May I Present Jesus (Part 4)

The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 11 that without faith, it is impossible to please God. In other words, unless you understand what it means to live a life of faith, you will never please the true and living God. So the question comes, what is faith? Well, faith, defined by two words, is simply trusting obedience.

Or, defined by four words, it's believing absolutely and behaving accordingly. You believe absolutely in all that the Bible says that he is, and you behave accordingly to all that he says he is. That's called trusting obedience.

That's what faith is all about. So the writer of Hebrews says that without faith, it's impossible to please God. So those who come to God must believe that he is.

He is what? He is everything he says he is. You must believe that he is and that he's a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. So those who come to Christ by faith, they understand who he is.

They believe, excuse me, in who he is. They understand who he is. So John, in his gospel, begins to open up to us the identity of the Christ.

He says that many of the signs that Jesus do, but these are written that you might believe, and that believing, you might have life in his name. You might understand who the son of God truly is. That's John's purpose for writing, that you might truly have the faith to believe exactly who he says he is.

So John says these words in John chapter one. In the beginning was the word. In other words, in the beginning, continuously was the word.

So you must believe in his eternality. You must believe that he preexisted before time. Then he says this, and the word was continually with God or literally face to face with God.

In other words, this word, Christ himself, who lived eternally, is face to face with the eternal God. In other words, they stand equal together, face to face. In the beginning was the word, and the word was face to face with God, speaking of the personality of the eternal existence of the living God.

So you must believe in his eternality, and you must believe in his personality. And then the Bible says, and the word was God or literally God was the word. You must believe in his deity because the word became flesh and dwelt among us.

And so the word actually is God. So you believe in the deity of Christ, that Jesus Christ is 100% God and 100% man, and you believe it wholeheartedly. So he comes to God, must believe that he is.

He's what? He is eternal. He is personal. He's God in the flesh.

And then he says this, he says, he was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him and apart from him, nothing came into being that has come into being. Nothing exists without this eternal word because God the father is the architect of creation and God the son is the agent of creation.

Nothing came into existence without the eternal God bringing it into existence. That's what Colossians 1:16 and 17 says, 1st Corinthians 8, verse number 6, recognizing that God is the creator of all things. This is his creativity.

This is his activity. You must believe in who he is. He's the eternal God who personally existed with God, who is actually God who created everything.

Unless you believe that, you cannot be saved because that's what the truth of the scriptures say. That's who he is. You can't believe in parts of Jesus.

You gotta believe in all of Jesus and who he is. He is Lord of all. He is king of all.

But he says that he brings all things into existence that without him, nothing came into being. In fact, it says that in verse 10, these words, he was in the world and the world was not, was made, excuse me, through him and the world did not know him. What did the world not know about him? If the world didn't know him and he came and lived among them, what did they not know? They did not know that he was creator.

They did not believe in God as the ultimate creator of all things and that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh and he was the agent of all creation. They did not believe that. And I wonder today if you recognize Christ as creator, if you recognize him as the creator of everything.

In fact, it's so important that you do because this is how, remember we told you last week, this is how God introduced himself to the world. In the beginning, God created. This is how God wants to introduce himself to the world.

And not only does God introduce himself that way, note this, this is so important that when you get to heaven, this will be the subject of your praise. Listen to Revelation 4, verse 11. It says that the church, the four living creatures, the angels will say, worthy are you, O Lord, our God, to receive glory, honor, and power for you created all things. And because of your desire, they existed and were created.

When you get to heaven, your praise is centered on God the creator. That's how he introduced himself from the very beginning, Genesis chapter 1, verse number 1.

And when you die and go to heaven, you will be worshiping God, not as the God who loves you, although he does, not the God who was gracious to you or merciful to you, but the God who created you. That's how you're gonna worship him.

In fact, if you go further down in chapter five of Revelation, it says this, here's the new song, ready? Worthy are you to take the book and to break its seal for you were slain and purchased for God with your blood men from every tribe, tongue, and people, and nation. Verse 10, you ready for this? You have made us. You have made us to be a kingdom and priest to our God, and we will reign upon the earth.

Again, Lord, you made us, you created us, you fashioned us, you did this. God needs to be recognized as creator. It is so powerful, so important for you to realize this.

So John introduces Christ to us because he wants you to believe in all that he is so that you might follow him and serve him. You must not just believe in his eternal existence. You must not just believe that he existed personally with God, face-to-face with God, as God.

