Recap: “Not of this World” Message Series
Key Ideas:
1. Blessings from God
2. Christian identity
3. The right perspective on suffering
4. Living like Jesus
1 Peter 5:
1. Summary: The church needs Godly leaders who will follow the example of Jesus the Good Shepherd.
2. Sermon from September 10 — Satan knows we’re vulnerable to his attacks when we’re alone, but we can resist his efforts by living in close community with the family of faith.
3. Online lesson from 2020 — “I Will Praise You in the Storm”
Christmas Series: What Child is This?
Exploring the true identity of Jesus.
Five Ways the Bible Describes Jesus:
1. The Prophet - 12/3
2. The Priest - 12/10
3. The King - 12/17 (Kids’ Program)
4. The Savior - 12/24
5. The Shepherd - 12/31
Today’s sermon in one sentence: Jesus is a prophet who boldly declares the authoritative word of God. But he is also the prophet that God promised during the time of Moses.
Understanding The Role of Prophets in the Bible
What is a Prophet?
1. A person who has been sent by God to deliver a specific message to an individual or group of people.
2. Example: “The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest” (Ezekiel 1:3)
How Did People Know?
1. God enabled them to do signs and wonders (e.g. Ten Plagues)
2. Their messages came true.
What Kind of Messages Did They Deliver?
1. Challenge: A Call to Repentance. (e.g. Ezekiel 14:6)
2. Comfort: A Promise of Hope.
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. -Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Jesus was Known as a Prophet.
1—By the Disciples:
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. -Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Note: “Powerful in word and deed” corresponds to the two ways people recognized prophets as being sent by God.
2—By the People of Israel:
10 “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’ 11 The crowds answered, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’”
-Matthew 21:10-11 (NIV)
See Also: Luke 7:16-17; John 4:10; John 6:14; John 9:17; Matthew 21:46.
…But not by the Religious Leaders
1. They didn’t think a prophet would welcome sinners the way Jesus did (Luke 7:39).
2. They didn’t think a prophet would come from such a lowly place like Galilee (John 7:52).
3. During Jesus’ trial, they sarcastically referred to him as a prophet in order to humiliate him (Matthew 26:67-68).
3—Jesus Claimed to Speak the Very Words of God:
“For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.” -John 12:49 (NIV)
Jesus Wasn’t “A” Prophet… He was “The” Prophet.
In the Old Testament, God Promised to Send Another Prophet Like Moses:
“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you [Moses], from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you [Moses] from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.” -Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-20 (NIV)
What Do We Know About this Prophet?
1. He will come from among Israel (not be a foreigner)
2. God’s words will come from his mouth
3. God expects us to listen to him.
4. We will be held accountable if we ignore or disobey his message
5. He will be like Moses.
More About this Prophet in Deuteronomy 34:10-12
“10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.” -Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-20 (NIV)
What Else Do We Know About this Prophet?
1. He will know the Lord face-to-face
2. He will perform mighty miracles
3. He will confront unjust leaders
Jesus is the Prophet like Moses that God Was Promising:
1. Freed the people
2. Performed mighty miracles
3. Spoke God’s words
4. Saw God face-to-face
5. We are expected to obey his message.
Peter’s Sermon in Acts 3 References this Promise:
17 “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’” -Acts 3:17-23 (NIV)
Key Point: Because Jesus is the only way to salvation, we must take him seriously and obey his message.
Conclusion: Jesus the Prophet
Jesus speaks the very words of God — we should treat them as such.
Shepherding Groups: John 8:25-30, Matthew 7:24-29 — The words of Christ.
Church of the Week: The Grove. This is a newer church in Bakersfield that exists to glorify God in all of life by making disciple-making disciples.
Invitation
Tap here to Respond to today’s message
Questions? Contact Bryan: (609) 356-3147 or bfojtasek@westsidelife.org.