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Religion plays a significant role in the lives of most of the inhabitants of planet earth. Christianity differs from other religions because it is the life of the Son of God who lives in us as a personal and present reality. Christ is the supreme object of each book of the New Testament and fulfills all of the promises made by God in the Old Testament. Jesus is known as the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords. (Read Revelation 17:14). Jesus Christ is the God-man in glory who is exalted above all creatures and possesses "all power in heaven and on earth". (Read Matthew 28:18).

During His earthly ministry, Jesus claimed to be God incarnate. He claimed to be God in human flesh. Jesus is all that He claimed to be. (Read Revelation 1:8).

I. The Deity Of Christ.
(Read John 1:1)

Christ's deity, His God nature, is something that is well established in the New Testament. Look at some of the evidences of this.

1. The Apostle John called Him God. (John 1:1)

2. The Apostle Thomas called Him God. (Read John 20:28)

3. God the Father refers to Jesus as God. (Read Hebrews 1:8)

4. Jesus claimed that He was with God before the creation. (Read John 17:5)

5. Jesus was worshiped as only God is worshiped. (Read Matthew 14:33)

6. He forgives sin. (Read Mark 2:5-11)

7. He is the creator and maker of all things. (Read Colossians 1:16)

8. He sustains the universe. (Read Hebrews 1:3)

9. Jesus claims to posses all power in heaven and earth. (Read Matthew 28:18)

In studying the life of Jesus there are some things that He did that stand out and catch our attention.

1. He walked on the sea of Galilee.

2. Powerful winds and waves obeyed His commands.

3. Jesus miraculously healed people who were sick.

4. He miraculously raised people from the dead.

5. People who were deaf miraculously received their hearing.

6. Those who were blind miraculously received their sight.

7. Demons obeyed His commands.

8. Jesus turned water into wine.

9. He miraculously fed thousands.

10. Jesus Christ forgave sins.

There are many miracles recorded in the New Testament that Jesus performed. The Apostle John tells us that there were innumerable more that were not recorded. (Read John 21:25). Only God could do the things that Jesus did.

It's important for us to realize too that every generation since the beginning of the Church Age has felt and experienced the miraculous power of God. The very fact that people of all nationalities, social background, and biological age still experience spiritual encounters that cause them to believe and receive Christ into their lives is evidence that Christ is everything that He claimed to be.

II. The Humanity Of Christ
(Read Romans 1:3-4)

Jesus was fully God. He was also fully man. He was a man but more than a man. We don't look upon Him as God and man. We look upon Him as the God-man. Jesus Christ walked among us as God in human flesh with His two natures bound together in such a way that the two became one with a single consciousness and will. God, as man, allowed Himself to experience the same conditions that we experience.

1. He experienced a human birth and human parentage. (Read Matthew 2:11)

2. He grew as a normal human being. (Read Luke 2:52)

3. He was subject to the conditions of human life.

* He hungered. (Read Matthew 4:2)

* He thirsted. (Read John 19:28)

* He experienced weariness. (Read John 4:6)

*He grieved and wept. (Read John 11:35)

*He was tempted. (Read Hebrews 4:15)

Understanding the humanity of Christ helps us as we seek to recognize and understand the love and compassion of God toward us. Though we can't see or fully comprehend God as Father and Creator, in the God-man Jesus we see the fulness of God and His grace at a level that is within our scope of comprehension.

III. The Virgin Birth Of Christ
(Read Luke 1:26-35)

The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ is something the has no parallel in human history. It was by the Virgin Birth that Holy God became the one perfect person with two natures - one being that of God Almighty, and one being man without sin. (Read Hebrews 4:15). The combination of these two natures became Jesus Christ the God-man.

Points To Consider

1. The first hint of the virgin birth came in the Garden of Eden.
Read Genesis 3:15

God said that the one who would defeat Satan was to be born of the "seed of the woman." Here we find God pointing toward the miraculous event that would occur many centuries later when Mary would conceive without the help of a man. There is a direct relationship between the promise in Genesis 3:15 and the conversation between Mary and the angel.

2. Isaiah prophesied that a virgin would conceive, bear a son, and that he would be called Immanuel which means "God with us."
Read Isaiah 7:14
Read Isaiah 9:6-7

3. According to Micah, the Savior would be born in Bethlehem.
Read Micah 5:2
Read Luke 2:1-7

IV. The Death Of Jesus Christ
(Read Philippians 2:8)

The death of Jesus Christ is mentioned more than 120 times in the New Testament. It is also spoken of numerous times by the prophets in the Old Testament. There are several points to take into consideration when thinking about the death of Jesus Christ.

1. His death was vicarious. (Read Matthew 20:28) Jesus died a substitutionary death in the place of sinners. (Read 2 Corinthians 5:21) On the cross Christ was made sin for the sinner. By faith in Christ the sinner is made righteous with the righteousness of God.

2. His death was natural. (Read John 19:31-37) When we say that he died a natural death, it means that his spirit and soul were separated from his body as in any other natural death.

3. His death was unnatural. (Read Romans 6:23) Christ was sinless in that he "did no sin" (read 1 Peter 2:22), he "had no sin" (read 1 John 3:5), and he "knew no sin" (read 2 Corinthians 5:21). He had to become sin for us before he could die. Therefore, his death was unnatural.

