Transformed LEADERS
The Book of Titus | Making Leaders | Titus 2:11-14 | Pastor Duane Smets
This an exegetical sermon of Titus 2:11-14 which addresses the transforming power of the gospel in how grace not only saves us but changes us. Particular attention is giving to Jesus’ diety, appearings, redemption, purity, his people, and their works. This sermon was originally preached on July 10th, 2011 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Jesus Makes Demands & Un-Masks His Deity
Matthew Series | Matthew 16:24-17:13 | Pastor Duane Smets
This week is an exegetical sermon on Matthew 16:24-17:13 where Jesus talks about the cost of discipleship, the meaning and purpose of life, and then peels back the veil and shows a few of the disciples a glimpse of his full deity. This sermon was originally preached on July 25th, 2010 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Jesus Reveals He is God and Disciples Worship Him
Matthew Series | Matthew 14:22-33 | Pastor Duane Smets
This week is an exegetical sermon on Matthew 14:22-33 looking at the example Jesus in spending time in solitude with The Father, the presence of Jesus in the middle of storms, the salvation provided for by Jesus, and Jesus’ deity as the Son of God. This sermon was originally preached on May 23rd, 2010 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Jesus is God
Within the past few months I have had a number of conversations with various individuals who struggle with the idea of Jesus actually and always being deity. In general this is one of the biggest challenges our current culture has with the person of Jesus presented in the Bible. It’s fine to think of him as a religious sage or spiritual guru but saying he is actually God tends to rock the boat.
At other times in history, such as in the fourth and fifth century, cultures have had trouble with the opposite idea, struggling with the idea of Jesus actually being fully human (Nestorians and Applonarians). Others conceive of a Jesus that gained or earned some divine like status through the merits of his good life. These include modern day Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, which are both variants of the old idea of Arius (a rogue fourth century pastor who broke off from the Christian community because of his aberrant beliefs. AKA “monarchianism” or “adoptionism”).
For some it doesn’t really matter what the Bible says because they don’t see the Bible being right, true or authoritative. Others wonder if the idea of Jesus actually being God was a belief that slowly developed or evolved over time as Christianity progressed (John Dominic Crossan and his PBS & History channel fans…sidenote: why do they always interview him as if he is the only scholar on the subject? There are far more true “scholars” out there to interview and most think he is insane).
A few weeks ago one of our church members asked me if I would specifically write a blog addressing this issue and the Bible’s teaching about it. First, I recommend that if you’re in San Diego, to take our Theo 101 course where we fully address this issue and the history surrounding it. Second, I recommend you read “Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ” by Robert M. Bowman Jr. and J. Ed Komoszewski. It is the most comprehensive and concise current work out there on this subject. Third, here is your blog. Basically, I’ll follow the model Bowman and Komoszewski lay out which is nicely built around the acronym “H.A.N.D.S.” (charts with Scripture references included).
In the Bible Jesus shares the (H)onors (A)ttributes (N)ames (D)eeds and (S)eat of the God whom the Bible describes and declares.
