Jesus being fully God. Today we go further and investigate very briefly at Jesus being fully human. That Jesus was a man who existed is not really disputable. There are a large variety of documents from that period of time about Him, including many and various sources outside the Bible. The primary historical documents about Him, the Bible, state Jesus Christ was born of a woman, which in itself tells us that before he was born he was nurtured and formed as any other male baby was and is. His genealogical line is given and he grew into maturity as any young Jewish boy did. These documents we know today as the Bible books Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We know from these four ‘biographies’, or gospels, written about him, that in line with his humanity, Jesus exhibited normal human emotions. Emotions such as love, sorrow, joy, anger and anguish. Jesus ate and drank. He had a body and a soul. Jesus grew tired. He slept & perspired. He wept. Jesus died just as all mortal people do. Religiously, Jesus worshipped as a Jew. It is quite clear that the four gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, considered Jesus to be human in the ordinary every day sense of the word. Particularly Matthew and John, who were two of Jesus’ closest friends. Jesus Christ was human in every way that we are – physically, mentally and emotionally. The only possible exception to this is that Jesus was sinless. How do we know that for certain? Because if Jesus was not without sin, if he had sinned, he too would have been in need of a Saviour! God’s salvation plan for humanity would have been scuppered. Remember that is why Jesus Christ was sent – to fulfil and enact God’s salvation plan for humanity. It is the very clear testimony of all the New Testament writers that Jesus was the Saviour, and not in need of one Himself. So why does Jesus need to be fully human? Firstly, so Jesus could align Himself with us by being our representative before God, so that his death could turn aside God’s anger at our sinfulness. Secondly so that Jesus can be in sympathy with us and pray for us. Thirdly, so Jesus could exhibit true and perfect humanity. Fourthly, so that as a consequence of his perfect humanity, Jesus is the perfect example for us to follow. In Jesus Christ, the God-man, we see that God is a personal God. A God who wants to interact with us and communicate to us! WOW! Tomorrow we will go on to see the reason for God needing to become a human. Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 2. Jesus Christ - Fully God Yesterday we looked at what the name Jesus meant and how it was appropriate that he was called that. Today we are looking briefly at Jesus being fully God! God’s salvation plan for humans’ involved triumphant victory over sin, death and the grave. However no person could be found who was eligible or capable enough to do this. So God stepped into human history, so that this victory could be achieved. This is what we celebrate at Christmas. This God-man would be fully human, so as to live every feature of humanity, including suffering and death. This God-man would also need to remain fully God, so as to be big enough and powerful enough to defeat sin, death and the grave. A human could only die for their own sins. However God could die for the sins of all humanity. Jesus, being sinless, was this God-man, consisting as he did of two complete natures, the God nature and the human nature. Throughout the Bible, Jesus is acknowledged as God. His good friend, John expressly calls Jesus, ‘the Word’ or God (John 1). Later on in John’s life, he states that Jesus was truly God and also eternal life! (1 John 5:20) Jesus Himself claimed equality with God when he forgave people their sins (Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:9; Luke 7:48). The Jewish rulers reckoned this was a God alone thing and dependant on the involvement of the temple authorities. They therefore accused Him, at least in their minds, of blasphemy against God! During the questioning when Jesus was on trial for this supposed act of blasphemy, Jesus equated Himself with being God (Matthew 26:64). John, reports many times where Jesus used the ancient name of God. “I AM”. in reference to Himself. (John 6:35, 48 & 51; John 8:12; John 10:7-11; John 10:14-15; John 11:25; John 14:6 and John 15:1) That Jesus is both human and divine is what makes Christianity unique amongst the religions of the world. It is why Jesus’ claims to be the only way to God, are true. Of course this is only a brief synopsis of what the Bible affirms about Jesus being fully God! Be encouraged to study this exciting topic for yourself! Come back tomorrow to see how we go on to discover together, much more about this most amazing of men - the full humanity of Jesus Christ! Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 1. What's in a name? I wonder what your name means. Parents often name their children after the hopes and aspirations they have for that child. For example, I know somebody called Grace, and her nature is full of grace. My name, David, means “beloved”. When my parents named me, it was meant to symbolize the love they had for me. Although when I put the cricket ball through the kitchen window or the time I crushed the vegetable patch whilst running after a football, I did not feel very beloved afterwards! When Jesus was born, his name expressed the very reason he was born. His conception and birth were extraordinary at every level. Do you think that his parents ever gazed upon him, and thought “How misnamed he is”! They did not, because they knew the very purpose for which he was born. Did Jesus ever think of how misnamed he was? Certainly not! For Jesus’ name means ‘the one who saves’ or ‘a rescuer’. In light of this, Jesus knew his purpose and his mission (Luke 4:42-44). Jesus Christ’ whole birth, life and death were centered on saving all those who would follow him. He is the most talked about person in history. Almost everyone has an opinion about him. Jesus Christ was born to fulfill the promises God had made over many years. You can read them for yourself in the part of the Bible we call the Old Testament. Jesus Christ came to reveal God as a Father, to die instead of us for the punishment we deserve, in order that he may stand before God on our behalf and also to show us what it means to live a holy and perfect life here on earth. The life of Jesus Christ was a life totally dedicated to obediently following God and revealing God to the world. Such was the impact of the person Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was not merely a man who received some special power. Jesus Christ was not some strange creation that was half man and half God, with his human nature somehow absorbed into the divine. Jesus Christ was much more than these suggestions! Come back tomorrow to see how we go on to discover together, much more about this most amazing of men! Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Psalm 91 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 91:2 I will say of Yahweh, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." 91:3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence. 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers. Under his wings you will take refuge. His faithfulness is your shield and rampart. ~ 91:5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day; 91:6 nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday. 91:7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. 91:8 You will only look with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked. ~ 91:9 Because you have made Yahweh your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, 91:10 no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. 91:11 For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. 91:12 They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won't dash your foot against a stone. ~ 91:13 You will tread on the lion and cobra. You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot. 91:14 "Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known my name. 91:15 He will call on me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him, and honor him. 91:16 I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation." Right mouse click to save/download Psalm 91 as a MP3 file

Psalm 88 If you can, as you read and listen to Psalm 88, feel the agony of the Psalmist and ask the same questions he does, particularly in regards to our recent troubles across the world... Psalm 88 A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskilof Heman the Ezrahite. 1 LORD, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you. 2 May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. 3 I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. 4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. 5 I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care. 6 You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. 7 Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. 8 You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape; 9 my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, LORD, every day; I spread out my hands to you. 10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do their spirits rise up and praise you? 11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction? 12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion? 13 But I cry to you for help, LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you. 14 Why, LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me? 15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death; I have borne your terrors and am in despair. 16 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me. 17 All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me. 18 You have taken from me friend and neighbour – darkness is my closest friend.   Right mouse click or tap here to save/download these Psalms as a MP3 file

Psalm 128 A Song of Ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways. For you will eat the labor of your hands. You will be happy, and it will be well with you. Your wife will be as a fruitful vine, in the innermost parts of your house; your children like olive plants, around your table. Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears Yahweh. May Yahweh bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.   Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Colossians 3v1-4 “Remember Who You Are!” During last week, I attended the funeral of a friend, mentor and editor. This friend is now more alive than ever before! Why? That is explained here from Colossians 3:1-4.  If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4) Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Why I am a Christian? Right mouse click to save/download this testimony as a MP3 file The Apostle John, writing in 1 John 5:9-12 - "We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." Why Is It So? Why I am a Christian? God had been pursuing me In my more smug moments I used to congratulate myself for being a Christian. How proud I was that I, was a Christian and that God was a jolly lucky God that I had decided to follow Him. It was during one of my less self-deluded moments, that I examined myself and I found God pricking my conscience and correcting me, and I read the New Testament "For the Son of Man came, not to be served but to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark10:45). Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this testimony as a MP3 file

Partakers Bible Thought 29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:29-31) 8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Corinthians 7:8-10) I wonder what you know or think about the word “repentance”. The dictionary defines repentance as feeling pain, or regret for something done or not done; changing of the mind, or conduct, because of regret. This is of course partly true for the Christian! for the Christian, Repentance means more than these! Repentance, for the Christian, is a voluntary change in mind, in which the Christian turns from a life of sin to living a life of righteousness. “Repent!” Cried the Roman officer to his soldiers! In other words, turn around now! Repentance was central to the teaching of Jesus Christ and of the early Church. Repentance was and is commanded of God (Acts 17:30) and we know that it His will that all people repent (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4). How is repentance central to the life of the Christian today? In what spheres of life is repentance required? How often should the Christian repent? Come and discover more about the repentance in the life of the Christian by listening to the podcast! Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Nicene Creed What we believe as Christians... We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray and profess together!   We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen. ~ We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. ~ Through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. ~ For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. ~ We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, He is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. ~ We believe in one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. ~ Amen Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast.

