Who Is Jesus Christ, Who Is God the Father?

Right after the Feast of Tabernacles, you may remember, I gave a sermon with the title, A Closer Walk with God in Evil Times. And just showing that we are living in times that are more evil and dangerous all the time, and we need to walk more closely with God in our lives this fall and this winter.

Well, also right after the Feast of Tabernacles, we began to implement the new Youth Instruction Program with the theme, Making God Real. And the topics so far, back in November, does God exist and where is God? And then in December, who and what is God? And we hope, parents and congregation, that we are striving to help our children to make God real, more real, and also to ourselves.

And now the January topic, which has just come out, is Who is Jesus Christ? With the objectives to describe the relationship between Jesus Christ and God the Father, to explain who Jesus Christ is and what He does, and explain that Jesus Christ became human and why He did this. And to identify some of the other names in the Bible for Jesus Christ.

So there's a lot of things that we can do with this topic here in January. And I hope that we will come to understand Jesus Christ and God the Father more deeply. And that Jesus Christ and God the Father will become more real to us. Many years ago, a member asked me a question that caused me to meditate more deeply. And the question was, what are the unique roles and what are the differences between God the Father and Jesus Christ? Are their roles different or the same?

Are they the same or are they different? Just how are they alike? And if they are different, just how are they different? Well, I thought about this question down through the years since that question came to me. And I'd like to discuss it just a bit with you this afternoon in the sermon. Those differences and the unique roles of God our Father and Jesus Christ. Do you understand what they are? Are the Father and Christ exactly the same? Are there some differences?

Are they the same in certain things but unique and different in other things? They would like to first of all take Jesus Christ and then we'll take God the Father. Jesus Christ in the Bible, and that is our topic for the study guide this month, who is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has had many names and roles and functions that he has performed down through the ages. And I'd like to go over those with you.

I think you'll be surprised just how many there are. Let's begin in John chapter 1 and verse 1. This goes back as far as we can go back. This is the earliest of all revealed knowledge that God gives to us. As we're turning to John chapter 1 and verse 1, let me just say that we know that we exist and we know the universe exists. But why? That is the question that philosophers and man has tried to understand.

What is the meaning and the purpose of all of this? We know that there is a creation of vast universe. It does exist. And we know that we exist. But what is the meaning and the purpose? Why do we exist? And you know, it's only in the Bible revealed knowledge that we can really come to know why we and the universe exist. Well, we're going to understand more deeply about that as we go on through the sermon this afternoon. But as far as the unique names and roles of Jesus Christ, we are turning to revealed knowledge that we would not have unless God had provided it for us.

And again, this goes back even before Genesis 1 and verse 1. Let's read it. John 1 and verse 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So here's one that is called the Word who was, well, was God, and it was with God.

So we get the distinct feeling here that there are two beings existing together that are God beings. One is called the Word, and the other is just simply called God. Verse 2. He, that is the Word, was in the beginning with God. So again, there are two beings in verse 2. The Word was in the beginning with another being called God.

All things were made through Him, that is the Word, and without Him nothing was made that was made. So we get two distinct roles of the one that became Jesus Christ in these three verses. Now, first of all, we need to establish beyond the doubt that the Word is talking about Jesus Christ.

Go to verse 14, and we see that, yes, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. So yes, the Word was the one who became Jesus Christ. And He existed with God then, and of course, scriptures show that these two beings, these two God beings have eternally existed together.

Now, the angels cannot say that they have eternally existed. They are created beings. Everything else has not eternally existed. The universe has not. Angels have not. Man has not.

But God and the Word have existed together without beginning, eternally existing together.

And so the Word here, which means logos, or is from the great word logos, and means like a spokesman.

And one verse says in Psalm 104 and verse 30 that the Word spoke the Word, and they were created.

Jesus Christ then, the Word was the one that became Jesus Christ, was the one that did the hands-on creating. Now, there are other verses that show the Father was involved in this creation.

