The Messiah's Secret - Who is Jesus?    

Matthew 16:13-19.    2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 17, 18.

The cross Paul wrote is folly to the world, but to those like us who believe that the gospel is true, by the Holy Spirit revealing Jesus the Son of the living God into our hearts.

Many Christians today are being imprisoned for their faith in Jesus, not just because they believe in Jesus, but because they are living out their faith on a daily basis.   

Paul’s second letter to Timothy was written from the house where he was being held as a prisoner. It is generally thought to be in Rome. Acts 23: 11 

Paul had been given a prophecy through Agabus the prophet.  Agabus took Paul’s belt and tied up his own feet and hands and prophesied ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles’. After hearing this some begged him not to go to Jerusalem. Paul’s response he was ready to be imprisoned and even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 21: 10-14, 33  

After Paul was arrested at Jerusalem he was about to be scourged when he appealed to Caesar as he was a Roman citizen. For two years Paul was held at Caesarea until Festus became governor.  

 Paul was brought in chains before Festus  and King Agrippa, they mocked Paul accusing him of madness. After Paul gave his testimony, telling them that he persecuted the Christians and he had seen Jesus in a vision on the Damascus Road. Festus declared, “Paul you are mad; your great learning is turning you mad.” Paul declared that he was not mad, “I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am, except for these chains.” “And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”   Acts 22: 25-27. 25: 23-27                                                              

Paul was prepared  to die for his faith. In his letter to the Philippians, he wrote that he was hard pressed between the two ”For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Perhaps a little weary at times he desired to be with Christ, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ.”  

 Paul ended his letter to Timothy witnessing  how the Lord had stood by him and had strengthened him to give the message to the Gentiles. 

Today we are strengthened and encouraged when the Lord stands by us strengthening us to be bold in witness what may seem to some as madness to believe that Jesus is God made visible in the flesh. 

Extract from an article in the Barnabas Magazine.    

“In many parts of the world Christians suffer discrimination, harassment and violence, and even in the West we face social pressure to water down or abandon our faith.” 

 Bury Bible Society Action Group held a concert at Bolton Road Methodist Church on Saturday 21st June.  I emailed the Bury Times a brief account of the event plus two photos: 

The United Christian Singers presented  ‘New Creation’ Composer Brian Hoare Musical Director Walter Brisk. 

On a warm, beautiful  June evening 120 people gathered in Bolton Road Methodist Church to hear a spectacular performance  by the United Christian Singers of Brian Hoare’s score ‘New Creation’.  The voices of seventy people joyously brought to life the first chapter of Genesis, with the account of God’s creation narrated by a member of the choir. The musical score was accompanied by fantastic photography on the screen that showed the great diversity in creation. God crowned his creation with humanity with the ability to invent and to achieve with numerous skills having different gifts, gifts we see in each other.  Christians believe that we are a new creation in Jesus through his death, dying for our sins, and having received forgiveness we receive a fresh new start. Members of the choir sang solo’s and the audience were asked to join in several times.  The evening’s performance was a great success, and enjoyed by all. Donations amounting to £500 were given to the Bible Societies work in translating the Bible into other languages. (total 189 Words)

The Bury Times published: Heading - £500 for Bible Work  Members of the Bury Bible Society Action Group enjoyed a night of memorable music. About 120 people congregated at Bolton Road Methodist Church to enjoy a performance by the United Christian Singers. The night raised £500 to support the work of the group.”

Today the gospel message may seem crazy in this materialistic and science driven world, especially if you believe that God created the heavens and the earth. The prime minister said on the 21st April 2014 that we were a Christian country, surely then British values are based on Jesus' teaching, "love the Lord your God . . . . and love your neighbour as yourself." If that is the case then Christian beliefs should be allowed to be expressed in a public newspaper. 

The person who wrote this at the Bury Times had identified with the Bible, so if I came in conversation with this person, the Bible would be the point of engagement, “What do you think about the Bible is it relevant for today?”   My answer would be to tell him about the prophesies in the Bible that have been fulfilled and some of those yet to be fulfilled.  Daniel 7: 24-28.8: 19-25. 9: 24-27.    

In our Gospel reading Matthew 16: 13  Jesus asked his disciples “Who do men say that the Son of man is? It implies that the people had probably been asked this question by his disciples. The people’s response to the question indicated that they expected someone who had lived and died and then would be resurrected by God to be the Christ.

Peter responded saying that the Son of man was the Christ, one of two names in this passage association with the Christ. The other is were Peter identified Jesus as the Son of the living God. Two names in association with the Christ: the Son of man and the Son of God. 

Today when a similar question is asked about Jesus, “Who do they say Jesus is?”  Most people would separate his humanity from his divinity by saying he was a prophet. Even some Christian denominations say that Jesus is only a prophet.

We believe that Jesus is the Christ being both ‘the Son of man and Son of God, that Jesus is God made visible in the flesh. 

The Son of man: referring to Christ’s humanity.
Luke 4 : 17-19. Jesus confirmed that he was the Christ when he read from the book of Isaiah 61; 1, 2. “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. What Jesus read I believe he outlined the Son of man’s ministry, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” (Christ meaning ‘the anointed one’) God’s anointing was on Jesus to preach the good news to the poor about the coming of the kingdom of God. The release of the captives, the devil no longer holding the power over death and recovering of sight to the blind, the inwardly blind enlightened by the light of his word. Liberation from oppression, Jesus setting us free to worship in the Spirit the living God and proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord that related to his ministry as ' the Son of man'.

Jesus the Son of God 

Caiaphas the high priest identified the Christ as being the Son of God.  Jesus was arrested and brought to Caiaphas’ house, the scribes and the elders where gathered there. “And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” “But Jesus was silent, and the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Matthew 26: 63.

Caiaphas in his response he said that the Christ and the Son of God were one of the same. Jesus’ response, “You will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Jesus pointed to himself in the context of his humanity as the Son of man and of his divinity acknowledging he was the Son of God. 
Caiaphas indicated his displeasure he tore his garments, and accused Jesus of blasphemy.
Caiaphas the religious man that he was could not get his mind around what Jesus was saying that he was the Son of God, which was blasphemy.

Today the Holy Spirit reveals to us that Jesus is God, maybe not always in a vision, but through the revealed word.   

The Messiah’s Secret.  

Before they could receive him as the Christ it was necessary for Jesus to die on a wooden cross in order to make the final sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin before he could return coming on the clouds of heaven.                                                                                                   

Jesus was silent.

On the cross Jesus bore upon himself every aspect of the law even this law of withholding evidence. “If any one sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity.” Lev 5:1
Jesus was only silent until the appropriate moment when he did respond to Caiaphas' questioning. Matthew 26: 64. 27: 11-14. 1 Timothy 6: 13.   

Isaiah prophesied,“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth, led like a lamb to the slaughter.” 

 ”Yet it was the will of God to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.” Isaiah 53: 7, 10.