This Is Only a Test:
Who Do You Say that Jesus Is?
A sermon for Christ’s Church at Monticello February 18, 2007
Gregg A. Nydegger

1 John 3:24 (NIV)
24    Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them.  And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

1 John 4:1-6 (NIV)
1    Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2    This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
3    but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.  This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
4    You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
5    They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
6    We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.  This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.


MANY FALSE PROPHETS HAVE GONE OUT INTO THE WORLD

Matthew 7:15-16a (NIV)
15    "Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
16    By their fruit you will recognize them.

Mark 13:21-23 (NIV)
21    At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it.
22    For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible.
23    So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NIV)
13    For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
14    And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
15    It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.  Their end will be what their actions deserve.



DO NOT BELIEVE EVERY SPIRIT,
BUT TEST THE SPIRITS

Acts 17:11 (NIV)
11    Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.


‘THIS IS HOW YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THE SPIRIT OF GOD…’
WHAT DO THEY SAY ABOUT JESUS?


2 John 1:7 (NIV)
7    Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world.  Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.


1 John 2:22-23 (NIV)
22    Who is the liar?  It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son.
23    No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

John 5:23b (NIV)
23b    He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

John 1:14 (NIV)
14    The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 19:34-35 (NIV)
34    Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
35    The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true.  He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.
John 20:24-27 (NIV)
24    Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
25    So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"  But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
26    A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.  Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
27    Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe."


Mark 1:24 (NIV)
24    "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"



You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.


1 John 5:4-5 (NIV)
4    for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
5    Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.



Romans 8:31-39 (NIV)
31    What, then, shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?
32    He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
33    Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?  It is God who justifies.
34    Who is he that condemns?  Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
35    Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36    As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37    No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38    For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39    neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

John 15:19 (NIV)
18    "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
19    If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.


We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.  This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.


John 8:47 (NIV)
47    He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."



John 18:37b (NIV)
37b    Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."