And actually, we don't want to leave the Father out as far as creation, but it does say very clearly here in verse 3, doesn't it, that all things were made through the Word.

And without Him was not anything made that was made. And so the Word is the one that created the angels, and the Word is the one that created. Did the hands-on creating of the universe. Did the hands-on creating and forming of the earth for human occupation in Genesis chapter 1, and then shaped and formed the man, and then a little bit later the woman, the first humans.

So the Word was the one. Nothing was made apart from Him. He did the actual hands-on creating.

So the Word, the Creator, the actual hands-on Creator, would be names and roles of Jesus Christ, very anciently when you go back to the fact that the universe has been around millions and billions of years.

Another name for the one that became Jesus Christ is in the early, let's say, centuries of human existence. You find one called the Lord, the Lord God, working with the patriarchs, telling Noah, for example, to build an ark, the Lord. The word in the Greek is Yahweh, Y-H-W-H.

We don't know exactly what the vowels are. We kind of make a stab at it, Yahweh.

Some say Jehovah. We don't really know for sure how you pronounce this name.

But Yahweh, which means eternal or the one that exists in one place, the same one told Moses when Moses asked, what name shall I say, or who shall I say sent me in order that the people of Israel would believe when God was about to leave them out of Egypt, then the Lord God, the Yahweh said, tell them that I AM has sent you. And I AM goes along with Yahweh as one that has existed in the past, exists in the present, and will exist in the future, will always exist, Yahweh.

So the Lord God, most often when this is used in the Old Testament and is used a lot, it is referring to the one that became Jesus Christ. Later Jesus, when he made a statement about knowing Abraham, and they said, well, how do you know Abraham? You're not even 30 years, you're only 30 years of age. How do you know Abraham? And Jesus said, before Abraham was, I AM. He used that same name or expression as he had used with Moses. Let's go back to Genesis chapter 14. We see yet another name and role or function that Jesus Christ, or the one that became Jesus Christ, performed. Genesis chapter 14 and beginning in verse 18. This is after Abraham had recovered a lot from the going into captivity to the kings of Mesopotamia. And verse 18, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was the priest of God Most High.

And we're going to read in just a moment that this Melchizedek is the one that became Jesus Christ. That is also that, well, notice he was a priest. He was a priest of God Most High. Who was God Most High? That's the Father, right? And this Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High God. He blessed him and said, blessed be Abram of God Most High, the Father, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.

Now, let's go to Hebrews chapter 7, and we'll then discover just a bit more about exactly who this is referring to, this Melchizedek, king of Salem. Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 1, this Melchizedek, it says here, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated king of righteousness. That's exactly what Melchizedek means. The word Melchizedek, a Hebrew word, means king of righteousness. And then it goes on to say, then also king of Salem. So the same one, Melchizedek was king of righteousness, but also king of Salem, which means king of peace. And so Melchizedek then was a priest of God, and it was the one that actually would become Jesus Christ. How do we know? We're going on down to verse 3. We know this is a being that has always existed. It would be the same as the word, the one that existed with God always. Verse 3, without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life. Yahweh then, I am, existing in the past, existing in the present, existing always in the future. But made like the Son of God remains a priest continually. And what is being brought out here is that Jesus Christ is a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Melchizedek that Abraham dealt with was actually the one that became Jesus Christ. Melchizedek, in Abraham's day, was called the king of Salem. Exactly what does that mean? Was there a city called Salem that he was the king of? We don't have any information on just exactly what is meant by that, king of Salem, except like Paul says, it does mean king of peace. Salem means peace. And of course, Jerusalem means city of peace. So he was the one that then became our high priest after the order of Melchizedek, after his resurrection. So Melchizedek then, and king of Salem are other names and titles and functions of Jesus Christ, or the one that became Jesus Christ. And to give you another function or role of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, remember that when the Israelites entered into the covenant with God, they actually entered into a marriage relationship with the one that became Jesus Christ, with the Yahweh, the I Am. They entered into a marriage relationship. And you can read about that in Exodus chapter 24 verses 7 and 8 that they entered into a covenant. It doesn't call of the marriage at that point, but it was a marriage and the Israelites were like the wife and Yahweh, or the I Am was the husband in that marriage covenant. It is easily proven by just reading one verse, Jeremiah 31 and verse 32. Jeremiah chapter 31 and verse 32. This is where God will yet in the future make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

Now, Jeremiah 31 and verse 32. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke. Though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. So it was a marriage covenant relationship. And the Yahweh, the one that became Jesus Christ, was the husband in that marriage relationship.

