Did Jesus Want a Religion Made After Him?

How should I respond to the books and TV specials that come out around Easter thing. Jesus never wanted to be have a religion founded after him as one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Adm. Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question.

At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook or Instagram account and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Dean from Millsboro, Delaware Dean, welcome to the program I were doing well. Dean all that I believe are all my life I've always had a problem. Knowing how to love God ever met a guy though I find it hard to love God. How would I go about doing well. I think it starts Dean with recognizing what Christ has done for us and experiencing the forgiveness that he's given to us. There is this wonderful story in the Gospel of Luke in Luke chapter 7 were a woman. She describes a sinful woman comes to Jesus and she's basically weeping at his feet and and the Lord receives her and forgives her and he has is this statement there in Luke chapter 7 verse 47 therefore I tell you, her sins which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much but he who is forgiven little loves little. If this idea of what we want when we grasp the mercy of God to us in Christ. How much God has forgiven us. Dean what it should produce in us is love. Now none of us perfectly. Love the Lord but I think the more that we rest in and receive the goodness of God to us in the gospel in what Jesus is done for us. That's what it does is it produces love in our hearts, love, by the grace of the Holy Spirit and and so we can love the God who we don't see because we know what he's done for us in his son. Now throughout the gospel of John. Another thing that you that you also sees this relationship between love and obedience. Jesus said in John chapter 14 if you love me you will keep my commandments, and then throughout first John first John was a letter that was written to to a group of Christians throughout that book Dean John talks about how love looks like the way we treat one another.

In particular, our Christian brothers and sisters, we can't say I love God. If we hate each other and so love is this is this real thing that God produces in our hearts through the grace of the gospel and by the power of the Holy Spirit, it should cause us to treat each other differently with charity with love and it should produce in us this love for God that's reflected in our in our obedience to his word and again like I said none of us do that perfectly but John says again in first John we love because he first loved us.

And so if you are struggling to love God and as I said all of us right. We struggle to love God. None of us does that perfectly what we go to is God's love his love for us in Jesus.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life in it. As we apprehend that trigger.

We can we can be in church for our entire life and really not lay hold of that truth not understand it, not grasp it and so we pray that the Lord gives us that understanding so that we can truly love him by knowing his love for us. Thank you for your question Dean in May the Lord fill you with his love and oh Israel, I realize that a lot of Christians get caught up with, depending on their feelings and at times you were trying to maybe generate this feeling of loving God and were single. It doesn't feel like loving another person. How how do you respond to that. Yeah. And then that's part of the issue is is I think in our culture today. We have this definition of love. That's very much sort of rooted in feeling CS Lewis in his in his classic work.

Mere Christianity.

You talk about so many people think of love today like the cold. You know it's something you sort of catch minutes there for a while then it goes away. We don't see love as rooted in promise action. Those kinds of things in God's love for us was manifest in what he did for us in this covenant, that is sort of contractual language that you see throughout the Bible, the new covenant that Jesus himself spoke of and and really that's reassuring that when we grasp at that the love of God for us is deeper than just a sort of emotional thing and our love for one another through the gospel ought to be deeper than our feelings as well. It's sometimes the decision that we make to say I am going to love the Lord by following him.

Even I don't necessarily feel like it all the time because were were were still broken.

We still experience the effects of indwelling sin. And so we go to the word and we rest in God's promise and we follow him.

Even we don't feel like it great counsel. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Raul calling from New York City role what your question for pastor.

Israel okay Lord Jesus Christ had an evil make it to heaven and before Jesus Christ. Did anyone have no reason payroll. Thank you for for that question and forgiveness obviously is is this theme that's not just in the New Testament with with Jesus.

It's it's something we see all over the Bible from the very beginning you think of the book of Genesis and Adam and Eve sinning against the Lord and the Lord for giving them actually in the context their clothing them.

You know they tried to cover themselves with these fig leaves and the Lord gave them you know these these garments of skin animal skin. There had to be a sacrifice. There was this atonement that was made.

If you will to cover their sins and so forgiveness is is something that we see throughout the Bible, prior to the coming of Jesus and God is the one who gives forgiveness.

Now, how in the Old Testament did people experience this well first we would want to say anyone who ever makes it to heaven. Robert got to heaven. Even prior to the advent of Christ was saved by the grace of God and ultimately through Christ will have that happen. If Christ hadn't done his his saving work on the cross. Yet what we say is that there were these the furtive images.

These types and shadows I use that phrase. Sometimes on this broadcast really just referring to those Old Testament pictures that we see the sacrificial system. The temple animal sacrifices that you saw what what what which are really all about atonement, forgiveness, making a way for people to dwell in the house of God and in the presence of God and so do these types and shadows.

