Baptists Believe in Jesus Christ Part 2

We'll continue our series this morning on what do Baptists believe. What do Baptists believe? So, of you I know have been Baptist for most of your life or a good bit of your life. But sometimes it helps to go back every now and then remind people especially if you have, some new people. Not everybody in our church has, been a Baptist all their life.

Matter of fact, I know a good portion of the people in our church were part of another denomination before they became a Baptist. And so it's always good to go back and look, what do we believe? We need to know what we believe. It's important. We live in a world today that's trying to strip us of what we believe.

The devil is very hard at work. Sadly there are many Christians and many Baptists that end up out of church even in cults because they don't know what they believe. The Bible says in Acts chapter two that the first church continued in the apostles doctrine in their teaching. That was the first thing mentioned in the list of things the early church did. They continued in the apostles and the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ in the word of God.

So, we need to know what we believe. We believe, we looked at, we believe in this. We believe in the Bible. We believe in the word of God. This is not, just a good book.

It's not just a spiritual book. It's not a book that has good proverbs in it. This is the word of God. It carries the authority, the weight of its author, God himself. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by who?

The Holy spirit. This is the word of God and therefore, it is trustworthy. Therefore, it is worthy of our acceptance as it is and obedience to God and to his word. Praise the Lord. It provides us with the plan of salvation.

God's plan of redemption so that we can know God. Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior. Praise the Lord. We have the word of God that we might know him. It tells us about creation.

We were created by whom? By God. To whom we are also accountable by the way. The world doesn't like the creation part very well because they don't like the accountability part. See, if we're an accident and we're just a result of a grand explosion and many accidents that followed and we've just evolved then we're accountable to no one.

But that's not the case, is it? We were created by God. God recorded it for us in the scriptures that we might know where we came from, that we might know to whom we are accountable so that we might know where we're going. It's important. We believe in the creation of the earth and mankind by the direct act of God as the Bible teaches it.

We believe in the trinity, father, son, and holy spirit. We believe in sin, sad to say. Man is sinful. We're sinners who need a what? Who need a savior.

Christ came and died for sinners. Our sin is the reason he had to come and die. Because without his death, without his atoning sacrifice, there would be no salvation from sin. There would be no hope of eternal life but praise God, Jesus came. But man is sinful and needs a savior.

We believe in the sovereignty of God. God has a plan. God tells us about much of his plan in the word of God and he will fulfill it. He will keep all of his what? Promises and all of his word that he's given to us.

And we believe started last week. We believe in Jesus. We believe in Jesus Christ. There is no Christian church. There is no baptist church.

There is no hope of salvation without who? Without Jesus Christ. I am glad to be a Baptist but I am more glad to be a Christian. It means nothing to be a Baptist if you are not a Christian. If you have not put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

Have you ever seen one of these men on the street videos where they go around asking random people they meet on the street questions? Questions usually that everybody should know. And so they walk up to adults on the street and they have their camera and they have their question there and they ask them a question like this, Who is Mike Pence? Is Mike Pence? Now hopefully you know who Mike Pence is.

But in case you don't know, Mike Pence is the Vice President of The United States. All right? But they go up and they ask people on the street, well who is so and so? And like who is Mike Pence? And it's funny to watch the blank looks on people's faces as they, Mike Pence.

Alright. You know. And they come up blank and you can see the wheels spinning and there's nothing there. Who is Mike Pitts? I don't know.

They don't know. And so what do they do? Well they usually don't simply say, I don't know. They have to guess. That's human nature.

You know, if you don't know, you at least got to guess. And so they start guessing. Well, is he a quarterback in NFL? That's Mike Pence, right? No.

Well, maybe he's a movie star, right? No. An Olympian? No. He's a scientist that discovered such and such.

No. He is the president, the vice president of The United States. It is kind of funny to watch when they go from person to person. How many people don't know who Mike Pence is or whatever the obvious question may be. And it is funny, but it is also why?

