R sbc
May 16, 2004
Sunday Morning
Series: “Jesus Christ The Sum and The Substance of the Bible”
Sermon # 1
Subject: “ The Anticipation of Christ”
Series Text: John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
Why Preach This Series?
1st. So that we can love our Lord even more: John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
2nd. So that we can see more fully of the worth of Christ: Mark 1:7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
3rd. So that we can appreaciate what Christ has done for us more fully: Mark 5:19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
I am sure that their more reason and as we preach this series we will discover the greatest of our Lord. Lewis Drummond said in his book on Christology “ Any attempt to set forth the biblical doctrine of Chist in a few pages is bound to neglect some important aspects of His person and work”.
I would say that any attempt to preach a series of sermons on Christ through the Bible will likewise no doubt fall short of the task for time would not allow it. Neverthless it is my desire to preach him...
It is said of the Old Testament that Isaiah saw his glory: John 12:41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. It is said by the LORD JESUS CHRIST of Abraham: John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad. When we read and we study the Old Testament we see that the coming of the LORD was anticipated, we read the New Testament and we see his coming is well expounded.
Page # 2
In this first message I will confine myself to a breif look into the anticipation of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. The word “anticipation” it does not simply mean to look for something or someone, it means to realize something in advance of it happening.
I bleieve this is what many of the Old Testament people of God did. This is what we will try to show in this first message. There was no shortage of oustanding leaders in the day of anticipation, There were dedicated prophets, Kings that looked for Christ, priest, and many people.
“ THE ANTICIPATION OF CHRIST’S COMING TOOK ON MANY LOOKS AND MANY TYPES OF FORMS”.
The History of the Hebrew people was strouded with prophets, both real, and unreal. So one of the things that they looked for in God’s promise of the Lord Jesus Christ was..
I. A extradordinary Prophet: Moses declared unto them these words...
Deuteronomy 18:15-18 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well [spoken that] which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
What a great promises from the mouth of the Lord God Jehovah. This man would be one that would speak like no other prophet ever spoke, he would obey his Father like no other one would.
This prophet would lead them as a shepherd: Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry [them] in his bosom, [and] shall gently lead those that are with young.
Such tender care Christ would have for his flock, such love, such commitment to them our Lord would have. We look back on this and we now have all experienced this great truth...
II.. A Totally Different Kind of King to rule them: Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
Page # 3
He was not coming in the pomp of David and Solomon and of the great Kings that reigned over Israel. He was coming like no other had come “ just” his humility: “lowly” Seen in his entrance.. Riding upon a donkey”
(A.) He would be mocked and rejected as a King:
Psalm 2:1-2 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, [saying],
(B.) He would be set on his throne by his Father: Psalm 2:6-8 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession.
III.. They were anticipating a Priest that would represent them like none other had ever done:
In Messianic Psalms they saw Christ in his glory and in his role as a High Priest. David said: Psalm 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
The great prophet Zacriah said: Zechariah 6:12-13 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name [is] The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: 13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
This has already happened just like all the others. They anticipated this and many of them died and never saw this except by faith. Just like many of us will die and not see the coming of Christ in his glory one day. The blessedness of that is we will see him before he comes if we die.
4th. They anticipated him to atone for their sins:
This anticipation was seen in many ways in the Old testament. But the greatest display of the anticpating of Christ dying for our sins and theirs is seen Davids writings...
(A.) It was seen in the anticipation of the abandoment of Chrit:
Page # 4
Psalm 22-1My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [why art thou so] far from helping me, [and from] the words of my roaring? We in our day when this took place and why it took place they didn’t really.
The completness of this separation between Christ and his Father caused great aniexty in the heart of the saviour. He that is Christ seen this in the utter helplessness he felt... and the roaring of his words.
(B.) It was seen in the anticipation of the awful feelings of Christ: Psalm 22:6 But I [am] a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
Christ felt like a worm because he became a man, he who knew no sin, became sin that we might be made the rightousness of God. Job compared the creation of God to man and note what he said:Job 25:5-6 Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. 6 How much less man, [that is] a worm? and the son of man, [which is] a worm?
( c.) It is seen in the anticipation of the human suffering of Christ:
Psalm 22:14-16 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
(1.) He is dranined: Poured out like water
(2.) His suffering: All my bones out of joint
(3.) His weakness: Strength is dried up
(4.) His respitory failure: My tongue cleaveth to my jaws
(5.) His walk in death: dust of death
(6.) His shame: wicked surround him
(7.) His brutal treatment: they pierced my hands and feet
The great prophet Isaiah said of his anticipation of the Christ: Isaiah 52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
This is no holywood production, this is no Catholic mass, this is no ficticous portraly of the Son of God, this is what they anticipated to happen to the long awaited covenant son of GOD.
(D.) It is also seen in the ancitipation of the spiritual suffering of the coming Messiah.
Page # 5
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
They saw this and some anticipated it to happen to the one that was going to set them free, not from the kingdoms of this world, but from the bondage of their hearts. This is the Christ of the Old testament.
The Lord Jesus said:
John 5:45-47 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] that accuseth you, [even] Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
He said that David called him Lord: Matthew 22:45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
Solomon said of Christ: Song of Solomon 2:1-4 I [am] the rose of Sharon, [and] the lily of the valleys. 2 As the lily among thorns, so [is] my love among the daughters. 3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so [is] my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit [was] sweet to my taste. 4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me [was] love.
There are many uses to the “Rose of Sharon” It is beautiful to look at, so is Christ once you have been saved. It has a useful fragrance, it bears fruit as well as flowers I am told. It yields a pure water, It is good for medicine, it can be used for clothing, what a picture of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Some have said that this is a picture of Christ and his love for his bride the church. This well may be. But it is also a picture of Christ love for his people and the benefit they derive from him...