While the Pharisees were gathered
together, Jesus asked them. Now they had asked him several
questions. If you look in this chapter,
they asked him about the law. They asked him about paying taxes. They asked him about the resurrection.
They asked several questions. Jesus asked them, saying, what
Think ye of Christ. And he narrows that down even
more. Whose son is he? What a blessing it would be if
we could just not even think about ourselves right now. How
many times do you think during the day, am I really saved? How
could I be? You think that a lot, don't you?
I do too. I wish we would just stop that
foolishness and think of this question. What think ye of Christ? What do you think about yourself
or about your standing before God? or about how much growing
you're doing, or about how much, just anything with regard to
me and you, may the Lord enable us to forget it. What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? I'm going to attempt to preach
on the Son of God. Would you turn to Mark chapter
1 for a moment? I love the way Mark begins this
book. He doesn't talk about the genealogy
of Christ. He doesn't give us any record
of the birth of Christ. But look how he begins his gospel. The beginning of the gospel of
Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Look down in verse 34 of the
same chapter, and he healed many that were sick of diverse diseases
and cast out many devils and suffered not the devils to speak
because they knew him. Every one of them. They knew Him. They didn't know Him the way
a believer knows Him, but they knew who He was. Look in chapter
3, verse 11, and unclean spirits,
when they fell down before Him, cried saying, thou art the son
of God. And he straightly charged them
that they should not make him known. You see, the Lord is not
trying to gain a following. He is who he is. Look in chapter five of Mark. They came over into the other
side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he
was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs,
a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the
tombs, and no man could bind him, no, not with chains, because
he'd been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had
been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces,
neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he
was in the mountains and the tombs, crying and cutting himself
with stone, self-destructive. But when he saw Jesus afar off,
he ran and worshiped him. He cried with a loud voice. What
have I to do with thee? Jesus, thou Son of the Most High
God, I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. That's all
he could think of the Lord doing to him. What have I to do with
thee? What connection is there between
us? You're holy, I'm evil. You're
light, I'm darkness. You're good, I'm bad. What connection
is there with us? Now, these demons knew who he
was. James said, the devils believe
and tremble. They don't love who he is, but
they know who he is. Jesus Christ is the son of God. In John chapter one, verse one,
We read, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, a distinct person, and the Word was God. The same was. He's eternally the I am that
I am. The same was in the beginning,
with God. Now, would you turn with me for
a moment to John chapter 5. This is the issue of Him being
the Son of God. John chapter 5, verse 17. But Jesus answered them, My Father
worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the
more to kill him because not only had he broken the Sabbath,
but he said also that God was his father, making himself equal
with God. The son of God is equal with
God for this reason. He is God. Hear the words of the gospel
of Isaiah. I love this verse of scripture.
Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6. Unto us a child is born and to
us a son is given. Now that son was not born. That son is given. Never born. He is the only begotten
and well-beloved Son of God. And this begetting is not an
event of time. It's a fact, irrespective of
time. He is the eternal Son. God the Son, blessed over all
forever and ever. unto us a child is born unto
us a son is given and the scripture says the government shall be
upon his shoulders that means the rule and the dominion he
doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven and among
the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or
say unto him, what doest thou? Give an account of yourself. His name shall be called Wonderful, full of wonder and awe. His name shall be called Counselor. And a counselor isn't somebody
you go to get advice to. That's not what this word means.
I'm trying to get some advice. No. He's the one who counsels. He's the one who decrees. You
can just as well say he's the decreer. Everything that takes
place is his will being done. And he shall be called the mighty
God. All you and I will ever see of
God is Jesus Christ. The everlasting father. Somebody
says, explain that to me. I wouldn't dare try. But I do
know this. He said, he that has seen me,
hath seen the father. The prince of peace. He made my peace with God. He himself is my peace with God. Would you turn with me for a
moment to Hebrews chapter one? Verse one, God, well, that's a great way to start a
book, isn't it? God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners
spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets hath
in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. Now, I want to say this reverently,
but he is all God has to say. He's spoken by His Son, and He
identifies who this Son is, whom He hath appointed heir of all
things, by whom also He made the worlds. He's the creator.
