THE DIVINITY & HUMANITY OF JESUS CHRIST Hebrews 1:1-10 ( ), John 10:27-33 ( ), John 5:22-23, John 4:5-7, John 11:32-35, & Hebrews 4:15.
THE LIFE & MIRACLES OF JESUS CHRIST Matthew 1:20-21 ( ), Luke 8:22-56 ( ), Mark 6:32-44 ( ), & Luke 12:13-21.
THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST Luke 18:31-34, Matthew 26:14-16, John 13:21-30, & Mark 15:16-39.
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST Matthew 27:57-66, Luke 23:55-24:9, Luke 24:36-48, & I Corinthians 15:4-8 ( ).
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF IT ALL? I Peter 3:18 ( ), Romans 5:6-8
( ), Acts 10:43 ( ),
& Philippians 2:8-11.
INTRODUCTION Having looked at the nature of sin, we will now spend time looking at the remedy which God has ordained to deal with the problem of sin. Just as only those who are sick will seek the help of a physician, only those who through the work of God in their hearts realize their desperate condition before God because of their sin will truly and earnestly seek the remedy which God has prescribed.
1. God's remedy is found only in the Person of Jesus Christ.
The Bible teaches that when Jesus came to earth, He was both fully
God and fully man at the same time. It will help us in understanding
Jesus to look at both of these qualities within Him. The Book
of Hebrews was written to demonstrate that Jesus was and is superior
to the angels, Moses, the high priests, and that God's new covenant
with man is superior to His old covenant with the Jews. Hebrews
chapter 1 explains how Jesus is superior to the angels of God.
Here the writer shows the superiority of Jesus Christ by quoting
from Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah which show that
the Messiah (or Christ) was indeed to be God. Jesus had claimed
that He was the Jewish Messiah.
Read Hebrews 1:1-10. How has God spoken to us in these last days
(vs. 2)? What else does verse 2 tell us about the Son? How does
the writer compare Jesus to God in verse 3? How does the writer
compare Jesus to the angels in verses 4-5? What does the Old Testament
say the angels shall do before the Son (vs. 6)? What does it say
about the Son in verse 8? By what name or title is the Son called
or addressed in verse 8?
In John 10 Jesus is seen talking to a group of Jews about eternal
life and His relationship to His Father. What does Jesus tell
these Jews in verse 30? What do the Jews do upon hearing this
(vs. 31)? What reason do they give for trying to kill Jesus (vs.33)?
In John 5:22-23 Jesus is also talking to a group of Jews about
Himself and the Father. What task has the Father given to the
Son (vs. 22)? Why has the Father done this (vs. 23)? According
to what Jesus says, if a person does not honor Jesus, can that
person truly honor God (vs. 23)?
As we have just seen, the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ
is God. As God, Jesus voluntarily chose to become a man. How does
John 4:6-7 demonstrate the humanity of Jesus?
In the 11th chapter of John, Jesus has been asked by some close
friends to come and help their brother. Jesus has arrived to help,
finding that the brother has already died (Jesus knew that he
had died before they arrived). Read verses 32-35. What is Jesus'
response to the tragic scene He finds (vs. 35)?
Hebrews 4:15 tells us another very important fact about the humanity
of Jesus. Although tempted to sin as we all are, did Jesus ever
yield to that temptation and commit sin?
2. The events recorded about the life of Jesus happened over
a three-year period (with the exception of the birth of Christ
and the events surrounding it). During that three-year period,
Jesus taught in many cities, performed numerous miracles, and
told people how they could come to know God. Let's spend some
time looking at the life and miracles of Jesus Christ. In Matthew
1:21 an angel from God is telling Joseph, the step-father of Jesus,
about Jesus' coming birth. What does the angel tell Joseph about
the purpose for which Jesus will be born?