When Jesus comes back as King Revelation 21-22 Introduction Right mouse click or tap here here to download as a MP3 audio file After His ascension, Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father! He is King and what a King. Jesus is coming again, not as a baby this time, but as King and judge.  Both ideas are affirmed by Jeremiah and John. We will do two things today.  Firstly, to give a very brief overview of Revelation 11 and then progress to the end of Revelation and give just three brief vignettes into what the reward is that John writes about in verse 18. Christ's reign Prepared! Purity (v.1-4) Pearly gates (v.21) Conclusion Be encouraged, heaven is for you if you are trusting and obeying Jesus and have Him as Lord of your life!  Remember.  Whatever your attitude and how you judge Jesus now, is how He will judge you when He returns!  Are you following Him and treating Him with respect and reverence?  If you aren't, then it isn't too late to change your mind and then the reward of eternal living in heaven will be yours! Are you suffering?  Suffering will soon be gone.  When you sin against God, keep a short account and ask for forgiveness as soon as you recognise that you have sinned and the Holy Spirit has convicted you of it. We yearn to be with our King for ever and ever.  Yet, we are to keep one part of our mind on Heaven and the other on the responsible work we have been set to do, here on earth.  We are not to be so heavenly minded, that we are of no earthly use.  Conversely, we are not to be so earth bound, that we are not tied to King Jesus in our eternal home. Go tell somebody.  Won't you go tell somebody this week, this message.  Heaven is a great big place, and there will be room for everybody in this town, this county, this nation and this world to enter through one of those twelve gates!  Go and share this good news with somebody this very week, so that there may be somebody in that magnificent City, because you told them. Christ is our King of Righteousness.  Trust Him and live a life worthy of Him.   Look for His coming! Be expectant, the King is coming back for us soon!  Critics of the church sneer "Where is your God?" and "The end of the Church is surely near".  They are so impatient!!  Well... our God will appear soon.  He is coming back as King of Righteousness, judging evil and rejecting those who reject Him whilst rewarding those who patiently trust and obey Him. Right mouse click or tap here to download as a MP3 audio file

Partakers Friday Prayers! We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together! Let us pray earnestly this prayer together to our great God!    Look upon us, O Lord, and let all the darkness of our souls vanish before the beams of Your brightness. ~ Fill us with holy love, and open to us the treasures of Your wisdom. ~ All our desire is known by You, therefore perfect what You have begun, and what the Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer. ~ We seek Your face, turn Your face toward us and show us Your glory. ~ Then shall our longing be satisfied, and our peace shall be perfect. Amen   Augustine (354-430AD) Right mouse click to save this Podcast in MP3.   Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe to this website Subscribe via iTunes

Why would God become human? In our last study we looked at Jesus Christ being fully God. We concluded with a question - Why would Jesus be fully man and fully God and so what? Today we seek to engage with that question and briefly answer it. One of the church father’s, Anselm, wrote that God’s salvation plan for humans’ involved triumphant victory over sin, death and the grave. However no person could be found that was eligible or capable to do this. Because of this, God stepped into the human history, so that this victory could be achieved. This God-man would be fully human, so as to live every feature of humanity, including suffering and death. This God-man would also need to remain fully God, so as to defeat sin, death and the grave. Jesus, being sinless, was this God-man, consisting as he did of two complete natures, the God nature and the human nature. So what does all that mean! Firstly, it means that God himself has taken on the responsibility for our sins. Jesus on the cross bore our sins, though he was sinless, and became sin for us. By doing this, we are drawn to him in a personal way. God has shown that he loves us and wants us in a relationship with himself. Secondly, it means that God has bridged