It's also sad that people are so uneducated on things that are should be, you would think important. What's not so funny is that you might get the same kind of response out of many people today on the streets of The United States if you ask them this question, who is Jesus? Who is Jesus? You might be surprised at how many people do not know who Jesus is. Now, most of them have heard of Jesus.

But they don't know much or anything about Jesus or what they do know is not correct. In a land where there is literally a church on every corner in some parts of the country. It is sad that so many people don't really know who Jesus is and what Jesus did for us. Last week we learned as most of you already know that Jesus is the Son of God. Yes, Jesus was also a man because he was the son of God, God the son, come to Earth and became a a man.

He is called the son of man but he is also called the son of God. He is uniquely the son of God, the only begotten son of God. When he was baptized, God from heaven said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. He is deity. He is equal with the father.

He lived in eternity past in heaven. He was with God and he was God. But he came to Earth to be the savior of the world. He came to Earth because he loves us so much that he came and he died on the cross for our sins that we might be saved through faith in him but God commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Who is Jesus?

Jesus is God. Jesus is the savior. Jesus is love. Wanna know what love is? Learn about Jesus.

Jesus is love. He loved you so much. He gave himself for you. So that you could be redeemed. So that you could be saved from the eternal penalty of sin and hell.

In the lake of fire. He suffered for you and for me. That's who Jesus is and that's what he did. He came, he left heaven to suffer and die not for his sins but for mine. And then he rose again from the dead and that's where we ended our service last week.

Jesus, our risen Lord. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, Jesus, shalt believe in thine heart that God hath what? Raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Look if you would in first Corinthians chapter three, I mean chapter 15, sorry. First Corinthians chapter 15 and we'll begin in verse three.

This is Paul to the Corinthians on what the gospel is and by absolute necessity, it involves the risen savior that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. We serve a living savior. We looked last week at who is Jesus and what did he do. Today, we look at who is Jesus and what is he doing. It isn't just what he has done.

It is what he is doing now for you and for me. Jesus Christ is alive. Amen. First Corinthians 15 verse three, for I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to scriptures that he was buried, that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. That he was seen of Cephas, that's Peter, then of the 12.

After that he was seen of above above 500 brethren at once of whom the greater part remain until this present but many are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James then of all the apostles and last of all, he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time. The apostle Paul tells the Corinthians, Jesus Christ is risen. He has many what? Many witnesses that he is alive.

He didn't appear to one person or two people. He appeared to all the disciples, the apostles, over 500 people at one time. And Paul says, he even appeared to me on the road to Damascus. Paul saw the Lord Jesus Christ. He knew that he was risen and so, he bears witness to that to the Corinthians and to us.

We serve a risen savior. He is alive forevermore for he did rise from the dead. And as it is he is risen from the dead, we have to ask the question, what is he doing now because he is alive. What is he doing now? Well, we're gonna look to answer that question.

But before he went back to heaven, he had a couple things to do after his resurrection. Turn if you would to Matthew chapter 28 and verses 18 through 20. What did Jesus say before he went back to heaven to his disciples? Matthew 2eight 18 through 20. I'd put it on the screen but the print would be too small.

Some of you could see the whole thing. Matthew 28 verse 18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, his disciples saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. This is the risen savior speaking to his disciples. All power, all authority is given to me in heaven and earth.

Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and low I am with you always even unto the end of the world. Amen. Jesus spoke to his disciples before he went back to heaven. That's where he is now. And he said to them, I've given you a mission.

Here's the mission. Go in all the world and make disciples. Preach the gospel. Teach people about me. Tell them about me.

Be my my witnesses. To them. Baptize them in the name of the father, son, and holy ghost. Teach them all things that I have you and as you fulfill your mission I will be what? I will be with you Jesus said his disciples, here's your mission but you will not be alone because I will be with you.

Yes, Jesus is in heaven but Jesus is God. You know what that also means? That means he's with us. He is with us in the endeavor that he has called us to do. Acts chapter one verses four throughout.

