Jesus
Basics of Faith 3 – July 09,
2017
A Sermon by Rev. M. Gayle MacDonald
Lessons read on July 09: Psalm 145; Matthew
16:13-20; John 1:1-5, 9-13.
The name of the one who is the topic of our reflection today is ‘Jesus’
– in Greek, ‘Joshua’ in Hebrew. Both names were common in Jesus'
time. But who was this Jesus?
Any 10-minute (or so) talk on Jesus is only a beginning. To know
him takes a life time, and yet all we really need to know is in the familiar
children’s hymn: “Jesus loves me, this I know.”
In preparation for this talk, I could have used more secular historical
research, or more contemporary theological thinkers like Bishop John Spong or
Marcus Borg or Chad Meyers for an in-depth look of the enormous political
implications of the claims of Jesus and his followers and why what he did got
him into so much trouble. If I did, we would then see the radical
thinking of Jesus, the uncompromising integrity of his life, the extent of his
religious knowledge, the clarity and depth of his faith and the strength of his
love and convictions. Instead I chose to speak mostly about those names
and titles for Jesus which have a Biblical reference.
Jesus is identified by his contemporaries as Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus
the son of the Carpenter. He is also identified as the son of Mary – and
he is known to have had brothers and sisters. In the book of Acts, we
find that one of his brothers, James, was a leader in the early church.
Jesus is also identified by early followers as Jesus Christ, or more
accurately, Jesus the Christ, to set him apart from all others called Jesus or
Joshua – including Jesus Barabbas.
Jesus ‘the Christ’ is his unique identification, in the same way Simon
the disciple of Jesus is identified as Simon Peter, or Simon ‘the Rock’. Christ
is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Messiah – both mean the Anointed
One.
Annointed One: The title "Christ" or
"Anointed One" (Heb. masiah [jyiv'm]; Gk. Christos . . .
occurs about 350 times in the New Testament. . . ." The Old Testament
records the anointing with oil of priests, kings, and sometimes prophets as a
sign of their special function in the Jewish community. The prophet Isaiah recognizes
his own anointing (to preach good news to poor, Isa 61:1 )and that of Cyrus,
king of Persia (to "subdue nations),
. . . . . By the time Jesus was
born, however, a number of passages in the Hebrew Bible were understood to
refer to a specific anointed person who would bring about the redemption of
Israel, and that person was called "the Christ". The Samaritans
were looking for him ( John 4:24 ). The Jews were
looking for him and expected him to perform great miracles (John 7:31 ). This Messiah was
to be the son of David ( Matt 22:42 ) and, like David,
come from Bethlehem ( John 7:41-42 ).Even criminals
condemned to death on a cross knew about a long-awaited Christ and asked Jesus
if he was that person ( Luke23:39 ).
Author-Prince: Jesus is called
"Author" in Acts 3:15 and Hebrews 2:10;12:2 and "Prince" in
Acts 5:31 (NIV). In each case the Greek word is the same: ‘archegos’.
Uses of the term in the Greek Old Testament (LXX) and non-biblical Greek
suggest it carries a threefold connotation: (1) path-breaker (pioneer) who
opens the way for others, hence, "guide" or "hero"; (2) the
source or founder, hence "author," "initiator, "
"beginning"; and (3) the leader-ruler, hence," captain, "
"prince, " "king." The ideas may well overlap or be
combined. In its fullest sense the Greek
word denotes someone who explores new territory, opens a trail, and leads
others to it.
In Acts 3:15 Peter accuses
the Jews of killing the "author (archegos) of life, " suggesting that
Jesus is not only the origin of biological life, but also of "new
life" and the provider-proctor of those identified with him. Later Peter
speaks of Jesus as the "Prince (archegos) and Savior" who gives
repentance to Israel (5:31). The word "Savior" was associated with
the Judges of old. Jesus is the one who meets the emergency situation caused by
the sin of God's people and he comes to bring not only deliverance but also the
continuing service of the Author (archegos). The writer to the Hebrews
speaks of the suffering "Author (archegos )… of salvation" (2:10) and
the "author (archegos and perfecter of our faith" (12:2). In each
case Jesus not only initiates and provides the new life for his people but
remains with them through it; they bear his name, he is their king.
J. Julius Scott, Jr.[2]
New Testament writing does not refer explicitly to the Trinity – but the
Jewish concept of the oneness of God underlies some of the writing and probably
influenced the early Christian theologians who were writing the earliest faith
statements of the Church. They saw or felt that God, Jesus, and Holy
Spirit were one – the same substance. The United Church holds the
doctrine or belief in the Trinity, as do most mainline Christian Churches – but
not all Christian churches do. However,
we do not expect people to profess an understanding of the Trinity
Over the years, the doctrine of the Trinity is not iterated as much, but
the 3 persons of the Trinity – God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit still get a some
“press time” in the faith statements of the United Church.
Prince, Saviour, Anointed One or Christ/Messiah, King. Also, Lord
or God, Son of God, Firstborn of all creation, firstborn of the dead (i.e., the
resurrected), First born of Mary (he had brothers and sisters) Friend,
Shepherd, Brother, High Priest, Prophet. The names of Jesus, or Jesus the Christ are innumerable – each one
designating the role Jesus plays in the world, in the community of the
faithful, in our lives, in your life. Those who crucified Jesus gave him the title “King of the Jews”, but it
was meant as mockery. Little did they know what kind of king he was or
would become!
In Matthew 16, Jesus asked Peter,”Who do you say I am?”; and Peter
responded, The Messiah, the anointed one.”” Who is Jesus for you? What
words best fit who Jesus is for you? For me, it is
the words in the Gospel of John, Chapter 1 – the word made flesh who dwelt
among us – who dwells among us. Jesus, the one Anointed to be the living
word of God – not words coming from our mouths in every language – words which
partially describe , which can be nuanced differently in every language and
every culture – as are all our images.