In Luke 8 we see the amazing power of God demonstrated by Jesus
in several types of miracles. In verses 22-25 how does Jesus demonstrate
God's power? How does Jesus stop the storm (vs. 24)? How do the
disciples react to this (vs. 25)? In verses 27-28 Jesus is confronted
by a man who is possessed with many demons or evil spirits. How
many demons are there in the man (vs. 30)? What happens to the
demons when they are confronted with the power of Jesus Christ
(vs. 30-33)? What does Jesus instruct the man to do in verse 39?
While an official of the synagogue (or Jewish place of worship)
is asking Jesus to come and heal his daughter, a woman approaches
Jesus secretly (vs. 43-48). What is wrong with the woman (vs.
43)? What does she do (vs. 44)? What is the result (vs. 44)? After
healing the woman, Jesus proceeds to the home of Jairus, the offical
of the synagogue. By now Jairus' daughter has died. When Jesus
tells the group of people in the house to stop crying because
the girl is not dead, how do they respond (vs. 52-53)? What happens
to the girl when Jesus commands her to rise up (vs. 54-55)?
In the verses we have just looked at in Luke, we saw God's power
demonstrated through Jesus over the forces of nature (in calming
a storm), evil spirits (in casting them out), sickness (in healing
it), and even death (in restoring life to the dead). We now want
to look at another great miracle of Jesus. Turn to Mark 6:32-44.
Jesus and His disciples have departed to go to a desolate place
for some rest. What do the people who see them leave do (vs. 33)?
When Jesus sees them, how does His heart respond to them and what
does He do for them (vs. 34)? Since it is so late, what plan do
the disciples have for the multitudes (vs. 35-36)? How much food
do the disciples find to feed the large group (vs. 38)? What happens
next (vs. 39-42)? How many people are fed by the multiplication
of the loaves of bread and fish (vs. 44)?
In addition to doing many miracles, Jesus often taught people
about the Kingdom of God and the meaning of life. Jesus taught
many times about the importance of living our lives today with
eternity in mind. He called on people to examine their own lives
and priorities. Luke 12:13-21 records one of those times. Turn
to Luke 12. What does Jesus warn the crowd about in verse 15?
Why does He say that this is important (vs. 15)? Jesus then proceeds
to tell a story about a farmer. What has happened to the farmer
(vs. 16)? What does the farmer decide to do about it (vs. 17-18)?
What is the attitude of the farmer (vs. 19)? What is the point
of this story (vs 20-21)? What does Jesus consider more important
than possessions (vs. 21)? Which is more important to you--God
or your possessions?
3. Jesus Christ was the only person who has ever lived who
was born to die. The primary reason Jesus was born into the world
was to die. He knew this and tried to prepare His disciples for
His death ahead of time. In Luke 18:31-34 Jesus tells His disciples
about what is going to happen. How does Jesus describe what will
happen to Him (vs. 31-33)? How do His disciples react to this
(vs. 34)?
Matthew tells us how one of Jesus' own disciples plotted to betray
Him. Look at Matthew 26:14-16. To whom does Judas go (vs. 14)?
What is the price Judas receives for his actions (vs. 15)? After
receiving the money from the chief priests, what does Judas begin
to do (vs. 16)?
The scene now changes to the night before Jesus' death. He is
celebrating the Passover meal with His twelve disciples. John
tells us about it in John 13:21-30. What shocking news does Jesus
reveal to the disciples (vs. 21)? Who does Jesus indicate privately
to John will be the traitor (vs. 26)? What instructions does Jesus
give to Judas (vs. 27)? Why do the disciples think Judas is leaving
(vs. 29)?
All the gospel writers record the death of Jesus. Let's look at
Mark's account of it in Mark 15:16-39. How did the soldiers treat
Jesus after He was arrested (vs. 16-20)? Who else was condemned
to die with Jesus (vs. 27)? How did some of those who were watching
Jesus die treat Him (vs. 29-32)? What happened at the ninth hour
(or 3:00 pm) according to verses 33-37? A Centurion was standing
right in front of Jesus when he died. What conclusion did he come
to (vs. 39)?