The image of of the scapegoat if you will, on the day of atonement described in Leviticus chapter 17. The people had these vivid images pictures of how their sins would be taken away placed on this sacrificial animal and and so with this very vivid picture and ultimately we know that Jesus John the Baptist is us in John chapter 1 is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world so that all those types and shadows pointed forward to Jesus, but prior to his coming. The people looked forward to Jesus and to his saving work through those do those images do the temple through the priesthood through those sacrifices and were truly forgiven. One book role that you can look at that II think on taxes a little bit more if you want to go deeper into studying is that the book of Hebrews.

Throughout the book of Hebrews. It talks about the sort of role of the Old Testament system, the priesthood, the sacrifices, how ultimately they all pointed to Jesus. The blood of bulls and goats can never really truly take away sin. It's it's the blood of Christ, and so anyone who's ever saved in the history of of humanity. It's been by the grace of God and through Jesus Christ and by faith. And so there's your answer brother. Thank you so much for giving us a call. Your listing the core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

We would love to hear from you. Here's the phone number you can call us for the next 15 minutes or so at 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Sharon in Cedarburg, Wisconsin sure what your question for pastor. Israel will allot my daughter and her longtime man tomorrow day. Christ was crucified. I my daughter.

I wonder if that was Christ crossed cross personal cross ordinate reuse.

You know how how did that work in those days somebody was that after hammer before Amber was in his personal cross.

Yeah that that's a question for you because I I know when we know the crucifixion was practiced by the Romans, that there were many people who crucify me know was really this this very heinous and shameful form of capital punishment that even even people in that day had a problem with the were philosophers who spoke out against crucifixions because of the shame it was, it was not a pretty picture may diffuse all crosses erected on a hill you're in your stomach would turn it was this, this just horrific image and that's what our Lord endured for us now were those crosses reused. I don't think so but but the reality is is were not told anything about that. Certainly not in the Gospels. There is no sense that that the cross of Christ was was reused for something else, or work for another Christmas and that kind of thing and so we really don't know the Bible doesn't speak to that. Specifically, it does focus, don't focus on the shame of the cross. The pain of the cross and really the purpose of the cross and the purpose of the cross is really Jesus bearing our curse. The apostle Paul in Galatians chapter 3 and he brings us out, he says, verse 10 for all who rely on works of the law are under a curse, for it is written curse should be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law and do them. Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law because the righteous will live by faith. But the law is not of faith.

Rather, the one who does them shall live by them and then get this Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written curse. It is everyone who is hanged on a tree. Why did Jesus go to the cross with just the shame and the pain that that that sort of thing.

It was this sense of curse. The curse that was due us for our sins that Jesus was bearing that the New Testament focuses on and that's I think we should focus as well as as many Christians celebrate what we refer to sometimes as Good Friday tomorrow focusing on the cross of Jesus where he bore the curse that we deserved for our sins. Thank you for your question, Sharon, thanks so much Sharon for calling you and we appreciate you. Let's go to Jerry in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Jerry, what's your question for pastor. Israel, yeah. What did you name or referred to as when he says the man I got the Son of Man. Yeah, thank you so much for that question really interesting title right that you hear used throughout the New Testament where Jesus refers to them himself as the Son of Man, and it actually has this very rich Old Testament background back in the book of Daniel. Daniel chapter 7 that Daniel has this vision and he says, and in chapter 7, verse 13, I saw the night visions, and behold with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man, and he came to the ancient of days and he was presented before him and to him was given dominion and glory and a people that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom, one that shall not be destroyed and so when Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man, he's going Daniel chapter 7 verses 13 and following.

He is the one who has this kingdom given to him this eternal kingdom that will never perish or pass away and all peoples, nations and languages will serve him now so fascinating about that that word. Their service is used throughout the book of Daniel to refer to the service or the worship that's given to God or a deity to the Son of Man is this divine figure Jesus is God. And so when he refers to himself as the Son of Man immediately really was quite the claim, especially for people who knew the Old Testament who knew the book of Daniel is this glorious thing and that's why sometimes when Jesus would call himself the Son of Man, the religious leaders would get upset.

I mean, how could he say this you talking about, but that the Daniel seven Son of Man will yes Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of lords who all nations are called to serve and worship and he calls you and me to serve him, he's the Son of Man. Thanks for that question.

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It's actually a claim that was made by by several critical scholars in the past, this idea that Jesus was just the sort of apocalyptic preacher who wanted to come and establish this kingdom.

And things didn't go so well for him. He was crucified he died.