the gap between the supernatural and the natural, the infinite and the finite, to show us what He is like. Jesus as God in person gives us a focal point to respond to. God does not compel us to love Him, but invites all to a dynamic relationship with Him. Lastly, it means that God is one and therefore there could only be one incarnation. By doing away with the incarnation, how then could God’s salvation plan be fulfilled? Not at all! If Jesus was not God, then he would be part of the problem and therefore need to be redeemed himself! This is most certainly an untenable proposition. Yet our inquisitive human minds ask yet another question. How can somebody have both natures - deity and humanity? This was another question asked in the early church. One of the church fathers, Athanasius said “in the Incarnation there was no subtraction of deity but an addition of humanity”. By this he means that Jesus whilst being fully God, didn’t lose any of that divinity when he became human. Instead of losing anything, Jesus gained humanity. This divine and human nature unity is called ‘hypostatic union‘. Early church councils affirmed Jesus’ two natures as well as his personal unity. We have much to be thankful for the early church fathers. This is the final part of this particular segment of studies looking at the how, why and what of Jesus of Nazareth. It is our prayer that you have grown a little in your knowledge of God and that you are a little closer to Him. Come back to us soon where every day something new is uploaded to help you follow Jesus Christ. Thank you. Right Mouse click or tap here to save this as an audio mp3 file

WOW Jesus Fully God Today we are looking at Jesus being fully God! You may remember that in our previous study, we looked at Jesus being fully human. This is also part of what we celebrate at Christmas. As Christians, we believe God inhabited a human body, thereby still being God, but also being fully human. Throughout the Bible, Jesus is acknowledged as God. The apostle John, as we discussed in a previous study in this series, expressly called Jesus, the Word or God. Later on in his life, John expressly stated that Jesus was “the true God and eternal life”. Jesus himself claimed equality with God and when He stated “your sins are forgiven”, some of the Jewish rulers attributed this as a “God alone” action and thereby accused Him, at least in their minds, of blasphemy against God! When He was on trial for blasphemy, during the questioning again Jesus equated himself with being God. That Jesus is both human and divine is what makes Christianity unique amongst the world’s religions. It is why Jesus’ claims to be the only way to God are true and make sense, and it is why millions of people today worship Him and acknowledge Him as their Lord and their God. Let’s now look at some of the claims in the Bible, revealing the deity of Jesus Christ! In these examples from the New Testament, the deity of Jesus Christ is revealed. Jesus is expressly called God - (John 1v1) The Word was God; (John 1v14) The Word became flesh; (John 1v18) The only begotten God; (John 20v28) My Lord and my God as declared by Thomas; (Titus 2v13) Our great God and Saviour, Jesus; (Romans 9v 5) Christ who is God overall; (Hebrews 1v 8) About the Son, He says 'Your throne O God is forever and ever...’; (1 John 5v20) Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.Old Testament description of God was applied to Jesus. (Matthew 3v3) 'Prepare ye the way of Jehovah'Jesus possessed the very attributes of God - (John 14v6) Life; (John 8v58) Eternal; (John 14v6) TruthThe very works of God were ascribed to Him - (Col 1v16) Creation; (John 20v28; 5v23) Receives honour worship and glory belonging to God.Jesus had equality with God - (John 10v30, 33) I and the Father are One; John 5v18) Making Himself equal with God; (Philippians 2v6) In His very nature God; (1 Timothy 6v15) King of Kings and Lord of Lords - God; (Revelations 19v16) King of Kings and Lord of Lords - Christ; (Isaiah 44v6; Revelations 1v8) - Alpha and Omega - God; (Revelations 22v13-16) - Alpha and Omega - Christ; (John 8v58) Before Abraham was I AM Jesus- fully human and fully God. But a further question needs to be answered. Why would Jesus be fully man and fully God and so what? Right Mouse click or tap here to save this as an audio mp3 file