Okay, guess what? One other function or role that Jesus Christ that happened to him in the Old Testament was that he had to divorce his wife and put her away. His wife was unconverted. She was not faithful. Israel, the twelve tribes. First of all, the God of the Old Testament put away the ten tribes, the ten northern tribes. And a little bit later he put away the two southern tribes of Judah. Now, we read about that in Jeremiah 3 and verse 8. So the Lord, the God of the Old Testament, became a divorcee, divorced from his wife. In Jeremiah chapter 3 and verse 8. So he knows what it's like to go through a marriage breakup. He knows what it's like to experience a divorce, to have an unfaithful and unconverted wife. Jeremiah 3 and verse 8. Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. And in Jeremiah's time, God gave Judah a bill of divorce as well. And Judah went into national captivity to Babylon. So the God of the Old Testament, the one that became Jesus Christ, experienced the pain of divorce. It was not an easy thing. In one place he says, oh, how can I give you up? You think he doesn't understand then what divorce is like? Jesus, the one that became Jesus Christ, experienced it. Well, coming on to the New Testament role and names for Jesus Christ, let's begin in Matthew 1. We have a good number of names that are given that help to explain what was going on at that time in the life of Jesus Christ. And that's what we're looking at right now, the names and roles of Jesus Christ. In Matthew chapter 1 and verse 23, "'Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call his name.'" Okay, here's one of the names of Jesus Christ. Then, Emmanuel, which is God with us. So the God in the Old Testament known as the Word, known as also the Creator, the Yahweh, the I Am, the husband of Israel, now takes on the name Emmanuel. He is God with us. He's God in the flesh, this being that was the Word in the very beginning. Look at all the different ways then that or different names and roles that he is going through. Emmanuel, God with us.

In verse 21, Matthew 1, 21, "'She shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.'" Okay, here's then the name we are most familiar with, Jesus Christ. And of course, that's what we're studying this month, who is Jesus Christ. Well, Jesus, check the margin, check the meaning of Jesus, goes back to the Greek word, Jesus. It simply means Savior. And we could say, instead of Jesus Christ, we could say Savior. And that would be the English word for Jesus, Savior.

Jesus then Savior. Also, we notice that she shall bring forth a son. Other verses show that this one, Jesus, Emmanuel, is the son of man through Mary and the son of God through God the Father.

And so, Jesus was both the son of man, and he's called that in several places in the Gospels, and he's also the son of God. Let's turn to Luke chapter 1, verse 31. We see then that in this verse he is referred to as the son of God. Luke chapter 1 and verse 31, "'Behold,' and this is the angel talking to Mary, "'Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bear a son,' and call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the highest, the son of the Father, then of God the Father, and the Lord God, and that would be the Father, shall give him the throne of his father David." So Jesus then was Emmanuel, God with us. He was Savior of mankind, was son of man and son of God. Let's pick up another name by which he is called in the New Testament in John 1 and verse 29. John, the Gospel of John chapter 1 and verse 29, the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "'Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.'" Another, yet another name for Jesus Christ. He was the Lamb of God and he would die on Passover Day and he would be that supreme sacrifice for the sins of humanity. Verse 36, the same thing, "'Behold, the Lamb of God.'" Yet another name, the Lamb, the Lamb of God. And look here at John chapter 1 and verse 41. We get yet another name that we are very familiar with.

