Chapter 5
JESUS CHRIST … OUR LORD OUR GOD
In preparation for this study, let us now quiet our hearts and pray.
Dear Father God,
Through Your Son Jesus Christ, I come before You and ask You to please give me a spirit of wisdom and understanding so that I can truly come to know You and Your Son, Jesus Christ. Please open my eyes so I can truly see and open my ears to really hear. Please reveal Your Son, Jesus Christ, to me and help me to believe and place my faith in Him.
Amen
INTRODUCTION
Before we begin our study it will be helpful for us to recognize that the term “Christ” means “Messiah” or “Anointed One” or “The Lord’s Anointed One”. Thus, when we say the Name Jesus Christ what we are saying is: “Jesus, the Anointed One.”
With this background let us now recall that in our previous study we read that Jesus Christ said, "He was the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father except through Him." To refresh our memories, let us begin this study by reading what Jesus said to prepare His disciples for His upcoming death, resurrection and return to Heaven. It is recorded in,
John 14:1-6
""[1] Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. [2] In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. [4] You know the way to the place where I am going." [5] Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" [6] Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Let us notice the following verses,
2 … There are many mansions in the Father's House. Jesus also told His disciples then and now us that the reason He was going to leave them was to prepare a place for those who are His.
4 … Jesus told the disciples that they know where He is going and the way to get there.
5 … Thomas responded by stating that they do not know where He is going or the way to get there. We now know that Jesus was returning to Heaven to be with the Father. However, let us now go to verse 6 and read what Jesus said about how to get there.
6(a) … Jesus stated that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
6(b) … No one comes to the Father except through Jesus. In other words, it is only through Jesus Christ that we can come to God the Father.
This truth is made even clearer to us when we read a the following excerpt from what the Apostle Peter said to the Jewish Sanhedrin, which was the ruling priesthood of the Jewish religion. The statement of interest is recorded in,
Acts 4:12
"[12] Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
In other words, the only way we can be forgiven and saved from receiving the penalty of our sins, which is eternity in the Lake of Fire, is through Jesus Christ. This is why Jesus said to His disciples that, "No one comes to the Father except through Him."
Since our eternal destiny and the salvation of our souls rests upon our faith and belief in Jesus Christ, it is imperative for us to know who the Jesus of the Bible is. Without this knowledge or understanding our faith might be directed to a false Christ who cannot save us. To do this, we will:
1. Cover some background material so there will be no doubt in our minds that each and every one of us needs a Savior.
2. Review a sample of the many Old Testament prophecies that foretell of a time when God would come to save us from our sins.
3. See that in Jesus Christ, God has fulfilled His promise to save us.
WE ALL NEED A SAVIOR
For us to more fully understand who Jesus Christ really is, we must first realize that He came to this earth to save you and me. Now some may ask in their heart, "What did He come to save me from?" The answer to this question is that; "He came to save you and me from our sins." Unless we clearly understand that in our natural self we are sinners and have sinned, we can never truly appreciate who Jesus Christ is and all that He did for us. In other words, if I never believe that I am a sinner and need to be saved from my sins, I can never truly seek after God's wonderful Mercy and Grace that He extends to you and me in Jesus Christ.
Thus, to be sure we realize we are all sinners, born with a nature to sin, we begin our study by reading about the fall or sin of Adam and Eve. The purpose of doing this is so that we can understand how the sin of Adam and Eve has become an integral part of our very nature. With this in mind, let us begin by reading the portion of Genesis where God created man,
Genesis 1:26-27
"[26] Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." [27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
Let us notice the following verses,
26 … After God created the entire universe He made man in His image and likeness.
27 … Thus, Adam and Eve were created in the image and likeness of God.
After God created Adam, He then planted a garden in Eden where mankind was to live. To see this we go to,
Genesis 2:8-9
"[8] Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. [9] And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."
Let us notice the following verse in particular,
9 … God had placed two special trees. One tree was the tree of life and the second was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
After the garden was planted, God took the man He created and placed him in it. He then instructed the man to work and care for the garden but was not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is found in,
Genesis 2:15-17
"[15] The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. [16] And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; [17] but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
Let us notice the following verses,
17(a) … What is interesting to note is that God did not say he could not eat from the tree of life, which is to live forever. The command was to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Also note that Adam had the freedom to obey or disobey.