WOW Jesus Fully Human At Christmas, we celebrate when God became human, in what we call the incarnation. But could God really enter this world as a human? As Christians, we believe that God did indeed enter our messed up world, as a man – the man Jesus Christ. That Jesus was a man is not really disputable. The primary documents about Him, found in the Bible, says that he was born of a woman, which in itself tells us that at least in a prenatal state he was nurtured and formed as any other male baby was and is. His genealogical line is given and He grew into maturity as any young Jewish boy did. His birth was messy, just as any child’s birth was 2000 years ago, let alone all that was going on behind the scenes! With his humanity, and being fully human, Jesus exhibited normal human emotions such as love, happiness, joy, laughter, weeping, sadness, anger and anguish. Jesus ate and drank. Jesus grew tired. Jesus slept, perspired and bled. Jesus died just as all humans do. Religiously, he worshipped as a Jew. Not only these facts, but the 4 ‘biographies’ or gospels written about him acknowledge his humanity. He was human in every way that we are - physically, mentally and emotionally. The only exception to this, is that he was sinless. Yet we must ask, could Jesus have sinned? Yes he was tempted just as we are, but could Jesus really have succumbed to temptation? We must conclude that while he could have sinned, it was certain he would not and did not. For if He had sinned, he would have been in need of a saviour Himself! And that of course, is an untenable position. Why did Jesus need to fully human? Firstly, so Jesus death could appease God’s anger with us. Secondly so that Jesus can empathize and pray for us. Thirdly, Jesus exhibited true and perfect humanity. Fourthly, due to his perfect humanity, Jesus is to be our example to follow. Fifthly, true human nature is good. Lastly, while God is both above and beyond, He is not so far removed from us, that He cannot interact with his creation. Let us now look at some of the major errors or heresies mad ein history concerning the humanity of Jesus. Ebionite - Jewish heresy. Jesus was a man who received divine power at His baptism. Docetist - believed that the material world was evil (Common Greek & Eastern idea). So Jesus could not have had a real body, He only appeared to be human, denying His deity. Arian - 4th Century. Arius taught that Christ was a created being, trying to explain the idea of Christ being the 'firstborn' or 'begotten'. Denied the deity of Christ Apollinarian - taught that Christ had a human body and soul, but that His spirit was divine. Denies the humanity of Christ. Nestorian - 5th Century. Denied the union of the divine and human natures in Christ. Christ became 2 people (man and God) in one body. Eutychian - 5th Century. Mixed divine and human natures to create a third type of person. The human nature was absorbed into the divine. Sadly though, even in some parts of the church today, these errors and heresies are repeated. The Jesus of history was fully human, just as he was also fully God – and that’s what we will look at next time. Right Mouse click or tap here to save this as an audio mp3 file

WOW Jesus Just A Good Moral Teacher? One thing that a lot of people say about Jesus, even those who are not Christian, is that he was a good moral teacher. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates offered, “how we ought to live”, as a working definition of ‘moral‘. As I said, people often say, even those who would claim to be following Jesus, say that Jesus was simply a good moral teacher – and that’s all he was. Today we seek to discover if Jesus was a good moral teacher? If he was, did Jesus teach and does it reflect a good way to live? Finally, we will look briefly at if he was more than just a good moral teacher – as some claim! Jesus’ moral code, revolving as it would have done around the part of the Bible we call the Old Testament, can be seen in “do to others, what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Some people refer to this as the “Golden Rule“. However, Jesus, as ever goes further than anybody else and says that it is not only the outward actions of a person that makes them morally good, it is also the internal attitude behind it. Jesus was acknowledged as a great teacher often during his lifetime. One example is Nicodemus in John 3. Let’s have a brief reading of some of his moral teaching. Matthew 5:1-12 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Those words are from what is generally called the “The Sermon on the Mount”. Jesus also said “Love your neighbour as yourself”. “Love