Finding Purpose w/Russ Andrews

This is Rodney from the masculine journey podcast. We explored manhood within Jesus Christ your chosen Truth Network podcast starting in just a few seconds.

Sit back and enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill to file Christianity is just a system of rules and regulations, I can do this but I can't do that. Do you feel like your efforts to reach God. Find God, and please God do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today.

Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose of local Triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious avocado flights message. Who is Jesus going to look at Luke chapter 3 verses 21 through 37 Yuma before they were Dr. James Kennedy has passed away, but he was a well-known pastor down in Florida but he wants it in a sermon quote I remember years ago talking to a man in his home about Christ and asking him who he thought Jesus was a sinner is a wonderful man. He was the greatest man who ever lived the most loving and gracious person who ever walked this earth.a Kennedy reply to him. He said let me tell you something I believe will startle you.

According to the Scriptures and historic Christian faith. Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter of Galilee was and is the eternal Creator of the universe.

Hebrews chapter 1 verse one through eight says in the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the universe the sun is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he that is the son had provided purification for sins which of course he did.

The cross he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Should he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to their support, to which of the angels did God ever say you my son, today I become your father again. I will be his father and he will be my son. And again when God brings his firstborn into the world. By the way that that me that Jesus was was created by God the father.

It just means that he's the preeminent one who was sent into the world. He says it again when God brings his firstborn into the world. He says let all God's angels worship him. And speaking of the angels. He says he makes his angels wins his servants blames of flat far but about the son he says that is God the father says this about a son. Your throne of God (never know with God the father is talking to his son. He says your throne of God will last forever and ever in righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom room that were separable.

Come back to in a little bit submit. According to the writer of Hebrews Jesus is God and you'd be surprised how many ministers in the pulpit do not really believe that he was with God in the beginning. According to John chapter 1 verses one into and through him all things were made that have been made.

Who is Jesus. He is G this is the question that Luke is answered for us in his gospel. The gospel lick you may recall in chapter 1 of Luke, Gabriel appeared to Mary and said Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and your to give him the name Jesus. He will be great will be called the son of the most high, the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob for how long, and his kingdom will never end. Who is Jesus.

He is the appointed king appointed by God to rule over the throne of God really to rule over of the entire universe.

We should remember what Jesus said the pilot when he stood before him. Remember how it was really kind of you the king of the Jews in Jesus but him.

You're right in saying I'm a king if not for this reason I was born and for this I came into the world to testify to the truth.

Everyone on the side of truth listens to Jesus. What is the truth.

Jesus is first and foremost a cane, a ruler, see the first time that Jesus came into this world, he came as a little infant born in a manger, but listen when he comes again he is going to return man is the king of kings and the Lord of lords in the moment that he does that all the earth will then know who Jesus really is not you take your Bible and terminated back to Psalm chapter 2.

This is we have something we asked you guys to read this week. This is one of most important Psalms is hard to say is the most important, but this is a very important Psalms in the end of in the Old Testament, and he in this Psalm David king David Wright wrote the Psalm he is writing prophetically about the coming Messiah's kingship about the way toward Messiah is the Hebrew word and is the same or that we have in the Greek language which is Christ answer Hebrews sees me Messiah and Christ both main what anointed one. It refers to someone who's annoyed with all symbolizing the reception of the Holy Spirit, enabling that one to do a very important task. Jesus's anointing is were going to sleep tonight occurred at his baptism. Now you look at some to look down to verse six. I wish I had time to read the whole Psalm, but I don't. In verse six God the father is speaking about the coming Messiah support to know that is what he says. He says I have installed my king where own cyan on whose heel, my holy hill.

What he was he talking about some of Jerusalem in verse seven, the speaker changes. Now, it's God the son she had God the father. Speaking of installed my king on Zion, Molly Hill.

Now, God the son speaks in his what he says. He says he, God the father said to me you're my son, today I become the father ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession you will rule them with an iron scepter. You will dash them to pieces like pottery. So what is what is the scepter it's is that using this king sit upon the throne look at the staff is, between their legs resting like that and they got a strong proponent that is a scepter in the one who holds. That is the king now determined to Genesis chapter 49 that's at the beginning of the Bible get Genesis account over 49 chapters and really set the stage here for you here, you got your Abraham and Isaac and then Jacob, and Jacob is basically get ready to die and what they would do that what they would do back then as I would bring their sons and they would bless them, but in this case it was prophetic in nature site. He has each one of his sons come into his presence and I can almost see Jacob laid his hand on each son and he prophesies it over them, reprocess over John Joseph and Benjamin and Ruben and some gutter. A good future foretold about them and some didn't, but what he comes to his fourth son Judah listen to what Jacob says he's got his hand on his shoulder and he says you are a lion's cub of Judah you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness who dares to rouse him, the scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs in the obedience of the nations is here that he is talking about the one who will come who take hold of the scepter the one to whom the scepter belongs to Jacob was prophesying that from the line of his son Judah was going to arise. One day I king a ruler who would write that scepter would rightfully belong to.

