Prophet, Priest, King, God
Pastor Rollan Fisher
We worship Jesus because he is our great prophet, priest, king and God.
Last week:
Jesus the King
How do we know that God anointed Jesus to be the eternal king of the nations?
We know it by Christ’s sinless life, miracles and resurrection from the dead.
But the importance and uniqueness of Jesus continues.
Focus: Jesus is God in the flesh who is to be worshiped and adored to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus is God
"WHATEVER GOD IS, CHRIST IS. THE VERY LIKENESS OF GOD, THE VERY GODHEAD OF GODHEAD, THE VERY DEITY OF DEITY, IS IN CHRIST JESUS."
- Charles H. Spurgeon
What did the prophets say about the Messiah to come?
Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”
What did Jesus understand about himself and proclaim?
Jesus said things like:
Before Abraham was, I AM (John 8:56-59)
Jesus said that he and the Father are one, for which the Jews considered Jesus to be blaspheming, calling himself God
(John 10:25-33).
Jesus said that he was the one who had the ability to forgive sins against Almighty God (Mark 2:1-12).
Matthew 28:16-20 ESV
“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "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, to the end of the age."”
What did those closest to Jesus understand about him and proclaim?
John 1:1-14 ESV
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
It is important here to note several things that were said about Jesus that only pertain to God.
What did the early church understand about Jesus and proclaim?
Titus 2:11-14 ESV
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”
Colossians 1:15-20
Colossians 2:9-10
What did God the Father validate about Jesus?
Philippians 2:3-11 ESV
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
God the Father exalted Jesus through not only his miracles, but through Christ’s resurrection from the dead.
"Depend upon it, my hearer, you never will go to heaven unless you are prepared to worship Jesus Christ as God."
~ Charles H. Spurgeon
Second City Church