Strike a Light (@Dewsbury Minster) - Who is this Jesus?
This testimony was shared at Dewsbury Minster 10 November 2002
-
14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,[b] “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
15 Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled[c]; yet he liked to listen to him.
21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of[d] Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
-
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Part 1 Testimony
In good Irish tradition start at the finish….
I am the Vicar St Andrew’s Church Wakefield. I am married to Jen and we have 3 Kids. I have been a Christian for nearly 40yrs.
1> Boy 10 follows Christ… stuck with me thro school things vying to take central place. Thro life I’ve walked this kind of tight rope enjoying having friendships and a life outside church and Christians. [Remember Ena KB Going Golfing ‘Be ye separate.’ But I read John 17 and I hear Jesus asking the father these words: ‘my prayer is not that you will take them out of the world…’ Thro life I’ve walked this kind of tight rope – mixing it with FRANC. Sport (N Ireland Cap), through Uni (NI juniors cap) . Enjoyed mixing it with students and people who didn’t believe.. Studies (sharpened faith) through sport Hockey to Trainee Accountant. Walking a tightrope. The walk was to Keep Jesus central.
Everything was going well - work, sport, girls, ££, house, fast car. (leisure, pleasure Treasure)
2>Bottom fell out of world - Car Crash: ‘I am with you always’ (Matt 28:20) Holding on.
3>Questions/anger/close encounters
4>The Business. Integrity v compromise [Gerry’s accounts] [Gordon’s death ]
5>The call & the challenge. Matthew 28v19 ‘Go & tell’
Tell your story –how he has changed me, how I have a peace, forgiven, takes burdens of life and gives life in abundance.
Part 2
What Picture of Jesus do we Paint for People Around us?
Uptown on Thursday handing out Christian tracts and Leaflets someone asked me….
'Is it all about that Jesus stuff?'
What picture of Jesus have we painted for people around us.
What kind of picture of Jesus have we got for ourselves.
And does your Jesus live within, Eph 1v6 do you belong to him, [Read]
The things Jesus did 2000 years ago led to speculation about his identity.
People today speculate about Jesus but so often their picture of Jesus is based on the Jesus we share with them through our words and actions
Marks Gospel constantly leads us to this question - Who is this man? It requires an answer. We need to ask ourselves who is this Jesus for me, (you)
Jesus was from an obscure corner of the world, all of his adult life never left his home land, he never learned a foreign language, never had a formally recognised education, never wrote so much as a pamphlet, never held office, founded no institution, his career lasted only three years and he died at the age of 33 leaving tiny group of dispirited insignificant followers. Yet this one man Jesus Christ has had a greater, deeper, longer lasting, more widespread influence on the history of the human race than anyone else whoever lived. (we set our calendar's by him, in the last 2003 years countless people have laid down their lives for their love of him.) How come?
Who is this Jesus for you? Are you ready to back up your answer with your life. If you say he is Lord of Lords. Are you ready to back it up with your life. Allow him to rule every area of your life. No partitions [God partition/real world partition). If you say he is God's son are you prepared to accept his words that He is the way - no one comes… or that he has come that you may have life… or that God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten son.. s/n/perish but have everlasting life…
Who is this Jesus for you? Need to be clear.
Sometimes when we are going through hard times we get a bit fuzzy on the Jesus who is within us. When we're fuzzy about him we need to be clear about 2 big facts [1]. He is never the author of evil and [2.] (if you are a believer) He is always with you and 'greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.' When we get fuzzy we need to get re-focussed on who you are in God's family and who the evil one is. God Eph 1 God blesses us …. v1 The evil one John 10v10 comes to steal and destroy….' That's his nature & character….Jesus says I have come to give you life and to give it in all of it's fullness…..Be clear about that when hard times comes your way, God is never the author of evil [Car crash][lake of tears]. When there's a destructive force I know whose work that was and it wasn’t God's……... It's VIP for you to be clear about that.
When Eph 1 v 7 deliverance comes & Eph1v8 forgiveness / 2nd chance/ someone blesses you or encourages you or serves you…I know who is behind that. You need to be clear about who is the author of what and who is within you particularly when you are going thro hard times.
That 2nd thing again when you get fuzzy about God in the hard times is 'I will never leave you..' Matt 28…. the temptation is to believe you are on your own, alone. [Hospital card] Ps 34v18 'God is especially near to the broken hearted.' Ps 23 thro the valley of the shadow of death I am with you' God understands and cares… when you're getting fuzzy about God re-focus thro Eph 1 v3-14 (v6 His wonderful kindness to us...) [We are his family…. Gives us good things.. tender… loving]
In Jesus we have a picture of what our Great Big God is like because he is poured himself into a human life to live for me and you and to die a sinful laden death you and I should have died, he died for you. I don’t know how you are reacting to this Jesus but I believe he calls us to worship our God our redeemer, Father, Son and Spirit.