Jesus is the living word of God’s love – the embodiment of divine love. A friend of mine, also a United Church
Minister, likes to say that Jesus is the most God-infused person who ever
lived. We also are human; and we also have within us
something of the divine; maybe we are not as fully infused with God as Jesus
(to use my friend's language), but it is within us to strive in that
direction. We can then speak of Jesus as
saviour or redeemer in that in him we
see the possibility for each of us; and, also the unexplainable love for each
of us.
I grew up Christian. I pondered the words of faith; I doubted them
but did not forget them. As an adult and young mother, I turned to the
faith of my childhood with new eyes when I contemplated that the only antidote
for evil is love and the only love great enough is the love I learned as a
child – the love of the anointed one of God, the love of Jesus of Nazareth,
Jesus the Christ.
There is a fairly old DVD produced by the United Church called Who Do
You Say That I Am? Even if we just looked at the images presented in the
DVD, without the words it is interesting – for we will see Jesus portrayed as
white, black, Asian, North American aboriginal, South American aboriginal,
Burmese, African, and even as a woman. These are artists’ renderings of
who Jesus is for them. It is fortunate that we have no photographs or
drawings of Jesus of Nazareth, because it allows Jesus, the Christ, to be ‘the
Christ’ – to be whoever he needs to be for all people, in all places and in all
times. He is the living word of God for all who call upon his name.
Who is Jesus for you? What words, ideas images touch you, comfort
you, guide you, disturb you, challenge you? Who do you say Jesus is?
[1] Baker's Evangelical
Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Edited by Walter A.
Elwell, Baker Books, a division of Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan
USA. (Full references @ http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/christ-christology.html )
[2] Baker's
Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Edited by
Walter A. Elwell, Baker Books, a division of Baker Book
House Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan USA. (Full references
@ http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/christ-christology.html
United Church of Canada Statements and Creeds on
the Nature of God
1925 – Basis of Union:
2.3.7 Article VII . Of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in and confess the Lord Jesus
Christ, the only Mediator between God and man, who, being the Eternal Son of
God, for us men and for our salvation became truly man, being conceived of the
Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, yet without sin . Unto us He has
revealed the Father, by His word and Spirit, making known the perfect will of
God . For our redemption, He fulfilled all righteousness, offered Himself a
perfect sacrifice on the Cross, satisfied Divine justice, and made propitiation
for the sins of the whole world . He rose from the dead and ascended into
Heaven, where He ever intercedes for us . In the hearts of believers He abides
forever as the indwelling Christ; above us and over us all He rules; wherefore,
unto Him we render love, obedience, and adoration as our Prophet, Priest, and
King .
1940 – Statement of Faith:
2.4.2 II. Jesus Christ We
believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, Who, for us men and our
salvation became man and dwelt among us . We believe that He lived a perfect
human life, wholly devoted to the will of God and the service of man . We
believe that in Him God comes face to face with men; so that they learn that
God loves them, seeks their good, bears their sorrows and their sin, and claims
their exclusive faith and perfect obedience . We believe that in Jesus Christ
God acted to save man, taking, at measureless cost, man’s sin upon Himself;
that the Cross reveals at once God’s abhorrence of sin and His saving love in
its height and depth and power; and that the Cross is for all time the
effectual means of reconciling the world unto God . We believe that Jesus was
raised victorious over death and declared to be the Son of God with power; and
that He is alive for evermore, our Savior and our Lord . So we acknowledge
Jesus Christ as the Son of God Incarnate, the Savior of the world .
1968 (Rev. 1980, 1995) - A New Creed:
We believe in God:
. . . .
who has come in
Jesus,
the Word made
flesh,
to reconcile
and make new,
We are called to be the Church:
to proclaim Jesus,
crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope .
2013 – A Song of Faith
We sing of Jesus,
a Jew,
born to a
woman in poverty
in a time
of social upheaval
and
political oppression.
He knew human joy and sorrow.
So filled with the Holy Spirit was he
that in him people experienced the presence of God
among them.
We sing praise to God incarnate.
Jesus announced the coming of God’s reign—
a
commonwealth not of domination
but of
peace, justice, and reconciliation.
He healed the sick and fed the hungry.
He forgave sins and freed those held captive
by all
manner of demonic powers.
He crossed barriers of race, class, culture, and
gender.
He preached and practised unconditional love—
love of
God, love of neighbour,
love of
friend, love of enemy—
and he commanded his followers to love one another
as he had
loved them.
Because his witness to love was threatening,
those
exercising power sought to silence Jesus.
He suffered abandonment and betrayal,
state-sanctioned
torture and execution.
He was crucified.
But death was not the last word.
God raised Jesus from death,
turning
sorrow into joy,
despair
into hope.
We sing of Jesus raised from the dead.
We sing hallelujah.
By becoming flesh in Jesus,
God makes
all things new.
In Jesus’
life, teaching, and self-offering,
God
empowers us to live in love.
In Jesus’ crucifixion,
God bears
the sin, grief, and suffering of the world.
In Jesus’ resurrection,
God
overcomes death.
Nothing separates us from the love
of God.
The Risen Christ lives today,
present to
us and the source of our hope.
In response to who Jesus was
and to all
he did and taught,
to his
life, death, and resurrection,
and to his
continuing presence with us through the Spirit,
we celebrate him as
the Word
made flesh,
the one in
whom God and humanity are perfectly joined,
the
transformation of our lives,
the Christ.
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