Verse 41, John chapter 1, verse 41, "'He thus Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah, which is translated the Christ.'" Now, in my Bible here, the Messiah has a little note toward the margin. And in the margin, it says literally, Messiah just means anointed one. So, I don't know if many of us are aware, if we all are aware of that, but Messiah, Jesus was the Messiah. Messiah is a Hebrew word. It means anointed one. Christ is a Greek word, Christos. It means anointed one. Same thing. Messiah and Christ mean the same thing, anointed one. So, when we say Jesus Christ, Savior the anointed one is the English way of understanding it, the anointed Savior of mankind. That's what it means, that name. And so, Jesus Christ now takes on all of these names because He is here to make that supreme sacrifice. He also brought a message about the kingdom of God, so He could be referred to as a messenger. And He also was referred to as a teacher or a master.

He was sent by the Father. He came to do the will of the Father. He never sinned. He delivered that message, and then He gave His life. He gave up His glory so He could become a human. He was born in very humble circumstances, and He became a human being willingly. He was willing to let this process happen. How does a glorified, eternal, always existing spirit being become human? I don't think we understand, but Jesus was willing to have that happen to Him. Let's go to Philippians chapter 2, and we read about that. Philippians chapter 2, and beginning in verse 5, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, didn't... and we already have read that He was the Word. He was God, and He was with God, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, God the Father, but made Himself of no reputation, taken the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men.

That's what Jesus did when He became Emmanuel, when He became, well, a human being, and could then therefore be the Lamb of God, to be sacrificed. He took on the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men, being found in appearance as a man. He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the despicable death of the cross, if I might add.

And so therefore God has exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name. Now, I tell you, Jesus Christ will always have a name that is higher. I don't know what our names will be in the kingdom, the family of God. Maybe they'll be the same we have now, but whatever they are, they won't be at that level of Jesus Christ. His name will always be higher than any other, by far. Well, that is not all we're not doing yet as far as the roles of Jesus Christ. He ascended to God's right hand, and what is He doing presently? Let's go to Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1. We pick up a couple of additional names, titles, roles, you might say, of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1, Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle. We don't often think of Jesus as being an apostle. That's what it says here.

Consider the apostle. The word apostle means one that's called out, and one that's sent, actually, one that God sends. So Jesus, we'll read a verse or two on that just a little bit later, was sent. He was an apostle, one sent by the Father, an apostle. Consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus Christ. So here He is given two names, apostle and apostle and high priest. These are titles, sense, His resurrection, and ascension to the throne of God. In chapter 4 and verse 14, see in them that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God. Let's hold fast our confession. So Jesus Christ presently is still then our high priest sitting at the right hand of God. But guess what? We're not done yet. When He returns to the earth, He will still be the high priest. Yes, He'll still be a high priest for all of mankind, all nations. But guess what? He's going to take on another role, King. Let's go to Zechariah. Zechariah chapter 14 and in verse 9, Zechariah 14 and verse 9, the Lord shall be king over all the earth. In that day it shall be the Lord is one and His name one.

And so He will then take on the name of King over all the earth. King of the world, World King, Jesus Christ will have that title, that role. He told Pilate on the morning that He was crucified that for that purpose He came into the world and for that purpose He was born, be a king. But guess what? We're not quite done yet. Jesus will yet do one other thing that shows a function or role. He will yet be a husband again. It will be His second marriage.

