WHAT IS JESUS DOING IN YOUR LIFE? – 2 by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
Introduction: This is our last message in the miniseries “Before the Manger.” The purpose of this series was to understand that Jesus was not just some baby born in a manger 2000 years ago. He was also the Son of God, the King of Glory who had no beginning. He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, who appeared throughout the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord. Now we are in the second part of the message – “What is Jesus doing for you?”
John 5 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life…45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Overall Background: In the passage we just read, Jesus is chastising the Pharisees and the scribes for their failure to recognize Him. Listen again to verse 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. In other words, “You are so diligent in studying the Old Testament, but you’re so blind that you keep missing Me. Ever said that to somebody? “How can you be so blind? You missed the point completely!” Again he says in verse 46 “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.” Listen carefully: If you try to study this book but ignore Jesus, you will miss the point of this book. I am not suggesting that He is in every syllable and every word but He is the focus and the fulfillment of this book.
Last week we learned that the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament is the Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament. 1. He revealed God in the OT. He revealed God in the NT. He is still revealing God to His people today. You want to know more about God, go to Jesus. 2. He called and sent people in the OT. He called and sent people in the NT. He is still calling and sending people today. You want to know what God is calling you to do, look to Jesus. 3. He interceded for His people in the OT. He interceded for His disciples in the NT. He is still interceding for His people today. You want someone to pray for you, ask Jesus to pray for you. Question: What is Jesus doing for you? Is He revealing God to you? Is He calling you? Is He sending you to a task? Is he interceding for you before the Father? Are you saved?
This morning we will look at the remaining ministries of Jesus for His people. Let the Holy Spirit show you how central Jesus is to your life:
I. HE SHOWS COMPASSION TO US. HE ALWAYS HAS AND HE ALWAYS WILL.
In the OT Jesus came as the Angel of the Lord to Hagar as she was running away from her mistress Sarah. He finds her sitting by the spring on the way to Shur, physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Listen to what He says to her in Genesis 16:10 the Angel of the LORD said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” He even picked the name Ishmael for her. By the way, here you find the seed of the conflict that’s going on in the Middle East. 12 He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” That’s exactly what’s been happening for centuries? Now listen to Hagar’s response to the Angel of the Lord in verse 13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You–Are–the–God–Who–Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” Later He showed compassion to Hagar again when she and Ishmael left for good.
In the New Testament Jesus did the same thing. The multitude kept following Him from place to place. Listen to Matthew 14:14 “He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, His disciples wanted to send them away so they could find their own food. Instead, Jesus took 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed 5000 men, besides women and children. In the next chapter, again, in Matthew 15:32 Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” This time He took 7 loaves and 2 little fish and fed 4000 men, besides women and children.
I can go on and on but the point is this – If you need compassion, turn to Jesus. That’s His job. He always has and He always will show compassion to you.
Question: Do you need compassion in your life? Whom are you turning to?
II. HE DELIVERS US. HE ALWAYS HAS AND HE ALWAYS WILL.
In Exodus 3 the Angel of the Lord came to Moses in the wilderness and spoke to him through the burning bush. Listen to verse 7 And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. Jesus notices when people are in bondage but He doesn’t stop there – 8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey…” He is a God who delivers.
In the same way in the New Testament Jesus delivered people out of sin and bondage time and time again. In Mark 5 we read about a man in whom was an unclean spirit, He lived in a graveyard and no one could bind him down. Jesus saw his bondage and delivered him from the unclean spirit. This man sat before Jesus clothed and in his right mind. Again, He rescued Mary Magdalene out of whom he cast out seven demons. I can go on and on. The point is – Jesus has always been in the work of deliverance.
What’s He doing now? He is delivering us from the bondage of sin. Galatians 1:4 (Jesus) “who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age…” Again, Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom…”
Here’s the point – If you need deliverance, turn to Jesus. That’s His job. He always has and He always will deliver you.
Question: Are you in bondage? Do you need to be set free? Are you looking to Jesus?
III. HE PROTECTS US. HE ALWAYS HAS AND HE ALWAYS WILL.
In the OT Jesus came as the Angel of the Lord to protect the Hebrews as they left Egypt. Listen to Exodus 13:21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Where does Jesus come in? Listen to Exodus 14:19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, It’s one and the same. Listen to what God says in Exodus 23 20 “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. 22 If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. This is the same Angel of the Lord who protected Daniel in the lion’s den, as he says in Daniel 6:22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths.”
How about in the NT? In Matthew 8 we find the disciples in a storm on the Sea of Galilee. They’re about to drown and they cry out to Jesus in verse 25 “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replies in verse 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. There He is protecting His disciples.
Listen to Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
Here’s the point – If you need protection, turn to Jesus. That’s His job. He always has and He always will protect you.
Question: Do you feel vulnerable? Do you feel you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death? Are you looking to Jesus?
IV. HE JUDGES US. HE ALWAYS HAS AND HE ALWAYS WILL.
In the OT we come across a very strange passage in I Chronicles 21:1 Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. Instead of giving God glory for his success, David began to measure his strength in numbers. God was displeased over this evil. It was judgment time. He gave David 3 choices: 3 years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the LORD—days of plague in the land, with the angel of the LORD ravaging every part of Israel.’ David chose the 3 days. Now listen to verse 15 And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. (70,000 men died with a plague.) Who was doing this disciplining? The Angel of the Lord. “But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 16 David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown. Did you ever imagine Jesus in that role?
How about the NT? At the Passover Jesus went to the temple in Jerusalem. Instead of finding a place of worship, He found the temple filled with livestock and money changers doing business. What did He do next? John 2 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” He sounds very much like the Angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.
Did you realize Jesus as the one who disciplines?
John 5:22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.
In Acts 10:42 Peter says, “He (Jesus) commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Invitation: Do you know this Jesus? Bow before Him now or face Him in judgment later.
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