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950. Jesus’ Identification as the Son of God

The Daily Platform / Bob Jones University
The Cross Radio
March 20, 2021 8:26 pm

950. Jesus’ Identification as the Son of God

The Daily Platform / Bob Jones University

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March 20, 2021 8:26 pm

Dr. Kevin Oberlin continues the series entitled “I Believe,” with a message titled “Jesus’ Identification as the Son of God” from John 20.

The post 950. Jesus’ Identification as the Son of God appeared first on THE DAILY PLATFORM.

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I believe in the inspiration of the Bible. Both the old and the New Testament is the creation of man by the direct act of God, the incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his identification as a son of God is vicarious atonement for the sins of mankind by the shedding of his blood on the cross, the resurrection of his body from the two his power to save men from sin.

The new birth through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit and the gift of eternal life. By the grace of God. The fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith are centered around these things. That's why we have agreed welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina today were continuing a study series based on the Bob Jones University creed that students recite each day in chapel services. Today's sermon will be preached by Dr. Kevin Oberlin, a professor in the school of religion will preach on Jesus's identification as a son of God to take your Bibles this morning and turn to the book of John John's Gospel in chapter 20 John chapter 20. Who do you believe Jesus Christ is. This is perhaps the most important question that anyone could answer is the question that Zach use the public can have that led him to climb a tree in Luke chapter 19 Jesus that entered and passed through Jericho meal.

There was a man named Zacchaeus was chief among the publicans is and he was rich, and he sought to see who Jesus was a man named Nicodemus came by night to figure it out. In John chapter 3 he said Rabbi to Jesus, we know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles that thou do is, except God be with them and Peter that Jesus actually asked Peter and his disciples this question in Matthew chapter 16 Jesus they were came to the coast of Caesarea Philippi masses disciples who do men say that I the son of man am in a saddle. Some say that your John the Baptist.

Other people say you're Elijah others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

Jesus said, but who do you say that I am Simon Peter answered.

You are the Christ, the son of the living God and people continue to ask even today, who is Jesus. I was once on a transatlantic flight and was put in the last row of the plane and let me forewarn you, if you ever realize before boarding.

They during the last row seats do not fully recline all that's not necessarily a terrible thing on a short flight when you're traveling 6+ hours you might like to at least lean back a little bit while. Instead, my leg, my neighbor and I laughed a bit and then struck up a conversation and we talked for several hours on different matters and then the conversation turned to religion and then this person asked me about Jesus who he is who I actually thought Jesus is in their impression was that he was simply a good man, a prophet, and there are people from all walks of life that while they believe Jesus is an important historic figure they don't accept them as the second person of the triune God. For example, Mormonism says that Christ was begotten by an immortal father in the same way that mortal man, begotten by mortal fathers or Jehovah's Witnesses say that Jesus is the first created being. Jesus never claimed equality with God and therefore is not part of the Trinity and Judaism in Jesus day. John 10 says the Jews answered for good work we stone you not, but for blasphemy because you being a man are making yourself God and then liberal theologians. Those that don't hold to this doctrine that the creed actually entails believe that Jesus was an inspired human teacher, a morality, a great moral teacher and course Islam would see Jesus as a prophet but the question this morning is what do you think do you believe that Jesus is God. What do the Scriptures teach regarding us the claims of Jesus what he would open a Bible textbook or look at notes from a Bible maybe a study Bible notes you get a list of verses that demonstrate or even give direct statements regarding Jesus deity. In fact, I give you several those right now. You might want to write down these references to give you the reference, and these are actually direct statements that could be helpful if you ever talking to someone about Jesus deity. For example, John one verse one the word which became flash speaking of Jesus incarnation in verse 14 of John one was God or John 118 Jesus is the one and only son who is in himself God and is at the father's side. He's in this closest relationship to the father as possible. Or John chapter 20 we have this man, Thomas, who exclaimed after seeing the nail prints in Jesus hands in the place in the side where he was pierced he looked at him and he said my Lord and my God or or Paul in Romans 95 as he goes to that discussion in those chapters. He states that Christ is God over all blessed forever. Later on Paul and Titus 213 states that as believers were waiting in the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ and second Peter Peter himself says he's a certain apostle of Jesus Christ to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. And then at first John 520 John calls Jesus, the true God and eternal life, and there are many others that I could actually touchdown. In fact, there is an entire book in our New Testament that express fix that.