The first wife, Israel and Judah, were unfaithful. He gave them a bill of debaucement. He is engaged or espoused now even to be married to someone. And this time it's a converted wife. It is a spiritual converted Israel. Let's go to Revelation chapter 19 and we read just a little bit about that marriage. And when Jesus Christ returns He will be King over all the earth. He will be the high priest for all of mankind. And He will be husband of a wife that is going to help Him and assist Him in ruling over and teaching the nations. Revelation 19 in verse 6, the last part says, the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Yes, Jesus returns and sets up God's kingdom and begins to reign on the earth. Verse 7, let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was arrayed to be in fine linen of the righteous acts of the saints. Verse 9, He said, Right, blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. So Jesus is going to be the husband of a converted wife and the church is preparing even now to be that wife in this marriage relationship. And I think that we have to say there's yet one other additional role that Jesus Christ is going to fulfill. And this one will go on and on for all eternity. If we read closely in Revelation 21 and 22, we find there one that is called the Lamb. The Lamb and the Father are described in the New Jerusalem and Jesus Christ will be one that we always look to as our Lamb. We'll realize He was the door. He was the one that made it possible for us to be in the family. And so as our eternal Lamb, as our elder brother being that Lamb, He's going to be in that exalted position right under the Father for all eternity.

And it's depicted that way in describing the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 and 22.

Fred, did you note that Jesus had that many different things that He has done? The Word, the Creator, the Yahweh, the I Am, the Melchizedek, King of Salem, husband of ancient Israel, Divorcy, Emmanuel, Savior, Son of God, Son of Man, Lamb, Messiah, Christ, that is, master, teacher, messenger, high apostle and high priest, future King, husband of a converted wife, the church, an eternal Lamb in the new heavenly Jerusalem to be set up on this earth. A lot of roles, isn't there? A lot of that helps us to understand who is Jesus Christ a lot better. But what about God the Father? You know, many times God the Father is almost left out of the picture. Seems like in the world you hear so much about Jesus, and people are always talking about Jesus in the Protestant world. And yet there's not that much mention usually of the Father.

And yet there should be. There should be a lot of comment made about God the Father.

We're not going to find quite so many roles and names through the Bible, and yet the role of the Father that He has fulfilled is at the very top level. It's above that of Jesus Christ.

It's a level above Christ. He's at the very top. The top sovereign, the top authority in the universe is God the Father, not Jesus Christ. And yet we find so much talk about Christ and so little talk about God the Father. Let's read some verses on the Father. That's important.

You know, part of our objectives and our study guide is that we would see the relationship between the Father and Christ, and this sermon is going to help us to do that.

Let's begin in John 14 and verse 28. John 14 and verse 28. And here Jesus said something very plain. You've heard me say to you, I'm going away and coming back to you. Of course, this is on the very night before Jesus Christ died that He was talking with His disciples. The very night before He died after the Passover and Institute and the new symbols for the Passover. It goes on, let's say in verse 28, if you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said I'm going to the Father, for My Father is greater than I. So Jesus openly said the Father is greater than I am.

You know, Jesus several times referred to the Father sending Him. You know, is the one that is sent greater or the one that does the sending greater? The one that does the sending is greater and the Father did the sending. He sent Jesus Christ to the earth with a message and a mission.

Let's read in John 5 in verse 30.

John chapter 5 in verse 30. I can of myself do nothing, Jesus said, as I hear I judge, and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of the Father who sent Me. So Jesus subordinates Himself to the Father, and He sought to do the Father's will, not His own. And He said the Father who He strived or sought to do the will of the Father who sent Him. You know, right here in this next chapter, we see that the Father is one that is very much in control of events that go on in the church, even though Jesus is the head of the church. You know why Jesus is the head of the church? Because He is the Son of Man. The Father is not the Son of Man. The Father has never been human. Jesus has been human and knows what it's like. And so God has delegated things over to the Son of Man because the Son of Man understands what it's like to be man, what it's like to be human, in a way that the Father does not. So, there are differences between the Father and Christ, very clear, distinct differences that make them unique. In John 6 and verse 44, the Father, even though He's given Jesus to be the head of the church, you might say the chief executive officer of the church, the Father maintains control over what goes on, even to the selection of who's going to be in the church at this time. John 6 and verse 44, Jesus said, No one, this is the words of Christ, read letters in your Bible.