your enemies, not just your friends” That is a world-turning morality! He forgave people their sin, but also told people not to continue in their sin – such as the woman caught in adultery and dragged before Him in by the teachers of the law, to whom Jesus said “neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:1-11. Jesus not only taught great morality, but he lived his morality! That is part of his uniqueness and set him apart from others! In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, people today hold it as a paragon of virtuous teaching and regard Jesus as a great teacher. Although, this is the best-known teaching of Jesus, it is also the least understood, and certainly the least obeyed. Whilst some may see The Sermon on the Mount as a call to peaceful demonstration against provocation, this was never Jesus intention regarding this teaching. It is as somebody once said “a picture of God’s alternative society… containing the standards, the values and priorities of God’s Kingdom”. It was this that Jesus spoke in the Sermon, not as a general guideline for people to wallow in comfort and boundless joy. Jesus was a good moral teacher, certainly at least to his followers, but was he more than this? CS Lewis once wrote “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a good moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic-on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg-or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great moral teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” Jesus Christ of Nazareth, was certainly more than a good moral teacher! As Christians we believe that His purpose for coming was to rescue this world from the mess it is in! That is why God became human in Jesus Christ. Our next study looks at Jesus being fully human and that will be followed by Jesus being fully God – and why it is so! Right Mouse click or tap here to save this as an audio mp3 file

WOW Jesus What’s in a name? Today we are going to ask ourselves, in relation to Jesus, What’s in a name? I wonder what your name means. Parents usually name their children after the hopes and aspirations they have for that child. For example, the name John means “the gift of God”. I know somebody called Grace, and her nature is that of somebody full of grace. My name of David means “beloved” and when my parents named me, it was meant to symbolize the love they had for me. But what does the name Jesus mean? When Jesus was born, his very name imbued the reason he was born. The name Jesus as we discovered in an earlier message means “Saviour” or “One who saves or rescues.” The entirety of His birth, life and death was centered on this very role - saving and rescuing all those who would believe, receive and follow Him. We have seen in the testimony of the Apostles John, Peter and Paul how Jesus came to save sinners, to call people to follow, believe and receive Himself! This Jesus who proclaimed He was the only way to God! Jesus’ conception and birth were extraordinary at every level. So important is our understanding of his birth that, according to the Gospel accounts, no fewer than 4 angels came to give a full picture of the event. Do you think that his parents, Joseph & Mary, ever gazed upon him, and thought “How misnamed He is”! They did not, because they knew the very purpose for which He was born. This Jesus, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, is the most talked about person in history. Almost everyone has an opinion about Him. Jesus was born to confirm God's promises, to reveal God as a Father, and to be our representative before Him. Jesus gave us an example of how to live a holy life to the full. Jesus was not merely a man who received some special power. Jesus was not some strange creation that was half man and half God, with his human nature somehow absorbed into the divine. He was, as we shall see in the coming studies, much more than those ideas – Jesus was fully God and fully human! Jesus came to serve all others and not to be served! Jesus came in order to call others to a life of following, receiving and believing in Him! Jesus came to reconcile people back into a peaceful and dynamic relationship with God by means of shedding his blood on the cross! Jesus trusted God to raise Him from the dead – and he did! Jesus – resurrected, ascended, glorified and exalted! Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. Jesus Christ, who proclaimed “I am the way, the truth and the life.” JC Ryle, the great 19th century Anglican bishop of Liverpool, once wrote these words about the name of Jesus “Jesus is a very encouraging name to weighted-down sinners. He, who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, might lawfully have taken some more high-sounding title. But He does not do so. The rulers of this world have often called themselves great, conquerors, bold, magnificent, and the like. The Son of God is content to call Himself Saviour. Those seeking salvation may draw near to the Father with boldness, and have access with confidence through Christ. It is His role and His delight to show mercy. "For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him" (John 3:17). Jesus is a name, which is especially sweet and precious to believers. It has often done them good. It has given them what money cannot buy - that is, inward peace. It has eased their wearied consciences and given rest to their heavy hearts. The Song of Solomon describes the experience of many, when it says, "Your name is oil poured forth" (Song of Solomon 1:3). Happy is the person who trusts not merely in vague notions of God's mercy and goodness, but in "Jesus." Jesus was proclaimed by the Apostle John, Apostle Peter, the Apostle Paul and the early church as the Saviour and rescuer of the world – just as his name Jesus means! I am bound to ask you this: "Is Jesus your Saviour and rescuer? Are you following, believing and receiving Him?" Because as the Apostle Paul acknowledges in Philippians 2:9-11 "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Right Mouse click or tap here to save this as an audio mp3 file

Apostle Paul’s Jesus Today we are going to look at Paul’s Jesus. Paul, who as a Pharisee was known as Saul. Paul who became a follower of Jesus, after encountering him on the road to Damascus. Paul who describes himself as the least of the apostles, former persecutor of the church and the foremost of sinners. Because Paul chose to follow, believe in and receive Jesus Christ, most of the New Testament was written by this man and he sought to serve his master, Jesus Christ. For Paul’s life and ministry, we have much to be thankful to God! But what can we briefly learn about Jesus from Paul? Colossians 1:15-20 - The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. See how Paul piles up the metaphors about Jesus - image of the invisible God; firstborn over all creation, invisible and visible and also their creator and sustainer! This Jesus is the head of the church, all those who follow, believe and receive Him! This Jesus has the supremacy over all things! This Jesus, the man, had the fullness of God within him! This Jesus, who was fully man yet simultaneously fully God! This man Jesus who was fully God, yet became nothing by becoming human, in order that people may choose to be restored back into relationship with God or not. This Jesus the re-conciliator, redeemer and peacemaker through his death on the cross! Peace with God, only comes through Jesus’ blood shed on the cross! There is no other way! That’s why Jesus Himself said “I am the way, the truth and the life. Nobody can come to the Father except through Me!” You an almost sense Paul going “WOW!!” 1 Timothy 1:12-17 - I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Here Paul reveals his relationship with Jesus! Jesus has given and shown Paul the wonders of Gods’ mercy, grace, faith and love! That’s why Paul has been appointed into service by Jesus, despite Paul’s past which included violence, blasphemy against God and persecuting the church – the body of whom Jesus is the head, the wisdom and guide! This Jesus has made Paul clean and renewed him! This Jesus strengthens Paul to be in active service for God – and because of that we get most of the New Testament! The only reason Paul can do what he does, is because it is Jesus who has anointed and appointed him to God’s service, sustains, guides and protects him! This Jesus, who with inexhaustible patience uses Paul as an living testimony to help others come to follow, believe and receive Jesus Christ. This Jesus, whose purpose was to save sinners – such as Paul who confesses that he is the supreme example of a sinner – and give everlasting life. Lastly, Paul overflows with praise for Jesus, describing him as immortal, invisible and only God and giving Him alone the glory and honour! May that be so in your life, your church and in the life of the church worldwide! Right Mouse click or tap here to save this as an audio mp3 file