THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the second person of the Godhead. He is neither second in rank or position but He holds a different office than God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. As we progress through this study we will find many Biblical passages which teach plainly that Jesus Christ is God. He did not cease to be God when He came to earth. He is eternal without beginning nor end. As long as Christ will be alive, we will be alive, which means forever.
The name "Jesus" is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name "Joshua" and it means "Jehovah is Salvation." The name Christ means "The Anointed One." In Jesus's name we see His purpose and that is to be the Anointed One of Jehovah to bring salvation to His people (Matthew 1:21).
Jesus has many reference names and titles which I would like to list at this time. Each name gives insight into the diversity of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and what His relation to the Christian is.
1. Advocate - 1 John 2:1
2. Almighty - Revelation 1:8
3. Alpha and Omega - Revelation 1:8; 22:13
4. Author and Finisher of our Faith - Hebrews 12:2
5. Beloved Son - Matthew 12:18
6. Captain of Salvation - Hebrews 2:10
7. Creator - John 1:3
8. Deliverer - Romans 11:26
9. Desire of all Nations - Haggai 2:7
10. Everlasting Father - Isaiah 9:6
11. Good Shepherd - John 10:11
12. Great High Priest - Hebrews 4:14
13. I Am - John 8:58
14. King of Kings - 1 Timothy 6:15
15. Lamb of God - John 1:29
16. Lord of Glory - 1 Corinthians 2:8
17. Our Passover - 1 Corinthians 5:7
18. Prince of Kings - Revelation 1:5
19. Redeemer - Job 19:25
20. Shiloh - Genesis 49:10
21. Son of David - Matthew 1:1
22. Son of Righteousness - Malachi 4:2
23. True Light - John 1:9
24. True Vine - John 15:1
25. The Word - John 1:1
26. Saviour – Titus 2:13
Why do you think Christ has so many different names?
There are many other names for Christ written in both the Old and New Testaments. The above list of twenty six should whet your appetite to study our Lord more in-depth. Let me say that we should have an intimate relationship with Christ and He is not to be treated only as a subject of study. He is our Lord and Savior and must be treated as such. He is called "Saviour" in thirty seven places in both the Old and the New Testament. It is important to study the passages and context of the passages carefully. The context is the part of a story or discourse, in this case, other passages of Scripture which surround the passage or phrase in question. For example, If I was studying John 14:25, the context would be those verses before it and after it.
Christ's Coming Prophesied in the Old Testament
1. By God Himself - Genesis 3:15
2. By Jacob - Genesis 49:10
3. By Moses - Deuteronomy 18:15-16
4. By Isaiah - Isaiah 7:14; 9:6
5. By Jeremiah - Jeremiah 23:5
6. By Ezekiel - Ezekiel
37:22
7. By Daniel - Daniel 2:44
8. By Micah - Micah 5:2
9. By Haggai - Haggai 2:7
10. By Zechariah - Zechariah 3:8
11. By Malachi - Malachi 3:1
Why do you think it is important that Christ's first coming was prophesied in the Old Testament?
Prophecies Concerning His:
1. Death - Isaiah 53:4-10
2. Dominion - 1 Peter 3:22
3. Kingdom - Luke 23:42; John 18:36
4. Meekness - Isaiah 53:7
5. Priesthood - Hebrews 2:17; 4:14
6. Prophetic Office - Deuteronomy 18:18
7. Rejection - Isaiah 8:14
8. Resurrection - Psalm 16:10
9. Righteousness - Isaiah 11:5
10. Sufferings - Mark 8:31
11. Triumph over Evil - Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:13
Why Did Christ Go To The Cross?
1. To save His people from their sins - Matthew 1:21
2. We were spiritually dead - Ephesians 2:1-5
3. To make us spiritually alive – 1 Corinthians 15:22
4. God's holiness must be vindicated - Leviticus 11:44; Proverbs 15:9
5. Man is totally depraved - Genesis 6:5-6; Romans 3:10-18
6. God loves His elect - Romans 5:6-10
7. To prepare a place for us - John 14:2
8. Man's righteousness could not meet God's standards. (Isaiah 64:6) When Adam and Eve sinned, instead of running to God, they made themselves skins of sewed fig leaves. This is symbolic of man's religion which tries to cover his sin and appease God.
In Genesis 3:21, we read that God gave them coverings of animal skin, thus symbolizing the death of Christ to reconcile us back unto God. (2 Corinthians 5:18)
The Believer's Benefits Resulting from Calvary
1. Romans 8:1 - No judgment for sin
2. Romans 8:15 - The fears of this life are removed
3. Romans 8:15 - We are placed into the family of God
4. Romans 8:17 - Heirs of God (Genesis 15:1)
5. Romans 8:17 - Joint-heirs with Christ
6. Romans 8:17 - We will be glorified
7. Romans 8:23 - We will be resurrected never to die again
How God views the Believer because of Calvary from Ephesians 1
Vs 1 - Saints - means "Sacred, morally blameless, set apart
Vs 3 - All Spiritual Blessings - God's spiritual resources commended to us
Vs 4 - Holy - Set apart, sanctified
Vs 4 - Chosen - Called out, hand-picked
Vs 4 - Without Blame - Faultless, blameless, unblemished
Vs 5 - Adoption - Placing as a son or a daughter
Vs 6 - Accepted - Endue with special honor, to be highly favored
Vs 7 - Redemption - Ransom in full
Vs 7 - Forgiveness - Discharge, setting free, remission, liberty
Vs 13 - Sealed - Sealed up for security and preservation
There will be further studies on this in another chapter.