Can you see this by the way Jacob lived more than 1700 years before Jesus was born to love the way the Bible fits together and you can just you can just read it in the more you study, and the more you learned you see how profound, how it's so obvious that it's the real deal that prep prophecy proves it in Luke chapter 3 verses 31 to 33 on what will have time to read the entire genealogy tonight but I just want to show just one section doesn't verses 31 to 33 we landed. Joseph's wife Mary came from the line of who Judah David Judah house will see that her line is traced. If you go back, I think, is like 1400 years it comes to King David and then it goes back to Abraham, but in excess going backwards all the way back to Adam and then to God but to get to Abraham that Lance got to go through the Judah's is a ghost, so look at verse 31 Jesus came from Mary. Mary came again. Look at verse 31. From this, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of OB again is going backwards, the son of Boaz, the son of Salman, the son of nation on the son of a mentor that the son of Ron, the son of has run, the son of pay rest the son of Isaac, the son of Judah and the son sees me pay rest the son of Isaac, the son of Judah, the son of Abraham. I got that messed up the I'm sorry is a sinner pay rest the son of Judah, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham. This point there. So Jesus is lineage through America's always back to Adam, who was the first man. Luke is telling us who Jesus is and so first we learn that he is God, then we learn that he is a king onto the Virgin Mary, who came from a lot of Judah next look at Luke chapter 2 verses nine through 11 we learn something else about Jesus.

An angel the Lord appears.

Remember to the shepherds who were nearby the town of Bethlehem and they came with a very special announcement. In fact, it was the gospel I bring you new unveiling on good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of Bethlehem a savior is been born to you.

He is Christ, there's that word again. The Lord was at work. Christ main is not his last name. If you could really should say Jesus the Christ. He is the Messiah is the anointed one is a savior is the promised Messiah will come Messiah would he be turned Isaiah chapter 53.

This is one of my favorite text in the entire Old Testament. By the way, if you ask, you have someone and is sure that he's an Orthodox Jew to interpret Isaiah 53 to have a very difficult time with it because it's so detailed in his prophetic nature that this Messiah would be very different than the counter Messiah. They were expecting will counter Messiah with a expecting around the no respect and a king who would do what who would take the Jews out from under Roman rule and restore the kingdom to to them. That's not what I got is it if they had just been familiar with Isaiah's prophecy, they might've had a little bit better understanding.

According to the prophet Isaiah who live 700 years before the birth of Christ, the coming Messiah would suffer and die for the sins of the world. Listen to this is if 53 begin with verse five, but he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have done what going astray, each of us is turn to his own way is that not true of all of us and the Lord has laid on him the Messiah, the iniquity of us all. That's the good news right there. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter as a sheet and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Who did he stand before with accusations being hurled at him and he never opened his mouth, Herod, go back and look at it. Herod was amazed. He did respond to the accusations that he was fulfillment of Scripture and look at this unit was the Lord's will, that is, is it was God the father Yahweh's will to crush him, the Messiah, and to cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days were sent, referring to, did he see his days again Jesus erodes is a reference to the resurrection and it says in the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. He was the Lamb of God who died for the sins of the world and this was according to the will of God the father and he hit and he had to fulfill all righteousness in order to be approved of God so that he can. I should be the sacrificial lamb is the land had to be without what defect or blemish.

That's what the entire Old Testament is about. That's what a sacrifice. All these lambs and they had to be without defect and be perfect is a picture of the Messiah who is coming to the world last what we cover this. John announces that Jesus is coming one day to do what to judge the world in verses 15 to 17 again. Luke chapter 3 the following with me. Luke writes the people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John the Baptist might possibly be the Christ. But John into the mall, I baptize you with water, but one more powerful, and I will come, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit with the Holy Spirit and with what buyer is winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Why do we preach the truth. This is for the purpose of salvation, but asserted our friends will will avoid this meet when he returns. This will be a day of separation, the chaff from the wheat. The goats from the sheep's the lost from the saved and the reason that we do this is were casting the net employment and hoping to bring in fish in John five. She's been asked 1730 and 31 says in the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he would judge the world with justice by the man he is appointed is given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.

In John 522 Jesus is.

Moreover, the father judges no one, but his can entrusted all judgment to the son in Philippians 2 verses five through 11, we learned that Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to God the father and came here in the form of a man and then suffered on the cross died so that we can be saved and then it says in verse nine I believe. Therefore, because of what Jesus did. God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father.

So let me ask you something you believe everything one day is going to bow before Jesus and say you are yes you are Lord you believe that suit so Massey don't think you got it going do you need now if you don't value need now you will be forced about when you come before him.

When Jesus returns. I believe in the not-too-distant future. He will return to this earth to judge the world that date, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that he is Lord. So the Afghans? How do we know all this is truly how do we know that one of the Bible stroke but I want to remember Luke was a physician and a historian in the first night we gather here we learn that he set out to give us an orderly account it because he'd examined everything from the very beginning. He went any interviewed eyewitnesses such as Mark John Peter Paul and others he travel with them and he was taken meticulous notes, this will reliable witnesses whose testimonies would easily stand up in a court of law and a gas listen.

