Highlands Baptist Church Sermons (Centennial, CO‪)‬ Highlands Baptist Church, CO

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? In Luke 10:39 we learn that Mary was focused on the Lord, whereas Martha was distracted, anxious, and troubled about many things (10:40-41). The problem is not Martha’s hospitality or service, but what was revealed in Martha’s comment to Jesus about Mary. Through Mary we learn something about discipleship — we are called into a close personal relationship with Jesus.

Following this scene, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray (11:1). Jesus provides an example (11:2-4), then follows it with two exaggerated illustrations (11:5–8, 11–13) that argue from the lesser to the greater. Both illustrations begin with a question. The answer is that a friend will wake up at midnight to help, and a good father would never replace something good with something harmful. Therefore, “ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened… If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (11:9–10, 13).

In Genesis 11 people gathered to build a tower and a city rather than disperse as God instructed them. This event reveals humanity’s propensity for self-exaltation (tower) and self-preservation (a city). In God’s wise sovereignty, he has used the confusion of languages to disperse and protect us rather than destroy us. In Acts 2 we get a glimpse of God miraculously reversing the linguistic barriers to allow people from every nation to hear the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. We are then given a future glimpse of God’s redemptive plan in Revelation 5:9-10 where “they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” God’s plan for the nations has always been the church, one kingdom and one unified people in Christ.

After summarizing the entire Old Testament Law with the statement “love God and love your neighbor as yourself,” the lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” His motives are revealed by the word “test” in Luke 10:25. The lawyer had people he wanted to exclude from his obligation to love and still be considered legally righteous. Jesus answered his question by telling a story. A man was traveling to Jericho and was beaten, stripped, and left for dead on the side of a road. A priest and Levite came across the man in misery but passed along the other side of the road to avoid him. A Samaritan, however, displayed love in action as he cared for the man and paid for the expenses. Jesus made a Samaritan the hero of the story to expose the Jewish lawyer's prejudice and reveal that he was asking the wrong question. The real question is not, “Who is my neighbor,” but rather, “Am I a loving neighbor to all who come into contact with me?” Jesus told him, “You go, and do likewise” (verse 37).

"Who is Jesus?” In this sermon we continue to answer that question by examining three different titles used of him: (1) Messiah (from the Hebrew, or Christ, from the Greek), (2) Son of God, and (3) King. Read the following passages and note how each title is used:



John 20:30-31 — our eternal destiny hinges on two of the titles;
Matthew 26:57-66; Luke 22:66-72 — the High Priest Caiaphas as well as the Sanhedrin (the “supreme court” of Judaism), use two titles to condemn Jesus;
Luke 23:3 — one of the titles forced Pilate to execute Jesus.



It should come as no surprise that all three titles are presented in the twelve short verses of Psalm 2, a messianic-prophetic psalm. The psalmist concludes by telling us — we serve God by worshipping the Son (Psalm 2:12). The psalm ends with eight of the most important words found in all of the wisdom literature—and perhaps in all of the Old Testament: “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” This word “refuge” in Hebrew implies trust, confidence, and hope. The way we serve God the Father, is to place our trust in God the Son — the Messiah, Son of God, and eternal King.

In chapter 10 of Luke, Jesus sends out 72 disciples to prepare the way before him. We learn that every disciple has a mission, an exclusive message, and a high motivation. Our message is exclusive because that is what Jesus taught. He said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” The apostles taught, “there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we can be saved” (Acts 4:12). There is only one way to the Father. Therefore, we reject pluralism (several ways) and inclusivism (all will find their way). If you have seen Jesus clearly you should proclaim him boldly (Luke 10:23-24). We are called to share the good news victory, the life-shaping history-changing event of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:56-58).