17(b) … Also notice that the consequence of eating from this tree would be that they would surely die.
As we reflect upon the above situation we come to realize that this was truly paradise. There was no death. There was no suffering, no sin, no pollution, no strife nor corruption. In fact, we also come to the understanding that both Adam and Eve were as innocent as can be and in constant harmony and fellowship with God their Creator … truly Paradise or eternal bliss!
Unfortunately, this state was not to last. Satan in the form of a serpent enticed Eve, who then enticed Adam to disobey God’s command and eat the forbidden fruit. As we read about this encounter, it is noteworthy for us to recognize that the dialog Satan had with Eve contains similar thoughts that he places in our minds when he attempts to entice us to disobey God’s will and lead us into sin. With this in mind, let us now read from,
Genesis 3:1-7
"[1] Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" [2] The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, [3] but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" [4] "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. [5] "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." [6] When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. [7] Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves."
Let us notice the following verses,
1 … Satan asked Eve if she really understood God’s command. How many times have we heard this same question; "Does God's Word really say that?"
2-3 … Eve told Satan exactly what God said. It is the same with us. As we study His Word we pretty much know what God does or does not want us to do.
4 … Satan suggested to Eve that God would not really do such a terrible thing. How many times have we heard this type of argument? Sometimes it comes in the form of, “You know that God is loving and caring, surely He would not send people to the Lake of Fire.”
5 … In addition to questioning the consequence, Satan now suggested to Eve that the reason God does not want her to eat of the fruit, is that if she did, she would then be like God, knowing good and evil. The implication is that Eve could make her own decisions and judgments and not be dependent upon God. How many times have we been tempted to rely upon our own feelings or knowledge or wisdom to make various decisions rather than seek out God's will?
6 … Unfortunately, Eve bought the argument. She saw the fruit as good, pleasing to the eye and desirable for gaining wisdom. Also notice that rather than obeying God, Adam listened to Eve and also ate the forbidden fruit.
7 … Now both Adam and Eve are no longer innocent. Consequently, they now realize that they are naked.
Given this sad situation, let us now read the consequences of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. They are recorded in,
Genesis 3:16-19
"[16] To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." [17] To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. [18] It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. [19] By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.""
As one reflects upon the above Scriptures we come to realize that today we too have inherited these very same consequences. Namely, death, pain and labor are still very much part of the human experience. As bad and as difficult these consequences are, the Bible also teaches us that because of Adam and Eve’s sin we lost much, much more.
First of all, we find that we lost eternal life. We see this by reading how God removed both Adam and Eve and hence their offspring, that is you and I, from the Garden of Eden. He did this so that, apart from Him, we would not have access to the tree of life. To see this let us read from,
Genesis 3:22-24
"[22] And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." [23] So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. [24] After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life."
Secondly, in addition to all the above consequences, we also find that we have inherited Adam’s nature, which is the nature to sin. To see this, let us read about the birth of his son, Seth, in,
Genesis 5:3
"[3] When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth."
Let us note that Adam and Eve were created in God’s image and likeness. However, Adam and Eve’s offspring, ultimately you and I, were born in the image and likeness of Adam. The significance of this comes to light by noting that because Adam and Eve sinned, we too are sinners. To see this let us read from,
Romans 5:19(a)
"[19] For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, …"
In addition to the sentence of physical death, the Bible also teaches us that because we are sinners we are also spiritually dead and under God’s wrath. To see this, carefully consider the following Scriptures that describe the condition of the Christian prior to their new birth,
Ephesians 2:1-3
"[1] As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, [2] in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. [3] All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath."
As we reflect upon the above we come to understand that we are in a very sorry state. We realize that our tendency to sin comes from the sinful nature we inherited from Adam. Thus, in our natural state, we find ourselves to be sinners, spiritually dead and separated from the Kingdom of God! After due consideration, we must also come to the realization that since it is our innate nature to sin, which contrary to the promises of today’s self help programs, we are unable to save ourselves from the sin that so easily entangles us.
It is for this very reason Jesus told Nicodemus that in order for man to see the kingdom of God he must be born again. In other words, Jesus told Nicodemus and now is telling us that we must receive a “new” nature. To see this, let us read the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus from,
John 3:1-10
"[1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. [2] He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." [3] In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." [4] "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" [5] Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. [6] Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. [7] You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' [8] The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." [9] "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. [10] "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things?"
