Jesus, The Way To God

Jesus, The Way
Jesus, The Way To God

In the last lesson, we saw that by His death on the cross, Jesus made possible the forgiveness of our sins. When our sins are forgiven, we are no longer the objects of God’s anger - Ro 5:9 "But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life's blood, we will also be kept safe from God's anger.". As wonderful as being justified by the blood of Jesus may be, we need more than this...we need the kind of close friendship that existed between God and Adam before the "Fall". But if a close relationship is to exist between God and ourselves, we must understand God and feel comfortable in approaching Him.
When we contemplate the difference between God and man, we can see that this is not easy. Let’s look at some of those differences. When we consider the nature of God as revealed in the Bible and nature, we see:
One with unlimited power, unlimited wisdom, unlimited holiness
One who is the creator of all things, the sustainer of all things, the knower of all things
One who is eternal, immortal, and invisible
Indeed, this Supreme Being fills the entire universe with His presence - Jer 23:23-24 "I am everywhere-- both near and far, in heaven and on earth. There are no secret places where you can hide from me."

On the other hand, man is mortal, finite in knowledge and understanding. The created one, sustained by God who supplies all his needs - Ac 17:24-28 "This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands. He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be. God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. "We are his children," just as some of your poets have said."

The difference between God and man is so great, it ought to overwhelm man with awe. Note the reflections of David as expressed in Psalms - cf. Psa 139:1-12 "You have looked deep into my heart, LORD, and you know all about me. You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts. You notice everything I do and everywhere I go. Before I even speak a word, you know what I will say, and with your powerful arm you protect me from every side. I can't understand all of this! Such wonderful knowledge is far above me. Where could I go to escape from your Spirit or from your sight? If I were to climb up to the highest heavens, you would be there. If I were to dig down to the world of the dead you would also be there. Suppose I had wings like the dawning day and flew across the ocean. Even then your powerful arm would guide and protect me. Or suppose I said, "I'll hide in the dark until night comes to cover me over." But you see in the dark because daylight and dark are all the same to you." In the Bible, whenever man came even close to approaching God in His Glory, it was terrifying! When God first spoke to Moses, he was afraid - Exo 3:6 "I am the God who was worshiped by your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Moses was afraid to look at God, and so he hid his face." The Israelites at Mount Sinai were terrified - Exo 20:18-21 "The people trembled with fear when they heard the thunder and the trumpet and saw the lightning and the smoke coming from the mountain. They stood a long way off and said to Moses, "If you speak to us, we will listen. But don't let God speak to us, or we will die!" "Don't be afraid!" Moses replied. "God has come only to test you, so that by obeying him you won't sin." But when Moses went near the thick cloud where God was, the people stayed a long way off."
How then can man hope to comprehend God and approach Him in a close relationship during this life? This difficulty was experienced and expressed by Job - Job 9:32-33 "God isn't a mere human like me. I can't put him on trial. Who could possibly judge between the two of us?"
[But what may have been true in Job’s day (that there is no "daysman", or "mediator") is no longer true today! Jesus is the means by which man can comprehend God and also approach Him in such a way as to enjoy a loving relationship with Him!
Let’s see how Jesus is the way to God by helping us comprehend God. In coming to this earth, Jesus declared or manifested God to us - Jn 1:18 "No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like." How was Jesus able to "declare" (manifest) God? For one thing, He came to this earth from God, and is the only one who has truly seen Him - Jn 6:46 "The only one who has seen the Father is the one who has come from him. No one else has ever seen the Father." But also, He is God Himself! - Jn 1:1-2 "In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God. From the very beginning the Word was with God." Who is this "Word" that was with God and was God? The One who came in the flesh! - cf. Jn 1:14 "The Word became a human being and lived here with us. We saw his true glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. From him all the kindness and all the truth of God have come down to us." The "Word" was Jesus!
Therefore, it is in seeing Jesus that we are able to comprehend the Father. Just as Jesus told His disciples - Jn 14:7 "If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him."’ In similar fashion, the apostles of Jesus proclaimed that He was the complete manifestation of God - Co 2:9 "God lives fully in Christ."; He 1:1-3 "Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son. God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together. After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven." Yes, it is in Jesus that God is revealed in terms that mortal, finite man can comprehend and personally relate to. Therefore, as we study the gospels, we see Jesus and His attributes (power, wisdom, holiness, love, mercy, divine wrath). As we see Jesus, we see God and His attributes!

