He lived up to the
expectations
1) Most of us have had too high of an expectation with someone or something.
a) It may be a product that is advertised on t.v.
b) An attractive salesperson made a great sales pitch.
c) What described sounded absolutely perfect.
d) We ordered the item, but came to find out it is not what we thought.
e) It was not as sturdy, did not work well, or it maybe it did not work at all.
2) Not getting our expectation may also occur in a restaurant.
3) We may expect to receive fast service and it is incredibly slow.
4) We may expect food to be fresh and it is not.
5) We might expect a large portion and receive a small one.
6) Expectations do not always match up with what we see, receive, and experience.
7) We recognize this principle and we may apply it to the Bible.
a) In past weeks we have examined several prophecies about Jesus.
b) Based on all these prophecies, there were high expectations for a Messiah.
c) We should have high expectations of Jesus based on what the Old Testament foretold.
d) Tonight we wish to ask some questions.
e) For instance, when Jesus came, did He meet the expectations of the people.
f) Did He claim to fulfill the expectations described in the Old Testament?
8) The answer to both questions is yes.
9) Jesus did not fulfill the earthly hopes and desires of several first century Jews.
10) Doing that would have been impressive, but Jesus went far beyond the things of this earth.
a) Instead of creating a kingdom that lasted for 50 or 500 years, He created an eternal kingdom.
b) Rather than rule over just one part over the earth, He rules over heaven and all the earth.
c) Instead of vanquishing just one power like Rome, He conquers all His foes.
11) Tonight we want to look at several aspects of the Lord’s life.
a) We begin with His claims about being the Messiah.
b) Did Jesus ever claim to be the Messiah, the savior of the entire world?
c) He did, and one of the places where we find this information is Mt. 16:15-16.
12) About a week before the transfiguration Jesus was with His apostles.
13) He asked them a question—what did people think about Him?
a) He received various answers. Some thought He was Elijah, John the Baptist, one of the prophets.
b) For ordinary Jews to be making these observations, Jesus had to be a very special person.
c) Jesus then said to His disciples, “How do you say I am”?
d) Peter gave this answer – Mt. 16:16 – READ
14) What if someone said to us, “You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
15) Such a title would be quickly refused by a person who has any sense at all.
16) We are mere men. We are not God, and we cannot save anyone from their sins.
17) Peter looked at Jesus and concluded the Lord was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
a) His conclusion was too clear to misunderstand. Did Jesus reply to what Peter said?
b) Listen to verse 17 – READ
c) Jesus did not tell Peter that He was wrong. He implied the apostle was right.
d) He said Peter had received this information from heaven.
e) The Lord then went on to this in verse 18 – READ
18) Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.
19) In various parts of the Old Testament (such as Dan. 2:44) a kingdom was promised.
20) Jesus said He was going to build that kingdom (church).
21) He possessed the authority that was later given to Peter and the other apostles.
a) In Mt.16 Jesus was telling Peter that he and others were not going to be disappointed.
b) A little earlier someone else had talked to Jesus about His being the Promised One.
c) This was John the Baptist (Mt. 11). John was in jail.
d) John wanted to be sure Jesus was really the one who had been predicted in the Old Testament.
e) John could not come to Jesus personally, so he sent some disciples.
f) These disciples had a question: verse 3 – READ
g) Jesus gave an answer to John with the information in verses 4-6 – READ
22) Jesus’ works showed that He was not lacking in power. The people were not disappointed in Him.
23) 6 items are mentioned in verse 5, and one of those items was raising the dead.
24) No military deliverer can raise the dead. No warrior an give sight to the blind.
25) Jesus did both these things and more.
26) Not long before Jesus died His identity was again discussed – Mt. 26.
a) The high priest (Mt. 26:63) said, “I adjure you by the living God to tell me something.”
b) “Tell me if you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
c) Listen to the Lord’s response in verse 64 and how the Jews understood it verse 65 – READ.
d) Jews understood Jesus to say He was the Messiah and their understanding was right.
27) Jesus not only made this claim, He did not disappoint the people in their expectations.
28) Jesus used the Roman army about 40 years later to “come” just as He said.
29) He was a king more powerful than the people were able to imagine.
30) Jesus exceeded expectations in another way.
31) He said in Jn. 5:39, “the scriptures testify of me.”
