Devotional Message for Sunrise Assisted Living (elderly)

Sometimes we have the experience of seeing somone or meeting someone, and not recognizing who they are. That has happened to me a few times recently, and it can be kind of funny. Because I still live and work and go to the store around the same area I grew up in. Sometimes I'll see someone and they will recognize me and I won't recognize them, and it will turn out we went to grade school together. I know sometimes especially as we get older it can be a sad experience to not recognize people.
One of the most tragic happenings in all of man's history is that when Jesus came so many people didn't recognize him. Even the people that should have known him; the pople that had been waiting for a the Messiah most of them did not recognize him. So today I want to talk to you about Jesus and recognizing who he is and one specific thing about him.
Read John 14:7-9A
"If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."
In the first Chapeter of John it also says: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And then later: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
There is only one main thing I want to tell you today and that is that Jesus is God.
It would be tragic if we miss this point. If we don't know this we haven't recognized JEsus for who he is.
The first reason this is important to us is because. You can know God. You can know the same God who created you and me. The same God who spoke the sun and the stars into existence. The God who holds all things together you can know him. You can know him in Jesus.
The second reason it's important for you to know God is to know that he is strong to save. God is powerful we call him The Almighty. There is nothing that can stop him from accomplishing his purpose. Nothing can stop him from saving those who look to the Son and put their faith in him.
Nothing can stop him from saving those who have believed that Jesus died for their sins and rose again from the dead.
Nothing can stop him from saving, and no one can escape his judgment.
Again like Jesus said to Philip, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me?"
Philip had probably been with Jesus for about 3 years following him in his ministry. Some of us have been hearing about Jesus for years all our live. If we haven't recognized Jesus as God he could ask us the same question: Have I been with you sol long and you still do not know me?

Eyewitnesses of his Majesty Matthew 3:13-17

When Jesus came to John to be baptised, John would have prevented him. John was humble. He knew he wasn't even worthy to untie Jesus' sandals, but Jesus told him something that changed his mind quickly, and without argument. Jesus told him, "it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." This was God's purpose. This was God's work. This is why John had been called to baptise in the first place for the fulfillment of God's kingdom and his righteousness. John loved God's Kingdom, and he was honored to be apart of bringing its fulfillment. Jesus included him in God's work "it is fitting for us." Like John we also have the honor of joining in God's work.

But how was John baptising Jesus fulfilling all righteousness?

In baptizing Jesus John was consecrating Jesus for service. This was an act of righteous obedience to God. In the Old Testament the consecration of the Priest and Levites had included a baptism (Lev. 8, Num. 8).

Jesus ministry certainly eclipsed that of all the Priests and Levites of the Old Testament this act of obedience by John and Jesus was the beginning of a ministry that would fulfill all righteousness.

The significance of Christ's ministry is demonstrated in the event of his Baptism. The heavens opened and the spirit descended. Consider the source of the Spirit. The Spirit descended from heaven. It came upon Jesus, and would later be poured out on his Church. Jesus himself also descended. Long before he came from Galilee to the Jordan he came from heaven to earth. He is the one who comes down from heaven and brings life to the world. Heaven is the source. Righteousness does not come from the ground up, and it never could. Jesus says the same of his Kingdom,"My kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36) The Kingdom, whose subjects we are, isn't from this world; it is from heaven. In Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, and in his Kingdom heaven is opened and comes down. God's will is done on earth as in heaven.

The Father Loves the Son. and is well pleased with him. The Father loves the Son because the son lays down his life that he may take it up again. (John 10:17) The Father loves the Son's obedience, The Son's sacrifice, and the Son's authority.

In this event we see Jesus has come; he has entered the scene to begin his ministry. He has come to fulfill all righteousness. As we see him we must ask: does what pleases the Father please us as well? Do we love him for his crucifixion and for his resurrection? Do we love his authority, and give our allegiance to it? Do we love his righteous Kingdom? Is God's will done in our lives as it is in heaven?

When we love the son, and we obey his word then we like John do our part.

"it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."