Jesus Unfiltered - Believe - Jesus - The Authorized Biography, Part 1

What do you really believe about Jesus coming think about it. What you really know about Jesus is just what people told you. Maybe you saw the movie, but what about the authorized biography. Do you know who Jesus really is. According to Scripture that's today. Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge with your finger Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministries featuring the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram either with us.

Sometimes we make such assumption little unsettling to think about when it comes right down to it, do I really know about Jesus.

Over the next few programs just takes us back to the basics answering the question. Is Jesus really is source material.

Jesus is authorized biography, exploring his life to the gospel of John, unfiltered and uncut Bible open it now to the first chapter of the book of John. Let's join Chip like to ask you for really important questions as we get started.

Question number one who is Jesus question number two is who is Jesus to you and then maybe behind that.

Why do you believe that whoever he is in your mind. Why do you believe that's true and and finally, what difference does that make any real difference in your life and the way you live your hope your dreams how you answer those four questions really will determine the quality of your life on this earth and the future of your life after you die, regardless of your belief system or your background, I can tell you that the most influential person that is ever lived on the face of the earth that have ever walked on this planet is Jesus Christ.

And whether he's just the great prophet is mentioned actually more time in the Koran than Mohammed or whether he is the divine ideal of the new age or whether he's a miracle worker or just a great moral teacher. Those are some perspectives of Jesus, or whether he's the Messiah, the son of God, the Savior of the world, the founder of Christianity.

Here's what I will tell you, regardless of where people come from all the spectrum of who they think Jesus is his life and his teaching is the center of more than just debate and controversy and ardent devotion. It's the center of human history.

Every time you write a date down you testify. With all the world that the history of mankind is BC and A.D. and here's here's what I learned about 82%, not outside the church with those of us in the church, 82% of all of us Christians only read the Bible, at least nationally.

In America, when we come to church. So what I know is that for most Christians our view of who Jesus is, is primarily what someone tells us or what we heard or what our family said or what we heard on the radio or what some book tells us about Jesus. But here's the thing most people even followers of Christ have not personally said for me. I'm going to look at the evidence and I'm going to examine the research in the original two New Testament documents to find out who years who he is to me why. I believe that, and what difference does it make and so that's what were going to do on our journey and I'm working on it were in for a ride is can be great because I will tell you that when you discover who he really is, how much he actually cares about you and how relational and real. He wants to be in your life on a daily basis. It will make a huge difference is are you ready to roll.

There some critical questions as we began to examine not what other people say now what commentators say not what church says, but this is the authorized biography, not the culture. This is the first-hand eyewitness documents. This is the authorized biography of Jesus Christ. So why study the book.

While I basically said because you owe it to yourself. When I was a basketball coach and a teacher I would do basketball and coach by day and then we go up on a college campus and I would share Christ by the pickup ball and an III admit that I sort of manipulated with what I'm about to tell you but it worked. And so I'd be playing ball with these guys and afterward to be all sweaty sitdown is a have you ever examined what the New Testament says about Jesus Christ.

I mean, these are college guys know and you once I got to download the six of you need to tell me you're here getting a higher education and your studying philosophy in mathematics and computer science and the most important most influential person in the entire world. You just take other people's opinion.

You can what you heard in church what you heard on TV or what some guy said or what your parents even said you never examine the documents for yourself. You and they would go.

Now I so would you want to and you know what I didn't preach Adam. I didn't tell him anything. So we just read chapter 1 and I ask a few questions. We talked about it next week. We got together.

We played hoops read chapter 2 next week with plaintiffs read chapter 3 next week. Read chapter 4, I cannot tell you the amazing things that happened in those guidelines and I never tell them they said you ought to do this or you should do this or I didn't even do a lot of explaining.

I just we just read it to somebody thing me you ever done that you are in for the ride of your life. And so that's why we get it again. Second, is it got asked why wasn't initially written to reasons externally. It's 90 A.D. there's only one apostle left, it's John Matthew Mark Luke, the call the Synoptics.

They've already been written.

This story about the genealogy of you know his life. Matthew the Jewish side of Luke.

