Andrew Fountain - Why I love Jesus
- Artist: Andrew Fountain
- Title: Why I love Jesus
- Album: Newlife Church, Toronto
- Year: 2016-12-04
- Length: 30:02 minutes (12.07 MB)
- Format: MP3 Stereo 44kHz 56Kbps (VBR)
Link to Video:
Why I love Jesus Sermon notes - Why I love Jesus
What’s your image of Jesus?
My goal today is to improve it.
- Jesus’ love for us can often become a very abstract concept
- we know he gave his life for us 2000 years ago
- we know that he has secured a place in heaven for us in the future
- When we praise him, we usually focus on what he has done for us, rather than who he is
- There is nothing wrong with that—they are not in opposition:
- He has done these things because of the reality of his love for us
- There is nothing wrong with that—they are not in opposition:
- I want us to focus a little this morning on why Jesus is the altogether lovely one!
- He is just such an amazing, lovely and fascinating person whom we want to spend eternity with.
- So you understand everything totally because you made it.
- The incredible complexity of the human brain, and life itself
- High energy physics and whether dark matter exists—you understand it completely because you designed it
- You understand all beauty and art, because it was your idea
- You understand me so completely and why I do everything I do
- You know every tiny thing that happened to me, and even what I don’t remember
- So you have all the plans for the future of this world in your head
- All of these terrible things we see happening, you are somehow going to resolve them for good
- You have the answers to all injustice and pain
- There is no problem too big for you, not in earth or in heaven
- Just imagine meeting someone who is like this, yet loves you with a passion:
- But then he had the ability to hang out with ordinary people and they were captivated by him.
- woman of Samaria—he took time to just sit with her
- Do you know anyone who’s a tiny bit boring? —maybe you don’t find their conversation very interesting
- What do you think it was like for Jesus to chat to people?
- He wasn’t bored!
- Have you ever met someone really famous? (I don’t think I ever have)
- Can you imagine them saying “hey... can we hang out, I’d love to get to know you”
- Dream a couple of years ago about being in the coffee shop and Pres. Obama came in
- “Hey, Andrew! I’ve been hoping to meet you, can I join you (20 min)”
- Zachaeus
- There was such a love between Jesus and his disciples while he was on earth
- People loved him passionately, like the two women who poured ointment on his feet.
- Washed his feet with her tears (Would take a lot of tears.)
- Why? because he saw who they really were in their sin, and loved them.
- Even Peter, who failed Jesus so horribly, was still loved deeply
- Imagine you were having a really significant converstation with Jesus
- And someone brought a child for him to see
- Hang, on this is the maker of the universe. Don’t bother him with little kids!
- So we have these two extremes:
- Who he is
- And yet how kind and gentle and lowly he it
- But also he could be very angry (Gospel of John movie—shocking)
- Exploitation (like the financial corruption in the Temple)
- Bad shepherds!
- But even his worst enemies, he prayed for forgiveness
- But Paul never met Jesus. How could he have such a love for him?
- Paul was totally consumed with love for Jesus.
- Everthing he says and does is permeated with this love
- See also: 2 Cor 5 (read v.8–9)
- So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
- for we walk by faith, not by sight.
- Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
- So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
- So how come Paul loves Jesus so much?
- we know he had many visions of Jesus:
- Was it the visions? If so, can we only love him if we have visions?
- What about us?
- Visions of Jesus are not that common in my experience—I myself have not had any
- That does not mean they don’t happen
- I saw a video yesterday of a brutal gang leader in Scotland who in one hour went from drugs & killing to spreading the gospel
- Paul’s visions happened to comfort and encourage him in times of extreme stress
- That does not mean they don’t happen
- I don’t think the visions were the main reason for Paul’s love
- Visions of Jesus are not that common in my experience—I myself have not had any
- But I would say the main reason for Paul’s love for Jesus was a combination of:
- his own story
- a revelation through the Holy Spirit
- He has a supernatural impartation of love
- John Newton was a slave trader, the captain of a ship
- He was notorious for swearing in such a disgusting way that even other sailors would be surprised
- He was violently opposed to God
- In a storm, about to die, he suddenly saw the truth and cried to God for forgiveness
- Later he became a pastor and wrote many popular hymns
- Amazing Grace is the best known
- But this is one of my all-time favourites, especially the 4th verse:
- John Newton was not the only one to receive complete forgiveness
- All of us who are Christians have travelled the same route
- We don’t have to be extraordinarily evil, or get saved in the middle of a storm
- But we do have to realize we are going the wrong way and Jesus is our only hope
- And if we call out to him, and trust him, he will have compassion on us!
- Why do I love him?
- Because of what I know of him through these stories
- Because of my experience of him
- He is so gentle with me, so forgiving,
- so committed to me
- He loves me so much
- We love him because he first loved us
- Now lets go back to our verses
- You know how fascinating the creation is—all the weird and amazing creatures
- How much more fascinating is the person who made it
- to spend time with this incredible individual!
- We will have all eternity to explore this being who loves us so much
- Do you think you will ever get bored with him?
- Often God is portrayed as an old man, white haired and wrinkled, maybe balding.
- But why would someone perfect show signs of aging?
- Jesus obviously aged in his old-creation body, but his new body would be perfect, with no signs of age
- Have you ever wondered why the disciples failed to recognize him ever time
- Mary didn’t recognise him
- The two on the road to Emmaus didn’t recognize him
- Because his new body looked so youthful and perfect, not a flaw!
- I want to end with this song about what Jesus looks like.
- N.T. writers tell us that Psalm 110 is about Jesus
- Do you picture Jesus as a strong young man in the prime of his youth?
Updated on 2016-12-05 by Andrew Fountain
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