Let us notice the following verses,
1 … Nicodemus, being a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council, was a very learned man in the Jewish faith and a much respected teacher of the Scriptures.
3 … Jesus avoided Nicodemus’ observation and immediately addressed the issue of eternal life. Namely, to enter the Kingdom of God you must be born again.
4 … Nicodemus did not understand.
6 … Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. In other words, in the normal course of things, we are flesh descended from Adam. However, the Holy Spirit gives birth to the spirit. Namely, it is only the Holy Spirit, God Himself, who imparts His divine nature in us and makes us spiritually alive. This is the new birth or being born again.
9 … Nicodemus still did not understand.
10 … Jesus was surprised Nicodemus did not understand these things.
Let us stop for a moment and reflect upon this incredible conversation. Here we find that Nicodemus, a wise and respected teacher of the Scriptures and the Jewish faith, comes to the realization that Jesus was sent by God. Consequently, he goes to talk with Him. In response to Nicodemus’ inquiry, Jesus presents the whole key to eternal life and is surprised that Nicodemus was not aware of it. Why? Why was Jesus surprised? It is because the whole Old Testament, from the fall of Adam and Eve onward, talks about it. It foretells of the time when He, God, would come to heal us and bring us back into His Kingdom.
GOD PROMISED TO SAVE US
To better understand Jesus’ surprise, let us explore a sample of the Old Testament prophecies that foretold of His, that is the Messiah's, coming and the new birth. To do this we will review the following promises,
1. God promised to provide us with an adversary to Satan.
2. God promised to give us a "new" heart and a "new" spirit."
3. God promised to be our Shepherd.
We begin with
The Promise of Satan's Adversary
Interestingly enough the first prophecy God gave concerning the Messiah was given right after Adam and Eve sinned. It was given in the Garden of Eden when God placed a curse upon the serpent that Satan used for enticing Eve who then enticed Adam into sin. To read it let us go to,
Genesis 3:14-15
"[14] So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. [15] And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.""
Let us notice the following verses,
14 … God cursed the serpent; then,
15 … God said He will put an enmity, that is an adversary, between Satan and mankind. This adversary will crush Satan’s head, which means to destroy Satan’s work; whereas Satan will only bruise the heel of this Adversary.
What is interesting to note is that immediately after the fall of Adam and Eve God had a plan to protect and save us from the damage the evil one had caused.
As we read further in the Old Testament we find
The Promise that God Will be Our Shepherd
We also find that in approximately 580BC1 it was prophesied that there will be a time when God would come and dwell among us. Furthermore, when He does come, He will shepherd us as a shepherd cares for his flock of sheep. As we read the following prophecy notice who is speaking and who was going to go and rescue the sheep, who are God’s own people.
Ezekiel 34:11-16
""'[11] For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. [12] As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. [13] I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. [14] I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. [15] I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. [16] I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice."
Amazing isn’t it? Can you just hear the love and concern God has for His people?
For our last Old Testament example we find that God gave
The Promise of a New Birth
Through His prophet Ezekiel, God promised to provide His people a new birth. This is what Jesus was speaking about to Nicodemus. To read what God said let us go to,
Ezekiel 36:24-28
""'[24] For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. [25] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. [26] I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. [28] You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God."
Let us notice the following verses,
24 … He will gather us from the nations.
25 … He will cleanse us from our impurities, which is our sins, and idols, which are those things that tend to take us away from trusting God.
26 … He will give us a new heart and put a new spirit within us. Notice, it will not be a repaired heart and spirit but will be NEW ones!
27 … To move us to follow His decrees and laws, He will put the Holy Spirit in us. Just imagine, the Holy Spirit Himself will live within us. Consequently,
28 … We will be His people and He will be our God!
What a glorious, glorious set of promises! It is no wonder that Jesus was surprised that Nicodemus, a learned and respected teacher of the Scriptures did not understand.
Now one may say what has all this to do with Jesus Christ and who He is? As we read the New Testament we find that He, Jesus Christ, is not only the fulfillment of the above prophecies but also all those that pertain to the promised Messiah. In other words,
IN JESUS CHRIST GOD FULFILLED HIS PROMISE TO SAVE US
To see this we will begin by first seeing that,
1. Jesus is the promised adversary of Satan.
2. The new birth comes by faith in Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus came for both the Jew and Gentile.