Mark is written to the Romans. It's all done we know the story of Mary and Joseph. We know the parables we know his teachings but now fast forward 50 years, almost 60 years. The last living apostle everyone else's been martyred. He's about 90 years old and then here's what's happening externally. Mysticism.

Materialism is creeping into the church something called Gnosticism the idea that there's everything is these higher emanations and angels and sore this real spiritual, mystical side, but the reality of Christ, the resurrection, who is he, it's all beginning to infiltrate the church and so John will give us 93% new material, the gospel of John has 93% material is not in the other three Gospels writing from this perspective to this need of this church that's multiplied and there's thousands upon thousands, hundreds of thousands of believers going all over the world and what they need to hear clearly now is who is Jesus. Where did he really come from, what did he really teach and that's the gospel of John and went to talk about is unlike any of the Gospels. From chapter 2 to chapter 12 he's can get seven specific signs. There the sign is a miracle. Super natural amazing things happen bit validated in space-time history who Jesus is and was and then there's seven specific interviews with people so you can see so what was Jesus like to really religious people or people that really blew it so you can exactly get to know him and I get to the end of the book is you know I wrote this. Here's what I wrote chapter 20 verse 30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not recorded.

This book never was that this is just a sample manner. He did a bunch of stuff. Now here's the purpose, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

If you have your own Bible or in your little one that I just gave you circle the word signs circle the word believe in circle or life and that's the theme of this book is that I want you to know I'm to check out. There are signs are specific things you can know about what's what's assigned to. It points right a yield sign or an arrow that goes one way it points its point of who Jesus really is and the signs are so that you would believe in. In John's vocabulary.

Believe it or not I intellectually agree with or just comprehend the word believe as you 98 times in this gospel and believe means to understand relationally connect commit in trust follow develop deep relationship and be transformed. And that's the word life in the world like here isn't biocide like animal life or plant life. It's so way we get a word zoology.

But so why is this eternal life.

This relational life in back in chapter 17.

You explain exactly what this kind of life that happens from belief is is that you might know him.

The father and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. It's this super natural relational thing that happens, God visiting the planet living this life offering forgiveness than coming to live inside a mortal human being transformational, he for today, but then as you die trance related to ever and ever and ever. That's why he wrote so what are the parallels today. Externally we live in a day. That's characterized by pluralism, which basically means there is no one right or wrong.

Every opinion, every truth claim is equal in that's beginning to infiltrate the life of church. The second is what I just call spiritual erosion. You know what every season of the church has its ups and downs are season of the church.

Most people are biblically illiterate. Most people were taking other people's words for were seeing some real drift teaching and doctrine of Jesus. It's been solid for 2000 years is drifting inside the church.

An average believers not having the kind of dynamic relationship that God wants. So that's why word in the study. It then the final question is what we can get arms around this means a pretty thick book. I don't know about you, I did not grow up reading the Bible.

I never opened it.

Actually, I did. I think about junior high. 14.

My parents were gone.

Family life was not real. You know going all that well and you. I thought maybe God can help and we had some remember the old days we had a coffee table with a Bible in the middle of it, a big Bible it with golden pages you know and then you open it up and had scribble he writing like grandmother or grandfather so-and-so born you know, so I thought okay if God exists, so I open it up hitherto unseen to the line given to the healer to Sheppard Avenue to hear what they're talking about.

It makes no sense to me, and I think a lot of reasons some of us we we don't read the Bible is down deeper. Think I can understand it and it doesn't really make that much sense and you try right now menu, read a little bit so you do, here's what I want you to get the picture on the front of your notes on which here's the box.

The book of John, written in the first century revelation is delivered in A.D. 90 to a specific group. Okay. And there was a historical context. It's written to to what's going on in the world.

Then, and guess what the author has an intent means this isn't just kinda mystical words, the author has an intent that you would read these sign CDs, interviews, and that you wouldn't believe. And because you believe you would experience life supernatural life and its revelation. It comes from God the Spirit of God is now our job is to take the timeless principle of that same truth and were not going to get truth delivered.

We need to discern the truth and so what we have here is, they had a historical context will so that we so what's this truth got to do with our world.

