In today’s Good Friday sermon, I will be covering on some questions many people are asking about God, Jesus Christ. First, let us pray.
Dearest Heavenly Father, speak O Lord let your word be known and heard. Let people know who you are, who is your son Jesus Christ that they may know you. Protect this time into your hands. I commit this time into you. Enable me to speak well your word that pleases you. In your son name Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
In today’s sermon, I will cover 3 main points:
1. Is God Real? Who Is God?
2. Evidence There Is God Jesus Christ
3. Why Jesus Christ being God died at the Cross?
Is God Real? Who Is God?
Many people ask these questions: Is There Really God? Is Jesus Christ Real? Is He Really God? If God is real, why are there so many problems in this world? Why is God not doing anything to save us?
We live in uncertain difficult time. There are wars, famine, disasters, climate changes, unemployment, relationship problems and many problems in life. Some people say there is no God as we are suffering. If God is real, why are all these happening? Some people are looking for a savior a God to save us from our troubles. They turn to various idols gods, medium, people to find relief. This is not just happening in our era, in the past our forefathers were doing that. Have our forefathers find God? Yes & No. Some of them found Him. Some didn’t know Him. They didn’t even know He was present before them. Who is God? Is none other than Jesus Christ.
The reasons why human are suffering is because of the 1st sin that was committed when God created the world and human Adam and Eve. God 1st created the 1st human called Adam. He later created a woman to accompany Adam and Adam called her Eve. God told Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil but Adam’s wife Eve was tempted when the serpent told her she will not die if eat from that tree saying eating it will make her like God, knowing good and evil. Eve got tempted and ate from the tree and passed it to Adam to eat too. God knew and punished them saying they have to suffer and die because they sin against God. Disobeying God. God banished them from Garden of Eden.
After the 1st sin, there were more sins from Adam & Eve child Cain who killed his elder brother Abel. The descendants also have many sins. The Jews were looking for a Messiah to save them from their wrath, suffering because of their sins & forefather sins. They faced persecution from many places. They were slaves under Egypt rule. God saw their suffering and He felt compassionate towards them & got Moses to get them out of Egypt. However the Jews were unrepentant, most of the Jews who got out of Egypt didn’t get to see the promised land God has promised to give them. Only Joshua & Caleb & the Jews younger generation descendants got to see the promised land. All the older generation that left Egypt didn’t get to see the promised land except Joshua & Caleb. All these were written down in the Bible.
Evidence There Is God Jesus Christ
Now let’s look to the Bible to find evidence that Jesus Christ is God. In the Old Testament, there were many prophecies of a Messiah coming to save the Jews from their suffering. We will reference both Old & New Testament to show proof that Jesus Christ is God and He is Real.
Some Jews say that Messiah God can’t be born of a woman. When Jesus came to them, He faced many rejection from the Pharisee & many Jews. Yet in the Old Testament, it was written in Genesis 3:15 that God said that a Messiah will be born from a woman. Let me read the verse Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” God is saying a Messiah will be born to destroy the serpent the evil. In the New Testament, an angel Gabriel appeared before virgin Mary and told her she is going to have a baby sent by God. This is found in Luke 1:31-33 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” The name Jesus means Saviour. Jesus comes from the Hebrew word Jehoshua, meaning “God saves”. God has sent His Son to become human to save His people..
Now let’s look at where was Jesus born? It was prophesy in Micah 5:2 that Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” This prophesy came true. Jesus was born in Bethlehem as found in Luke 2:4-6. He was born from a virgin woman as prophesy in Genesis 3:15 & Isaiah 7:14. The woman was Mary as written in Matthew & Luke.
While Jesus was in earth, he performed many miracles healing of leprosy man in Matthew 8, cleansing Mary Magdalene getting rid of 7 demons in her in Mark 16:9, turning water into wine in a wedding in John 2:1-10, forgiving paralyzed man sins & healing him making him able to walk in Matthew 9:1-8. There are many more miracles that Jesus performed. Many believe in Jesus when they witness him performing these miracles. Nobody was able to do all these except Jesus Christ. He is indeed God. Son of God the Messiah that came to save people from sins. Only God can do all this. Instant immediate healing & forgiving of sins.
It was prophesy in many Bible passages in Old Testament that the Messiah be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, crucified with criminals, He would be mocked & ridiculed, soldiers would gamble for his clothes, his bones were not broken, he would pray for his enemies, he would be pierced by soldiers, he would be a sacrifice for human sins, he would be buried with the rich, resurrected from heaven & risen to heaven. All these did happen as written in New Testament about Jesus Christ.
As there are many Bible verses on the evidence, I had earlier come up with another video showing the Bible verses reference from Old Testament & New Testament that the prophecies were fulfilled. Is in a table format comparison OT vs NT. I will put the comparison video link in this video link description. Do check it out later.
Now let’s look at why Jesus Christ being God died
Why Jesus Christ being God died at the Cross?
Isaiah 43:1
But now, this is what the Lord says- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
Jesus died at the Cross to redeem us of our sins as we are God’s children. We belong to Him. This verse is not just referring to Israel only. He was referring to Israel that time as Israel many were sinning against Jesus. They didn’t believe in Him. They did a lot of things that were not right. The temple priests, Pharisees, the Jews. There were some Jews who were hoping that Jesus is their Messiah to save them from the Roman rule, they gave him a roaring welcome when Jesus entered Jerusalem in a donkey spreading their cloaks on the road for him to pass through, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. They waved palm branches welcoming Jesus. Yet these people later who welcome Jesus betrayed Him later.