4. Jesus had predicted His own death, but He predicted something
much more remarkable than that. He predicted that three days after
His death He would come to life again. All the gospel writers
tell about this event called the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We will look at the account that Matthew gives us in his gospel
in Matthew 27:57-66. Here Matthew tells us about the events following
Jesus' death. Who came to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus
(vs. 57-58)? What did they do with His body (vs. 59-60)? What
do the chief priests and Pharisees decide to do (vs. 62-66)? Why?
The women from Galilee watch as Joseph and Nicodemus bury the
body of Jesus. In Luke 23:55-24:9 we learn what happens next.
After watching Jesus' burial, what do the women do (vs. 55-24:1)?
What do they find when they get to the tomb (vs. 6-7)? Who do
the women tell these things to (vs. 9)?
Jesus first appears to Mary of Magdala after He comes alive from
the dead. Then He appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus.
The disciples heading to Emmaus return immediately to Jerusalem
to tell the other disciples that Jesus is alive. In Luke 24:36-48
Jesus appears to His disciples as a group for the first time since
His resurrection from the dead. When Jesus appears to them what
do they think (vs. 37)? What does Jesus ask them to do to show
that it really is He (vs. 39)? How do they react (vs. 41)? What
does Jesus instruct them to do (vs. 46-47)?
I Corinthians 15:4-8 records a list of those who saw Jesus alive
after He had died. How many people are mentioned in these verses
as having seen Jesus alive after He died (vs. 6)? In a modern
court of law, if a person was able to call 500 witnesses who all
testified unwaveringly about the same event, do you think a jury
would believe them?
5. To just understand the basic facts about the life, death,
and resurrection of Jesus Christ, even though firmly believed,
falls far short of the Father's intention in sending Jesus (God
the Son) to earth. God commands each person to go beyond the facts
and not only understand why Jesus came and believe it, but also
to then willingly surrender one's life and all that one has and
is to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. First, we need to understand
why Jesus' death is so important.
Turn to I Peter 3:18. What does this verse tell us about the reason
for Jesus' death? What do you think the phrase "the just
for the unjust" means? Why does this verse say that Jesus'
death was necessary?
Mental or intellectual agreement with the facts about why Jesus
died is, however, not enough to save anyone. Genuine faith goes
far beyond just agreeing with a set of facts. Romans 5:6-8 helps
us to understand more about our own condition and God's mercy
to those who genuinely commit their lives to following Christ.
What does verse 6 indicate about our ability to save ourselves
apart from Christ? For whom did Christ die (vs. 6)? Do you sincerely
believe that you are "ungodly", or do you see yourself
differently? Only a proper self-evaluation related to sin (seeing
sin through God's eyes for its wickedness and vileness and as
utter rebellion against God) can bring a person to God in true
repentance. How has God shown His love and mercy to men in spite
of our dreadful condition before Him (vs. 8)?
Acts 10:43 tells us of the effect of Christ's death toward those
who totally commit their lives to following Him. What does the
one who makes that commitment receive?
Philippians 2:8-11 brings all of this into focus. It is not that
God desires for people to just agree mentally with the facts presented
about Jesus in the Scriptures, as important as that might be.
God demands far more than that. What do these verses tell us that
God wishes for all to do (vs 10-11)? What does the word "Lord"
mean to you?
The word "Lord" means ruler or master. When someone
is lord over you, he has authority over your life to do with it
whatever pleases him. The lord most people have over their lives
is themselves. Jesus Christ demands that He be recognized as sovereign
Lord over all of your life. To do that we must first be enlightened
by the Holy Spirit about our dreadful state of sin and rebellion
against God. If a person is unwilling to accept the facts about
Jesus' death on their behalf or to bow before the Lordship of
Jesus Christ over their life, that person cannot receive forgiveness
of sins. The next study deals in greater depth with the issue
of Lordship and genuine belief. Please continue on to the study
entitled "Jesus Calls for Commitment: What is Genuine Faith?"
Copyright © 1990 by William C. Nichols.
Distributed by International Outreach, Inc., PO Box 1286, Ames,
Iowa 50010