If you have a read letter Bible, No one can come to Me, Jesus said, unless the Father who sent Me, again, Jesus was sent, unless the Father who sent Me draws Him, and I'll raise Him up at the last day. So, Jesus brought out that the Father does the selection. You know, our being in the church of God was not the choice of Christ. It's not Christ that called us to the church, or drew us to the church. It is the Father. God the Father looked it down. So, that goes to the very top sovereign, the top authority, as far as our calling. God the Father said, I want and put your name there in my church. The church is called the Church of God, 12 places, and it's not called the Church of Christ. I think the Church is of Christ maybe once, and from that standpoint of Christ being the head of the church, you can understand that, but it's 12 places called the Church, or the Church is of God.

So, the Father is very much involved, but it's true that He has delegated things over to the hands of Christ. It is Christ who came down the first time and dealt with human beings, and gave the message, and died. It is Christ who will come down the second time, not the Father. Christ will be the King over the earth, not the Father. He will deal with the nations and mankind for a thousand years. He'll deal with those in the second resurrection, all the way up to the lake of fire. It is Christ who is doing the hands-on working with human beings. We're going back to verse 37. We see that a little bit laid out here in John 6, verse 37. All that the Father gives Me. Okay, who's again doing the leading here? It is the Father. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me.

So, when the Father draws someone, that person will come to Christ. And the one who comes to Me, I will by no means cast out. I've come down from heaven not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me, the will of the Father who is greater. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me. I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day.

And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life, and I'll raise Him up at the last day. It shows the Father and Jesus Christ working together in perfect harmony and unity, but it shows the Father has a distinct role. He calls people. He gives them to Jesus Christ. The Father is the one that helps to lead a person toward repentance and baptism, and it is the Father who gives the Holy Spirit at the time of baptism, not Christ. And we are the—we've become the Son of God the Father, not Jesus Christ is not our Father. He's our elder brother. However, we begin to receive the Spirit through Christ. He is the vine. He's the head of the church, and so after being begotten by the Spirit from the Father, then it is through Christ. And I believe the Father's Spirit as well, that come into us and help us to grow. So we see then the unique roles of the Father and the Son in all of this, but the Jesus Christ is definitely working at a level under that of the authority of the Father, under the overall direction and leadership of the Father. And yet the world has this all mixed up. They don't understand that the—at the very top of all of this is God the Father, and Jesus Christ works right under His lead with carrying out God's purpose and plan.

We see in one verse in the Bible that Jesus Christ is going to continue working with human beings. He is the Son of Man. He will continue working with human beings hands-on, right on through the millennium, right on through the Second Resurrection, right on until God's plan with humanity and His family is brought to completion. Let's read 1 Corinthians 15. We see that very clearly described here. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the resurrection chapter.

And let's begin reading here in verse 24. It's talking about Christ and the first fruits and then verse 24 says, then comes the end when He—that's Christ—delivers the kingdom to God the Father. You know Christ is the Son of Man. He'll be right here on the earth working to bring people into the family, but when the end comes, He's going to deliver the kingdom to God the Father.

When He—that is Christ—has put an end to all rule and all authority and power. That's going to be in the Second Resurrection when that happens, when that will have happened. Verse 25 says, He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. Again, in the Second Resurrection. And the last enemy will be to be destroyed is death. That will even be the like of fire.

So Christ is going to be the one working with mankind hands-on right up to the lake of fire.

That last enemy, destroyed, will be death. And look at verse 27, interesting verse.

Good one to really understand. For He—and that's talking about God the Father—the Father, the Father has put all things under His feet, under Christ. Who's in control? Who has put all things under the feet of Christ? The Father. And why? Because Christ is the Son of Man.

He understands what it's like to be human. And so the Father has Christ hands-on working with mankind on the earth. He, the Father, has put all things under His feet. But when He says all things are put under Him, it is evident that He who put all things under Him, the Father, is accepted. The Father has not put Himself under Christ. You know, a president of a company does not put Himself under the vice president. So the president of the kingdom of God is the top sovereign is the Father. He doesn't put Himself under the next one under Him that is Christ. That's what this is saying. So I think it's important that we do understand the top authority in the kingdom of God is God the Father. It's very important when we pray to realize we're praying to God the Father. We can address Christ. He is not wrong to thank Christ for what He has done and what He does for us, but our prayer should be our Father in heaven.