In the temple of worship at Jerusalem, Jesus came to the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers. Why did Jesus say that in Matthew 21:13? Many people came from many places to come to Jerusalem to worship God both Jews and Gentiles(the non-Jews) but the Gentiles, they were not allowed to go inside the temple. They were only allowed at the Gentiles courtyard area. In this picture you can see the temple layout. Gentiles courtyard is outside the temple. Jesus went to the temple courtyard overturning the tables & benches to let the Jews and priests know this is not what God want. God’s temple is meant for all Jews and Gentiles. Salvation is for all people. God said it in Isaiah 56:1-8
1“Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.
2Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.” And let not any eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.”
4For this is what the Lord says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant-
5to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.
6And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to serve him, to love the name of the Lord , and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant-
7these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
8The Sovereign Lord declares- he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.”
In these verses, God clearly told us that foreigner which is referring to Gentiles and all people including eunuch to be able to come to God to worship Him. People are told to do the right thing but the priests did not accept these foreigners and outcast. They were excluded from worshipping God in the temple. That’s why Jesus make a scene in the temple court disapproving what the priests were doing. The priests were profiting from the Gentiles allowing them to be at the outermost temple courtyard only. They were selling worship sacrifice, temple offering at high prices at the courtyard to these visitors. They were seeking their own gain profit and did not understand God’s word at all. The priests didn’t allow the Gentiles to be inside the temple yet allow them to be in the Gentile courtyard only so as to profit from them. This is self gain which is against God’s teaching. This is mentioned in Isaiah 56:9-12
9Come, all you beasts of the field, come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
10Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.
11They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain.
12“Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.”
After Jesus make a scene at the temple courtyard, the priests got angry and want to arrest him. Jesus was later arrested and brought to a few Romans ruler governor but the Roman ruler Pontius Pilate did not find any fault in him. As many Jews and priests demanded Pontius Pilate to punish Jesus, Pontius Pilate gave in to their demand and sent Jesus to be crucify to death. The people that earlier welcome Jesus now want him dead. Jesus no sin, blameless yet was crucify by his people. Jesus came to become a sacrifice for the sins of people. God the Father love us and sent His son Jesus Christ to die at the Cross for our sins. This is found in 1 John 4:9-10 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Before Jesus death, the Jews were sacrificing animal sacrifice to God but that couldn’t atone their sins forever. It is only through God son Jesus Christ who is blameless, pure and holy that can atone for our sins.
Another reason why Jesus died at the Cross is to defeat death to show us there is life after death. Telling us, showing us not to fear death. For those who believe in Jesus Christ, there is life after death. God is real and alive. Jesus resurrected on the 3rd day on Sunday and appeared to many of his disciples and people.
The 3rd reason why Jesus died at the Cross is to allow all of us able to worship God from any place, any where any time. Access to God the Father & God the Son Jesus Christ. When Jesus died at the Cross, the temple curtain was torn into half. This temple curtain was used to separate God from people access. Only the high priest was allowed to enter the most holy place that time behind the curtain. God remove the barrier for all to be able to come to him and pray to Him. Jesus said to his disciples after his resurrection in John 14:6-7, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
The 4th reason is receiving the Holy Spirit. Jesus after his death and resurrection, he later went back to heaven. Before He leave, he told his disciples in John 14:16-17 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
As Christian believers, we are given the Holy Spirit that lives in us. Christ lives in us. Jesus said in John 14:26 the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Holy Spirit help us in understanding God’s word, remind us not to sin, help us to remember God’s word. He lives in us.
I hope with this sermon you have now believe that God is real. Are you Christian tired and weary not sure Jesus is He really coming back? Are you like doubting Thomas one of Jesus disciples who didn’t believe Jesus has resurrected and is alive when other disciples told him they saw Jesus in person and alive after He had died? Thomas insisted on seeing Jesus himself then he will believe he is still alive? Jesus knew what Thomas said and He appeared before Thomas & his other disciples. This can be found in John 20:24-29.
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus said blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
Do you want to bless by Jesus? Do you want to believe in Jesus Christ today? Are you a Christian that doubt about Jesus as you are suffering now? If you are, please pray this prayer with me.
Dearest Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ, forgive my blindness for not seeing you not knowing you earlier. Forgive my harden heart for refusal to believe in you, not trusting in you. I repent of my sins and seek your forgiveness. Please accept me. I believe in you Jesus Christ that you have come to save me from my sins. You had died at the Cross for my sins. You have resurrected from death to life. You have defeated death and is alive. You are real, the one true God. Come O Lord Jesus Christ. Come. Remove my anger, rage, unhappiness. Come into my life that I may know you more and find peace and joy in you. Give me a new refresh life fill with water that refreshes me. Not a dry and weary soul. Lead and guide me my path the rest of my life. In your name Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
If you just prayed this prayer and is a new believer, congrats on your new born life with Jesus Christ. Do contact me to share the good news. If you are a Christian who just pray this prayer, may you have growing faith in Jesus.
If you have being blessed by this sermon, will you give to Christ Unite ministry? This will help me in this ministry work. Visit Christunite.org to give.
Let me close with a benediction. May the grace of God, the fellowship of God be with you all now and always. Amen.