The author's intent is exactly the same that we might believe that we could experience God's power and then finally there's was revelation it came from God.

Ours is what we want. We got the truth its illumination.

The word aluminate.

Does that ring a bell like light means. The lights come on means that instead of like just a few people or pastors or you hear someone speaking to think about wow that really make sense. It's like you begin to read the Bible and while I get it. God speaks clearly, personally and powerfully to me, that's the journey were to go on. I hope you're asking how how can that really happen in my life. I'm glad you asked.

Were you asking that okay turn the page. Are you ready worry not only to learn what the gospel of John says and teaches where you learn how to study it for ourselves. You see there's about five specific things you can do their very very simple and the revolutionary number one ask three questions whenever you study God's word. That's the number one thing first ask these three questions. Question number one, you want to say is just what does it say in you is observation. I mean just what does it say I may not rocket science. Not like I'm just what to say. I write it. Talk about this second. What's it mean that's interpretation okay. He said this, but what he meant by that is so you want to get there, but the third question you ask is what does it mean to me, its application, so as you study the Bible is this.

It's so simple I been doing this for over 30 years and you get better and better and better it gets easier, easier and easier, but you just say okay I read this was a say as I look into it. Study that was a mean I ponder and reflect and am open to Lord the Holy Spirit. What's it mean to me will speak to you and tell you in before you leave today you actually experience and see how it works. The second thing that you do is not just ask three questions but read the passage repeatedly to get the big picture. The general idea is just like anything. I mean you get to read it over and over in order to let it sink and so you just get the big idea.

Personally, I often when I'm get Sam to read chapter 1 of John I'll read it as fast as I can 22nd to make up the whole thing maybe 35 seconds or minutes. I reduced that's I can just what was about to talk about the beginning John the Baptist. Something about the first disciples got. Then I read it again, slower and out loud is now my eyes are seeing the text on hearing the text I read out loud.

Then I'll read it 1/3 time and I just read it slowly and I'll ponder and begin to know what's going on here, talks about creation talks about Jesus.

The word become/give this John the Baptist.

He keeps saying this word testimony. Testimony delivered okay. Another something here as I start making a few observations.

Here's what I like to do in honor of God's word. The first section is one of the most dynamic in all of Scripture is really really powerful, so for the first 18 verses one to stand with me and follow along as I read the book of John. You are you have a few different translations just sort of go with the flow right but let me know when you when you listen here you think we were on same page and and before I read.

Here's what you gotta get imagine this, imagine yourself is if you don't get this down clear, you never get what God wants to say.

Imagine yourself it's 90 A.D. you came to Christ.

About 20 years ago. Your kids have come to Christ. There's been persecution and this happened like crazy. There's tens of thousands of Christians everywhere, and in these false teachers are coming through the say Jesus didn't really come he just came as a spirit is all the stuff happening in your Houston and then all of a sudden the old man, the apostle of love John. He's written the last living apostle is being passed around in word for word carefully recorded and orally memorized by all 80% of the church that were slaves in your hearing this in the midst of your confusion. Got your in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God through him all things were made without him nothing was made that has been made in him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness did not understand it, or literally summary translations did not overcome it. He introduces a battle light and darkness, there came a man who was sent from God whose name was John.

He came as a witness to testify concerning the light. Why so that through him all men might believe he himself was not the light he came only as a witness to the light, the true light of the real life. It gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He the true light was in the world and though the world was made through him, the world didn't recognize him.

He came to that which was his own. The Jews, but his own did not receive him yet to all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right or authority to become children of God. Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God the Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only son, who came from the father full of grace and truth. John Baptist testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying this was he of whom I said, he who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me from the fullness of his grace. We've all received one blessing after another. Why for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No man has ever seen God fullness in his face and his glory, but God the only son who is at the father's side, has made him known literally the last word is exegete Jesus exegete it the father. The word exegete means to explain so and later in the book Jesus will say if you have seen me, you seen the father John is introducing at the very beginning you really want to know what God is like. Jesus is life is speaking how he treats people will tell you exactly how God thinks exactly how God feels. And exactly what God is like.