The express theme and content is the Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God, and you've turned there to John chapter 20 in this look at verses 3031. It reads in many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name to John.

A study is a piece saying this entire letter I wrote this entire book I wrote. Here's my thesis statement.

I want you to believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God, and if you do that you will have life life through his name and whatnot John does actually, throughout this entire gospel is he gives us signs he gives us these miracles. There are seven of them. Beginning in chapter 2 in the chapter 4, five, six, nine, 11 like to come just walk you through these miracles.

In John chapter 2 Jesus turned water to wine simply by willing into existence, 150 gallons of wine at this wedding feast and this is the beginning of miracles that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee as he manifested forth his glory and his disciples believed in chapter 4, you have the healing of the nobleman's son, Jesus, and is in Cana, and the son was sick in another town. Is there any it is not in front of Jesus and Jesus from a great distance, meaning Cana and the sun is in Capernaum.

He heals him and says, go your way, your son is restored. In John chapter 5, you have this man that for 38 years has been crippled.

You can imagine what his muscles would've been like a atrophy that would've taken place. The dysfunction that was there and Jesus with the ward, said rise get up, take up your mat and walk in this man got up and those tissues and everything was perfectly restored and had the ability and strength to just get up and go in chapter 6 you see Jesus with 5000 people hungry men and women and children in five loaves and two fishes multiplied until everyone is completely full. And then there's actually leftovers of what as well and then later on I chapter the disciples were in a boat out in the middle of the water.

They're not near the land and Jesus comes.

He was walking on the water and he gets into the boat and as soon as he gets in the boat. The boats at the shore in John chapter 9, you have this man who has a congenital illness. He is blind from birth, and Jesus gives this man site and then the pinnacle of these signs in John's Gospel is when you come to John 11, where Jesus demonstrates his power over death itself. He raises Lazarus from the grave after being dead a few days and Jesus did so with the command. He said Lazarus come forth and then John writes in chapter 20. I've written these signs that you would believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God, and that by believing you would have life in his name, but if you are talking to my new friend aboard our flight, they would've been aghast that you might call Jesus God son because my seatmate was a Muslim. Many times when Muslims hear that you believe Jesus is God's son. They might understand you believe that somehow Dede had relations with Mary in a grotesque way and that of course is completely blasphemous and when I lived in India. I met Hindus who believe that Jesus is a son of God, but then this then so are all people sons of God, so there's really nothing unique about Jesus being a son of God, so this leads us to the question if the Scripture writers and Jesus disciples are clear that Jesus is God, what did others think about Jesus identity is son are BJ, you create states that we believe in Jesus, identification as the son of God. Let's begin. First, by asking this question. How did Jesus vary enemies understand the term son of God. We are still in the book of John and I wanted to have returned to John five go back to John five. There are 18 references to Jesus and the sun in John's Gospel, and all but the first five are actually self references. Perhaps the most significant cluster is found in this chapter John five with our eight occurrences the Jesus as God's son and just prior to the statement you have the healing of the lame man and let's look at verse five, and begin reading at verse five and a certain man was there, which had an infirmity 30 and eight years. And when Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time. In that case, he saith unto them without be made whole and impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man when the waters trouble to put me into the pool. I'm coming another step down before me and Jesus saith unto him, rise, take up my bed and walk and immediately the man was made whole and he took up his bed and walked in on the same day was the Sabbath of the Jews therefore said unto him that was current cured.

It is the Sabbath day. It's it's not lawful for you to care for your bad and he answered them. He said what he that made me whole.