Who, being the brightness of His glory, and the express image
of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power
when he had by himself purged our sins. Now it would be good
if it just said he purged our sins, but I love it the way it
says he by himself purged our sins. That means me and you don't
have anything in this. This is his work only. He sat down at
the right hand of the majesty on high. Look in verse eight
of the same chapter, but unto the Son he saith, God the Father
saith, but unto the Son he saith, thy throne, O God, is forever
and ever. A scepter of righteousness is
the scepter of thy kingdom. Now this one who is the eternal
Son, who never had a beginning. I love the same ones. The same ones. Not wants to be,
could be, should be, will be. He's eternally the I am that
I am. The eternal Son who is in the
bosom of the Father, who inhabits eternity with the Father made
many pre-incarnate appearances. And what do I mean by that? Well,
he became flesh sometime 2,000 years ago, but before that he
was not flesh. But he made many pre-incarnate appearances in
the Old Testament. The first is when Adam heard
the voice of God walking in the cool of the evening. Who was
that but the Lord Jesus Christ? I love his appearance as Melchizedek. Abraham comes back from the slaughter
of the kings. And he pays tithes to Melchizedek. Christ is the priest after the
order of Melchizedek. And Melchizedek brings bread
and wine. I think that prefigures the Lord's
table. He's the one who's made like
unto the Son of God. Like John said in Revelation,
I saw one like unto the Son of Man. He is the Son of Man. Nebuchadnezzar
say, I see four men and one form is likened to the Son of God.
Well, it's because he is the Son of God. I think of him appearing
to Abraham before the destruction of Sodom.
I think of him wrestling with Jacob. What an appearance. He brought him down, didn't he?
That was his purpose. I love his appearance to Moses
as the burning bush that could not be consumed. And the Lord
spake from the midst of the bush. You think of this bush that could
not be consumed. It did not need the energy of
the wood to keep going. You know why? This is the independent
God. He has no needs. I want you to think about how
needy you and I are. In every respect. Not Him. He didn't need the energy of
that wood to keep burning. And He couldn't be consumed.
The Lord Jesus as the perfect man, He could not be consumed
by the wrath of God. He consumed the wrath. and put
it away. What a glorious person in all
these appearances he made before his coming into the world. But
turn with me for a moment to Daniel chapter 3. I've already mentioned this, but Daniel chapter 3. Daniel is right
after the book of Ezekiel. Daniel chapter 3 beginning in
verse 23. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
Daniel 3.23, fell down bound into the midst of the burning
fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar, that's who
we were just reading of, the man God had made king, Then Nebuchadnezzar,
the king, was astonished and rose up in haste and spake and
said unto his counselors, did we not catch three men bound
into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the
king, true, O king. He answered and said, lo, I see
four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have
no hurt. And the form of the fourth is
likened to the Son of God. How do you know? If you ever see him, you'll know.
You'll know. Well, maybe I have to convince
you of it. You'll know. Upon his birth, when he did come
into the world, I love the announcement of the angels. That holy thing. It's almost like they didn't
know how to address him. That holy thing that shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God. During his first
30 years, we know very little. I know that the people he grew
up with didn't get it. That shows how stupid we are. They have God, the Son of God
being raised with them and they don't get it. But we have one event of his
life recorded. You remember when he was 12 years
old and his parents left him. They come back to get him. You
know the story. But I love what he said. He identified himself
as the son of God then. I must be about my father's business. And he spent 30 years in obscurity,
being about his father's business, doing what only the Son of God
could do, keeping God's law perfectly, working out a perfect righteousness. Now when he enters his public
ministry, I don't even know what kind of words to use for that,
But he went from this 30 years of obscurity to a public ministry. He comes to John the Baptist
to be baptized and John is taken back. He knows who he is. You
remember how when his mom came to Mary and
she told him about being with child and even when John was
in the womb he leaped being filled with the Holy Ghost from the
womb. Somebody says, explain to me that. I can't explain that.
But it happened. John knew who he was. And when
the Lord comes up and says, baptize me. He said, I need to be baptized
with thee. The Lord said, suffer so to be
now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. I'm
thankful for that word us. That us is all the elect. And
when he went down into the water and came back up out of the water,
what took place? A voice from heaven. This is
my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Not just with him, but
in him. I am well pleased. And what happened after that?
He was immediately driven into the wilderness. You know somebody
who was listening when that voice came from heaven? Satan himself. I have no doubt that he watched
Christ every day. Somebody says, well, does it
say that in the Bible? No, but I think it. I think it. He was
watching the Son of God every day. And he heard that voice
come down from heaven. And what was it that he said
in his temptation? If. You're the son of God. Prove it. Command that these
stones be made bread. If you're the son of God, prove
it. Jump off that pinnacle of the
temple because the scripture says the angels of God will keep
you up unless you dash your foot against a stone. Now, when he
said you're not to tempt the Lord God, if the Lord says it,
it doesn't need to be proved, does it? Doesn't need to be proved. He is the eternal Son of God. Now when the Lord was bringing
that message in John chapter 6, He said to the twelve, will
you also go away after they objected to the message? These are hard
sayings. We don't like hard sayings. And
they all left the Lord at that time. And He watched them leave.