You must recognize that he is the agent of creation. And I wonder if you have recognized God as your creator. In fact, the psalmist says, Psalm 95, listen to these words.

O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord. Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving. Let us shout joyfully to him with psalms.

So what are you gonna shout? What are you gonna praise him for? What are you gonna thank him for? He tells you, for the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth. The peaks of the mountains are his also. The sea is his for it was he who made it, created it. And his hands formed the dry land.

The psalmist knows that the creation of God is the central focus of his praise. For without him, there's nothing because he's the creator of all things. And you read through the psalms and you go back and you examine them and realize how many times the psalms go back to the creation from the very beginning because it's all about how we're going to forever praise him in glory.

But note this, verse 6. Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us bow down before this great God.

Let us kneel before the Lord, our maker. See the reverence there? We talked about this in November of last year. Yahweh Hasinu, the Lord our fashioner, the Lord our maker.

Bowing down to worship God, to praise him, to glorify his name is focused on God as creator. Ever notice that when we bow before God and we're listening praises to his name, it's all about us and not about him? How many of the songs of today focused in on us and what God does for us instead of who God is and what he does? The psalms recognize his creative power. He is the God who forms us, who creates us, who makes us and when we get to heaven, it was, we were purchased by your blood because you made us a kingdom of priests.

Excuse me, you created us to be in your kingdom. You made us this way. That's what you did.

So it says, come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord, our maker, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.

Don't harden your hearts against what? God is creator, God is fashioner, God is maker of all things. This is crucial for us to understand and so this is how John introduces Christ to us. For by him, all things came into existence.

All things were created by this word, by this God, by this Christ. The word that became flesh, this is who he is. This is what he did.

His creative powers sets a tone for how you praise him. John wants us to recognize Christ as creator, as maker, as fashioner. Interesting that Solomon would say these words in Ecclesiastes 12, verse number 1.

Remember, Solomon writes Ecclesiastes at the end of his life. And he chronicles all the things that he did during his sinful escapades. And Ecclesiastes is like a book of repentance for Solomon, recognizing that all the things he went after and all the things he sought for never amounted to anything.

They were all empty, futile. Never brought him what he thought they would bring. So he concludes his book, his journal, with these words to his son, Rehoboam, that he might understand, remember your creator in the days of your youth.

It's almost as if he's saying, you know what? I didn't do that. And I want to challenge you as my son to remember your creator in the days of your youth. While you're young, while you have your whole life ahead of you, you must act obediently to your creator.

You must follow your creator. You must understand your creator, because if you do, it will change everything about how you live your life. I didn't do that.

I don't want the same for you, my son. Very next phrase is important. Remember now your creator in the days of your youth before the evil days come.

In other words, the evil days are coming. The bad days are ahead. Temptation's gonna rise. Trials are gonna come. So before the evil day ever comes upon you, Rehoboam, I want you to remember your creator. Act obediently unto your creator.

Act decisively according to all that he says before the evil days come, because if you don't, when the evil days come, you will not stand. That's how important it is to remember your creator. So I wonder, have you recognized your creator? Do you even remember your creator to act in obedience to his name? If you remember your creator, you will revere your creator.

That's what the psalmist says in Psalm 95, verse 76: let us kneel and bow down. Let's kneel and bow down. Let's come before his presence with thanksgiving.

But let's kneel before him in complete and total surrender, in reverence to his name, because he is the one who's fashioned us. He is the one who made us. You know, Israel was made, created.

The Jewish nation was created. You understand that, right? You've heard me say this before, and I've said it to my Jewish friends. You were me before I was ever you.

And they say, well, what do you mean? I’d say, well, you were Gentile before you ever became Jewish.

No way.

Yeah, you were. You were the original goyim.

No, we weren't.

Yes, you were.

Where was Abraham before he crossed the river Euphrates, early Chaldees? Abraham was a pagan Gentile. The word Hebrew means to cross the river. So God called Abraham to the promised land.

And called him to cross over the river, the great river Euphrates, because that would be a boundary line for the promised land. And so therefore, Abraham became a father of a nation. What nation? The Jewish nation.

There were no Jews before Abraham. And so Abraham became the father of a great nation, the father of the Jews. And God created that way.

There are only two races in the world, Jew and Gentile. Asian is not a race. Black is not a race. Caucasian is not a race. That's what the world tells you. That's not what the Bible tells you.

There are two races, Jew and Gentile. That's it. There is no other race.

