Jesus before, then, now and then (Part 4)

In our comfortable society, with our eyes closed to the brokenness all around us and our hearts fixated on the fleeting pleasures this world offers, it may be hard to get excited about the Lord’s return.  The problem for most western Christians is not that we are so heavenly-minded that we are of no earthly good but that we are so earthly-minded we don’t hope for heaven.  

For many of us thinking of the Lord’s return stretches our faith!  Yes we can picture an end to all this—leave humanity alone long enough and we will choke this world with carbon fumes—it’s just that it’s hard to believe the end will be as the Bible describes.  ‘Lord, we believe, help us in our unbelief!’

Then some will want the Lord to delay in order that loved ones will have more time to become Christians. God actually shares this concern. Peter addresses those who are complaining that the Jesus has not yet returned and writes: The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  When Jesus returns all who are going to repent will have repented!

If you are not a Christian thinking of the Lord’s return should be a massive wake-up call.  If you refuse to let Christ be your Saviour and King, then Christ’s return will be more dreadful than you have ever imagined.  Jesus will come and the result of his judgment of you will be a righteous, horrific, holy and eternal punishment.  Hear this warning and repent!

So far in this series we have seen that Jesus has existed for all eternity and that his earthly ministry was anticipated in the Old Testament.  We have seen that during the ministry recorded in the Gospels Jesus became fully-human while remaining fully-God, and that he died to reconcile sinful people to God for the glory of God.  We have seen that Jesus is alive today, remains both human and fully-God, is the object of heavenly worship, and prays to the Father on our behalf.  Now this evening we are thinking upon his return and about how we will view him for all eternity.

We don’t know when he will return

As the disciples watched Jesus ascend to heaven two angels appeared beside them and declared, ‘This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven’ (Acts 1:11).  Jesus will return from the sky in his risen, glorious body but we don’t know when.

Many groups in history have made fools of themselves trying to predict dates for the Lord’s return despite the fact that the Scriptures say that it is not for us to know the day or the hour.  Jesus told the disciples, “No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36).  Yet he warned people to be prepared.  He will come at a time when people do not expect him (Matthew 24:44) so we must be sure that if it that time was now we would have reason to be glad to see him.

He will judge the living and the dead

It is right that we feel angry when crimes are committed and no-one is brought to court.  It sickens us when guilty people walk out of court having gotten off on some technicality.  It is wrong when some awful crime is met with an overly lenient sentence.  It is twisted when evil is simply overlooked.  God does not overlook evil and will judge with perfect justice!

Jesus will judge the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1).  Those who have not availed of his mercy and forgiveness in this life will receive the right punishment for all their evil.  Every word, deed and attitude will be brought out into the open.  Nothing will go unnoticed.  On this day of wrath (Romans 2:5) the unrepentant will experience the holy fury of God.  Listen to these words from the book of Revelation. ‘Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it ... And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened ... The dead were judged according to these books ... If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire’ (Rev. 20:11-14).

He will reward Christians

The Christian will face Christ’s judgement too (2 Cor. 5:10), but the outcome will be entirely different.  Jesus has paid the price for our sins so it would be an injustice to condemn us for them.  Jesus said that those who are born again are not condemned (John 3:18) and Paul assures the Christians in Rome writing that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

At this judgement the fruit of our faith will be seen.  Jesus had taught that our fruitfulness is proof of the reality of our relationship with Christ: ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me he can bear nothing ... This is to the Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples’ (John 15:5-8).  In his wonderful generosity God will reward his people for the things they did to honour him.  We are not told what this reward will look like but surely it will be awesome.  Don’t imagine that it is only those things that we think of as being religious that he will reward.  All of our lives will be assessed and nothing we have done for him will go unnoticed or unrewarded.  ‘Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free’ (Ephesians 6:7-8). And if there is the possibility of gaining reward there also is the possibility of losing out on reward (see 1 Cor. 3:8-15).

He will be worshipped by his people in the new creation

In Genesis 3 we read about how our first parents, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God’s rule.  This treason was met with God’s judgement.  The world has never been the same since the fall and the curse.  Now humankind lives in hostility towards God and each other and this world is a place of toil, suffering and death.  Yet in the book of Revelation we read that when Jesus returns he will establish a new heaven and a new earth and there will no longer be any curse (Rev. 22:3).