And He didn't ask them to come back either. He watched them
leave. And he looked at the 12 and said,
will you also go away? Simon answered, to whom shall
we go? It's not like we have an option.
To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. These words that these people don't like, they're words
of eternal life to us. And we believe and are sure that
thou art that Christ. the son of the living God. In Matthew chapter 16, whom do
men say that I am? Well, they put you in pretty
high cotton. Some say you're John the Baptist, Elijah, one
of the prophets, which was derogatory. To compare him to any man is
wrong. And he said, whom say ye that
I am? And Peter said, thou art that
Christ, the Son of the living God. Now let's don't, what think
ye of Christ? What do you think of him as prophet? You know, he's a prophet like
no other prophet. Every other prophet said, thus saith the
Lord. He never said that. I say unto
you, he's a priest like no other priest. Every other priest offered
up the blood of an animal sacrifice. He offered up his own blood and
what it accomplished. He's a king like no other king.
Every king has borrowed authority. He has all authority in and of
himself. He's the king of kings. He's
the lord of lords. He's the lord of whose hand the
heart of the king is in, is the rivers of water. He turneth it
with her soever he will. Whom do men say that I am? Who
say you that I am? Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the living God. Blessed art thou, so I am barred
from flesh and blood. Didn't reveal that to you. But
my Father, which is in heaven. Now the issue is, who is Jesus
Christ? That is the issue. Everything
else is determined by this. Who is Jesus Christ? Now, I dare say that if you would
ask a lot of people, if you go outside in this room, who is
Jesus Christ, I bet they'd say the Son of God. I bet a lot of
people would say that. There's a problem with that,
though. Because the God they believe is not the God of the
Bible. A God that's anything less than
absolutely sovereign and in control of all things is a non-existent
God. So if He's the Son of that God,
He's non-existent. He's not real. Now when we talk
about Christ being the Son of God, Scripture says this in Colossians
chapter 2 verse 9, in Him dwelleth Christ. all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily. That's the Son of God we're talking
about who has every attribute of God in its fullness residing
in His body. Fullness of sovereignty, fullness
of grace, fullness of justice, fullness of immutability, whatever
attribute God is, He is in for us. He is God the Son. He said to the blind man who
was healed, does thou believe on the Son of God? I wish every
one of us would ask ourselves that question right now, or the
Lord would ask us that. Do you believe on the Son of
God? I'm not asking if you believe you're saved or if you believe
you're elect. I'm not asking you if you think you see sufficient
evidence that makes you think you're saved in your life. I'm
asking you, do you believe on the Son of God? Who is He, Lord? Thou hast both seen Him, and
it's He that speaketh with thee. You know what he said? Lord,
I believe. And he worshipped him. You see, you or I see that he
is the son of God. You know what the inevitable
result is? Worship. Worship. You know you're in his hands.
And He can do with you whatever He's pleased to do. And you get
down and you worship. I love the story of the Mount
of Transfiguration. The Lord brings up James and
John and Peter and the scripture says He was transfigured before
them. At this time, and here's another
thing, I can talk about it, I don't understand it, don't know how
to explain it, but at this time, his face shined above the shining
of the sun, his raiment became white as light, his deity burst
through his humanity. And there were two people talking
to him, Moses and Elijah, they appeared to him. And I know what
they were talking about. Luke 9.31 says they spake of
the decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem. You see, His death
was a complete accomplishment. The salvation of all the elect.
The glorification of God. The manifestation of every attribute
of God. The subject of the eternities.
The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Worthy is the Lamb
that was slain. The only subject. That's what
they spake of. And Peter just had to speak.
Then answered Peter. Nobody asked Peter anything,
but he answered. And he said something that was
really stupid. Let's make three tabernacles.
One for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Really stupid. You fear saying stupid things? Well, you will. I will. I will. Peter did. But what happened
after Peter made that really stupid statement? The scripture
says a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice came from the
heavens. This is my beloved son in whom
I'm well pleased. Hear ye him. When they come to arrest the
Lord at the end of his three year public ministry, they come
and he says, Whom seek ye? They said, Jesus of Nazareth. I am. You notice in the King
James that he is in italics. He's giving his name from the
burning bush of the eternal sun. I am. What took place? They fell backwards. The Lord's
letting them know at this time in no uncertain terms, I'm no
victim. I'm not in your hands, you're
in mine. I'm controlling this event. They bring him before the high
priest. And he says, art thou the Christ,
the son of the blessed? And Jesus said, I am. There's
other times where he said, you said it. But in Mark's account,
he says, I am. I love it when the Lord says,
I am. Before Abraham was, I am. Are you the son of the blessed?