32) Imagine if we could have heard Jesus say those words in our presence.
33) “The prophecies of the Old Testament all point to me.”
34) We would not know whether to run from such a man or fall down and worship Him.
NOT ONLY DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE THE MESSIAH AND SHOW THAT HE LIVED UP TO THIS EXPECTATIONS, HE CLAIMED TO BE GOD IN THE FLESH.
a) In Jn. 5:23 He said people were to “honor the Son as they honored the Father.”
b) This is one short sentence, but think of it in terms of being a first century Jew.
c) What if we heard these words? This would have been a sermon like no other.
d) Imagine a man saying, “As you honor God the Father, honor me.”
e) One quickly understands why Jesus was hated by many Jews and why some tried to kill Him.
f) Jesus really raised the bar as far as expectations from Him and He always met the standard.
2) A related reference is Jn. 14:9, 10, 24.
3) Jesus said to Philip, “when you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”
4) Old Testament prophecy had made these types of statements (the Messiah would be deity).
5) All the expectations the people had from the predictions were literally fulfilled.
6) Even the persecutor Saul came to this conclusion.
7) Acts 9:22 says a time when Saul “proved Jesus to be the Christ.”
8) For Saul to do this, Jesus really did have to meet all the expectations.
9) Part of the expectation was someone who was on intimate terms with God.
a) Moses had been very close to God, but the Messiah was to have also have this trait.
b) Did Jesus disappoint in this area? No.
c) Jesus must have shocked some people again with His words in Mt. 11:27.
d) He said no one “knew the Son but the Father” and no one knew the Father but the Son.”
e) Mt. 11:27 – READ
10) By saying no one knew the Father but Him, He was affirming His deity.
11) Who He was surpassed the people’s expectations.
12) That helps explain why about 3,000 people were baptized on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
13) When people really came to realize who Jesus was, they stood back and said, “wow.”
14) Today I am confident that our world would respond in the same way.
15) If they really understood the Jesus of the Bible, they would be stopped in their tracks.
16) Too many in our world do not really know who Jesus is.
17) This is what makes the Old Testament as well as the Gospels invaluable.
18) Jesus said in Jn. 10:30, “I and my Father are one.”
19) Whatever the people were expecting, it was less than this.
20) Imagine a person who would say to us, “I am one with God.”
21) “God and I are of the same essence; we have the same qualities and characteristics.”
22) “What God is, I am.”
23) Such a person would be insane, joking, guilty of blasphemy, or they are right.
a) There is no evidence to conclude Jesus was insane. He certainly was not joking.
b) His speech and life were not that of a blasphemer. There is only one conclusion left.
c) He was God in the flesh and far surpassed what we can imagine.
24) Part of His exceeding our expectations is in what He has given the world.
a) In Jn. 6:35 He said, “I am the bread of life.”
b) “He that comes to me will never hunger. Believe on Him and a person will never thirst.”
c) So many products in life disappoint.
d) I remember a person who bought a “vibrating belt” that straps around the waist.
e) He told me he was going to sit and watch t.v. while the belt shook away his unwanted pounds.
f) With Cheetoes in one hand and a remote in the other, he would shake his way to good health.
g) That man was disappointed; the device was cheap and didn’t work.
h) People have bought pills to lose weight, beverages to grow hair, and creams to wipe away wrinkles.
i) All too often the success in these stories is on the part of the salesman, not the consumer.
25) All too often what is best about the product is the advertising campaign.
26) Jesus says in Jn. 6 that He will exceed our expectations.
27) Follow Him, accept and obey His word, and life will be the absolute best it can be.
28) A woman once came to draw water at a well – Jn. 4:14.
a) Jesus said this woman could get her water, but it would only last for a while.
b) She would need to get water again. And again. And again.
c) Jesus said He had water that would see this woman through her entire life.
d) This woman did not fully understand, but she did want to know more about that water.
29) Whatever image we have of Jesus, He goes above and beyond it.
30) This principle also applies to the after-life.
31) Whatever we can imagine, it far surpasses our ability to imagine.
32) Christianity is a system of faith that is both true and one that works.
33) It is headed by the most amazing person who has or ever could live.
34) Tonight this person is pictured at a door, standing and knocking.
35) He wants to be our savior.
36) From the passes that we have introduced tonight, we may affirm that He will not disappoint.