The same set on the may take up your bed and walk with Aston what man is it that which sentence you take up by bad and walk in heat, he it was healed with nunnery didn't know who it was for Jesus had conveyed himself away in a multitude being in that place that afterward Jesus find him in the temple, and saith unto him, behold our made whole sin no more, less the worse thing come unto the man departed and told the Jews, the Jews. It was Jesus who had made in whole and therefore did the Jews persecuted Jesus and they sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Sabbath day. But Jesus answered them.

My father worketh hitherto, and I work, I noticed verse 18. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because not only had he broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his father, making himself equal with God. So Jesus heals a lame man on the Sabbath.

This was anathema to the religious leaders of that day. In fact, the Jews not only wanted to persecute in verse 16. They say the Jews sought to slay Jesus because he had done this then Jesus answered in verse 17 is that my father still working and I am still working on this made the Jews really really mad. They sought to kill Jesus. All the more because as in verse 18 it describes Jesus is not only breaking the Sabbath. He's calling God his own father, making himself equal with God. So John 518, making himself equal with God demonstrates that Jesus enemies understood that Jesus reference of himself as God's son in this context, was a clear reference to Jesus deity which Jesus himself does not deny through the rest of the chapter. Actually, Jesus continues to draw on his special relationship to the father and this happens repeatedly throughout the Gospels were Jesus enemies are wanting to kill him because his enemies understand that he is actually claiming deity such as jet Jesus trials in Matthew chapter 27 verse 43 it says he trusted in God. Let God deliver him, for he said I am the son of God, or John chapter 19 verse seven says the Jews answered him, we have a law, and by our law he ought to die because he made himself the son of God, will Jesus enemies thought the Jesus identity is the son of God was a reference to Jesus own don't own deity. The question is what does God the father actually think about this. What's God the father's perspective regarding his son, Jesus like you to turn over to the book of Hebrews chapter 1 the book of Hebrews. In chapter 1, because throughout the chapters of Hebrews. The author is arguing that Jesus is superior to angels a superior priest Old Testament leaders or any religion. In fact, the authors explain in Hebrews 13 the Jesus the son is the brightness or the radiance of God's glory and the express image of his person. Rapture of a modern translation funny view which reads the exact expression of God's nature or substance to Jesus is of the same nature as God the father.

He's God get the sting from God the father as the son.

So what does the father think about this. Is this really the opinion of Almighty God will look down in Hebrews 1 verse eight but unto the son of God.

Saith, thy throne of God is forever and ever.

A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom and what God is doing is he not. He's not only honoring Jesus the son, above all creation, God the father claims Jesus the son as God the one who is the exact expression of God's nature, yet distinct from the father, the son of God so we can understand the Jesus is God by being called the son of God. Why does the Scripture referred to in Jesus identified as the son of God know is, why not just say Jesus is God, what is behind the phrase Jesus as son of God, or what else does the phrase mean in regards to man to go back to Genesis in the Pentateuch and he would go to chapter 5 Genesis verses one through three.

Moses indicates that Adam's relationship to God was very intimate. God's creating Adam in his image is parallel to Adams be getting a son, Seth, so Sabbath was made in the image and likeness of Adam, even as Adam was made in the image and likeness of God in Luke suggests this more explicitly in the genealogies that run in reverse all the way through Adam to God the end of this genealogy Luke 338 reads this is the son of Venus, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God, being made in the image of God was inherently connected to the rights of son ship, but in the fall of mankind. However, the image of God and man was marred. How would this image be restored with the answer is Jesus the Messiah, the second person of the triune God the eternal son of God would become a man in the incarnation and the second or last Adam. And so Jesus is God, man is 100% God hundred percent man and only Jesus, the eternal son of God and human son could restore humanity through perfect obedience and obedience.

As Paul describes in Philippians 2 that actually led to the cross and there at the cross God's wrath fell on him. But listen to the words in Romans chapter 1 Paul writes concerning God's son, Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. He was human but is Jesus Christ our Lord is God is God's son and he's declared to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead to Jesus Christ is the firstborn and we come into son ship by being united with him. So today, if you are a child of God through Jesus Christ. You are one of the many sons. Christ is bringing to glory is the founder of our salvation is a size and he chapter 2 verse 10. So Jesus as the son of God.