I'm not saying that to offend you. I'm just telling you what the Bible says. And so you have to understand that God created the Jewish race.

Let's kneel before the Lord, our maker, the one who fashioned us, the one who made us into a nation, who fashioned us as a people. We need to revere him and worship him and honor him and glorify his precious name because that's who he is. So I ask you, do you revere your creator? He's the Lord who fashioned you.

He fashioned you for his kingdom. He made, he molded, he took and brought together everything that you have because he's the ultimate fashioner of life. Do you revere him for that? See, if you recognize your creator, you will remember your creator, that is, act in obedience to him because the word remember, according to the scripture, is to act decisively in obedience to God.

So Solomon says, remember now, son, your creator in the days of your youth before the evil day comes because they're coming. And if you don't remember him and recognize him and obey him now, you certainly won't when the evil day comes. And then make sure you revere your creator, you bow before him and worship him and humbly and gratefully and joyfully thank him for how he has fashioned your life, how he's brought you into his kingdom to glorify his great name.

If you recognize your creator and you remember your creator and you revere your creator, you will rest in your creator. You will rest in your creator. This is how Peter says it in 1 Peter chapter 4, verse 12, beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing as though some strange thing were happening to you.

Remember, he is speaking to Jews who've been scattered abroad. He's speaking to Jews who have gone through great suffering, persecution because of their belief in Christ. And many of them were put on poles and wrapped in pitch and set on fire to light Nero's gardens.

Others were thrown to the lions, wrapped in animal skins and eaten alive. That's suffering. Your hangnail is not suffering.

That is suffering. But Peter says, beloved, I don't want you to think it's strange that this fiery ordeal, and it's truly a fiery ordeal, would you not say? Because some of them were literally set on fire. This fiery ordeal which comes upon you for your testing as though some strange thing was happening to you.

Why do you think it's strange? All those who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, right? So Peter says, don't think it's strange. And Peter knows. Peter's gone through persecution. Peter's been in prison. Peter's been beaten. He understands.

And then he says this. But the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, that you also at the revelation of his glory, you may rejoice with exaltation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer or a thief or evildoer or a troublesome meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in his name. For it's time for judgment to begin with the household of God.

If it begins with us first, what will be the outcome of those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right. He says, look, you need to rest in your creator. Your creator does no wrong.

The one who fashioned you does no wrong. You might be going through a fiery ordeal, but our God is the creator of everything. And God has allowed this testing to come your way.

So don't think it's strange about this fiery ordeal. Instead, just keep entrusting your soul, keep resting your soul in your faithful creator and continue to do what is right before him. The only ones who can do that are those who recognize Christ as creator, who remember their creator in the days of their youth, who revere their creator.

Those are the ones who will rest in their creator. If you're having a hard time going through that, what you're going through, ask yourself if you recognize God as the creator of all things. And do you remember your creator in the days of your youth? And do you revere your creator? Because if you do, you will rest in your creator.

And then, if you recognize your creator, you will always run to your creator. You'll run to him. Why? Where else are you gonna go? Who are you gonna run to? Nobody else can help you.

So you run to your creator. Listen to what the psalmist says in Psalm 96.

Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name. Proclaim good tidings of his salvation from day to day.

Tell of his glory among the nations, his wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. He is to be feared above all gods, for all the gods of the peoples are idols. But the Lord made the heavens.

Again, see, the psalmist goes back to the creative power of God. Splendor and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name. Bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. Tremble before him all the earth. Say among the nations, the Lord reigns. Indeed, the world is firmly established. It will not be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity.

Let the heavens be glad. Let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar and all it contains. Let the field exult and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord, for he is coming. For he is coming to judge the earth.

Interesting how the psalmist talks about creation all throughout his psalm about praise and ascribing glory to the name of God because of his creative power and what he does.

In Psalm 119, the psalmist said these words. Psalm 119, verse number 32. I shall run the way of your commandments for you will enlarge my heart.

I will run the way of your commandments. Why? Because when I do and understand what you say and who you are, my heart grows strong. My heart is enlarged.

My heart is able to handle all that's coming my way. So I run to your commandments because I want you to enlarge and strengthen and fortify my heart. Those who recognize their creator, they run the way of their creator.

They can't wait to get there, to hear, to see what he says. He who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. He is what? He's everything he says he is.

So John says he's eternal, he's personal, he's God, he's creator. That's who he is. Run to him, run to him.

Because he's the one who fashions everything. Those who recognize God as a creator, they rejoice in their creator. Psalm 100, again, another psalm.

Shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him with joyful singing.

Know that the Lord himself is God. It is he who made us. It's he who made us, and not we ourselves.

We are who we are because of him, not because of us. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him, bless his name, for the Lord is good, his loving kindness is everlasting, and his faithfulness to all generations. He rejoiced in his creator. It's the Lord who made us.

When was the last time you rejoiced and said, Lord, thank you, I praise you for the way you fashioned me, the way you made me, how you made me a part of your kingdom? How you made me the way I am? You're my creator. You did this. And because of the way you created me, I praise your glorious name.

Because I was formed in the inward parts of a mother's womb. I was manufactured by hand by the true and living creator of the universe. God did this.

God's in charge. He's the creator. He's the one we trust. He's the one that we believe in. And so you rejoice in your creator. Why? Because you simply run the way of your creator.

Why? Because you revere your creator. Why? Because you remember him. And why do you remember him? Because you recognize exactly who he is.

And therefore, you simply trust and rest in your creator. How about you? How's your rest today? Is your heart enlarged because you've run the way of your creator? Does your heart have the energy to continue on because you rest in your creator and continue to do that which is right before your creator?

It's always good, which is the next point, is to read about your creator. I mentioned this last week, Matthew chapter 19. Christ says, have you not read that male and female created he them? Have you not read? I find it always interesting how the Lord invites the religious establishment on how they don't read, right? Or they read, but when they read, they miss the Christ. And Christ says, if you read my word and you miss me, you didn't read it right, go back and read it again. And obviously, they didn't read it right because they missed the Christ in their reading.

So he says to them, have you not read male and female created he them? God is the creator of all things, so read about your creator. Spend time in the word, read the word, memorize the word, meditate upon the word that you might understand the creative power of God who reigns and rules over all things. If you have not recognized your creator, if you have not remembered your creator, if you do not revere your creator, if you don't read about your creator, if you don't rest in your creator, if you don't rejoice in your creator, it's time to repent and return to your creator.

It's time to do that. Remember Job? Listen to what Job said. So interesting.

Remember God revealed himself to Job? God never explained anything to Job about why he was the way he was or what happened to him, never explained anything to him. What did he reveal to Job? He revealed his creative powers to Job. That's all he did.

Went back and revealed how he created everything, how he was in charge of everything. Listen to what Job says, Job 40. The Lord said to Job, will the fault finder contend with the Almighty? Job was the fault finder.

God says to Job, you want to continue to find fault with me, Job? Job? After you understand how I've created everything upon the planet, how I formulated it all together, how I hold it all together, and you want to find fault with me, your creator? Let him who reproves God answer. Job, you have an answer. Next time you want to argue with God about his creative power, you want to argue about how he's fashioned you and formed you and what he's created to come into your life, next time you want to argue with God about those things, read what Job says.

Job says, behold, I am insignificant. I'm a nothing. I'm a nobody.

Oh, by the way, the reason you find fault with God is because you think you're somebody. But when you realize you're a nobody, there's no fault with God. He says, I am insignificant.

What can I reply to you, what can I say? I laid my hand on my mouth. Once I have spoken, I will not answer, even twice, and I will add nothing more. How did Job get to that point? How did he, for 39 chapters, ask the question, why? What is going on in my life? God comes to him and reveals his creative power by speaking to Job, and Job says, I got nothing to say.

You're everything. I am nothing. And then Job listens to God again through chapter 41.

In chapter 42, he says, I repent in dust and ashes. I got nothing to say. I was wrong. I should not have questioned my God. I should not have questioned my creator.

And John comes along and says, I'm gonna show you the word of God. This is what it is. And I'm gonna show you the God of the word, that's who he is. He brought everything into existence, he is the creator.

Do you believe that? For he who comes to God must believe that he is. He is everything he says he is. He's the reward of those who diligently seek him.

He rewards you because you want to truly be like him for you see him truly as he really is in the scriptures. John says, I've written these things that you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God. Do you believe? Let me pray with you.

Lord God, thank you for today. We are reminded once again of the power of your word and how it's so instrumental in all of our lives. Forgive us, Lord, for not remembering you as our creator, not recognizing you as our creator, especially not revering you as our creator.

Oh Lord, please, if there be one among us today who does not know you, may today they come to the true and living God. Repent of their sins and follow Christ, the creator of the ends of the earth. I pray this in Jesus glorious precious name who's coming again, amen.