Living in this fallen world we watch our bodies decay and soon we will die. Yet when Jesus returns he will give us resurrected bodies.  1 Corinthians 15 tells us that Jesus’ resurrection body is the pattern for our resurrected bodies.  When Jesus returns the decaying bodies of living Christians will be instantaneously transformed into glorious bodies like that of the risen Christ and the decayed bodies of Christians who have died will be raised to be like the imperishable body of our risen Saviour.  In the new heaven and the new earth there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Rev. 21:4).  God will dwell with his people (Rev. 21:3). In the city of God there will be the throne of the God and of the Lamb (Rev. 22:3) and we shall live wonderful, joy-filled lives of loving worship to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

At the end of the book of Revelation, having seen how this age would come to an end and the kingdom that will be established at the Lord’s return the apostle John exclaims “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20). Christ’s people await his return!

But what are we to do in the meantime?  We are to be prepared—may the return of Jesus be a joyful day for each person here this morning!  On that day may we be found to be in a living relationship with the risen Lord!  At his judgement may his fruit in our lives demonstrate that we are one of his people!  May we have lived lives of great service for his glory so that we receive an abundance of gracious rewards for the things he has enabled us to do.  May we look forward to living with his people and enjoying the presence of God for ever!

Jesus - before, then, now and then (part 3)

Being a Christian involves a different perception of reality than that held by much of society around us.  Not only do many people see the church as irrelevant, they also see Jesus as being of little consequence.  Christians believe that Jesus is not only the greatest person to ever live, but that he is alive and well today.  We believe that he is not only the best known person in history but that he can be known personally now.  We think that ‘Jesus’ is not a swear word but the name of the living King of kings.  We even think that Jesus is committed to building the community of his people in this world.

So far in this series we have seen that Jesus has existed for all eternity and that his earthly ministry was anticipated in the Old Testament. We have seen that during the ministry recorded in the Gospels Jesus became fully human while remaining fully God, and that he died to reconcile a people with God.  In this sermon we are thinking about where Jesus is and what he is doing, now. 

Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth

The risen Jesus declared to his disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).  It is on the basis of this authority that we step out in mission.  Indeed we can be confident that this task will not be in vain.  Jesus had earlier promised, “... I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18).  The church is not an irrelevant society.  Christ’s church is the most relevant of all societies.  Despite the fact that our mission involves opposition, rejection and hardship we are comforted that Jesus promised his disciples that he would be with them always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20)—he is with us now!

Jesus has ascended to heaven

The risen Jesus appeared to more than five hundred people (1 Cor. 15:6), and was taken up to heaven before his disciples’ very eyes (Acts 1:9).  He ascended in a glorious, physical, resurrected, human body and will return in the same way (Acts 1:11)—today he continues to be both human and God. 

It is amazing to think that Jesus has a physical body and that one day we will have a resurrection body like his (1 Cor. 15).  Of course this leaves us with a big question “how can Jesus have a physical body and yet be with all of his people?”  The answer seems to be that in a way which goes beyond our current understanding he dwells with his people and in this world through the person of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father

Having ascended to heaven he was seated at the Father’s right-hand side.  This had been anticipated in Psalm 110, ‘The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

The right-hand side is the place of honour and authority. The fact that Jesus sits down demonstrates that his redeeming work is complete.  Yet he is not inactive.  We also read of Jesus standing at God’s right-hand side (Acts 7:56) and walking among the seven golden lamp-stands in heaven (Rev. 2:1).  At the beginning of the book of Acts its author, Luke, writes, ‘In my former book [Luke’s Gospel] ... I wrote about what Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven ... (Acts 1:1-2a). The implication of this statement is that the book of Acts records what Jesus continued to do and teach.  Indeed Jesus has continued to be at work to this very day.

