Messiah
Sermon Notes
INTRO
We are looking at the different names of God. As we are discovering together, God is so much bigger than 1 name. God is so powerful that not only 1 name can fully encompass all that he is. So, in his love for us we see in his word the many names he identifies with. This is not to confuse us but rather he does this to deepen our understanding of who he is and how he relates to us.
HE WILL BE CALLED… MESSIAH
Mark begins his Gospel with what we all need to start with when it comes to any conversation about Jesus. That Jesus is King. Jesus is Lord.
This our starting point. This is the foundation we build our faith on. Now, this isn’t a small claim then or now. In the first century, the most powerful person at that time was Caesar!
What Mark is in fact saying is that although Caesar is A King … he is not THE KING. Although Cesar is King of the Roman Empire, Jesus is the King of the world. Sorry Leonardo DiCaprio!
So, before we go any further, we must identify the potential Caesars in our lives and not elevate them into the position that Jesus is meant to hold in our lives.
Yes, this was quite a bold claim by Mark in the first century and I would say that it is just as bold of claim for us to make today. If Jesus is Lord, then nothing else deserves our attention, worship, and our time more than Jesus.
Not our careers, not our dreams or passions, not even our relationships! Nothing (other than Jesus) is meant to hold the foundations of the world which includes your life and mine.
Jesus has to be at the center of the universe for me to see him for who he is. If I am the center of the universe than all things fall a part in and around my life.
Messiah in Hebrew means anointed one: The word is Cristos in Greek.
There is a ton of symbolism given when you invoke the name Messiah (or anointed one) on someone that traces all the way back to the OT
In the book of Exodus, we see that in order to be a high priest you must be anointed with oil in order to go into the presence of God.
We also see Samuel anointing Saul and then later David with oil in order to become King.
Why is this anointed important? Because the anointing is a public demonstration that you are someone who has been chosen by God to lead the people you are over by serving them, providing for them and protecting them from the enemies at large.
All the kings before Jesus who were anointed with oil lived and then died. All the kings before Jesus had their place on the throne and then it was someone else’s turn.
JESUS REDEFINED WHAT SALVATION LOOKS LIKE
With the death and resurrection of Jesus, Mark is shouting from the roof tops that Jesus is the only true King from this moment on. That his anointing is an eternal one because it came from God. That he will never vacate his throne and that no one is more powerful than He!
In fact, just a few verses later Mark goes on to record the words of John the Baptist when he says, “One who is more powerful than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.”
This is the appropriate posture when we are talking about Jesus as Messiah. Complete humility and reverence.
This message was not accepted very well particularly by the Pharisees. Because that claim by Mark means that Jesus is not only A King but he is THE King of all.
Then in verse 9 Jesus shows up and is baptized by John and his ministry on earth begins. It didn’t take Jesus too long to completely redefine what salvation would like for the Messiah.
3 thoughts for you to write down if you are taking notes in regards to how Jesus redefined salvation.
ONE: JESUS DIN’T COME TO SAVE US FROM SOMETHING.
TWO: JESUS CAME TO SAVE US THROUGH SOMETHING.
THREE: JESUS CAME TO SAVE US FOR SOMETHING.
Let’s unpack these together.
NOT SAVED FROM SOMETHING
(ALTHOUGH THIS CAN BE A PART OF SALVATION) This is not the primary reason Jesus came to earth.
The Jewish community was waiting expectantly for the Messiah. As they read the prophets and their Hebrew Bible (which was Genesis through Chronicles) they had envisioned that the Messiah’s role when he was revealed was to liberate them from the Roman empire who was oppressing them.
That since they (Israel) is God’s chosen people God would come and save them FROM their enemies and elevate them into power and rule. Salvation for the Jewish community wasn’t just a spiritual salvation but also a political one.
As we notice in the Gospels Jesus very quickly debunked that expectation the Jews had of Messiah. That we would save them from the Roman Empire.
(EX). If you are a follower of Jesus, did you decide to follow Jesus because of your desire for him to save you from something?
Initially I did! But I want to encourage you that the salvation of Jesus is so much more meaningful than that.
If my reason for following Jesus is only based on my need of him to pull me out bad situations or circumstances than Jesus is no more to me than the genie from Aladdin.