But Jesus also provides the way to God by helping us approach God. This we touched upon in our previous lesson. How that by offering Himself as a propitiation for our sins Jesus has made it possible for a sinful man to approach God who is supremely holy and just. Jesus helps us to approach God in yet another way, as our High Priest in heaven. Though Jesus was truly God (as stated by John and Paul), by becoming man He fully understands our difficulties - He 4:14-15 "We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin!" With such a wonderful high priest, One who is both God and has been man, Jesus makes it possible for us to approach God with great confidence - He 4:16 "So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help." Yes, through Jesus we can both comprehend God and approach God, making it possible to have a close relationship with our Heavenly Father, enjoying all the blessings such a relationship provides!

To better appreciate the beauty of this relationship available with God through Jesus, let's briefly notice some terms used in the New Testament to describe this relationship. First, there are terms which proclaim a special relationship with our Heavenly Father, for example, we are called the "children" of God - Ga 3:26 "All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus."; 4:6-7 "Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father. You are no longer slaves. You are God's children, and you will be given what he has promised." Also, we are called the "house" (family) of God - 1 Ti 3:15 "so that if I am delayed, you will know how everyone who belongs to God's family ought to behave. After all, the church of the living God is the strong foundation of truth."
Second, there are also terms which proclaim a special relationship with a Holy, Supreme Being. One describes us as a special dwelling place of God: the "temple" of God - 2 Co 6:16 "Do idols belong in the temple of God? We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says, "I will live with these people and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people."
Another speaks of our role in service to God: a "royal priesthood" - 1 Pe 2:5 "And now you are living stones that are being used to build a spiritual house. You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.", 9 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done."

Other terms might be considered, but these suffice to show that it is possible for those who were
once lost in sin to enjoy a new, personal, intimate and fulfilling relationship with the Majestic God in heaven! And what a wonderful relationship it is! One that offers promises that overwhelm you; for example, this one where God promises: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (He 13:5). But let us be clear in our understanding. Jesus is the "The Way", the only way to God - Jn 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father." Only those in Jesus have the assurance of enjoying this wonderful relationship with God! How can we be sure that we are in Jesus, and as such the children of God? By taking to heart and life the truth of God’s Word...! By becoming the children of God through faith and baptism - Ga 3:26-27 By remaining the children of God by abiding faithfully in the teachings of Christ - 2 Jn 9

Have you become a child of God by receiving Christ in faith and baptism? If not, why not today?
If you have, are you maintaining your relationship with both the Father and the Son by abiding in the doctrine of Christ? If not, why not be restored to God today (through repentance and prayer)? Only in so doing can you let Jesus be your way to God! Please contact me personally if you are ready to become a child of God. jnlnewsted@nts-online.net

Jesus, The Way To Forgiveness - Part Two

Jesus, The Way
Jesus, The Way To Forgiveness - Part Two

In our last lesson we defined what sin is and that it separates mankind from God. We made note of God’s supreme holiness and how serious the problem of sin is. In this lesson we are going to look at how Jesus makes The Way possible for God to forgive us and how we can be reconciled to God. Please note that not all religious groups teach the way to receive forgiveness of our sins the way the Bible presents it. This is due to religious teachings that came from the Reformation and are still being taught today. Let us look at what the Bible teaches and only what the Bible teaches.