That's a huge promise okay you can be seated. So in your notes. Let me encourage you then if we read the first 18 verses then we would say to ourselves, okay, what was it really about what would I learn a quick overview would be. It introduces the word write the word.

The law gospel talk about what that is with the origin, we could say the origin of the word. What is the creator, no beginning, no in his identity. It said, well, it says just read pretty quickly, but says he was God and he was with God, who my head hurts was God and was with God have come back about one and we know his purpose.

He came to reveal the father and he came to be the light. So now I'm going to do something I'm to go through the whole passage him to read it quickly once all get on the same page. But before I read it. What I want to do is I'll give you my overview of it so that you listen through the filter of the lens and all I'm doing is what you would do if you were by yourself. In fact it's it's exactly how I studied verse 19 to 28 reveals John the Baptist identity and his role so if you are getting this in your 50 years away from when Christ died and rose in the early disciples, one of the big questions is, I hear what you're saying but you validated is there an eyewitness and so what you can find is Johnson's. Of course there is. We pick it up in verse 19. Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely. I am not the Christ will ask him are you Elijah he said I am not are you the property answer no. Finally they said who are you give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What you say about yourself.

John replied in the words of Isaiah actually Isaiah 40 I am the voice of the one calling the desert make straight the way of the Lord. Now some of the Pharisees, who'd sent him questioned him why then do you baptize if you're not the Christ or Elijah or the prophet, I baptize with water. He replied, but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me the following two sandals are not worthy to untie. This all happened in Bethany notice space, time, location. This isn't dreams.

This is a people making claims you go check this out. On the other side of the Jordan where they were baptizing and were still that we learn from the book of acts. Are there actually people that were still followers of John the Baptist didn't hear about the Messiah to ask 19 and so it validates what's going on. Here's what's going on. The John's tell us the story is good to get back to historical routing and these here's the here's the religious hotshots.

The scholars they value the Torah, there's this wild man with a leather belt eaten locust eaten honey is nuts long hair. No knots and thousands of people coming out and talk about the demand for live change in the Roman soldier look I do says quit abusing people tax collector. What I do only charge what's right regulate what I do take one of your cloaks and give it to another.

She was preparing the way he help people see where their life wasn't measuring up. He wasn't the answer. He was creating the dynamic. It would make way and so in the Old Testament, they always promise the Messiah and but when you read the word Christ Messiah Greek word is Christ Seiyu same thing literally means anointed one in the Old Testament. Moses said God will raise up a prophet like me will likely be what he brought the truth. The revelation 10 Commandments, the prophet will bring greater truth.

So Jesus role was king but is also has a prophetic role in, and finally logic prompts and lodges to come before Christ. And so they're asking are you one of these three, he goes no no no, but the how he answers.

He reaches back in the Old Testament. He says this is my role and so all of a sudden all all want you to get is your reading this thinking okay start to make some sense.

Now it shifts and is okay how this movement get going because your your 5060 years away from the early church, you have friends there's been persecution you don't live near Israel your friends are asking you about this relationship talking to go through this persecution. Why do you love your wife. That way you raise your kids different.

You guys are so generous in fact, the early church. They were accused of being some weirdo called because they greeted one another with a holy kiss and they shared the resources and love each other and about your crazy and so they're asking questions about where is this all coming from. So John is giving them not only who Jesus is and not only the historical verification but now John is going to be the testimony to point to Christ. The next day John was there again with his two disciples, he says, look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. This is what I meant when I said a man comes after me who surpassed me because he was before me.

I myself did not know him, but the reason I was baptizing with water was that he might be purpose revealed Israel. Then John gave this testimony. I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him and it would not have known, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me the man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain on him. He will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

I have seen and I testify that this is the son of God. And so in your notes. What John does as he identifies who Jesus is his mission and his identity. This is the Lamb of God use of the word for land use in the Old Testament of a sacrificial lamb like a Passover's mission is the Lamb of God to do what take away the sins of the world's identity keys, the Messiah.

