That You May Believe - Jesus' Claims In Relation To The Messianic Hope

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                         "THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"

            Jesus' Claims In Relation To The Messianic Hope

INTRODUCTION

1. Who was Jesus?  What did He claim to be?

2. In our previous study, we noticed how Jesus claimed...
   a. That He came from God
   b. That He alone has seen God
   c. That He knows God
   d. That He reveals God
   e. That He is equal to God
   -- These claims all pertain to His relation to God

3. Jesus also made claims in relation to the Messianic hope...
   a. A hope cherished by many Jews at that time
   b. A hope Jesus claimed to have fulfilled - cf. Jn 4:25-26

4. In this lesson our purpose is to...
   a. Look closer at the Old Testament concept of the Messiah
   b. Notice how Jesus claimed to the fulfillment of the Messianic hope

[In the Old Testament we find promises concerning the coming of a
Messiah.  Let's consider...]

I. THE OLD TESTAMENT CONCEPT OF THE MESSIAH

   A. THE TERM "MESSIAH" DEFINED...
      1. In Hebrew, it means "anointed one"
      2. The Greek counterpart to "Messiah" is "Christ"
      3. In the Old Testament, it is used as...
         a. An adjective in regards to the priests ("the anointed
            priest") who were anointed with oil when consecrated - cf.
            Lev 4:3; 8:12
         b. A noun in regards to kings ("the LORD's anointed") who
            likewise were anointed with oil - cf. 1Sa 24:6; 2Sa 2:4

   B. THE MESSIANIC CONCEPT DEVELOPED...
      1. It began with Moses
         a. He said God would raise up a prophet - cf. Deut 18:15,17-19
         b. In Jesus' day, people were anticipating a prophet - cf. Jn
            1:19-21
      2. It continued with David
         a. Who spoke of "the anointed one" as God and an everlasting
            king - Ps 45:6-7
         b. Who spoke of One who would be both king and priest - Psa
            110:1-4
      3. It was expounded upon by the prophets
         a. Isaiah spoke of One who would be Mighty God, and a king
            forever - Isa 9:6-7
         b. Micah wrote of One who would be a preexistent king and
            shepherd - Mic 5:2-4
         c. Jeremiah foretold of One who would be a king and savior 
            - Jer 23:5,6
         d. Zechariah told of One who be a priest on His throne - Zec
            6:12-13

[With great expectation, the people of Jesus' day were looking for the
coming of this "Messiah" (cf. Jn 4:25).  As revealed in Jn 4:26, Jesus
did not hesitate to claim to be the Messiah...]

II. JESUS' CLAIMS TO BE THE MESSIAH

   A. HE CLAIMED TO BE "PROPHET"...
      1. A spokesman for the Father - Jn 8:26,28
      2. One who speaks only the things of the Father - Jn 12:49-50
      -- Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by Moses

   B. HE CLAIMED TO BE "GOD"...
      1. As examined in our previous lesson
      2. For example, recall Jn 5:18; 10:33
      -- Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by David and Isaiah

   C. HE CLAIMED TO BE "KING"...
      1. When questioned by Pilate - Jn 18:37
      2. Whose kingdom was not of this world - Jn 18:36
      -- Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by David, Isaiah, Micah,
         Jeremiah, and Zechariah

   D. HE CLAIMED TO BE "SHEPHERD"...
      1. The good shepherd who gives His life for His sheep - Jn 10:11
      2. The good shepherd who knows His sheep - Jn 10:14
      -- Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by Micah

   E. HE CLAIMED TO BE "SAVIOR"...
      1. In one of His last public speeches - Jn 12:44-47
      2. As recorded in the other gospels - Mt 18:11; Lk 9:56; 19:10
      -- Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by Jeremiah

   F. HE CLAIMED TO FUNCTION AS "PRIEST"...
      1. In saying that one must go through Him to go to the Father - Jn
         14:6
      2. As later taught by His disciples - cf. He 4:14-16
      -- Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by David and Zechariah

CONCLUSION

1. In this way Jesus claimed to fulfill the Messianic expectations...
   a. Later we shall consider the evidence John presents to sustain such
      claims
   b. They were claims that certainly prompted the people to wonder -
      cf. Jn 7:26

2. But a closing thought for those of us who profess Jesus to be the
   Messiah:  Do we demonstrate by our lives that we really believe Jesus
   is our Messiah?

   As our Prophet...to whom we are to listen as God's spokesman and
   obey?

   As our God...to whom we are to humbly submit and reverently worship?

   As our King...to whom we grant absolute authority and rule in our
   lives?

   As our Shepherd...in whom we place our complete trust and find our
   greatest source of comfort?

   As our Savior...in whom we depend for the salvation of our souls?

   As our Priest...through whom we approach our Heavenly Father in
   prayer?

Unless we allow Jesus to be all these things in our lives, can we really
say that we believe Him to be the Christ, the Messiah, God's anointed
one?
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