The Messiah’s Mission

The Messiah’s Mission

Especially at this time of the year, many people tend to think that the ultimate mission of the little baby Jesus was to inspire warm and sentimental feelings, or some vague ideal of peace on earth and goodwill towards men. But is this really what Christmas is all about? On this program, Michael Horton and Mike Brown join the panel as we conclude our series on the Fourth Gospel by taking a look at the way in which the mission and work of Israel’s messiah is presented throughout John’s narrative.

Show Quote:

Michael Horton: And John’s gospel, Lamb of God, tells you right at the outset what Jesus has come to do.  I mean, if Jesus says, “For this purpose I have come into the world,” namely the crucifixion, and at the beginning of the story he’s the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, I think the focus of our understanding of Christ’s person and work should be that he is first and foremost our Savior.  He came into the world, was sent by the Father to save his people.

Term to Learn:

“True Saving Faith”

True saving faith is a faith that has its seat in the heart and is roots in the regenerate life. The seed of the faith is implanted by God in the heart in regeneration, and it is only after God has implanted this seed in the heart that man can actively exercise faith. The conscious exercise of it gradually forms a habit, and this becomes a powerful aid in the further exercise of faith. When the Bible speaks of this faith it generally, though not always, refers to it as an activity of man. It may be defined as a certain conviction, wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, as to the truth of the gospel, and a hearty reliance on the promises of God in Christ.  (From Louis Berkhof’s Manual of Christian Doctrine)

(This podcast is by White Horse Inn. Discovered by Christian Podcast Central and our community — copyright is owned by the publisher, not Christian Podcast Central, and audio is streamed directly from their servers.)