Number one is deity. He's the second person of the Trinity in Jesus as the son of God is our only hope of completing a restoration of the image of God and the promise of our inheritance as children of God. Jesus is the perfect son who brings many sons to glory. So who do you believe Jesus Christ is that is perhaps the most important question that you could ever answer for yourself and for those who know Jesus, the son of God. Everything that we have is found in Jesus in the sun.

He's our hope of inheritance is our hope of salvation is our hope of restoration. Years ago there was a very wealthy widowed man who was had a devoted young son shared his his love and passion for collecting paintings, art, so together they traveled around the world, adding only the finest are treasures to the collection and as time went by a young man left the service country during a time of war and after a few short weeks, the father received a telegram, his beloved son had died and he had done so while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic will distraught and very lonely. Now this old man face the upcoming Christmas holidays with great sadness and on Christmas morning, though there was this knock at the door and was startled.

He was awakened he went and opened the door and a soldier with the package is hand stood before him I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died.

As the two began to talk. The soldier told how the Son of Man sonnet often mention his father's love of fine art and the soldier said I'm an artist. I want to give you this is the old man unwrapped the package.

The paper gave way to reveal a portrait of his son.

And though the world would never consider it a work of genius. The painting featured the young man's face in striking detail in that painting of his son soon became his most prized possession, even more than all the millions of dollars worth of art that he owned the following spring. The old man became ill and passed away in the art world was in anticipation with nowhere.

The paintings were sold at auction in one day and that day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some old world's most spectacular paintings in the auction began with a painting that was not on any of the museums list. It was at painting of his son and the auctioneer asked for an opening bid of the room was silent.

Okay will who will bid $100.

No one spoke. Then somebody from the back right. I will why you showing us this painting.

We don't care about that painting age is a picture of a son. Let's forget it and get onto the good stuff. Now we have to sell this one first reply. The auction now who will take the son and finally a friend of the old man spoke up and he says will you take $10 for the painting is all I have. I knew the boys. I like to have it and when the gavel fell. Cheers filled the room as someone shouted. Now we can get on with it and now we can bid on those treasures or the auctioneer look at the audience and announced that the auction itself was over stunned disbelief quieted the room and someone spoke up and asked what you mean it's over with.

The auctioneer replied, it's very simple. According to the will of the father.

Whoever takes the son gets it all in today. You can know a lot about God and you can know a lot about the Bible and perhaps you've grown up in a Christian home and you been catechized concerning many religious questions but who do you believe in your own heart right now is Jesus God son, not what is the right answer but have you taken Christ as your priceless and only hope of inheritance.

Your only hope of salvation. Your only hope of restoration. It is God's will and promise to give you all the blessings there are in Christ, if you will confess and believe. As John desired for his readers that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing you might have life through his name that's for prayer perhaps, or someone here in this room right now you've given the right answers to all these type of questions. These are fundamental questions and you've given the right answer, but in your own heart.

The Lord is open up your heart and mind today to see that you believe this may be even for the very first time in your heart. I can see the Scriptures true.

Jesus is the Christ the son of God, and I confess that I want in life through his name. Father we pray that you would work among us. May you solidify that our own hearts today and may we exalt Jesus Christ and be more like him in his name we pray. Amen. You been listening to a sermon preached by Kevin Oberlin, a professor in the Bob Jones University school of religion leads daily programs are made possible the many friends of Bob Jones University and this radio ministry if you appreciate these programs and benefit from the faithful preaching and teaching of God's word would you consider sending us a special financial gift today. You can easily do that through the website. The Daily Platform.com and then click on the give button on the homepage. I'm Steve Pettit, Pres. Bob Jones University and I invite you to join us at our beautiful campus in Greenville, South Carolina to see how you can be prepared academically and spiritually to serve the Lord through one of our more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs.

For more information about Bob Jones University, visit www.btu.edu or call 800-252-6363 join us again next week as we continue this series summarizing the doctrines of our Christian faith here on The Daily Platform