Sermons on Christ's Work
1 Samuel 17:1-58 (Part 3)
1 Samuel 17:1-58 tells the well-known story of David and Goliath. David’s defeat of Goliath is meant to be a type of Christ. David’s defeat of Goliath indicates that Christ is the giant-defeating, dragon-slaying King whose victory means victory for all of God’s people over the devil.
Matthew 16:21-23
In Matthew 16:21-23, immediately after Peter’s confession of faith, Christ predicts His own death. This is all the more shocking as it comes right after the confession that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Though contrary to thinking according to the flesh, this death and resurrection is necessary. Christ rebukes Peter for not recognizing this and thereby affirms that His death and resurrection is the plan of God.
1 Samuel 17:1-58 (Part 2)
1 Samuel 17:1-58 tells the well-known story of David and Goliath. It is important to remember that David’s life is meant to be understood as a prophecy of Christ. David is a type of Christ, and therefore, his victory over Goliath is meant to be understood as a prophecy of how Christ will defeat the devil. What we understand about Christ from this text is that He is the true King after God’s own heart, who defeats the enemy as…
Matthew 16:1-4
In Matthew 16:1-4 the Saduccees and Pharisees ask for a sign. This is a strange request in light of the many miracles Christ had done to this point. Their goal, like many skeptics today who make similar demands for proofs, is to hide their rebellion against God behind the request for a sign. The reality is Christ had done enough to make himself known such that the request can only be interpreted as disingenuous. Ultimately, Christ tells them that the…
Matthew 15:32-39
In Matthew 15:32-39 Christ feeds four thousand men besides women and children. This is the second time Christ has miraculously fed thousands with just a few fish and a few loaves of bread. Why record such a similar miracle twice? God’s people often need to hear things again.
Matthew 15:29-31
In Matthew 15:29-31 Christ heals many on a mountain. Mountains are significant in the gospel of Matthew as they point to the fulfillment of the mountain of God theology in the OT. What is the purpose of this summary of Christ’s miracles? To indicate that the new creation has come in Christ. Christ’s miracles are a foretaste of the resurrection.
1 Samuel 11:1-15
In 1 Samuel 11:1-15 Saul fights against the Nahash, the Ammonite, and defeats them. His victory foreshadows Christ’s crushing the head of the serpent. Though Saul’s reign will be a disaster, God shows that He is able to use Him to His own righteous and good ends.
Matthew 14:34-36
Matthew 14:34-36 contains a brief summary of Christ’s healing ministry. Those who recognized Him went to Him for healing. The natural response of understanding who Christ is is to go to Him for salvation.
Matthew 14:22-33
In Matthew 14:22-33 Matthew records Christ’s miracle of walking on water. His walking on water, like the feeding of the 5,000, is meant to be compared to Elisha who made an axe head float. Christ, however, has done much more both by walking on the water and by commanding Peter to do so as well. The disciples understand the significance as they respond to this miracle by worshipping Him as the Son of God.
Matthew 14:13-21
In Matthew 14:13-21 Matthew records the very familiar miracle of Christ feeding the 5,000. What does this teach us about Christ? That he is the better Elijah who feeds more with less, the better Moses who provides manna in the wilderness, the Messiah who sets before His people a glorious feast, and ultimately, the one who is Himself the bread of life who satisfies His people.
Acts 2:1-41
As a prophet Christ reveals to us by his Word and Spirit the will of God for our salvation. This he does today, as the greatest of all prophets, by pouring out the Spirit upon his people and by calling men to preach the Word.
Romans 3:21-26
How does Christ’s death relate to Christ’s work as a prophet? Christ’s death reveals who God is. In Romans 3:21-26 Paul speaks about the way in which Christ’s death shows God to be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ. Christ’s death shows forth the righteousness of God. The cross does not only reveal these things about God but is the perfect revelation of God. All of God’s attributes are revealed in the death…