Luke wrote this gospel. So did not only everybody to the last 2000 years but that that the man who sitting here tonight with might know with certainty the things that were being taught. Don't know if we would believe them that we would know in our modern horse.

It is true that is real, so that our faith might be sure and certain, shall fight sure and certain money us and I don't think I don't take any credit for the faith we have come from. God don't you remember this, don't let anybody ever tell you that is blind faith. Our faith is a reasonable faith.

It is because it rest upon reliable evidence. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see a member Dr. Bruce little in a philosophy class said that yes, our faith is based on what is not seen, however, is not based on what is not known, shall he that our faith is based on what is not seen but is not based on what is not known. That's why you have eyewitnesses in a court of law because they don't have a videotape they don't dictate reenacted Sebring eyewitness who tells you to fax to even the court allow our justice system.

This is not based on what is seen, although you can produce your real evidence, but more often than not it is based on what is known so my question for you is do you really believe the Bible what you think is a fairytale. Now I want to take a look at Jesus's baptism kisses.

This is really fascinating.

Sister turned away again to Luke chapter 3 let's look at verses 21 and 22 which reads when all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized to anyway as Jesus was praying. Luke says that heaven was opened, that he said no he won their but he knew because he was alone on what eyewitness accounts in the end it says in the Holy Spirit descended descended on Jesus in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven. You, my son, whom I love with you I am well please. You will hear no I would say account of the same event. Turnover to Matthew chapter 3 Matthew chapter 3 verses 13 through 17 then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, I need to be best but baptized by you, and you come to me and Jesus replied, let it be so now it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.

Then John consented. Matthew says as soon as Jesus was baptized, he went out up out of the water. At that moment, heaven was opened, it literally says heaven was torn open and Jesus all the spirit of God descending like a dog and lighting on him and a voice from heaven said this is my son, whom I love with him on well.

Please, do you want some more evidence. All four Gospels confirmed that these events happen is not what you think about the from Earth's perspective knows of people that will gather there. It probably looked like a normal baptism just a normal man however from heaven's perspective.

This baptism was like no other. Baptism is ever taken place in history the world is Jesus was praying three miraculous things happen. First, heaven was torn open second God the father's voice could be heard saying is usually the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in bodily form like a dove, and then third of voice from heaven spoke send you my son, whom I love with you I am well pleased. So here's my question. What you think the significance yes.

Of these three incredible occurrences is what I think I think is the skies over the Jordan were torn open a revelation from heaven was offered to the multitudes who gather around this revenue. Lord, we know that John could see it Ashley want a minute so John Coetzee theologians believe that the people around there could see it as I can imagine them all looking up into heaven as heaven is literally somehow revealed. Did you know that this is not built on this is happened in the bowel. The opening of heaven to the eyes of men happen several times. It happened to Ezekiel, Isaiah number.

He sold the throne of God is on a man of unclean lips. It happened to Stephen.

What is been stone. He saw Jesus standing there waiting to receive him. It happened to Peter.

It happened to Paul and it happened to John when he was on the island of Patmos. So why did this happen why believe these revelations were given to certain men to maintenance events folding on earth from heaven's perspective, and second crickets chapter 5 verse 16. Paul writes, so from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view that we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer segment. God wants us to see everything through the lens of Scripture you know why to get to have an eternal perspective so that we can better understand what's taking place on earth. I continue when I watch the news. I watch the news to the lens of Scripture. Why gender this earth in its present form is passing away.

Hallelujah if you fill the potholes recently because I noted everything that I can see with my eyes is temporary because I want to live for things that are eternal. Someone once said, our life is like a line you got one.here that represent your time on earth80 years plus or minus, and in the rest of is you know mathematically the rest of that line is just a series of dots that goes all the way out into eternity for ever. So let me ask you something, she would be living for the.for the line. So what you living for the.when you get up in the morning or you live for the.net image you don't concern yourself with the.but what you focus on eternity. So what was unfolding on earth at the baptism of Jesus, God the father was making a very big deal about it. He was in no warning his one and only son is the Savior of the world. God was saying to all of us. This is my son, if you want to get to heaven you but listen to him is he's the only way this is the one who was prophesied to come from a lot of Judah this is the one my son who was prophesied to be born of a virgin.

This is the one my son who was prophesied would hold take hold of a scepter and rule all the nations.

This is a one my son who was prophesied to be the Lamb of God who would die for your sins and my sins and to make sure that John knew who the Messiah was God the father opened up heaven and sent the Holy Spirit enough in bodily form like a dove. That dove landed on Jesus, probably shoulder then got a father spoke from heaven and confirmed that this man from Nazareth was his one and only son in John chapter 1 verses 32 and 33 where it says, then John, John the Baptist gave this testimony got is a testimony guy you sit in your sure you believe will listen to John's testimony, he witnessed it. I saw the spirit he says he's telling men of Raleigh. If you speak from heaven. He is speaking from heaven.

John the Baptist saw the Spirit come down from heaven as adult and remain on him.

I would not have known him except the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, I jot the man on whom you see this is being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic and alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living. You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources finding purpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh.

Find out more finding purpose.net.

This is the Truth Network