Be back with his application. Just a reminder, this message is from will you volume 1 of a series Jesus on filtered in this series chip takes an in-depth look at Jesus walking us through the Gospel of John is authorized biography if you will. Each of the Gospels has a specific purpose than John. We see his focus on proofs that Jesus is the son of God.

Closer to home how he wants to be your Lord and Savior starting right where you're at today. You know the reality is listing more than once is the key to mastering the truths in these passages from John to help you do that, the chipping roadmap and ships free message notes are a great way to dig in the lead God's word change you from the inside out. Jesus on filtered. For more information and discounted resources give us a call at AAA 333-6003 or visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org app listeners just have special offers chipping. I just love the challenge you're asking us to wrestle with.

What do we really believe about Jesus and as were learning. A lot of those ideas may be different from what the Bible actually teaches. So you've created a great resource that identifies some of those common misperceptions and then address them with verses from Scripture, would you take just a minute and tell us more and more you've parroted with a series what's being challenged here is what we believe me Jesus has come to explain the father and yet the culture of the world, my flesh, the enemy is constantly bombarding my mind and my heart with lies. As I went back through and I take the key truth out of each chapter as we call these truth cards. Let me give you an example. Here's a lie in private moments, I sometimes have thoughts that make me question my faith did these doubts or thoughts mean that I don't really believe in Jesus and then at the bottom that card it says stop and back. There's a stop sign there and then we flipped the card over and it says everyone has doubts from time to time. We are bombarded by lies from the enemy, but the historical fact of Jesus resurrection, not my feelings on any given day is the basis of my faith and then right under that I have the core passage out of John chapter 20 is a what we would love to do is put these in your hands so you can just review my time doing it at night before I go to bed not trying even to memorize just pondering and thinking and doing three or four or five cards you do if you had those before you go to bed. It goes into your subconscious mind. It's amazing how your mind is renewed because what we all know what did Jesus promise in John chapter 8 you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. I hope you order a set of these cards for you and maybe someone you love as well. Will chips truth cards are discounted for a limited time when you go to LivingontheEdge.org there a high-value set of 21 cards with a common-law or spiritual battle we all face and on the flipside there's a passage from the Gospel of John to help you begin to renew your mind with the truth.

Let me encourage you to get a set for yourself, then maybe another one or two for people you know. Order your truth cards and get free shipping by calling AAA 333-6003 or online at http://livingontheedge.org app listeners just tap special offers lower your strip with his application as we wrap up today's broadcast. I just want to remind you that when you open the Bible, you can understand it, the spirit of God will teach you exactly what it says now you need to ask these three questions what does it say what does it mean and what does it mean to me now. This is one of those times where literally if you go on the journey with me today. Read the first chapter of John the Gospel of John, and just asked that question and read it through two or three times slowly and here's what I'm going to tell you your begin to understand what God wants to say to you, and who exactly Jesus is second go to the website LivingontheEdge.org download the notes there absolutely free. There is an outline. I have these questions. There's a format there where you can learn to study the Bible for yourself. I'm gonna tell you this are so many people that are basing their life or think they're basing their life on a Jesus that doesn't really exist. He's the Jesus in a Bible story book when you're a kid. He's the Jesus of the movie. He's the Jesus that your dad or mom told you he was like you need to know the real Jesus.

He's the one that is the truth. The life and the way he's the one the promises you will know the truth and it will set you free. As you learn to study the Scriptures for yourself.

Go on this journey with me great encouragement.

Thanks, Chip will you'll find the message notes you just mentioned in a couple places go to LivingontheEdge.org and click the broadcasts tab or app. Listeners Fill in notes you get ships outline all of the Scripture references. Lots of fillings to help you learn more and remember what your learning before we go I will remind you that next Tuesday is giving Tuesday. This is an opportunity for you to show your support for your favorite ministries and nonprofits. So if Living on the Edge is impacted you.

Would you remember us in your giving plans.

Every dollar we receive that day will be doubled, which fuels our efforts to spread the gospel of Jesus around the world. If you like to be part of that mission. Let me encourage you to partner with us on giving Tuesday. Thank you in advance for your generosity… For now until next time for all of us here, this is Dave Drewry saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge