2014.8.10 礼拝

Message from John 10:31-42 – “Christian Faith”
Kids: Who are called Christians? The word Christian comes from “Christ”. A lot of people believe in god. Jews believe in one God and so do the Islamists. They believe in the Old Testament in whole or in part. What’s the difference between them and the Christians? The Jews called Jesus “a mere man” (John 10:33). Christians believe Jesus from Nazareth is Christ, the Son of God. There are many different gods people believe in. It is important to know what god we believe. The Bible clearly says God sent Jesus in the form of a man taught us love one another and forgive.
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Re-check our faith: Difference between the Jews and Christians
John 10:30 – I and the Father are one – Jesus clearly proclaimed he is God but to the Jews this was a blasphemy.
John 20:31 – believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. This is the difference between Christians and Jews.
The apostles taught the good news and proclaimed the Jesus is the Christ – Acts 5:42, Acts 9:22 (Paul’s testimony), Acts 18:28 (Apollos’ testimony).
Christian faith is reconfirmed by Thomas in John 20:28 saying “My Lord and my God”, meaning Jesus Christ is the Savior – this speaks up for all apostles.
Jewish insistence – God is the One and only as written in Exodus 20:2-3, You shall have no other gods before me.
Therefore, they claimed what Jesus said was a blasphemy and anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be put to death (Leviticus 24:16).
John 10:31 – Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him.
John 10:32-33 – But Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
There is no place in the Bible where Jesus clearly said, word-for-word, “I am God”. However, from the reaction of the Jews, it is clear that Jesus said so. He had repeatedly said and shown in many other ways that He was God.
To believe Jesus is to believe Jesus is God and to follow Jesus and His love.
The Jews also believed in Christ, the coming of the Messiah but could not believe Jesus was Christ.
The significant difference is that Christians believe Jesus is Christ who showed us who God was by coming in the form of a man. We are able to know the will of God, His love and mercy only through Jesus Christ.
We know that Jesus is the savior not only for the Jews but to us all throughout the world.
John 10:15-16 – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Therefore, we can know the infinite love of God who sent His beloved Son for our sake, and not only for the Jews.