I am. Hereafter, you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the
right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven." What further need have we of
witnesses to put him to death? Well, they deliver him to Pilate.
Pilate says, I find no fault in him. And they replied to Pilate,
by our law, he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God. And the scripture says Pilate
was all the more afraid. He didn't know what was going
on. And then he comes out to the Lord and he says, the Lord
doesn't speak. He says, speakest thou not to
me? Don't you know that I have power to crucify you and I have
power to release you? Thou couldst have no power at
all over me. except it be given thee from
above. They nailed him to a cross and
those passing by mocked him, saying, if you're the son of
God, come down and save yourself. Well, he's the son of God, but
he couldn't come down and save himself if he's gonna save us.
That's what he was doing on Calvary's tree. You see, folks didn't get
mad at what the Lord did. They got mad at who He said He
is. God. The Son. When the Lord is giving His last words, it
is finished. Father, into Thy hand I commend
my spirit at this time. He gave death permission to come
and take him. Couldn't do it to his head. Don't
you love the Lord like that? I mean, that's who he is. Nothing
happens without him. And the scripture says at that
time the earth quaked. And tombs were opened. And the
rocks rent. And the Roman centurion beholding
these things said, surely this is the Son of God. Now, let me make three closing
statements. The Son of God. This is the content
of faith. You'll remember when the Ethiopian
eunuch, after hearing the gospel, you don't have any faith without
hearing the gospel. He heard the gospel. He preached unto
him Jesus from Isaiah chapter 53. Upon hearing the gospel,
no doubt he heard something about baptism at that time. Because
he said, see, here is water. What doth hinder me from being
baptized? I want to know, is there a reason
why I shouldn't be baptized? Maybe I don't know enough. Maybe
I haven't understood enough. Maybe I don't have enough experience.
What hinders me? If you believe with all your
heart, You may. How did he reply? I believe. He didn't say, I believe I'm
saved. He didn't say, I believe I've
been born again. He didn't say, I see sufficient evidence in
my life that makes me think the Lord's done something for me.
I'm different. I've changed. I'm a changed life.
Well, preachers use that a lot. Changed life. He said, I believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. You believe that? That He's God
the Son, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in His body. Paul said, I live, yet not I,
but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith. of the Son of God who loved me
and gave himself for me. John said, these things are written
that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And that believing, you might
have life through his name. First John 5 says, who is he
that overcometh the world? We have a Christian radio station. I use the word loosely. It's not Christian, but it calls
itself Christian. And it calls it the Overcomers
Club. Overcomers Club. I mean, when
I hear that jingle, I want to throw up. But at any rate. Who is he that overcometh the
world, but he that believeth that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God. Now I'm one of those people.
I believe that he is the eternal, uncreated Son of God, equal with
the Father. Now that is the content of faith. Secondly, this is the content
of the gospel. Turn with me to Romans 1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle, separated. unto the gospel of God, which
He had promised to for by the prophets and the holy scriptures,
the gospel of the scripture, and the gospel of God is the
gospel concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. which was made of the seed of
David, according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of
God, with power, with authority, according to the spirit of holiness,
the only holy man to ever live, by the resurrection from the
dead. such as the glory of this man, is that he completely satisfied
the wrath of God, the justice of God, his body never went through
decay, and he was raised from the dead. That's the gospel. One last scripture, turn to 2nd
Corinthians 1, this is the content of faith, this is the content
of the gospel, and this is the content of our preaching. Verse 18, but as God is true,
our word toward you was not yea and nay, for the Son of God,
Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and
Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea,
for all the promises of God in him are yea. And amen. unto the glory of God by us.
Now what in the world does that mean? If you would listen to probably
about any preacher in this town, and they would say, and ask them, is Jesus Christ death enough
to bring you into heaven? Yes! Absolutely! But not if you don't do your
part. That's called yea-nay preaching. I could give so many examples
of that. Yea, nay preaching. Is salvation by grace? Yes. But you need to allow God to
save you. Yea, nay preaching. False preaching. The Son of God, Jesus Christ,
who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and
Timotheus, was not yea and nay. But in him, in him was yea. For all the promises of God in
him are yea. They can't go wrong. You can't
do anything messing up. And amen to the glory of God
by us. What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? What God thinks of you right
now is seen by your answer to that question.