Sermon Theme
Compare the Pair
Holding your hand one above the other to form a diamond shape.. does it remind you of a TV advert? Clue… has to do with superannuation policies… “Compare the……….PAIR”
Islam claims that Mohammed is the greatest prophet in a long line of prophets that include Jesus “His message is said to simultaneously consummate and abrogate the revelations of earlier prophets”. Ency. Brit ‘Islam Vol.22 p.1
Christianity teaches that Jesus is more than a prophet, He is the Messiah, the only Son of the living God, of whom the whole OT points as the ONE alone through whom God reconciles humanity to Himself. While Islam acknowledges Jesus as a prophet, Christianity knows nothing of Mohammed born 600yrs after Christ
Taking up Lord’s Day 12, we will ‘compare the pair’ : Why is He called “Christ”, meaning “anointed”?
Sermon outline
- COMPARE THE PAIR
- THE ULTIMATE PROPHET PROMISED TO MOSES
- JESUS THAT ONE ALONE THROUGH WHOM ALL NATIONS ARE BLESSED JESUS GOD’S
- APPOINTED PROPHET AND OUR LIFE GIVING TEACHER
Readings reproduced on this page:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996, 1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Readings
Heidelberg Catechism: Lord’s Day 12, QA 31
31 Q. Why is He called "Christ", meaning "anointed"?
A. Because He has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be
our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance;
our only high priest who has set us free by the one sacrifice of His body, and who continually pleads our cause with the Father; and our eternal king who governs us by His Word and Spirit, and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom He has won for us.
Deuteronomy 18:9–22 (NIV84)
9When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
10Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,
11or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
12Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.
13You must be blameless before the Lord your God.
14The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.
15The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.
16For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”
17The Lord said to me: “What they say is good.
18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
19If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.
20But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.”
21You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?”
22If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
Acts 3:11–26 (NIV84)
11While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.
12When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
13The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.
14You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
17“Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.
18But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.
19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
20and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.
21He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.
22For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.
23Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.’
24“Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days.
25And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’
26When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”
Text
John 5:31–47 (NIV84)
31“If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid.
32There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid.
33“You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.
34Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.
35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
36“I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.
37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
38nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.
39You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,
40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41“I do not accept praise from men,
42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.
43I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.
44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?
45“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.
46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.
47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”