“Celebrate the Deity of Jesus”

Series: Celebrate the Joy of Jesus! [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

December 8, 2019

Introductory Comments:

Christmas in the air! Can you feel it? Christmas is just seventeen days away. 

Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Jesus and that is exactly what we are going to do. 

Today, we are starting a new series called “Celebrate the Joy of Jesus!” Over the next several Sundays we will be celebrating a different aspect of Jesus as we remember and celebrate Him this Christmas.

This week, we are celebrating the deity of Jesus. 

When we speak of the deity of Jesus, we mean that Jesus is divine; He is God. 

As we prepare to celebrate the deity of Jesus, let’s go to God in prayer.

(prayer)

There has been debate throughout history as to whether or not Jesus was really divine. In fact, one debate involved a man that is very famous this time of year. 

St. Nicholas, the man on whom the legend of Santa Clause is based was a bishop in modern-day Turkey in the third and fourth century.  At the Council of Nicea, when he faced a heretic named Arius who taught that Jesus was not divine, Nicholas eventually got so fed up with Arius’ heresy that he walked across the room and punched Arius in the face. So, be careful if you’re a heretic. You might get more than a lump of coal from Santa Clause; he may punch you in the face. 

Nicholas was so infuriated because he knew that Jesus was, in fact, divine; He is God!

That’s what we’re going to celebrate today in this sermon. 

As we do so, we will celebrate three aspects of Jesus’ deity. 

First, . . .

I. Celebrate that Jesus is eternal. [on screen]

When we say that Jesus is eternal we mean that He has always existed and He always will exist. 

Before a single thing was created on this earth, Jesus preexisted. 

John 1:1-5 says, “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.” [on screen]

John refers to Jesus here using the term “The Word.”

The Word was with God and the Word was God before the beginning of all things. 

Jesus is eternal!

One of the most famous prophecies concerning Christmas is the prophecy of Isaiah in Isaiah 9:6. Isaiah says, “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” [on screen]

Isaiah is clearly speaking about the child who would be born, who would become the Messiah. 

Of this child, Isaiah says He’s more than just Messiah; He is Mighty God and He is Eternal Father. Jesus the Messiah is eternal! Only God is eternal and Jesus is eternal. Therefore, Jesus is divine; He is God!

Jesus Himself spoke of His eternality. Speaking to the Jewish leaders, He compared Himself to Moses and said that Moses looked forward to seeing Him. This confused the Jewish leaders so they questioned Him. Listen to the interaction. Look at John 8:57-59: 57 The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple. [on screen]

Jesus said that He was around way before Abraham. Not only that, He didn’t say, “Before Abraham was, I was.” He said, “I am.” Well, that sounds kind of funny grammatically, but Jesus is ascribing to Himself the same name that God revealed to Moses at the burning bush when Moses asked, “What is your name?” God said to Abraham, “I am that I am.” Jesus said to the religious rulers, “I am.”

Jesus is speaking both to His eternal and His divine nature. 

The Jewish leaders realized th