I. Jesus Christ, The Son of God This title and these words make up a statement many of us believe and most of us repeat, but what does this expression really mean? The answer to that question is what this lesson will help answer for us. Every religion has a special person it pays homage to and claims special attributes for. The Bible (the Hebrew / Christian Scriptures, Old and New Testaments) makes some very special claims for Jesus of Nazareth and substantiates them with eye-witness accounts, direct statements from Jesus and the revelation from the lips of God the Father. Before we can realize what is being offered to us in eternal life through Jesus Christ, we must understand Who He is with Whom we have to do. His Names and Titles A. In Matthew 1: 21, His name is related to Joseph by an angel of God which Joseph would give to Jesus (the father of the son named his child by custom), which had a very special meaning. Why was He to be named JESUS? __________________ _____________________________________________ The name Jesus is from the original Hebrew, “Yeshua”, which literally means “salvation” or “savior”. He wasn’t the only Hebrew child to have that name, nor the first to have it, but He is the only One to fulfil it. B. In John 3: 16, we see His special relationship to God. What is He called in this verse? ___________________________________ 1. What special promise is given to one who truly believes in Him from the hear and soul? _______________________________________________ 2. Is anyone showing believing faith in Him left out of this promise? _______________________________________________ We know Jesus came into the world by birth as any other human, lived and was seen to be like any other man, “the son of man”, totally equal to all humanity. But to call Him “the Son of God” suggests something more of Him, something all-together different, equality with God! C. What name is He called in John 1: 1? Need a hint? Look also at verse 14. __________________________________ D. In John 1: 29, John the Baptist makes a statement concerning Jesus. This name suggests the purpose He came into the world and that His sacrificial death was no accident. What name did John the Baptist call Jesus? ___________________________________________ E. After John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, he made some comments about Jesus. What was his conclusion in John 1: 34? ___________________________________________________ F. Both John the writer of the Gospel account (the apostle John) and John the Baptist called Jesus “the Son of God” of “the only begotten Son of God”. John 1: 1 goes clear back to “the beginning” and refers to Jesus as “the Word”, making two statements about Him: 1. His position from eternity was _________________________. 2. His personal character reflects godly attributes because He ________________________________________________. G. What did God the Father call Jesus in Hebrews 1: 8? ____ _______ When we observe Jesus in the Gospels, He can be nothing other than God. Only God can forgive sin, give life or demonstrate supreme power over life, death and nature. And only God is holy or righteous enough to die as the substitutionary sacrifice for sin for all of mankind (or, for anyone, for that matter), showing power over life and death, the grave and hell and the authority to grant eternal life. Only God can save a soul and lead a person to godliness. II. Jesus Christ, the son of man A. Jesus was totally, completely and perfectly man. 1. If Jesus was totally man, could He sin? See Hebrews 7: 26 for help. ______________ 2. Simon Peter followed Jesus for three to three and one-half years of public ministry. He ate with Him and learned from Him, slept where Jesus slept, worshipped with Him and witnessed every facet of His earthly life. Peter was an eye-witness of all Jesus said and did for that entire time, witnessing also His death, His burial and resurrection, His walk among His disciples and ascension after the resurrection. What does Peter say about Jesus in First Peter (1 Peter) 2: 22? ________________________________________________ B. Man has the power to not sin for a time. Could Jesus as both man and God have been able to sin and simply chosen not to? _____________________. 1. What did James say about the nature of God in James 1: 13-17? ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ 2. What did Paul the apostle say about the character of God in his letter to Titus, chapter 1 and verses 1 and 2? ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ 3. In light of the verse above, could Jesus, the Son of God and the son of man have sinned? _____________________________ If Jesus is God, and Scripture declares He is, then there is no way He is not able to save anyone who believes in Him, including you. If He has no sin, then, He also has the power to keep you and me from sin if we will yield to Him in every-thing, in spirit, soul and body. He is the only One Who can grant true victory in life. We are to trust Him and His power to make us to live in a godly fashion here and now, as we watch for “that blessed hope” of the personal appearing of Jesus Christ, Who is that “great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”, Who has also prepared a place for all who completely believe in Him (Titus 2: 13; John 14: 1-3).