And then people took. Basically his his message and they turned into a religion, but Jesus and of himself they would teach that Pete failed. He didn't establish his kingdom that he said he was going to establish and it really is this the sort of tragic view of Jesus and its it's a false view. It's not a biblical view. The fact of the matter is Jesus absolutely intended to establish his kingdom and he did through the preaching of the gospel and the establishment of the church. We just think about what the Jesus told the disciples after his resurrection when he sent them out.

He said to them, Matthew chapter 28 verse 18, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold I am with you always, even to the end of the age. What a wonderful promise that is is and it that Jesus is with us even to the end of the age. Right now he's with us. By the grace of the Holy Spirit. Take comfort in that brothers and sisters, but let me just say one thing that Jesus makes absolutely clear here is that he's establishing his church, his kingdom. He told Peter that very thing I want to build my church and the gates of hell are knocking to prevail against it. And ever since Jesus ascended into heaven.

He's been building his church, advancing his kingdom through preaching, teaching baptism, the Lord's supper. You can't miss it. Jesus intended to establish his church, his kingdom here on earth and in one day. That's good to be fully realized. When the Lord comes back consummated. If you will, that we sometimes use that word age is the, the finalization of the kingdom. And another thing I'll say that we can point to to establish the fact that Jesus really did intend to start of a religion is not just what you see there, and in Matthew 28 but also what you see two chapters earlier in Matthew 26 when Jesus instituted the Lord's supper and I told his disciples that he has his meal. This this religious meal with them, but that he also tells them you know, take, eat, this is my body given for you. This cup is the new covenant in my blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.

In other words, he's establishing this this ritual. This religious ritual if you will that focuses on the gospel and on his shed blood. His work for us that he intends for his followers to do after he leaves, as it is about me. Didn't get any clearer than that. He's even giving them.

Essentially these bees things to follow these rules, we might save these these these wonderful rituals. We can call it originate week weekly symptoms refer to as a sacrament or an ordinance, but focuses on Jesus and what is accomplished for us and so when people say oh Jesus was just as apocalyptic preacher who did intend to start a religion or have people believe all these things a bit. That's just so not true. And we see it over and over again in the Gospels, Jesus not only did he intend to start a religion as it were really to be the fulfillment of the promise given to the patriarchs of the Old Testament. He did he establish his kingdom. That kingdom is still here on earth right now and it's advancing every day.

The proclamation of the gospel and if you believe in Jesus, you're part of that kingdom grace alone. Amen this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to Sal from Oklahoma City sell what your question for pastor. Israel well all with regard to the animals that God gone. Dogs catch. I don't understand shortly from time we have you know that we love them so much they become part of the family and why such a short time. This shiny thing about this girl heaven for these become social of liens. Yeah, a well thank you for that question brother sounds like you, you have some some may be some rough experiences with with patent and the realities they are truly a gift given to us from them.

You think of the of the created world that the Lord is given to us. All of these these wonderful blessings that God has given to us and and animals to you know like you just it it's it's and as you said, you know that the sort of become a part of the family and so when they die. It's this.

Is this really sad thing. Now the question do they go to heaven.

Is there a heaven for animals. If there's a there's a difference of opinion on this. In particular, it will also one we know that in the new creation. It's going to be perfect are our pets that we had here on earth going to be there with us or not told anywhere in the Bible whether or not they will or or they won't be. I do get the sense that in the new creation. There are going to be animals. There were going to be a part of it and found that the whole creation, including animals. In one sense are going to be praising the Lord all creation, worshiping God in perfect harmony, but we don't know exactly whether or not our specific patching of the dog that I had or the cat that I had, whether they're going to be in the new creation there with me. One thing that we that week. I think we should know is there is something unique about humanity that the different from the animals us were made in the image of God and so there has to be a balance here where we recognize that the value of and the blessing of these animals is this created world of the Lord is given just we also recognize what's distinct about humans as moral agents who make decisions and trust and believe in Jesus Christ for the salvation of our souls. But I think brother that you can be comforted by the fact that God made the world good. That sin entered the world through death and that one day God is going to restore everything the whole created order is not just that God is saving my soul and that the body and this creation is you know get it. Just burn and be done away with no God is going to restore everything brother and what that looks like were not entirely sure but I'll tell you one thing, it's gonna be better than we could ever imagine.

So you can trust the Lord with that you can trust the Lord. With that promise, that is given to us in his word and take comfort their brother and our drillers is thinking about that passage about the lien laying down with the lamb. That's a one about 11-year-old. That's right, Bill, and I know you have a wonderful dog that you love very much. But again, just the hope that we have the restoration of all things, through the work of Jesus Christ. What a great promise. We received from the Lord. Thanks for listening core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together