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

What do you really believe about Jesus coming think about 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 Chip Ingram Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry featuring the Bible teaching of today. Chip watches a series Jesus unfiltered volume 1 only ask you if you explain Jesus to say I mean. Believe it or not there's lots of people never even so, you were put on the spot. What comes to mind when the series chips going to go directly to the source to answer that question is in the Bible exploring the life of Jesus to the gospel of John, unfiltered and uncut. So let's jump in and enjoy Chip Belfour's message from John chapter 1 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 is in your mind.

Why do you believe that's true and then 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 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 he is 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 work in 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 in a mature Christ pilot pickup ball and an III admit that I sort of manipulated with what I'm about to tell you but it worked and saw 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 want I got to know him love 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 get to just take other people's opinion. You can what you heard in church what you heard on TV or what some guy said 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 as a what he think me you ever done. You are in for the ride of your life. And so that's why we get it again. Second is 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 and materialism is creeping into the church something called Gnosticism the idea that there's everything is these higher and the nations, and angels and sort of 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 that happened that 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 he says you know I wrote this. Here's what I wrote it. 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 and circle the word life and that's the theme of this book is that I want you to know I'm to check out. There are signs or 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 it's point to who Jesus really is and the signs are so that you would believe in. In John's vocabulary believe is not. I intellectually agree with or just comprehend the word believe 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 our word zoology.

But so why is this eternal life. This relational life and 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 it. 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 it. 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 how we can get arms around this, 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 signs see these 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 as they had a historical context will so do 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 go 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 maybe okay turn the page I ready worry not only to learn what the gospel of John says and teaches where you learn how to study it for ourselves. You're listening to thing on the edge with your big and ship will be right back to his message quickly though. We want you to know that we have a great way for you to access all of the teaching. Living on the Edge with the chip and remap. You can access daily programs, chips, message notes and much more.

When I was get back to today's message 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 who I just want 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 that's application so as you study the Bible. This I is 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 I'm open to Lord Holy Spirit. What's it mean to me he 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 for 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 all read it as fast as I can I reduce that's I can just what about you talk about the beginning John Baptist.

Something about the first disciples got.

Then I read it again, slower and out loud is now my eyes are seeing the text I'm 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, talk about creation talks about Jesus. The word become/kid is 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 were. You have a few different translations just sort of go with the flow right and end 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 happen like crazy this tens of thousands of Christians everywhere, and in these false teachers are coming through this a 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 and 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 now 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 light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He 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 dissent, nor of human decision or husbands 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 speaking how he treats people will tell you exactly how things exactly how God feels.

And exactly what God just joining us here listening to Living on the Edge with shipping chips message today is from OU, volume 1, series Jesus unfiltered in this series chips taking an in-depth look at Jesus walking us through the gospel of John.

The authorized biography of Jesus of you will each of the Gospels has a specific purpose and in John we see his focus on the Lordship of Christ proves that Jesus is the son of God. Closer to home how Jesus wants to be your savior. Starting right where you're at today maybe listening more than once is the key to mastering the troops in these passages of John and hope you do that the audio resources are discounted and chips message notes are free. You can use them to dig into the Scripture passages followed chips outline and take notes as you listen for complete details on the believe discounts and trips free message notes give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 or visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org will chip as we get the series started you created kind of a companion resource to go with it. Details about the I'll be right back in just a minute and you know as we study the first several chapters of the book of John, 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. The lie says there are many paths to God, and no one really knows what God is like, and you put a stop sign on the bottom of that, and I flip that card over and right there in John chapter 1 verse 18 no man has seen God at any time. But Jesus, he has explained him literally the word is he exegete it him. He explained him full of truth and grace what I want you to know is that you can quench the lies and fill your mind with God's truth in a way that literally is transformational.

So 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, but strip will the Jesus unfiltered truth cards are available now while supplies last. When you go to your website.

LivingontheEdge.org there a set of 21 cards like the one strip uses. Each card is a common lie or spiritual battle we all face and on the flipside, it has a passage from the Gospel of John to help you renew your mind with the truth whether there for you or someone else. Order your set of Jesus unfiltered truth cards and get free shipping by calling us at 1-888-333-6003 order online at http://livingontheedge.org without here.

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'll 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 to 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 the 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.

Your great way to stay engaged and connected to chip in Living on the Edge is with the Chip Ingram map will get free access to all of chips recent messages is message notes and much more. Not only that, but it couldn't be easier to call or email directly from the FX broadcaster continues a series Jesus unfiltered sure to make plans to join us that for everyone here. This is Dave really saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge