Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
Jeremy approaches Bible teaching with a passion for getting the basic doctrines explained so that the individual can understand them and then apply them to circumstances in their life. These basic and important lessons are nestled in a framework of history and progression of revelation from the Bible so the whole of Scripture can be applied to your physical and spiritual life.
Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
NT Framework - Are you unique?
I am the only one of me, but does that make me unique? I am after all, a lot like my mom and dad both genetically and in personality; so does that allow me to be truly unique?
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This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).
Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner.
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament Framework. Today a smaller, bite-sized piece from the larger lesson. We hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 2:This is talking about the virgin birth, because it's an incarnation passage, verse 14,. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. I mean he's a true human right and he dwelt among true humans. And John says and we saw his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. We saw his glory. Now, who shares glory with the Father? I don't share his glory, you don't share his glory, nobody shares his glory, but the Lord Jesus Christ shared glory with the Father. This is something unique. It also says as the only begotten right, glory as of the only begotten. In other words, this is the reason he can actually share in the glory of the Father is because he's the only begotten. Now this is also used in John 3.16, right For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. That Greek word that I guess in our language to many people. They think well, that means he was born. It's talking about the birth of Jesus, or something like that. And therefore, as the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses will say, these verses prove that he's not God, but he's less than God. That's not what this word means. This word is monogenes. One word, monogenes. The word means unique, one of a kind. That's why I would say something like the only begotten, because it's only one, it's a one of a kind, he's a one of a kind person. What is it that makes him? You know, you can just translate it, often translate it unique. I'll say John 3, 16. That way. I won't quote it with only begotten, because people start thinking about babies and stuff. It's not really talking about him being born or something like that. It's talking about his unique son. For God so loved the world that he gave his unique son the unique one. He's unique because he's God and man in one person. As the Old Testament predicted right, he shall be called Emmanuel, which means God with us, and that's what John 1.14 is saying. The word became flesh and dwelt among us. He dwelt with us, see, and we saw His glory. This was something totally unique.
Speaker 2:How does Hebrews chapter 1 begin? Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 through 3, begins with a statement about Christ. I'm going to go back to John 1, so don't lose John 1. But Hebrews chapter 1, which I just want to read God after he spoke long ago to the fathers and the prophets. So that's the Old Testament.
Speaker 2:He spoke to them in many portions and in many ways you know, dreams, visions and so forth In these last days has spoken to us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things. Okay, so he's the heir of the world. Through whom also he made the world? So the Father, through the Son, the book of Genesis. Whenever God said let there be something, this is the Father creating through the agency of the Son. Okay, and that is why John 1.1 begins with in the beginning was the Word speech. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. It's speaking of the first two members of the Trinity. And God, the Father, as the source of creation, did it through the agent, the Son. And he's spoken to us in His Son, and verse 3 says he is the radiance of His glory, and this is a stunning phrase. He is the exact representation of His nature. He is the exact representation of His nature. In other words, if you had been here on earth during the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and you saw Him standing on the Sea of Galilee shore or something like that, ask you a question Were you seeing God? Yes, you are seeing god in the flesh. Okay, he is the exact expression, the exact representation of god.
Speaker 2:Now so back to john 1. Okay, this uniqueness having the glory of the father. Sharing this, in verse 15, john testified about him and cried out, saying this was he of whom I said. He who comes after me has a higher rank than I. Why? Because he existed before me. The preexistence of the Messiah Verse 16,. For of his fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace, for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. And then he says something else interesting no one has seen God at any time, the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, which means in the care of, in the lap, being taken care of by the Father. He has exegeted him. That is the Greek word for exegete, exegeo, which we mean.
Speaker 2:When you study the Bible. We always say you are to read out. Ex means out right, like exodus, exit. There's a sign there that says exit. If you don't know where the exits are, here they are. That's the way out if you don't like what I'm saying. And exegel means to lead or to draw out. So what do we do when we study the Bible. We lead or draw out what is in the text. We do not eisegete. Eise means in, to lead or read in. We don't want to read our idea into the words of the Bible. We want to draw out what is there.
Speaker 2:And so what this is saying about the son is that he drew out who the father was. If we had been here, we would have seen him, because if you see me, he said, you have seen the father. I and the father are one. And he goes on to say crazy things like I only do the will of my father. What human can say that they've only and always done the will of God? Again, these are unique expressions. They're saying that he is a totally unique and different type of person, even though he would have looked like a human being.
Speaker 2:John 8.29,. Flip over there. John 8.29. John 8.29. This is.
Speaker 2:This is one of those statements that cs lewis is referring to. I mean, you're either lying or you're a total lunatic, or he's lord of all. Verse 29 he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him. I mean, give me a break, really. I mean, think if someone said that to you, you'd be like this is the most arrogant person on the planet, right? Or they're actually who they claim to be and you have to make a decision how you're going to deal with them. So here's what Lewis actually said in Mere Christianity.
Speaker 2:I'm trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him that is Christ. That quote. I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. Lewis says. That's one thing we must not say. A man who is merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic on level with the man who says he is a poached egg, or else he'd be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else he's a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool. That's what the Pharisees did. They said he's insane. You can spit at him and kill him as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that option open to us. He did not intend to.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas. If you would like to see the visuals that went along with today's sermon, you can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spokane Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us in your favorite podcast app, and until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.