I. The Truth About Jesus
A. Glorified Via Resurrection vs. 13a,15b
1. Resurrection of Jesus from the dead proves who he was.
2. Jesus said His resurrection would be a sign of authenticity of who He was.
3. John 14:6 I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.
4. Matt. 12:38-40 38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
B. Power In Jesus v.16
1. Jesus has all power
2. John 1:1-3 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
C. Jesus Destined To Suffer v.18
1. Isaiah 50:6 6 I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
2. Isaiah 53:5 5 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.
D. Restoration Coming v.21
Restore- to restore to its former state, to be in its former state. i.e., phys. healings
E. Listen To Jesus vs. 22-24
1. God had promised to send them a deliverer, a prophet
2. Jewish history full of these predictions
3. Jesus was the One to be listened to.
4. Matthew 11:15 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”.
F. Blessings From “Sin Subtraction” vs. 25,26
1. God’s intentions had been to bless them
2. Ultimate blessing would come through Jesus
3. Jesus turns people from their sins-to turn away, to remove anything from anyone.
a. Jesus would die for them, remove their sins
b. God would give them new hearts, help them turn away, give the desire.
4. Psalm 32:1-5 NLT Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! {2} Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! {3} When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. {4} Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. {5} Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
II. The Guilt Of The People vs. 13b,14,15,17
A. Delivered Jesus- to give into the hands of another- to hand off, pass Him along
B. Denied Jesus- not accept, reject, refuse
C. Chose Death (murderer) (“desired” KJV)- to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire
D. Rejected Life (killed Prince of Life)- to kill in any way whatever
E. Acted Ignorantly-lack of knowledge, moral blindness.
Mankind is guilty for their sins, but they truly go through this world in moral and spiritual blindness.
Jesus said from the cross, “Father forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.”
Mankind lives in a lost condition, missing something, and not knowing where to find it.
Mankind stumbles along, thinking they can do away with social evils through education.
Thinking we can do away with moral absolutes, and be tolerant, and yet we wonder why there are such cultural and social problems.
Government money being spent to fund perverse lifestyles, and all b/c many leaders are too afraid to say that some things are wrong and others are right.
Guilty, but now time to change.
III. Man’s Response To God v.19a
A. Repent- change your mind; more than sorrow; word of hope for future
B. Be Converted- turn to God- work of God in surrendered heart- 2 Cor 5:17
C. Matt. 16:24-27
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.