With this background, we will then explore the Scriptures to discover that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah. To do this we will,
1. Read about the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ and find that He did not inherit the sin nature of Adam.
2. To see that Jesus Christ was no ordinary man, we will review a sample of the things that He did during His stay upon earth.
3. Find that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God.
4. Discover that being the Son of God means that Jesus Christ is our Lord and our God.
Jesus Is the Adversary of Satan
In the first Old Testament prophecy we read, God told Satan that He was going to raise an adversary between him, Satan, and mankind. To see that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of this prophecy, let us read what the Holy Spirit once said through the Apostle Peter concerning the things that Jesus did for the people. We find it in,
Acts 10:36-38
"[36] You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. [37] You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-- [38] how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him."
Let us notice the following verse,
38 … He was healing all who were under the power of the devil. In other words, by destroying Satan’s works, Jesus, on behalf of mankind, was and is the adversary of Satan.
The New Birth Comes by Faith in Jesus Christ
With respect to the new birth that was foretold through the prophet Ezekiel in approximately 610BC2, we find it too was/is fulfilled by Jesus Christ. To see this, let us carefully consider what Jesus said to the Jewish people on the last day of the feast of Tabernacles as recorded in,
John 7:37-39
"[37] On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. [38] Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." [39] By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified."
Let us notice the following verses,
37 … If you are thirsty for righteousness and want to be right with God, go to Jesus and drink.
38 … Streams of living water will flow from within you, that is you will no longer be spiritually dead but made alive and will live a whole new life.
39 … Jesus used the term living water as an analogy for the Holy Spirit Who will be given to those who believe in Him.
As we reflect upon what we have just read, we see that it is through Jesus Christ we receive the Holy Spirit, which is the new nature we so desperately need to counter and combat our sin nature and Satan’s influence in our lives.
Jesus Came For Both the Jew and Gentile
As we read the Scriptures we also find that these promises were not limited to the Jewish people. These wonderful promises are also extended to the Gentiles, who are those of us who are not Jewish. To see this, let us read what God foretold through the prophet Isaiah in,
Isaiah 49:5-6
"[5] And now the LORD says-- he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength-- [6] he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.""
Let us notice the following verses,
5 … He was formed in the womb. This is a reference to the fact that the Messiah would come as a man.
6 … He will also be a light to the Gentiles and bring salvation to the ends of the earth, that is all mankind, Jew and Gentile alike.
To more clearly see that Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, let us read a similar prophecy where God specifically tells us that a time was going to come when the Gentiles, living in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, would see the light.
Isaiah 9:1-2
"[1] Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-- [2] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
During the winter of 28AD, approximately 765 years after the above prophecy was given3, Jesus, after hearing that John the Baptist was put into prison, goes to Galilee. This is given to us in,
Matthew 4:12-17
"[12] When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. [13] Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali-- [14] to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: [15] "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- [16] the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." [17] From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.""
In reflecting upon the above limited sample from the numerous prophecies concerning the Messiah, that is being Satan’s adversary, the author of the new birth and the saving of both the Jew and Gentile, we begin to realize that Jesus Christ fulfilled all the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. With this in mind, we now come to the question of, “Who is He?” Who is this Jesus in whom the Old Testament Messianic prophecies are fulfilled? We know that He was a man. Was He a great prophet? (or) Is He something more?
To find out who Jesus Christ really is, let us begin by reading about His miraculous birth.
THE BIRTH of JESUS CHRIST
The Bible teaches us that the Messiah would be born of a woman and the Messiah will be a man. We read this prophecy in Isaiah 49:4. However, we also find that it will be a miraculous birth, for the woman is to be a virgin. This was foretold, in approximately 734BC4, through the prophet Isaiah in,
Isaiah 7:14
"[14] Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
Each year at Christmas when we celebrate the time when Jesus Christ was born into this world, we celebrate the fulfillment of this prophecy. To remind ourselves of this, let us read about His birth from,
Matthew 1:18-25
"[18] This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. [19] Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. [20] But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. [21] She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." [22] All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: [23] "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us." [24] When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. [25] But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."
Let us notice the following verses,
18 … Mary was with child before she and Joseph came together, that is consummated their marriage.
20 … An angel told Joseph that what is conceived in Mary is from God the Holy Spirit. In other words, the angel told Joseph that the Father of this child was God the Holy Spirit.
