GETTING TO KNOW JESUS SERIES
Jesus: the Savior of the World
Memory Verse: (Mat 1:21 NIV) She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Scripture:
(John 1:9-11 NIV) The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. {10} He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. {11} He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
INTRODUCTION:
Illustration about how I nearly missed a contact with King Sunny Ade—African Juju Musician, during a Nigerian Airways flight from Nigeria to New York in September of 1988.
I. The Anticipation:
(John 1:9 NIV) The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
(Isa 9:6-7 NIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. {7} Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
(Isa 11:1-5 NIV) A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. {2} The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD-- {3} and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; {4} but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. {5} Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
(Jer 23:5 NIV) "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.
(John 1:6-8 NIV) There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. {7} He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. {8} He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
(Mat 1:19-23 NIV) Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. {20} But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. {21} She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." {22} All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: {23} "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us."
(Mat 2:1-5 NIV) After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem {2} and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." {3} When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. {4} When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. {5} "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
II. The Regret
(John 1:10-11 NIV) He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. {11} He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
(Luke 19:10 NIV) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:10-11 NIV).
(John 1:10-11 The Message) “He was in the world, the world was there through him, and yet the world didn’t even notice. He came to his own people, but they didn’t want him”.
Greek kosmos means
The world, the universe; the circle of the earth, the earth; world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly, the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family.
(John 1:26 NIV) "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know.
(John 1:29 NIV) … "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
(John 1:29 KJV) …Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
(John 1:11 NIV)“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
(John 1:11 The Message)“He came to his own people, but they didn’t want him.”
(Mat 13:57 NIV) And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor."
(Luke 4:24 NIV) "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
III. The Application:
A. We must always anticipate meeting Jesus.
(Mat 5:6 NIV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
B. We must be observant and conscious of Jesus:
“Two things convinced me of the existence of God: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.” –Immanuel Kant
(Psa 19:1 NIV) The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
C. We must endeavor to know Jesus.
(Phil 3:10 NIV) I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
D. We must encounter Jesus experientially.
(Psa 34:8 NIV) Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
“Come and you will see” (John 1:39 NIV).
“Come and see” (John 1:46 NIV).
(John 1:45-51 NIV) Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." {46} "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. {47} When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." {48} "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." {49} Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." {50} Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." {51} He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
(John 1:12 NIV) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--