Jesus said, this is how you should pray. Our focus is on God the Father. And I think because sometimes we ourselves in the church may not always have our focus on that as much as we should.

We certainly must not ever leave out Jesus Christ and His role, but we must be careful not to follow the example of the world in neglecting the role of God the Father and almost saying nothing about it.

God the Father is the top authority and we want to always keep that in mind.

We see this just in so many places in the Bible, in the Old Testament. Where's that verse in the Psalms? The Lord said to my Lord. David said this. The Lord said to my Lord. Well, there are two lords there.

One was David's Lord. That was the Yahweh, the I Am, the God of the Old Testament, the one that became Jesus Christ. But who was that first Lord? The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand till I make Your enemies Your footstool. Obviously, the first Lord is the Father.

The Lord, the Father, said to David's Lord, the Lord of the Old Testament, the one that became Jesus Christ, sit on my right hand till I make Your enemies Your footstool. Well, when that has happened, Jesus is at the right hand of God. There's another passage like Revelation 1 in verse 1. The Revelation begins, the very first words, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. And many people just think, oh, this is the Revelation of Christ. But where did that revelation—and it is, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. He's the one that revealed it to John. But where did the message originate? We'll go on and read that first verse of Revelation 1 in verse 1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him. And so the message originates with God the Father. And so it's so important to realize, to get that straight in our minds. The Father was very much involved in the creating of things. We read that the Word, all things were made through the Word. But look at Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 9. This doesn't leave the Father out. He was involved very much, no doubt, in the designing of the universe, in the designing of all aspects of the creation.

But then the hands-on creating was by the Word. Ephesians 3 and verse 9. To make all people see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, and that's talking about the Father in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ. And so God the Father was very much involved in the creation. No doubt, again, the process. Where did those original ideas all come from? All the vast universe, the way it would be laid out. How things on this earth, the creation of plants and animals. I just have an idea. God the Father led the way in designing things. And then Jesus Christ helped to carry out those designs. Once they were blue printed on paper, you might say, then Jesus just carried out the creation of the blue print. God the Father created all things through Jesus Christ. Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 2 says about the same thing. Hebrews chapter 1. And in verse 2, God has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things. Again, it shows the Father then doing the appointing and being in top control of the family. Through whom also he made the worlds through the Word, through the Son, the one that became the Son. So it's important to realize I've tried to draw these distinctions because we see them that actually the role of the Father and Jesus Christ are quite different. But they have the same purpose. They have the same mind. They are in 100% agreement. There is no friction and harmony. Never has been, never will be. And they work together in perfect love and unity.

It's like in Genesis 1 and verse 26 when they made man, let us make man.

That was all really plotted out. Jesus did the actual creating.

And the doubt the Father had been very much involved in designing just exactly how that would be.

So the Father and Jesus Christ work together, but they're very different, very unique beings.

And the Father is so unique from the Son. Just kind of like husband and wife in a family.

They're alike. Both are human. Both breathe air, eat food, drink water.

Both are just physical beings. Husband and wife, but how different? How very different in so many ways. A man is from a woman. A husband is from a wife. Very, very different. And yet the same family, same mind, working together. Not always as well as it should be, maybe.

But in the comparison, God the Father and Jesus Christ, though very unique and very different, work together perfectly. And that's what husbands and wives should aim for. But you see, God is the author of diversity. Seems like man just doesn't have that appreciation. That's true whether we look at the nationality and the races of people. God made us the way we are. There should be respect for that and appreciation. And one day there will be, like male and female.

Today those lines are blurred so badly of masculinity and femininity. Let's say biblical and godly masculinity and femininity. It is tragic. And look at all the sad results and broken families that we have because of that. God didn't intend for a woman to be a man or for a man to be a woman.