Jesus continues to reign over all

The risen and ascended Jesus is referred to as being Lord of all (Acts 10:36).  Nothing or no-one escapes his authority.  The fact that Jesus is alive and rules over all creation is to be great comfort for us.  The world is not out of control, it is under his control.  Jesus is not simply the Lord of our lives he is the Lord over all things.  The stock-market may crash but Jesus remains on his throne, countries may go to war but they can’t overthrow his rule, our life may be in a mess but Jesus knows what he is at.

Wonderfully, the community of those who are born again, the true church, is central to his working in this world.  This is emphasised by the Apostle Paul who writes God placed all things under [Jesus’] feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church (Ephesians 1:22).

Jesus is being worshipped

In the book of Revelation we see that Jesus is the object of heavenly worship.  John writes, ‘Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.  They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.  In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!” (Rev.5:12).

Notice that their praise focused on who Jesus is and what he has done.  Some of our modern choruses can be weak on this.  They can be songs that are simply about our feelings rather than Christ’s achievements.  We must remember to sing many songs that focus richly on the cross and exalt our risen Lord. 

Jesus gives us access to the Father

In the Old Testament God’s presence was seen to be with his people in the tabernacle and then in the temple.  Only one priest, once a year, was allowed into the Holy of Holies where God’s glory was focused—the High Priest on the Day of Atonement.  Yet when Jesus died the curtain of the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:38).  This symbolised the fact that because of what Jesus had done on the cross we can have access to God.  We no longer need to go to a temple to meet with God, nor do we need a special priesthood to represent us before God. We can go to the Father because of Jesus’ past work on the cross and his current ministry as our perfect High Priest.

As our great High Priest he continually leads us into the Father’s presence.  In the book of Hebrews we read that Jesus now appears for us in the Father’s presence (Heb. 9:24), and so we have a hope that follows him there (Heb. 6:19-20).  Indeed we may now have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, and so we are told draw near to God with a sincere heart and in full assurance of faith (Hebrews 10:22).  In prayer we have the wonderful privilege of coming to the Father through the Son. 

Jesus continually prays for us

In the Old Testament one of the functions of the priests was to pray on behalf of the people. Jesus, our great High Priest, now fulfils that role. We see this in two wonderful passages. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them (Heb. 7:25).  ‘Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us’ (Romans 8:34).  Moment by moment Christ intercedes for his people.   Because of his prayers we need not have a faith that is deficient and we need not fear that we will not make it to the end.  He knows what we can handle, he knows what we need and he is committed to our growth as Christians and our perseverance.  Who can condemn us when Christ died for our sin and continues to intercede on our behalf?  Who can defeat us when Christ knows our weaknesses and is praying for us to have the strength to endure?

Conclusion

Finally, the writer to the Hebrews encouraged his readers to keep going saying, Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Let us too fix our eyes on Jesus! The risen one who sits at the Father’s right-hand side is the one whose death made it possible for us to experience God’s forgiveness and acceptance; he is the one who should cause our hearts to rejoice and be moved to praise; he is the one who is committed to building his people, the church; he is the one who will be with us on this difficult road to heaven; and, as we will see in the next sermon in this series, he is the one who will one day return is the same way that he left this world.

Jesus - before, now and then (part 2)

The actor Richard Harris is one of Limerick’s most famous sons.  He explained that ‘Jesus is not just a word that I use to swear with.’  Indeed he isn’t.  He is the man who has turned the world upside-down and inside-out.  What was so special about him?

Jesus was born to a virgin

I was going to begin by saying that no one else has been born to a virgin.  However, with modern methods of IVF that may no longer actually be true.  But he was not born with the aid of a man.  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Belief in the virgin birth goes back to the book of Isaiah, where we read that a virgin or young woman) will give birth to a child, and he shall be called Immanuel (meaning ‘Yahweh with us’).  Both Matthew and Luke confirm this in their birth narratives.

The concept of Jesus being born to a virgin began to be attacked to the eighteenth century, and there is a great deal of scepticism about this important doctrine.  I was listening to the radio and recognised the voice of an old friend, a theologian who seems to no longer believe in the virgin birth.  Personally, I can’t understand why this is so hard to accept.  If we look around at creation and see the fingerprints of God, why do we not think that God could create a child without the aid of a father?