4. His death was pre-ordained. It's important for us to understand that Christ's death was not an afterthought for God. Some modern theologies attempt to teach this. The death of Christ was pre-ordained as a forethought of God. (Read Revelation 13:8)

5. His death was supernatural. (Read John 10:17-18) Jesus gave his life on his own with the power to take it up again supernaturally. He did this on the Cross and spent three days and nights in the tomb. He then took life up again and rose from the dead.
ONLY GOD IN THE FORM OF MAN COULD DIE A VICARIOUS, NATURAL, UNNATURAL, PRE-ORDAINED, AND SUPERNATURAL DEATH.

V. The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ
(Read Matthew 28:1-20)

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life." (Read John 11:25) The resurrection of Jesus Christ is essential in the doctrine of the Christian Church and in the life of every disciple, the faith of every true believer, and the courage of every Christian martyr down through the ages. Luke tells us that we have "many infallible proofs" of the resurrection of Jesus. (Read Acts 1:3)

Eye Witness Evidences Of Christ's Resurrection

* Mary Magdalene. (Read John 20:11-18)

* A group of women. (Read Matthew 28:5-10)

* Peter. (Read Luke 24:34)

* The Emmaus disciples. (Read Luke 24:13-31)

* Thomas and the other apostles. (Read John 20:24-29)

* Seven by the Sea of Tiberias. (Read John 21:1-23)

* A group of over five hundred. (Read 1 Corinthians 15:6)

* James saw the resurrected Christ. (Read 1 Corinthians 15:7)

*Stephen, the first martyr, saw him. (Read Acts 7:55)

* Paul saw him. (Read Acts 9:3-6 and 1 Corinthians 15:8)

Many of these eyewitnesses died martyrs' deaths because they preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They thought it a privilege to died for a living Christ because they had the "infallible" proofs - THEY HAD SEEN THE RESURRECTED CHRIST! What more proof did they need?

When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, all of his disciples forsook him. They fled in fear. (Read Matthew 26:56) The didn't believe that he would rise from the dead as he had said. Had Jesus not risen from the dead, the Cross would have been the end of Christianity. After his death we find the disciples feeling dejected, defeated, and discouraged. His death meant one thing to his disciples. It meant the end.

Their whole demeanor and outlook changed after the three days and nights that Jesus was in the tomb. They saw with their own eyes the "infallible" proof that he had risen from the dead and was alive forevermore.

* THEY SAW THE RESURRECTED CHRIST.

* THEY TALKED WITH THE RESURRECTED CHRIST.

* THEY TOUCHED THE RESURRECTED CHRIST.

* THEY ATE WITH THE RESURRECTED CHRIST.

VI. Infallible Proofs According To Circumstantial Evidence

1. They were changed from fearful to courageous. (Read Acts 5:40-42)

2. They chose death over denial. (Read Hebrews 11:35)

3. Spontaneous worship on the first day of the week rather than the Sabbath. (Read Acts 20:7)

4. The rapid spreading of the news of his resurrection. (Acts 8:1-4)

We have the circumstantial evidence provided by the empty tomb where Christ's body was laid and spent three days and nights. If Jesus wasn't resurrected, then what happened to his body? The Roman guards were paid to give false testimony regarding the empty tomb. (Matthew 28:12-13) The disciples could not have possibly stolen the body of Christ. None of them possessed the courage to marshal such a feat. The tomb was sealed with a Roman seal and guarded by Roman soldiers. No one was ever arrested and charged with stealing his body. Roman soldiers were extremely conscientious and dedicated. They would not have risked their own death by sleeping on such an important watch and any attempt to open the tomb would have made enough noise to awaken the guards had they been sleeping..

There are also the grave clothes that attest to the resurrection of Christ. (Read John 20:1-10) Had someone stolen the body of Christ they surely wouldn't have taken the time to remove the grave clothes from him. Even the garments of death that Jesus wore in the tomb after his crucifiction were left behind when Christ rose from the dead.

VII. The Ascension And Second Coming Of Jesus Christ
(Read Acts 1:9-11)

After his resurrection from the dead, Jesus spent forty days with his disciples instructing them before he ascended to heaven where he is seated at the right hand of the Father. (Read Hebrews 10:12) Two men, most likely angels, brought the message of Christ's second coming to the apostles who stood looking up toward heaven. The message of the second coming of Christ is of great importance and is mentioned over three hundred times in the New Testament.

Consider The Following Points Regarding The Second Coming Of Jesus Christ

1. He's preparing a place for his people. (Read John 14:1-6)

2. He's coming to take his Church to be with him. (Read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

3. He's coming to judge the nations. (Read Matthew 25:31-46)

4. He's coming to establish his righteous government. (Read Hebrews 1:8)

5. He's coming to establish a new heaven and earth. (Read Revelation 21:1-3)

6. He's coming to remove everything that causes pain and grief. (Read Revelation 21:4)

7. He's coming to establish and absolute and everlasting reign. (Read Revelation 22:1-5)

©David Kralik Ministries, Inc. 2002
Email: matthewfivesix@hotmail.com

Christian Life Study Series
Lesson 03

This study series focuses on some of the great elemental teachings found in the Bible. Each teaching is simplified and organized into an interesting and easy to understand Bible study. These studies are presented to help fill a need in your life and to provide an incentive to know more of God's Word.

JESUS CHRIST
THE SON OF GOD