April 10, 2016 Sermon

Many different religions acknowledge the existence of Jesus, but they all have different views on who he was. Was he a prophet, a teacher, the messiah, a magician? Was he the son of God or just a man? Does it matter?

It mattered to Jesus when he spoke with his disciples. In Matthew, chapter 16, Jesus asked Peter. “But who do you say that I am?”  Since only God can forgive sins, Jesus and God need to be one. Otherwise Jesus’ self-sacrifice meant nothing. The bible is clear –Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, but is that enough proof to convince the world? There are many other religions that have their own views. Islam believes Jesus to be a profit, second to Muhammad, the Church of Latter-day Saints believes Jesus to be an Archangel. Are they all wrong?

As Christians, I personally think it’s important to question our own beliefs. It’s when I started questioning things  – like if Jesus really was the Messiah – that I started researching and found answers that strengthened my faith. I found that there are 62 references in the Old Testament of the Messiah, and every one of them was true in Jesus; from where he would be born to whether he would have any broken bones during his crucifixion.

Today’s society teaches us that we have to be sensitive to other religions and cultures. I agree that sensitivity is important, but the identity of Jesus should not be watered down to avoid confrontation. Jesus’ disciples knew his true identity, and sacrificed their lives to tell the world. We then should also share who Christ really is. Because it does matter.

To hear Pastor Zedick’s Sermon, click here.