Preaching Christ

Preaching Christ

March 18, 2007

Introduction

As Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he said, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Cor 2:2 NKJV) Of Phillip it is said, ”Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” (Acts 8:35 NKJV) Paul also said, “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (Rom 8:9 NKJV)

My question this morning is this: How do we “preach Christ”? How do we “know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified”? Who is Jesus Christ? What did He teach? How did He live? What does it matter?

Body

I. Who is Jesus Christ?

A. It is a question that matters because Jesus asked the question of His apostles.

(Mat 16:13-17 NKJV) When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" {14} So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." {15} He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" {16} Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." {17} Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

1. Others were on the right track, so to speak. – He was a prophet.

2. But the question is a personal one – Who do you say I am?

B. What did Jesus say about Himself?

(Mat 11:28-30 NKJV) "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. {30} "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

He was loving and forgiving.

1. The woman taken in adultery.

(John 8:3-11 NKJV) Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, {4} they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. {5} "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" {6} This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. {7} So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." {8} And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. {9} Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. {10} When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" {11} She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

2. He defended the woman who anointed His head with oil.

(Luke 7:37-48 NKJV) And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, {38} and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. {39} Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." {40} And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it." {41} "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. {42} "And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?" {43} Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged." {44} Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. {45} "You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. {46} "You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. {47} "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." {48} Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

3. He loved and forgave Zacchaeus.

(Luke 19:1-10 NKJV) Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. {2} Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. {3} And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. {4} So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. {5} And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." {6} So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. {7} But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." {8} Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." {9} And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; {10} "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

II. How did he live?

A. He came to seek and save the lost.

(Luke 19:10) "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

1. He had compassion for the lost.

(Mat 9:36-38 NKJV) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. {37} Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. {38} "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

B. He lived as a kind and sympathetic man.

1. When Mary and Martha wept, He wept with them.

(John 11:35 NKJV) Jesus wept.

2. How many did He heal? How many did He raise from the dead?

3. He raised the widow’s son.

(Luke 7:12-16 NKJV) And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. {13} When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." {14} Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." {15} So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. {16} Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people."

Conclusion

As we began our lesson, we said, ‘As Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he said, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Cor 2:2 NKJV) Of Phillip it is said, ”Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” (Acts 8:35 NKJV) Paul also said, “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (Rom 8:9 NKJV)

We have touched on only two of these questions: Who is Jesus Christ? and How did He live? Lord willing, next Sunday we will continue our study: Preaching Christ.

If you are here, and not a Christian, you can become one today. You’ll never know all there is to know, but if you are willing to repent of your sins and confess your faith in Christ as the Son of God, you know enough to be baptized into Christ and rise to walk in newness of life.

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