GOD'S FINAL WORD: HIS SON
Writer Dikkon
Eberhart shares his testimony of progression from theological drifter to
Orthodox Jew to a born-again experience with Jesus Christ. In his own words,
"I grew up in the Episcopal Church." But in my high teens and young
twenties, I drifted. I created my religion at the seminary in Berkeley,
California, during the 1970s. I called it Godianity.
Certainly, I believed in the
existence of God but didn't know much about that Son of God fellow, and the
little I did know seemed impossibly weird. Then something happened. I married a
Jew who was an atheist. My wife became pregnant nine months later, and our
first daughter squirmed in her mother's arms. Seeing such a perfect and
beautiful creature, my wife realized it must be the gift of God, not the
product of some random swirl of atoms.
My wife's atheism bit the dust. Her
new God belief was Jewish. The trouble came five years later. Our daughter and
I were swinging in a hammock under a tree on a windy day. Our eager, chatterly
daughter fell silent and said, "Daddy, I know there's a God." I was
enchanted. "How, sweetie?" She pointed at the tree and its leaves. "You
can't see God. He's like the wind. You can't see the wind, but the wind makes
the leaves move. You can't see God, but you know he's there because he makes
people move, like the leaves."
She continued, "Daddy, what do
we believe?" Really, what she was asking was, "Mommy's Jewish. You're
Christian. So what am I?" And despite holding three advanced degrees in
religion, I couldn't answer. In that instant, I chucked my Godianity. We
resolved we shall raise our children as Jews. During one of the services on the
eve of Yom Kippur, God said, "If you should desire to come to me, my door
is open to you."
Three years later, I became a Jew
myself. Some neighbors had invited us to visit a small Baptist Church across
our rural road. We realized that these neighbors seemed concerned for our
souls. By the way, who are you inviting? More than a year later, desperate for
direction, I went to that church one Sunday morning. That day, the pastor was
preaching from I Timothy. I was astonished to hear a Baptist preacher using Old
Testament references with Hebrew nuance.
I met with the pastor weekly, and my
wife attended the women's Bible study. We began reading and studying the Bible,
discovering wonderful truths. It took nine months, an appropriate duration for
re-birth, before I committed myself to Jesus. My wife did the same three months
later. Our two younger children followed soon thereafter. When God spoke to me
in the synagogue all those years ago, inviting me through his open doorway, I
assumed he was summoning me into Judaism. Little did I know he was calling me
to Christ."[1]
Like Dikkon Eberhart, many of our friends,
family members, and colleagues live confused and unfulfilled lives. Some even
reject the existence of God. God used the members of a small Baptist Church to
change the lives of a theological drifter turned Jew and his family. God calls
people to turn to His Son, Jesus Christ, God's Final Word. John 5:16-30. We will examine who Jesus is, why we must believe
and listen to Him, and how we can hear God's voice.
I. Who Is Jesus?
More than
any other name, the name Jesus sparks the greatest global controversy. During
Jesus' time, the skeptics and religious leaders could not stand him. The law
teachers were speechless at his authoritative teaching. The kings sought a
private audience with him.
The crowds were amazed by his miracles. The winds and storms
ceased at his rebuke, and the dead rose by his command. The disciples obeyed
his call and followed him. The whole city of Jerusalem was stirred as he
entered and asked, "Who is this? Let's discover who Jesus is."
II. Jesus is the Son Of God.
Growing up
in a Lutheran Church since age eight without understanding, I recited the
Apostle's Creed every Sunday. A part of it reads: I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of Heaven and Earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son,
our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
Now, I firmly believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
The
concept that Jesus is the Son of God originates from the belief that God exists
as a Trinity, comprising one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Historically, this claim has not always been received favorably. In the passage
we read, the Jewish leaders tried to kill him not because he was healing on the
Sabbath but for his extraordinary claims of Him being the Son of God. By doing
so, He equated Himself with God the Father. Consider these scriptures:
The famous Christmas scripture in
Isaiah 9:6 reads, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given." Psalm 2:7 reads, "I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to
me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you." Vs.12, "Kiss
the Son, lest he be angry." ESV. Here, "the Son" refers to
Jesus. The angel Gabriel told Mary, "The
Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow
you; therefore, the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God."
Luke 1:35 (ESV). Even the demons acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God. Matt
8:28.
Once, when Jesus asked Peter, 'Who do
you say I am?' Peter boldly claimed, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the
living God.' Matthew 16: 15-17. We have much more powerful testimony from God,
who affirmed Jesus' Sonship twice. In Matt 3:17, we read, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am
well pleased." The second time in Matt 17:5, "This is my Son,
whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" Yet many have
difficulty believing that Jesus is God's Son, let alone listening to Him. The
main reason for this unbelief and disobedience is that the Devil is deceiving
many people and doesn't want them to come to know the truth.
III.
What is the significance of believing and listening to Jesus, the Son Of God?
The primary reason
one must believe in Jesus is for the salvation of one's soul. John 3:16 reads,
"For God so loved the World, that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life." In John
5:24, Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and
believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged, but has
crossed over from death to life." We believe in Jesus because there is
salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under Heaven by which we
must be saved. Acts 4:12 (NLT)
No matter who you are, one day, all of us will
die and rise again, listening to the voice of Jesus. Those who have done what
is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be
condemned. John 5:28-29. What is the significance of listening to the Son?
We listen to God's Son, Jesus, because He is
God Himself. John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. Vs.14. The Word became flesh and made his
dwelling among us, referring to Jesus. We listen to the Son because He is God's
final Word. Hebrews 1:1-2, "Long ago God
spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And
now, in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son." If
believing in and listening to Jesus is essential, how can we learn to hear His
voice?
IV. What is the Key to Hearing God's voice?
Most people want to hear God's voice
when they are facing a decision. If only God would speak to them and tell them
which choice to make or which direction to embark upon. The truth is that God
uses various ways to talk to us, but the question we must ask ourselves is, are
we listening to Him? A heart willing to listen and obey is the key to hearing
God's voice.
There are several scriptural
examples where God stresses the importance of obeying His Word more than simply
listening. Consider the following scriptures that call for obedience:
"This
is what I told them: "Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my
people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!" Jeremiah 7:23 NLT
"Blessed
are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. Psalms 128:1 NIV
"Keep
this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night so that
you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then, you will be prosperous
and successful. Jos 1:8 NIV
During
one of His teachings, Jesus said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the
Word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28. By obeying God's Word, we become
Joyful Christians: Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with
all their hearts. Ps 119:2 NLT. "Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who
fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands? Ps 112:1 NLT
Our
obedience to God's Word signifies our love for Jesus. The more we obey his
revealed Word, the more new revelation we will receive. "Whoever
has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves
me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to
them." John 14:21. These scriptures remind us
that a truly blessed life comes from obeying the very One who gave His Word to
us in the first place.
When we want to hear God's voice in matters of life, we
don't turn to the news media, social media, or online sources; instead, we turn
to the Bible as our primary source of information. God's
will for our lives is already fully revealed in its pages, and it is a simple
matter of our obedience to it. The more we read and obey God's Word, the more
we are shaped by it and become more like Jesus the Son, who has the Words of
Eternal Life.