The virgin birth matters because it points to an important reality.  Jesus is uniquely both God and human.  His mother was a woman, and yet he is uniquely the Son of God.  He is the only one who can stand as God’s unique Saviour, who dies before the God as a sacrifice for humanity.

The Hidden years

If I was writing a biography of a famous person I would include plenty of details about his childhood.  However, the gospels only include one story about the boy Jesus.  Yet there are things we can gather about how he grew up.

He was an older brother (cf. Mark 3:31), he was conscious of his relationship with his heavenly Father (Luke 2:49), he was obedient to his parents (Luke 2:51), he learned a trade from his step-father and he grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men (Luke 2:52).

His baptism

While the gospels do not tell us much about Jesus’ childhood they spend most of their time on the three years of his public ministry. This public ministry begins with Jesus being baptised by John the Baptist.

The baptism of John signified the forgiveness of sins.  But why would Jesus need to be baptised if he had never sinned?  In Jesus’ baptism he was identifying himself with sinful humanity, as he would later do by dying on the cross to take the punishment for our rebellion.

The words spoken by the Father at Jesus’ baptism are significant.  ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’ (Mark 1:11).  These words echo Psalm 2, a psalm which speaks of the enthronement of God’s king.  It appears that at this time the Father was installing the Son as king of his kingdom.

Tempted in every way, yet without sin

Following Jesus’ baptism he was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1).  Jesus was being tempted to take a different path than the one that would lead to the cross.  Whereas Adam failed when tempted in the garden of Eden Jesus remains obedient.  When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time (Luke 4:13).

The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that because [Jesus] himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted (Hebrews 2:18).  Wayne Grudem explains, ‘If Jesus had not been a man, he would not have been able to know by experience what we go through in our temptations and struggles in this life.  But because he has lived as a man, he is able to sympathize more fully with us in our experiences.’ He was tempted in every way yet he never sinned (Hebrews 4:15).

A ministry of compassion and truth

Jesus was often moved by compassion.  In fact there is a word used in the gospels, that is translated ‘compassion’, that is only ever used there of Jesus, or people who act like Jesus, such as the Good Samaritan and Father of the Prodigal Son.  He was uniquely compassionate.  He was also a teacher of unshakable conviction who taught with unique authority.

He performed many miracles.  He healed people and drove out demons.  But preaching was central to what he was about.  He said to Simon and his companions “Let us go somewhere else—to nearby villages—so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come” (Mark 1:38).

His preaching focused on the kingdom of God.  This kingdom is not a geographical area, but rather God’s reign over God’s world.  The prophet Isaiah had proclaimed the good news that God would establish his reign personally.   Jesus preaches that this time has arrived.  In his ministry God’s reign is been seen.

The appropriate response to the teaching of King Jesus is to repent and believe the good news (Mark 1:15).  Jesus calls from lives where we live simply for ourselves and to live under his loving rule.   We now live and speak as ambassadors of King Jesus!

As those who live under the Lordship of Christ we will want to imitate his compassion.  We should be moved when we see suffering around us.  Yet we must also remember that he came to share a message.  If we are slow to speak the good news we are ignoring humankind’s greatest need, which is to be restored to God.

Jesus knew that he was God

I am not sure which famous atheist it was who said that if Jesus thought that we would worship him as a god he would turn in his grave.  Yet the clear testimony of the gospels is that Jesus did believe he was God.

He did things that only God can do.  When a paralysed man was lower through roof by his friends Jesus looks at him and declares¸ “Son, your sins are forgiven.”  This prompts some teachers of the law, who were sitting there, to think to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that?  He’s blaspheming!  Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:6-7).

Jesus calms a storm by simply speaking a word to it.  This prompts the disciples to ask, “Who is this even the wind and the waves obey him?” (Mark 4:41).  The Psalms say that it is only God who can calm a storm.  ‘You are ruler over the surging seas; when its waves mount up, you still them’ (Psalm 89:9). 

When Jesus told his Jewish opponents that Abraham had seen his day, they exclaimed, “You are not fifty years old . . . and you have seen Abraham!”(John 8:57).  He responds, using the very words that God had used when he identified himself to Moses at the burning bush; when God explained, ‘I AM who I AM’ (Ex. 3:14). “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am” (John 8:58).  His opponents knew the significance of this claim as can be seen by their reaction: … they picked up stones to stone him . . . (John 8:59). 

