Ten Reasons Why I Believe in Jesus

Reason #1: Teachings

This morning we begin with some Laws to Live By:

~ If you dance with a grizzly bear, you had better let him lead.

~ When putting cheese in a mousetrap, always leave room for the mouse.

~ Never get into fights with ugly people; they have nothing to lose.

~ Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself.

~ People are always available for work in the past tense.

~ The first myth of management is that it exists.

~ For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.

These are the kind of laws to live by that we humans come up with.  They are intuitively obvious to anyone who has stopped to think about them.   But what kind of Laws to Live By would God come up with if he were a human?  Last week I said.  If Jesus is God, like I believe him to be; and if this God decided to come to earth, like I believe he did; and if this God, who came to earth, choose to do this by becoming one of us, as I believe he did; don't you think he would be different?  Then we looked at how Jesus prayed differently; he taught us to call God "Abba."  We can intimately pray to God.  That is not intuitively obvious.  He taught us to trust the will of God and to pray for our enemies.  Certainly, Jesus prayed differently than any other human and he changed the way we pray.

But what about the things he taught?  Was the way Jesus taught different?  Was the things he taught different?   You would expect God-with-us to teach from an amazingly different perspective.   Many people say, "Jesus was a good teacher."  Meaning he was only a teacher and nothing else.  But can we see the divinity of Jesus in his teaching?  Let's take a shot at this challenge.

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Let's begin with the Sermon on the Mountain.  These three chapters are the most amazing document ever spoken and recorded!  First, let's just listen to the quality of Jesus' voice.  Don't pay attention to the content just listen for the personality of Jesus. 

Matthew 5:21-22  "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment."

Matthew 5:27-28  "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Matthew 5:31-32  "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife…"

Matthew 5:33-34 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all."

Matthew 5:43-44  "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

What do these teachings sound like?  What is the source of who Jesus is?  To me they sound like someone who is in charge.  When I preach and teach I don't make statements like this at all.  I don't preach from my own authority, I preach from the authority of Scripture.  I interpret and explain and exhort us to do what inspired Scripture teaches.  But that is not what Jesus was doing.  In fact he was doing the opposite.  "You have heard it said…" from the Old Testament, from the Ten Commandments and from their own scholars and from their own traditions one thing, "But I say…"  I have the authority to tell you a different way. 

Jesus spoke like he was talking to Moses on Mount Sinai.  Wait Jesus is on a Mountain and he is delivering a new Torah!  That is why the people said…

Matthew 7:28-29  When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

How would you expect God to teach if he became a human?  With authority?  Jesus taught with his own authority!  Jesus equated his teaching with the Law of Moses delivered from a mountain! 

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Let's dig a little deeper into this teaching with authority idea.  There is a word which Jesus used over 100 times in the Gospels which is easy to miss but amazing.  Guess the word I am talking about.  I'm reading from the New American Standard.

Matthew 5:18   "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished."

Matthew 16:28   "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

Matthew 18:3  "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

 John 1:51  And He said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." 

John 3:3  Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

John 5:24   "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life."

John 6:47-48  "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.  "I am the bread of life."

What is the word?  The "Truly, truly" in Greek is "Amen, amen."  NIV says "I tell you the truth."  KJV has "Verily, verily.  But none of the translations are able to catch what Jesus is really saying.  "Amen" means  what it does in English?  It is the affirmation at the end of a prayer.  "What has been said, let it me so."  But Jesus uses it at the beginning of a statement!  He is implying that his teaching carries with it the authority of God who is the "amen!"  Jesus is teaching like the God of Isaiah 65.

^NAU Isaiah 65:16 "Because he who is blessed in the earth Will be blessed by the God of amen; And he who swears in the earth Will swear by the God of amen;

^NAU Revelation 3:14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

When you see in the Gospels Jesus saying, "I tell you the truth" in the NIV note, "Amen, amen!"  Jesus is teaching with the authority of God; not by the authority of God but with the authority as God!  How would you expect God-with-us to teach?  With the power of Amen,  Amen! 

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Now, let's  do think about the content of what Jesus taught.  Let's go back to the Sermon on The Mountain and look at some of the contrast between what we teach and what Jesus taught.  I could have a series with a series with in this series right here on the contrast of what Jesus taught.  But I will make my point quickly.            

~We Teach                         ~Jesus Taught

~ If someone does something to make you angry, it is okay to respond by telling him off.

Matthew 5:22 "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell."

~It is okay to look at a good looking woman when you are married as long as you don't act upon it.

Matthew 5:28 "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

~If circumstances beyond your control prevent you from carrying out your promises, it is okay.

Matthew 5:37  ^"Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."

~You shouldn't let people take advantage of you.

Matthew 5:39  "But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

~It is okay to hate people who are enemies to you.

Matthew 5:44 "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

~Money is a good thing; get all you can.

Matthew 6:24  "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

~"Did you hear about the latest about so-in-so he is such an idiot?"

Matthew 7:2 "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Then there is the show-stopper…

~Nobody's perfect.

Matthew 5:44-48 "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

"What be perfect?  You have to be kidding me? How in the world am I supposed to be perfect?  I not even in the ballpark… the same sport as perfect?"  Here is the amazing answer to my being perfect.

John 3:14-17  "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

Jesus was lifted up on the cross to be our perfection for us.  When we have faith in the one who loves us we are forgiven and live as if we are perfect!  Wow!  Does that sound like human teachings?  The laws we humans come up with are almost always legalistic, self-serving, and God-manipulating.  But Jesus teachings are all about grace and compassion and faith!  Who but God could have come up with this stuff?

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Let's put the Teachings on the Jesus' Body List.  Teachings go with Toes.  (Go through the memory device of the body list.)

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Let's end with a practical application.  Remember our theme verse?

1 Peter 3:15  But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

This could be a really effective tool in sharing the reason for our hope.  When we hear, "Jesus was only this great teacher."  We can respond gently and with respect by saying, "Hey, you're right.  Jesus was an amazing teacher.  Have you ever really looked at his teachings?"  Take them to the sermon on the Mountain and ask them, "Does it sound like Jesus only thought of himself as a teacher?  He seems to be saying that he has the authority to change God's laws.  Explain to them the "Amen, amen" of his teachings; Jesus is saying he is Truth.  And then examine the content of his teaching and point that all Jesus teachings are counter-intuitive to humans.  Yes, Jesus was a great teacher because he was God-with-us!