Biblical Proofs of the Bodily Resurrection of Christ
1. He had flesh and bones - Luke 24:39-40
2. He ate food - Luke 24:41-43
3. He showed Thomas the marks from His crucifixion - John 20:27
4. He was seen by 500 people at once - 1 Corinthians 15:6 - Deuteronomy 17:6 states that two or three witnesses were enough to confirm an accusation. Here the Lord confirms His resurrection by 500 witnesses. More than the law requires to confirm any event.
What if a person was on trial for shooting someone in front of 500 witnesses, do you think this person would be found guilty?
The Ascension of Christ
1. It happened on the Mount of Olives - Acts 1:12
2. Christ predicted it - John 6:62
3. It was witnessed by the disciples - Acts 1:9-11
Why Christ needed to Ascend
1. To send the promise of the Holy Spirit - John 16:7-15; Acts 1:8
2. So He may reign over the church universal - Ephesians 1:18-23
3. To prepare for His return on the last day - Acts 1:11
4. To distribute the spiritual gifts - Ephesians 4:10-14; 1 Corinthians 12:5-14; Romans 12:5-8 (At this point do not be concerned about the spiritual gifts. You will have the opportunity to study them as we progress through these studies.
Each Christian has at least one gift.
His Present Work as High Priest
The High Priest of Israel was the chief intercessor for the people. He was to offer the atoning sacrifice for the entire congregation on the Great Day of Atonement and we know this day as Yom Kippur. You may find the ceremony in Leviticus 17. To show the fallibility of the earthly priesthood, the High Priest had to offer up the sacrifice for the atonement of his own sins before he could intercede for the congregation. When it came time for the sacrifice for the people, the offering was laid upon the altar, then the High Priest would place his hands upon the head of the burnt offering. (Leviticus 1:4)
This was done so that the High Priest became identified or became one with the substitute for sins. The word "offering" in Leviticus 1:4 carries with it the meaning of "brought near." Christ did not have to make atonement for His sins before He died because He was totally sinless, yet He became sin for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
1. His sinless birth - Luke 1:35
2. His sinless life - John 8:46; 1 John 3:5
The priest represented man to God by sacrifices and intercessions. This is how Christ represents us:
1. His atoning blood on our behalf - Hebrews 2:17; 3:1; 1 John 2:1
2. He grants to us on the basis of atonement our spiritual and material goods - John 14:16; Luke 22:31-32
3. He intercedes for the church - Hebrews 9:11-15, 24-28; 10:19-22
4. He understands our weaknesses - Hebrews 2:18; 4:14-15
5. Because of Christ's ministry we are now able to enter the Holy of Holies with confidence - Hebrews 4:6 In other words, we may now come into God's holy presence as His children.
THE DEITY OF CHRIST
In the New Testament:
1. His self-existence - John 8:58; 10:30; 14:10; Philippians 2:6
2. His eternal existence - John 1:13; 8:58; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:8-12; Hebrews 13:8; Revelation 1:8
In the Old Testament:
1. From David - Psalm 45:6-7
2. From Isaiah - Isaiah 7:14; 9:6
3. From Daniel - Daniel 7:13-14
4. From Micah - Micah 5:2
There are three words that describe the Deity of Christ which we will study from the four gospels. The words are not in the Bible but are a descriptive trio of words for deity.
A. Omnipotent - Having all power
B. Omniscient - Having perfect knowledge
C. Omnipresent - The ability to be present everywhere simultaneously, free from the laws of time and space.
Omnipotent
1. Over nature - Mark 4:39
2. Over sin - Matthew 9:6
3. Over death - John 11:43-44
4. Over evil spirits - Mark 5:1-16; Luke 4:35
5. Over sickness - Mark 5:25-29
Omniscient
1. He knew the hearts of the Pharisees - Mark 2:8; Luke 6:8
2. He knew the thoughts of the disciples - John 21:7
3. He knew where Nathaniel was before He spoke with him - John 1:48-49
4. He knew the plan of Judas - John 6:70
Omnipresent
1. Where two or three are gathered - Matthew 18:20
2. He is with each Christian - Matthew 28:20
3. He was on earth and at the same time in heaven – John 3:13 (A Great Mystery)
He received Worship as God by:
1. Nathaniel - John 1:49
2. Demons - Mark 5:6-7
3. The Angels - Hebrews 1:6
4. The Wise Men - Matthew 2:2, 11
5. A Leper - Matthew 8:2
6. The Syro-Phoenician Woman - Matthew 15:25
7. Thomas - John 20:28
8. A Blind Man - John 9:38
Other Traits of Christ:
1. He lives within us - Galatians 2:20
2. He is the image of God - Colossians 1:15-17
3. He is the fullness of the Godhead - Colossians 2:9
4. He is our common confession - 1 Timothy 3:16
5. He is the blessed hope - Titus 2:13
The Return of Christ
Are we the terminal generation? There is much Scripture pointing to the fact that we are living in the last of the last days. The return of Christ is very near as the following Scriptures will reveal:
1. 1 John 2:18 - This verse teaches us that we are in the last hour and we know this because there is much opposition to Christianity.
2. Hebrews 1:1-2 - The Bible refers to the time from the cross to the present as the last days.
3. 2 Timothy 4:3-5 - These Scriptures teach us that we may know that we are in the last days by reason of the false gospels that will invade the church.
4. 2 Timothy 3:1-7 - These verses warn us of the increase of evil in the last days.
5. Matthew 24:36-39 - These verses show that the sinful conditions which prevailed in Noah's time will be repeated in the last days.
6. James 5:3 - This verse shows us that people will be obsessed with money and riches. Wealth will be a major goal in the last days.
7. 2 Peter 3:3-4 - The last days will be characterized by people who will doubt the return of Christ.
8. Jude 18 - The last days will be characterized by those who will mock Christianity while pursuing their own sinful goals.