Near the end of John’s Gospel the risen Jesus appears to Thomas. John records that Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28)—it is fitting that this gospel that had opened declaring Jesus to the Word who was God (John 1:1) should end on a similar note, with a declaration of Jesus’ divinity.

Jesus came to die

While the gospel writers give us little about Jesus’ early life, focus on three years of public ministry and give detailed attention to the events surrounding his death.  Mark devotes six of his sixteen chapters to the week leading up to the crucifixion.  A chaplain in an Irish University told wrote in the college paper that the death of Jesus is not the crux of Christianity, nothing could be further from the truth.

Understanding Jesus’ death is essential to understanding his life.  Jesus saw himself as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53.  He taught his disciples saying that “the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and his give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).  In the Garden of Gethsemane we can see the agony as Jesus anticipates the cross.  He shuddered not just at the physical pain that awaited him but at the fact that he would be separated from his Father’s presence, and prayed “Abba, Father . . . everything is possible for you.  Take this cup from me.  Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).  The cup that Jesus is referring to is the cup of God’s wrath that is spoken of in Isaiah 51:17.  Jesus was going to endure the full weight of God’s righteous anger at the rebellion of humankind.   The apostle Paul would later summarise the whole of the Christian message by saying, ‘I preach Christ crucified.’

Conclusion – Jesus in perspective

John Lennon once claimed that the Beetles had become bigger than Jesus.  Pele once said that there were three icons everyone recognised—Pele, Coca Cola and Jesus Christ.   The truth is that Jesus is like no one else that has walked the earth. 

Jesus - Before, now and then (part 1)

The story of the Jesus does not begin at the start of the New Testament.  It does not even begin with the start of the Old Testament.  In fact the story of God the Son does not have a beginning because he has always existed.  For eternity he has lived in relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Indeed, before the universe was brought into being, a decision was made—Peter writes that [the Son] was chosen before the creation of the world (to be a redeeming sacrifice), but revealed in these last times for your sake (1 Peter 1:18-20).  Humankind did not take God by surprise when we rebelled against him.  God created humankind knowing that we would rebel and that he would display his glory in judging evil, rescuing a people and restoring creation.

This morning we are going to look at God the Son prior to the New Testament.  We are going to briefly think about what he was doing before he was born as a human‐being in Bethlehem.  We are also going to study the ways in which the Old Testament prepared for the coming of Christ.  It is important that we realise that the Old Testament is essentially a book about him.

His role in creation

The Bible opens saying that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).  John writes in his gospel that Jesus was the agent of this creation—through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:3, see also Colossians 1:15‐16 and Hebrews 1:2‐3).  We should marvel at the fact that the one who created the vastness of this universe was willing to be pinned to a cross by sinful people to rescue rebels like ourselves.

Christophonies

When we read of God in the Old Testament we should remember that we are reading about the triune God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  As a member of the Godhead Jesus is constantly at work in the Old Testament period!  

There are also a number of occasions when the Son seems to appear in person in the pages of the Old Testament.  These can be referred to as Christophonies.  

For example in Genesis 18 Abraham receives three mysterious visitors, he treats them with even more reverence than would have been expected by near eastern hospitality, and it seems that God the Son was among these three.  Was he the forth figure, that looks like the son of the gods, that was seen with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:24‐25)?  Other examples of Christophonies may include the occasional appearance of one whom is referred to as ‘the angel [messenger] of the Lord’ who sometimes is referred to as God.

Types

In a small group, a number of years ago, we studied the book of Judges.  There is much that is disturbing in that book—things are not as they should be.  Yet in his mercy God repeatedly responds to the cry of his people and sends a rescuer, or judge.  Although these judges are flawed people their appearance nevertheless anticipates the sending of one who will rescue people from their real problem, the problem of sin.  This is what we mean when we speak of a type.

A type is a person, an institution or an event that looks forward to the saving work of Christ.  The Old Testament is full of such types.