I do have that No, I don't have that up on the screen but in Acts chapter one verse eight, he says, but you shall receive power. After that, the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, in Judea, and to the, in all Judea and Samaria and unto the what? The uttermost part of the earth. He said, when the Holy Spirit comes, you will be my witnesses. To others who haven't seen me, to tell them the good news of what I did and what I will do for them.

And then Jesus went back and then Jesus went back to heaven. When he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. Jesus went back to be with the father in heaven and that's where he is now and he is very much alive and he is very much interested in you in this world and in his church. He is watching over you. He is doing many things for you.

We're going to look at just a few of those things this morning before we move on. What is Jesus? Where is he now? Jesus is in heaven with the father. What is he doing now?

What what is Jesus doing now? Turn if you would. Well, let's see. I think I have that up here. Just look on the screen.

If you turn if you like to first John chapter two. First John chapter two and verses one and two. The Bible tells us what Jesus is doing now. He ascended up to heaven where he is our what? He is our mediator.

He is our advocate. He is our intercessor. He intercedes before the father for us based not upon our worthiness but based on the blood of his atoning sacrifice. First John two, my little children, these things write unto you that you sin not and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ, the righteous, the righteous one and he is the propitiation that is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. He paid the price.

He bore the shame and the suffering for the sins of the world. He is the propitiation, the sacrifice that sits at the right hand of the father. Not for ours only, not for our sins only but also for the sins of the what? The sins of the whole world. We can go forth with a surety and certainty that Christ died for the sins of the world and any who will come to him by faith shall be what?

For he that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out and I give to them eternal life and they shall never perish. If you will come to Christ, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and all who come to him by faith shall be saved. He is the atoning sacrifice for sin. The final sacrifice for sin.

The sin of the bulls and goats was not sufficient to take away sin just to cover it for a time but when Jesus, the righteous son of God, died on the cross and bore my sin and shame there. He was the final, the atoning sacrifice. For all my sin and I can be certain of my relationship with the Lord and my place in heaven. Not because of my worthiness because I am not worthy but because of the atoning sacrifice of the one who sits in heaven at the right hand of the father, Jesus Christ, the righteous one who is my advocate. An advocate is one who represents another, who pleads on their behalf in their defense, who speaks for us before the judge.

It says in Matthew ten thirty two, it says, whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my father which is in heaven. Jesus said, if you will confess me by faith, if you will embrace me by faith as your Lord and savior, then I will stand for you. Before my father. I will confess you as my redeemed before my father in the world. The only one has ever in of my forgiveness, my eternal life because he is in heaven.

And he confesses me before his father. In The United States Of America we have a judicial system and then that judicial system if you are arrested, if you are accused of a crime, you have the right to a what? An attorney and what does the attorney or what is the attorney supposed to do for you? That attorney is supposed to speak for you to be your advocate before the judge and before the jury. To be on your side.

Now, human advocates are not perfect, are they? No, they are. But we have a perfect advocate in heaven, Jesus Christ not only the one who defends us and pleads our case but the one who has made it possible for us to be saved. For he pleads not because we are worthy but he pleads because of what he has done before us, for us on the cross. He claims us as his own.

He says, their sins, his sins, her sins are under my blood for I died for them. There is therefore now what? No condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. We pass from death into life. Praise God because we serve a risen savior and he is my advocate in heaven who intercedes for me.

He is my mediator. The one mediator between God and man, the man, Christ, Jesus. Look if you would in Romans chapter eight. This is one of my favorite passages of scripture. Romans chapter eight if you would.

And we're gonna begin reading in verse 31. Romans eight and beginning in verse 31. The the last few verses about nothing can separate us from the love of Christ is a passage that's referred to often by many people and praise the Lord. There is nothing that will separate us from the love of Christ. I wanna back up a few verses to verse 31 and see what leads up to that in context particularly as it pertains to Jesus Christ, our advocate.

It says in verse 31 of Romans eight, what shall we then say to these things? If God before us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Who is he that condemn it? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Here is the point Paul is making. The judge is on your side. The judge is Jesus Christ The one who died to save you is also who?

Jesus Christ. The one who condemns is Jesus Christ is the same who If Jesus Christ has declared us guiltless, before his father's throne in heaven. Who can bring an accusation? Who can condemn us? The answer is what?

No one and nothing. Because the judge and the jury and the advocate, Jesus Christ. Is on our side and hath declared us guiltless. So, we have nothing to what? Nothing to fear in light of eternity Who know Jesus as savior.

For he died for us, he is risen, and he is our advocate in heaven. And if God before us, who can be against us? If God does not condemn us, who can? No one can. It goes on to say, In verse 35, who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? As it is written, for thy sake, we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen. Praise the Lord. Nothing can separate us from God. Why? Because Jesus Christ is risen and he's at the right hand of the father where he intercedes for us.

He is our advocate. He advocates for us and he has redeemed us. He has redeemed us to himself. As he is our advocate, it says in Hebrews seven twenty five, wherefore he is able also to what? To save them to the uttermost or evermore that come unto God by him seeing he ever live it to make intercession for us.

You know, in the book of Judges, the people of Israel would sin. They would go after idols. God would send them a judge, a deliverer. The deliverer would come. He would deliver them out of bondage.

And everything would be pretty good until the deliverer what? The deliverer died. And then it would go bad again. God gave Israel priests who would bring sacrifices. Those priests had to be replaced.

Why? Because they all what? They all died. But not who? But not Jesus.

He is able to save those who come to him forever, evermore to the uttermost, completely. We can be assured of it. Why? Because he ever what? He ever live it to make intercession for us.

He ever lives in heaven to stand for me. What an awesome thought and I am secure therefore. In him, he is my savior. He is my redeemer. Revelation five and verse nine and they sung a song saying, thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou was slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood for out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.

Where will this song be sung? It'll be sung before the throne of God in heaven by those redeemed by the blood of the lamb. That's you and me. He is our living redeemer and he is able to keep us and he will. It says in second Timothy one twelve, for the witch cause I also suffer these things.

Nevertheless, I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day because I serve a risen savior intercedes for me forever in the before the throne of God. I know that he will keep me and I am secure. He redeems us, saves us, and keeps us by his power. That is what he is doing for you and me. He has sent to us his spirit.

He told his disciples to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the father, the promise of the spirit. John sixteen:seven, nevertheless I tell you the truth is expedient. It is good for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you. Jesus said to his disciples, yes, I'm going away.

Don't sorrow. Don't be worried. It's good. It's a good thing because when I go away, I'll send the Holy Spirit. He won't just be with you.

He will be in you. He will be with you and in you to guide you, to help you, to empower you. He has not left us alone. He said to his disciples, I will be with you to the end of the world or to the end of the age. How is he with us in the presence of the what?

Holy Spirit who lives inside of your heart and of mine. Says in Ephesians one thirteen, in whom you also trusted after he heard the word of truth, the gospel of your and whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. When you trusted Christ as savior, you were born of the spirit and the spirit came into your life, the new, the Holy Spirit. And it made you a child of God. And it sealed you, sealed you until the day of redemption.

In Galatians four, six, and seven, and because you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son. Into your hearts crying, Abba Father, wherefore, thou art no more a servant but a son if a son than an heir of God through Christ. We have his spirit who lives inside of us, who reminds us that we are the children of God. What is Jesus doing? What Jesus is doing?

He went back to heaven to be our advocate. He has redeemed us, saved us, he will keep us, he has sent us a comforter to help us in our task, he answers our prayers. John fourteen thirteen, and whatsoever he shall ask in my name, that will I do that the father may be glorified in the son. Jesus said, I am your advocate. I will intercede for you.

I will also hear and answer your what? Because Jesus is in heaven, I can come boldly before the throne of grace. I can't pick up the phone today with certainty and call the president of The United States and know that he is going to be on the other end of that line and be willing to listen to me. But I can bow my head in prayer and I can speak to my heavenly father with certainty because Jesus Christ is there in heaven. My advocate.

