I. Introduction
A. Artistic License
1. There have been many attempts throughout the centuries to depict Jesus.
a. More recently, series like The Chosen have challenged people’s ideas of what Jesus was like from a cultural viewpoint.
b. All of the attempts by man to depict Jesus will be flawed simply because they are versions of Jesus, not who He actually is.
2. The gospels give us only a snapshot of Jesus’ life. They are not designed to be biographies, but are rather a message from God of what He has done to save mankind.
B. The Real Jesus
1. The gospels do paint a picture of Jesus as a human through His interactions with others.
2. We can learn much from the Real Jesus.
II. The Real Jesus
A.
1. Jesus was compassionate towards sinners who were .
a. In Luke 7:36-50, we read about Jesus allowing a sinful woman to weep at His feet and wipe His feet with her tears and hair.
b. Unfortunately, I would most likely have responded just as Simon did.
c. Jesus takes the opportunity to share with Simon that this sinful woman has treated Him better.
2. Jesus was also compassionate towards the in society (e.g., lepers, children, and women).
a. In Mark 1, Jesus encounters a leper who begs Him to cleanse him. Jesus touches the man as He heals Him, which was an act of compassion (Mark 1:40-45).
b. On another occasion, even though the Pharisees and Herodians were trying to entrap Jesus, they admitted that He did not care about others’ opinions or their appearances (Mark 12:14).
3. Jesus truly cared about souls who were searching, regardless of their or backstory.
B.
1. In the Face of
a. The Hebrew writer reminds us that Jesus experienced human life, but without the human flaws.
b. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, He is tempted by Satan in ways that we experience (Matthew 4:1-11; 1 John 2:16).
i. Jesus was hungry. We are often hungry for things that are not good for us (power, riches, etc.).
ii. Jesus was lonely. When we are lonely, we will connect with people who might not be good for us.
iii. Jesus was troubled. We are often uncertain, which can lead to anxiety and worry.
c. The way that Jesus overcame temptation in the most trying of situations serves as an for us.
d. Jesus doesn’t work any miracles; He refers to the power of God’s Word (It is written…).
2. In
a. On a few occasions, Jesus expressed God’s righteous response to sin.
b. How frustrating it must be for the holy God to watch us ignore, refuse, and unabashedly rebel against the direction He has provided to us, which is for our benefit.
c. In Luke 19:45-48, Jesus clears the temple courtyard and proclaims that the people have turned a place of prayer into a den of thieves.
d. What was supposed to be a transformational journey to worship God in Jerusalem became, for most worshippers, a transactional business trip.
e. There are times as a father that I have expressed disappointment or frustration with my children, only to find out later that what I was so frustrated about wasn’t their fault. I imagine they thought that I was mad at them. I wasn’t mad at them; I was frustrated by the situation.
f. God’s disappointment with us is righteous because we choose to sin.
g. I don’t want you to leave thinking that God is mad at you; I do want you to understand that God is serious about sin because He knows that it will tear you away from Him.
h. Often, we act unrighteously in our anger because we allow it to us (Ephesians 4:26-27).
i. Anger can move us to take action against sin, which is a righteous response.
3. Jesus demonstrates for us how to walk rightly even under the most challenging of circumstances.
C.
1. The reason that Jesus’ compassion and righteousness do not contradict is that all that He did is out of to the Father.
2. Illustration: Obedience to God is not about how well you can follow the rules. It’s not a game of Simon Says. We’re not playing to win and beat other people. It’s not a competition.
3. Obedience is demanded because He knows how it benefits us. God provides instruction on how to live your best life, even when it’s not such a good life (John 10:10).
4. God knows how the world works. He knows the promises it makes and how easily it breaks them, leaving you hurt, rejected, and alone.
5. Later, the Hebrew writer will tell us that Jesus endured the cross because of “…the joy that was set before Him…” (Hebrews 12:2).
6. What joy is there in the cross? Isaiah 53:11 reveals the answer: it’s you.
7. Jesus shows us that obedience, while not always easy, is the way to live a life.
III. Conclusion
A. Real Christians
1. Last week, I mentioned that wearing the name of Christ comes with the responsibility to obey God.
2. When we say we believe in Jesus but live a life that is contrary to what He teaches, we fuel the flame of our critics.
3. The depiction of a real Christian from the world’s viewpoint is much like all depictions of Jesus; they are flawed.
4. Real Christians aren’t perfect, but they do pursue God.
5. Real Christians seek to follow the real Christ.
B. Invitation