He there when I need him and not there when I don’t. I just think that Jesus wants to be involved in your life a lot more than that. As Lord and as King - I think we owe that to him.
So, if the salvation of Jesus isn’t just about saving us from something that must mean is salvation is intended for more.
JESUS CAME TO SAVE US THROUGH SOMETHING.
From what I see in the Gospels, the salvation of Jesus comes through something.
When Jesus came to the world… he stepped into chaos… that is still true today! He came to w world full of sickness, disease, oppression, injustice, loneliness, and so much more.
So that must mean that the purpose of the salvation of Jesus isn’t to only pull you out of suffering but to meet you in it. Jesus wants to be with you in your darkest most painful moments. Salvation oftentimes is the presence of Jesus with you. Maturity in Christ comes when his presence means more to us than his deliverance.
But what we find in our pain and suffering is that with his presence comes deliverance. If only we just wait for him and trust him.
(EX). Mel jumping into the deep end of the pool without floaties.
EX). I am the youngest of 5 kids. It gets worse… I am also the only boy! Life was a bit hectic growing up in the Rigdon household!
I have a twin sister and we couldn’t have more different personalities. She is free spirited and more of a risk taker. I am much more calculated and cautious.
When we were 5 years old we were at a family members pool swimming and having a good time. We both didn’t know how to swim at the time so we had floaties on. They were the old school floaties that I am pretty sure have been banned today…
They are the inflatables tubes you blow up and stick over your arms. They are extremely easy to pull off. Unlike the ones today where a buckle wraps around the back and locks nice and tight… Making it virtually impossible for a kid to rip off.
But that one summer day back in 1989… My sister got sick of her floatie and decided to stand on top of the diving board and while no one was looking she ripped them off and jumped into the deep end.
Yep you got it… she went straight to the bottom of the pool! I just remember seeing her down there and then my oldest sister saw her as well and screamed for help! One of my older cousins ran and baywatched it right it into the pool saving her from certain death.
She immediately knew that wasn’t a good idea and she got a lot smarter after that day and didn’t do that again. She recognized how bad of a situation she found herself in and the only way she would survive is if someone jumped in to save her IN HER SUFFERING.
This is who Jesus reveals himself to be in our lives. Jesus won’t stop us from making bad decisions and he can’t always keep away the consequences that follow.
But what Jesus does do is he meets us in our most desperate hours of need and comforts us, walks with us, heals us, and saves us.
But we have to see him for who he is. He saves us through suffering.
And finally, Jesus redefined what salvation is by demonstrating that we are saved for something.
SAVED FOR SOMETHING.
For a period of time I thought of Jesus just as my personal savior. This is actually how I become a Christian. This isn’t wrong it’s just not necessarily biblical. Nowhere in the bible do we see the language of “personal savior” but what we do see is “savior of the world.”
When Jesus came, he came for the world. When Jesus lived, he lived for the world. When Jesus died, he died for the world. When Jesus resurrected, he resurrected for the world.
Everything Jesus said and did, he said and did with the world in mind.
Additionally, anytime Jesus interacted with someone, whether it was fishermen, tax collectors, Pharisees, Military, or criminals he always invited them to leave their old way of life behind so that they can step into the Kingdom of God, which Jesus said he here right now.
When Jesus came and identified himself as Messiah he made it very clear. He doesn’t save us so that we can build our own kingdom and ask God to join in with what we want to do.
Jesus saves people so that we can join in with him in building his kingdom in and around our lives.
These are 2 very different paths that lead to two very different places. I think this is what Jesus had in mind in Matthew 9 when we see the separation between the sheep and the goats.
To the sheep he says, come and partake in your fathers’ blessings,
when I was hungry you fed me, when I was thirsty you gave me something to drink…
To the goats he said depart from me, I don’t even know who you are.
The sheep knew that the Kingdom of God is here and they participated in the Kingdom.
The goats were too busy building their own kingdom that they missed all the kingdom opportunities around them.
When we talk about Jesus as Messiah and recognize him for who he is - savior of the world! The posture we ought to take is what Romans 14:11 instructs followers of Jesus to do. Not just from time to time but every moment of every day… Whether it’s a physical posture or heart response.
RESPONSE
Romans 14:11: For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.
Kneeling while worshipping. The proper response to Jesus as Messiah is to kneel in his presence and acknowledge him for who he is.