Faith In Christ As Prophet

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Acts 3:22; Lord's Day 12
Psalters: 229, 147, 375, 112
  1. The idea.
    1. In general, a prophet is given the knowledge of God, and then he speaks in His name, and declares His praises.
    2. Before the fall, Adam knew God well.
    3. Sin changed the office into the service of the devil.
      1. Man began speaking and loving the lie and evil, and hating the truth (especially about himself).
      2. Sinful man cannot bear the presence and voice of God (Adam and Eve hid themselves; Gen. 3:8).
  2. When man fell, God promised to restore the office in the Messiah.
    1. Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah/Christ, the Anointed One, THE office-bearer, THE prophet.
      1. He was appointed and qualified to do everything necessary to lead God's works to the highest glory.
      2. In His very Being He perfectly represented the invisible God in this world (Deut. 18:15ff; Heb. 1:1-3).
    2. How did He conduct Himself a chief Prophet when He was on earth?
      1. He bubbled over, revealing the Father and the way of salvation (Acts 3:21,22; Luke 4:18,21; John 1:18).
      2. He delivered us from sin, giving the right, the ability, and the desire of divine service, so we can know God.
    3. In heaven Christ received the Spirit, by which He, as The office-bearer, fulfills His ministry of representing God.
  3. Jesus, THE Office-bearer, exercises His office of prophet through a visible representation of Himself.
    1. In great mercy throughout the Old Dispensation God still spoke in direct revelation to selected men: prophets.
    2. In the New Dispensation, Christ still is His people's prophet, through the office of preacher.
      1. Christ instituted and preserves the ministry of the gospel (Eph. 4:11-13; Rom. 10: 13-17; I Peter 1:10-12).
      2. When a minister speaks from the written Word by the Spirit, then he brings Christ directly into the world.
  4. As a result of the out-pouring of the anointing Spirit, the Spirit of Christ dwells within every believer.
    1. Those in Christ partake of His anointing and thus are Christians, anointed ones.
    2. As prophets in church we readily submit to the Sword of the Spirit through the preaching of the gospel (I Thess. 5:12,13).
    3. As prophets in this world we are to confess Christ's name.
    4. To have the right to be called a Christian is a gift of grace.