21 … Note that Jesus’ purpose will be to save His people from their sins.
22-23 … The birth of Jesus Christ fulfilled the above prophecy recorded in Isaiah 7:14. Also notice in this instance, Jesus’ name, Immanuel, means God with us. Thus, Jesus was also the fulfillment of the prophecy given through His prophet Ezekiel to come and be our shepherd.
25 … Joseph and Mary had no union till after she gave birth to Jesus. Consequently, there can be no legitimate argument that Jesus’ birth was not a miraculous conception by God the Holy Spirit.
In addition to being miraculous, the significance of the virgin birth is that Jesus did not inherit the sin nature of Adam. In other words, His birth came outside of the natural course of things. More specifically, the Bible teaches us that Jesus was begotten of God not man! Thus,
JESUS WAS NO ORDINARY MAN
This realization becomes clearer when we read about all the miraculous things that He did during His stay upon earth. To get a flavor of these works and the authority that He has, let us read a sample of the things He did. We begin by seeing that
Jesus Had Authority over Sickness and Disease
As we read the Gospels we cannot help but notice all the times Jesus healed the sick and afflicted. A good summary of these works is provided for us in the account of what Jesus did while traveling throughout Galilee.
Matthew 4:23-25
"[23] Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. [24] News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. [25] Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him."
In addition to having authority over sickness and disease, we also find from the above account that He cast out demons. In other words,
Jesus had Authority over the Demons
To expand upon this a bit, let us read about the time when He healed two demon possessed men in,
Matthew 8:28-33
"[28] When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. [29] "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?" [30] Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. [31] The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs." [32] He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. [33] Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.”
The bible also reveals to us that
Jesus has Authority over the Physical Elements
We see this authority when, on His way to the region of the Gadarenes, He calmed a severe storm.
Matthew 8:23-27
"[23] Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. [24] Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. [25] The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" [26] He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. [27] The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!""
In verse 27 we read that, at this time, His disciples came to realize that Jesus was no ordinary man. However, more was to come. In addition to having authority over sickness, disease, the demons and the physical elements and forces of the earth, we find that
Jesus has Authority to Raise the Dead
To see this, let us read about the time when He restored to life a widow’s son,
Luke 7:11-17
"[11] Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. [12] As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. [13] When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." [14] Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" [15] The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. [16] They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." [17] This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country."
In addition to all the signs and wonders that He performed, the most glorious thing Jesus Christ did, while He was here on earth, was to clearly demonstrate to us that
He, Jesus, has the Authority to Forgive Sin
To see this, let us read the account of when He forgave the paralytic of his sins. To do this let us go to,
Matthew 9:1-8
"[1] Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. [2] Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." [3] At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!" [4] Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? [5] Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? [6] But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . ." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." [7] And the man got up and went home. [8] When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men."
With the above observations in mind, Jesus Christ was clearly sent by God and is someone very, very special. Was He a great prophet as some said? (Or) Is Jesus Christ much greater?
JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD
Previously, we read that the demons acknowledged Him to be the Son of God (Matthew 8:29)! Were they right? Did they understand correctly? To find out, let us read about the time when Jesus asked His disciples this very same question … namely, “Who am I?" We find it in,
Matthew 16:13-15
"[13] When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" [14] They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [15] "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?""
Let us notice the following verses,
13 … Jesus asked His disciples who do the people think He is.
14 … The disciples responded and told Jesus the various beliefs the people have.
15 … Jesus now made the question more personal and asked them, “Who do you say I am?” So it is with us. We too must come to grips with this question. As it was with His disciples, Jesus is not only concerned about what others think of Him but is very concerned about what you and I think and believe on who He is.
Let us now move on and read Peter’s response to Jesus’ question in,
Matthew 16:16-17
"[16] Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." [17] Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven."
Let us notice the following verses,
16 … Simon Peter recognized who Jesus Christ really is … “The Son of the living God.”
17 … Jesus told Peter he did not learn this from man but from God the Father.
In other words, what Jesus told Peter and is telling us now, is that it is God the Father who reveals Jesus Christ to us. This saving knowledge of Jesus Christ does not come from the wisdom of man or his intellect but from God Himself. It is a miraculous gift from God! If you have not recognized who Jesus is, please stop reading for a moment or two and ask God the Father to give you this same revelation.