The diversity, the difference is there. So we need to appreciate diversity and difference.

But at the same time have respect, love, harmony, and unity as we work together like God in Christ. Well, I've got to begin to wind down just a little bit here in just a few minutes. But brethren, what a privilege and how blessed we are that we can understand the true Father and what He is like, our true Father and also the true Jesus Christ.

And let me just say how different the true Jesus Christ is from the false Jesus Christ of this world.

Even in the New Testament times, there began to be the following of another Jesus. And that's how the Apostle Paul wrote about it, another Jesus that was different.

But guess what? That little bit of departure that began to develop in the early age has grown down through the centuries until, you know, when you begin to depart from the truth, it may not be too far at first. But that trajectory over time will take you further and further away. And in our time, look how far away we are from the true Jesus that we described earlier. Today we have a Jesus with long hair. The Bible says it's a shame for a man to have long hair. We have a Jesus that was born on an ancient pagan festival, Saturnalia, an ancient pagan festivity on December the 25th.

We have a Jesus that was resurrected on Sunday morning, on Easter Sunday morning, the time of an ancient sun worship ceremony. You know, accepting a false Jesus, another Jesus, has led to the great false Christianity we have today. So we have a Christianity where the 10 commandments are not necessary. I just recently, in personal correspondence, had a man that insisted that nine of the commandments are okay and still in force. But that fourth one, that's ceremonial.

And of course, I don't think I changed his mind. If somebody's mind is made up, then you can't really do anything to change it. But false Christianity has abolished the need for the laws of God because everybody is under grace. And look at all the horrible results of deserting the holy and righteous laws of God. Sabbath and the holy days, they're ceremonial.

Heaven has become the reward of the saved. There's going to be no kingdom to reign on this earth.

Jesus Christ is not ever going to be a king over all nations. People are going to go up to heaven.

There's no millennial reign. There's no kingdom of God set up on the earth. And so, what a deceived world we have when people follow another Jesus and come up with their own false ideas about Jesus Christ. What a privilege it is, then, to be able to understand the true Jesus Christ and all those different names and roles and functions that He has performed down through the ages today and in the future. And what a privilege it is to know that we have a loving God the Father in charge overseeing it all. He is the top authority. And Jesus seeks to do His will and seeks to do it the way that the Father wants it done and is executing and carrying out the plan that they developed from the very beginning. For the final Scriptures, let's turn over to Romans chapter 8.

So, as we strive to make God real and make Jesus Christ real, let's strive to also bring out those unique roles of our Father and Jesus Christ to our children. And I think it's very good that we all then are able to have these things to become, well, even clearer in our own understanding.

We really appreciate them more deeply.

In Romans chapter 8, we know that it's talking about the need for God's Spirit to overcome our fleshly weaknesses. And the carnal mind leads toward death and is enmity against God. And those, verse 8, those in the flesh cannot please God. Verse 9, But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Now, the Spirit of God there would be, in this verse, it would be the Spirit that we received at the time of baptism from God our Father. The Spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. And so the Father is the one that begets us, brings us, gives us his Spirit at the time of baptism. But then that connects us to the vine. We become a branch that is connected to the vine, and Jesus said he was the vine. So we receive nourishment from the vine, from Jesus Christ. I'm sure the Father also gives us more of his Spirit, and we grow in that Spirit. And it's the same Spirit, God the Father and Jesus Christ. It's the same Spirit of God. Verse 10, If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, well, the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus would be the Spirit of the Father. If that's in us, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwells in you. So, you know, we do have the Spirit that our Father and Jesus Christ provide for us to help us then to grow and to overcome. In verse 12, therefore brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you'll die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. So we need to be doing that, don't we? Using God's Spirit to grow and to overcome.

In verse 14, as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

So, yes, making God real and drawing close to God is very important. They go together.

The times are evil. More and more evil all the time. And so let's strive to draw closer to God, making Him real. And so much the more as we see the day approaching.