So when we read of the Old Testament priesthood, that represents the people before God, our minds should be drawn to Jesus who is our great High Priest who represents us perfectly before the Father.  When we read of kings like David our minds should be drawn to Jesus who is the King of Kings.  When we read of the sacrifices our minds should be brought forward to Jesus who is the sinless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  When we read of the tabernacle or temple, where God’s presence was with his people, our minds are drawn to Jesus who came and dwelt among us.  The prophets anticipate Jesus being our ultimate prophet and even references to shepherds prepare us for the one who is our good shepherd.

Remembering that Jesus is the key to the Old Testament affects how we read it.  Take the story of David and Goliath.  It’s a favourite for Sunday schools, but how do we explain it? Maybe we have said something like, ‘we are like David, and Goliath is like the difficulties we face—such as a temptation that we struggle with.  David had five pebbles like we have Bible study, prayer, faith, fellowship and service.  With these we can defeat the foe!’  However remembering that David was a type for Jesus we can do better than that.

The story tells us that David was the ‘LORD’s anointed’ (the word ‘messiah’ is derived from the Hebrew for ‘anointed one.’, and the Greek for ‘messiah’ is ‘Christ’).  So David and Goliath is a picture of a messiah‐type figure delivering God’s people. God’s people were helpless and sacred.  They were unable to defeat the foe, but the LORD’s anointed stood in their place and won the day.  Does that sound familiar?  It should!  On the cross Jesus our Messiah/Christ has defeated our enemies of sin, death and Satan so that we might share in the fruits of his victory.

As Bible teacher David Jackman explains, ‘... David pre‐figures Jesus in the victory that he wins by his own dependence upon God and through the power of God alone, through which the people of God are liberated from the enemies of God.’

So now where are we in the story?  Although David does give us a good example to follow, in his dependence on God, this is not where we begin.  We begin by identifying ourselves as the helpless Israelite army watching from the side-lines.  Then we are drawn to praise our conqueror and delight to share in his triumph.

Prophecies

In Genesis the rebellion of Adam and Eve is followed by a curse.  As God spells out the consequences that are to follow humanities sin he tells the serpent of one who will crush his head (3:15).  We could say that the rest of the Old Testament anticipates that coming of this serpent‐crusher.  Of course the serpent was Satan and Jesus is the one who defeats him (Rom. 16:20).

The Old Testament contains many other prophecies that anticipate the coming Christ.  Isaiah 53 clearly speaks of a ‘suffering servant’ who will be rejected and killed for the sins of God’s people.  Some of the prophecies are very specific—for example Isaiah prophesied that a virgin would give birth to a son and call him Immanuel (7:14); in Micah we read that the promised ruler would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2); and King David writes a psalm (Ps.22) that seems to describe crucifixion, before crucifixion had even been invented as a punishment, and includes how lots were cast for the victims clothing (Ps. 22:18).

Titles

Finally there are titles that are used in the Old Testament that are taken on by Jesus. Jesus’ favourite title for himself was ‘son of man’—this is found in Daniel 7 and refers to mighty ruler whose kingdom will be never destroyed.  

Other titles found in the Old Testament that are used of Jesus in the New Testament include light (Ps. 27:1 and John 1:9), rock (Ps. 18:2 and 1 Peter 2:6‐8), First and Last (Is. 41:4 and Rev. 1:17) and the Lord of Glory (Is. 42:8 and 1 Cor. 2:8).  It is interesting to note how many of the titles used of God in the Old Testament are used of Jesus in the New. This is evidence of Jesus and the early church’s belief that he was God.

Conclusion

Near the end of Luke’s Gospel the risen Jesus appears to two men as they walk on the road to Emmaus (24:13).  They don’t recognise him and talk to him about the things that happened in Jerusalem in the days just passed.  Then Jesus explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures [our Old Testament] concerning himself (24:27).  Later they asked each other “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (24:32)

Jesus’ opening of the Old Testament to show how it pointed to him stirred those disciples deeply. Similarly as we begin to see Jesus foretold in the Old Testament we should be renewed in our awe of him—that the Jesus we know is the eternal Lord of creation and that the one who calls us his friends is the centre piece of the whole Bible.