In addition to the Apostle Peter, we find that John the Baptist also bore witness to Jesus’ true identity. To read what he said, let us go to,
John 1:29-34
"[29] The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! [30] This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' [31] I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." [32] Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. [33] I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' [34] I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.""
Finally and most important of all we find that God the Father bore witness to His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. To read what the Father said about Him, let us first read what happened after Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River. To do this let us read from,
Matthew 3:13-17
"[13] Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. [14] But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" [15] Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. [16] As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. [17] And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.""
Let us notice the following verse,
17 … God the Father proclaimed Jesus to be His Son.
This was not the only time God the Father bore witness to Jesus Christ. He also bore witness to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. This is recorded for us in,
Mark 9:2-8
"[2] After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. [3] His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. [4] And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. [5] Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." [6] (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) [7] Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" [8] Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus."
Let us notice the following verses,
3 … He became dazzling white. In other words Jesus’ true nature was revealed.
7 … God the Father bore witness to Peter, James and John that Jesus is His Son.
So we see that Jesus is indeed much greater than a prophet. In fact, He is the Son of God!
Now this raises the following questions: “What does that mean? What does it mean that Jesus is the Son of God?” Actually we were provided a glimpse of what it means when, on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus became dazzling white. As we continue to read the Scriptures, we find that Jesus Christ is really God come in the flesh. Specifically, He is the literal fulfillment of all the promises God gave us about His coming to save us from our sins and restore us to His Kingdom. As we saw earlier, this is the significance of the virgin birth and is why Jesus is called Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” In other words,
JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND OUR GOD
To see this a bit more clearly, let us read about the birth of Jesus Christ as given through the Apostle John in,
John 1:1-4
"[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. [4] In him was life, and that life was the light of men."
Let us notice the following verses,
1 … The Word was God.
3 … Through Him all things were made.
4 … In Him was life.
Let us now skip a few verses and read from,
John 1:14
"[14] The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Let us stop for a moment and reflect upon what we just read. Just think of it, the Lord Jesus Christ set aside His preeminence, humbled Himself and took upon human flesh. He did this to come into the world we live in and save us from our sins and restore us to His Kingdom. Oh my, what great love He has for us! (What Jesus did to accomplish this task is covered in the next few chapters)
Now some skeptics have said that Jesus never claimed to be God. It turns out Jesus made it very clear to the Jews and us on exactly who He is. To see this, let us read what happened, between Jesus and the Jews, during one of the feasts of Dedication. We find it in,
John 10:22-30
"[22] Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, [23] and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. [24] The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." [25] Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one.""
Given the above discourse, the following question comes to mind: “Did the Jews really understand what Jesus told them?” To find out, let us continue our reading from,
John 10:31-33
"[31] Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, [32] but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" [33] "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.""
In other words, the Jews knew exactly what Jesus had said. Notice the reason they went to stone Him was because He claimed to be God.
Earlier in this chapter we read that God promised, through the prophet Ezekiel, that He would come and shepherd His flock. Let us now read the fulfillment of this promise by reading where Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd. It is recorded in,
John 10:11-18
""[11] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. [13] The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. [14] "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. [17] The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. [18] No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.""
Let us notice the following verses,
11 … Jesus is the good shepherd, fulfilling the prophecy of Ezekiel.
12-13 … Man is not the good shepherd, only He, Jesus Christ is.
14 … Jesus knows who His sheep are and His sheep know their Shepherd, Jesus.
16 … The other sheep refer to the Gentiles.
17 … Jesus now foretells of His resurrection.
18 … Jesus voluntarily laid down His life for us..
Before we close, let us read one more testimony. This one is given when Jesus, after His resurrection, appeared to Thomas for the specific purpose of showing him that He, Jesus, was not dead but alive! We find it in,
John 20:24-28
"[24] Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. [25] So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." [26] A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" [27] Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." [28] Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!""
Thus, we see that Jesus Christ is our Lord and God who, in fulfillment of His promises, physically entered into this world we live in to save us from our sins and bring us back to the paradise we lost through the sin of our forefather Adam.
Now in closing, let us summarize this entire chapter by reading the following excerpt from the letter Paul wrote to the church at Colosse,
Colossians 1:15-23
"[15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. [19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. [21] Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- [23] if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant."
Blessed be the Lord forever!
AMEN and AMEN