Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Welcome
• Why has the work been done - because of the person described for us in this passage of scripture: the Lord Jesus Christ
• Llantrisant is famous the world over for the Royal Mint
• Treasure from this community goes out to over 80 countries
• This church treasures the Lord Jesus Christ
• What a great claim Christians make about Jesus
• He has unlimited riches - offered to men and women each week from this pulpit
• We discover some reasons why Jesus is 'so rich'
• Some people are not yet convinced of these riches
• "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" (Heb 2:3)
• The Salvation is so great because of the greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is great in relation to the Prophets

• Jesus is not merely a prophet, He is the Son of God
• Comparison between a son/daughter and a servant
• Jesus Christ is not merely a servant of God but is the Son
• Jesus is greater the Elijah, greater than Isaiah
• God said of Jesus: "You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased"
• Jesus does not say "Thus says the Lord", He says "Verily, verily, I say unto you"
• He speaks on His own authority

Jesus Christ is great in relation to the Angels

• To which angel has God ever said 'be my Son'
• He has a unique grandeur - a more excellent name
• Jesus is greater than the angels
• He made the angels, He oversees the angels, He sends the angels
• Here is great superhumanness

Jesus Christ is great in relation to the Universe

• God made the world through Jesus
• Jesus had a creative role in the making of the world (John 1:3)
• Creation cannot contain anything that is in contradiction to Jesus Christ
• The universe expresses the mind of our Saviour: logical, coherent
• The physics and mathematics we learn give us a current understanding into this mindset
• The universe is a gift/designed for us
• The universe is not hostile or at odds with the Christian faith
• We do not worship creation but the God who created the universe

Jesus Christ is great in relation to God

• He is the brightness of God's glory (Heb 1:3)
• We are told of His person and work
• Consider the brightness of glory of Jesus: when washing the feet of the disciples, when hanging on the cross
• There is no difference between God the Father and God the Son in the glory of their being
• He bears the form and image of God
• The Father and the Son are distinct beings but have the same power, glory, status, eminence and name
• As Christians we worship Jesus Christ
• If Jesus Christ is not God, then this is blasphemy!
• [Tabor] have invested in the building because of Jesus Christ - He is good, He is glorious, He saves
• Because Jesus is God we gather [in Tabor]

Jesus Christ is great in His compassion

• Jesus Christ is great
• A saviour of great awesomeness and grandeur
• The great gulf that exists between the best man and woman here
• Here then the danger lies, that we should lose contact with Jesus Christ
• Perhaps this has been over emphasised in church history through the absolute-ising of the majesty of Jesus Christ
• It has been a false emphasis on Christian godliness and Christian piety
• The compassion of Jesus Christ
• Compassion is a wonderful gift
• Personal example
• We a wonderful compassionate High Priest who knows our weakness (unlike Ananias and Caiaphas)
• Our Saviour is great in compassion
• He not only feels for us, but with us
• He has empathy for us, despite being one so High
• He had taken our nature
• He has come in our weakness and vulnerability, He had a human body, He knew pain
• He was tested in all points as we are - obedience, trust, submission to God
• He knew emotional pain, He knew spiritual pain
• "He remembers that we are dust" - Psalm 103:14
• When Jesus sees Christians in pain and struggle
• Personal example
• There are a lot of "why's" asked of God
• There is no sin in doing so
• Jesus knows this pain
• All the riches of tender sympathy and love are found in Jesus Christ

Closing Remarks

• We have great confidence about the future - in Jesus Christ
• We present Jesus the Saviour "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" of greatness, compassion, power and tender mercy
• Coming to Jesus is a response hearing about Him from the gospel
• Led by the Holy Spirit
• "Here I am Lord, sorry I have been away from you for so long"
• "From now on, I will submit to you and serve you"
• Trust in Jesus - He is worthy of it