And because he is there and has claimed me as his own I know that I can come boldly before the throne of grace. Then God will hear and answer my prayers. Amen. Amen. Our savior answers prayer.

We won't take time to ask this morning what prayers he's answered for you. Sadly, we've forgotten so many of them. We sometimes focus on the current request and forget about the past the past answers That oh how he is he answered my prayers. Oh how he has taken care of my family. Oh how he has guided me in the path that he has for me.

And he has done the same for you who know him as savior. And he will do the same in the future. We can be certain of it because Jesus Christ, our advocate, is in heaven. And then finally, this morning, John fourteen one through three. If you'll turn there, John fourteen one through three.

What is Jesus doing in heaven? Well, told his disciples why he was going back He said in verse one of John 14, let not your heart be troubled. What was he talking about? Well, there all this talk of dying on the cross, all this talk of leaving them, they're they're they're worried. They're worried.

They they don't know. They don't understand. They're they're confused and they're worried about the future and what's going to happen and their heart is troubled. Jesus says to them, don't don't let your heart be troubled. Don't let your heart be troubled.

You believe in God, believe also in me and my father's house or many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you and I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also. You know what Jesus is doing? Jesus is back in heaven preparing a place for who? For us.

Preparing a place for all who will come to him by faith and receive his offer of eternal life. Jesus Christ is preparing a place for you and for me. One day, he's going to come, Receive us unto himself. Where he is, there we will be always. With him.

This is an illustration, a metaphor Christ is using here of the Hebrew marriage process. To a man and woman would become betrothed and the young man would go back to wherever he was from and he would prepare a home for his bride. He would work, he would earn, he would save, he would he would build a home and when the home was built and prepared, then, he would come back and he would marry his bride and then he would take her home to the place that he had prepared. The apostles asked Jesus before he was as he was standing on the Mount Of Olives, will you would now restore the kingdom? And Jesus said, no.

No. That's not up for you to know. That's not for now. But as they stood gazing up, two angels showed up and said, he's going to what? Don't stand.

Why you stand up gazing up here? Get busy. For as he left in like manner, he will also one day what? Return. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us but be assured, Jesus has promised he will come back to take us home, to be with him.

That's what he's doing now. Preparing a place for you. That is he is preparing a place for you if, if, you are a child of God. If you have received him as your personal Lord and savior. If you reject him, If you reject him, there is another place that is prepared for you.

Not a wonderful place, not a glorious place, not a place of eternal pleasures and joy. In a place of eternal suffering and pain. It's called the Lake Of Fire. Whoever's names were not found written in the book of life were cast into the what? The Lake Of Fire.

That place originally wasn't prepared for you. It was prepared for the devil and his angels but if we reject God's offer of salvation, if we choose to remain in our sins, there remains no sacrifice for sin apart from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And we will be forever lost. What about you? Which place are you going?

Matthew ten thirty two Jesus said, whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my father which is in heaven. We didn't read verse 33 before but whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my father which is in heaven. The choice is up to you. Will you embrace Christ by faith? Have you embraced Christ by faith?

Is he your advocate? Have you confessed him before man as your savior? Does he confess you therefore? Or have you rejected him? That choice is up to you.

What choice have you made? What choice will you make? For everything depends upon that choice. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. If you're here today, you've not yet made that choice.

You can make it today. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for Jesus Christ, our savior. Thank you for what you did for us on Calvary's Cross. Thank you that you ever live in heaven to intercede in our behalf.

Lord, I pray if there be one here today who has not yet received Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, has not come to you in repentance and faith and trusted you alone to be the Lord and savior of their life. Lord, I pray that they would come today even as we give this invitation hymn. I pray they would come. I pray that we might be given the opportunity to show them from the word of God how they might be saved and know it. That they might leave this place a new person in Jesus Christ.

A child of God and on their way to a new home in heaven. That you prepared for them. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.