JESUS, THE WAY TO FORGIVENESS OF SINS
God has provided the way by offering Jesus as a "propitiation" for our sins:
"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
The word "propitiation" originally referred to an act or sacrifice that a man offered designed to appease a god. As used in the Bible, it refers to that which God has done (not man). In other words, what man cannot do for himself, God has done! He has offered His Son Jesus on the cross as a means to appease His justice. Such was foretold by Isaiah nearly 700 years earlier:
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:5-6)
"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the
transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:10-12)
Notice that by the act of Christ’s suffering the punishment due us for our own sins, we are forgiven of them. As Paul would later write:
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." (Ephesians 1:7)
Through Christ’s death on the cross, we can come back to God, having been forgiven of our sins! In this way, God is able to:
w Preserve His holiness when we are in His presence (for our sins have been forgiven by the blood of Christ)
w Maintain His justice (for our sins have been properly punished by the death of Christ)
w All the while demonstrating His love, grace and mercy!
And so, Jesus is The Way to forgiveness of sins, for He has been made a "propitiation" for our sins! But how does one receive the wonderful blessing of having Jesus as the propitiation for our sins?

RECEIVING JESUS AS THE WAY TO FORGIVENESS
After His death for our sins, and following His glorious resurrection from the dead, Jesus charged His apostles with the commission to spread the good news:
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16)
We read in the book of Acts of how the apostles carried out this Great Commission. In chapter two, just ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, we find Peter proclaiming the gospel for the first time. After presenting evidence that Jesus has truly risen from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God, Peter comes to climax of his sermon:
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36)
Yes, this same Jesus they had crucified only fifty days earlier was the actual Lord and Messiah they had been looking for. Evidently many people believed what Peter said, for we read next:
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37)
"What shall we do?", they cried. What can anyone do, who has realized that they are sinners in need of salvation? What Peter told them is what we should tell anyone today:
Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)
Peter told these people who evidently believed (as evidenced by their question in verse 37) that they needed to repent and be baptized. In similar fashion, when Saul of Tarsus (later known as the apostle Paul) had seen Jesus on the road to Damascus, and had been praying and fasting for three days afterward, he was told by Ananias whom the Lord had sent to him:
"And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)
Just as Jesus commanded in Mark 16:16, when someone wanted to be saved through the blood of Jesus Christ, in the New Testament they were told to be baptized for the remission (forgiveness) of their sins upon their believing in Jesus and repenting of their sins. Faith (which includes confessing Jesus as Lord, Romans 10:9-10), repentance and baptism were the conditions by which one could receive Jesus and enjoy the blessings of forgiveness of sins!
Receive Jesus in baptism? Yes, so the apostle stated in his letter to the Galatians:
"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27)
Note: "as many of you" (no more and no less) "as have been baptized into Christ" (as Jesus,
Peter, etc., commanded) "have put on Christ" (have received Jesus and all the blessings He offers). Thus, in obedience to the Lord in faith, repentance and baptism we can take advantage of the wonderful grace of God, Who offered Jesus for our sins!

I leave with you the fact that Jesus is The Way to forgiveness; indeed, the only way, for no other way has been offered by God by which we can be reconciled to Him. As Jesus said:
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

And no other way devised by man solves the dilemma between man’s sin and the holiness and justice of God! Have you accepted Jesus in the way He commanded and His apostles taught? Have you trusted in Him for salvation (faith), made the decision to turn from your sins (repentance), and been immersed for the forgiveness of your sins (baptism)? If not, why not? Let Jesus be your way to forgiveness today! If you are ready to make this decision and need any assistance of any kind please contact me at jnlnewsted@nts-online.net

This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2002

God Bless,
Jim Newsted
Shamrock, Tx
The town that turns green for a week every year
Join my Bible Study Group at internet-bible-studies-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/internet-bible-studies/join
Even though you can't see the air, It doesn't stop you from breathing
Even though you can't see God, It doesn't stop you from believing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jesus, The Way To Forgiveness - Part One

Jesus, The Way
Jesus, The Way To Forgiveness - Part One

We have seen that Jesus is The Way to a better life, even here on earth. But much more importantly, Jesus is the way to forgiveness for our sins! To understand why we need forgiveness and how Jesus provides the way to forgiveness is the purpose of this lesson. It is important, then, that we begin by properly defining sin...

THE DEFINITION OF "SIN"
Many people have the wrong conception of sin. They think it is nothing more than a violation of human relationships; that an action is sinful only if it is frowned upon by society, violates their own conscience, or is harmful to someone else. Such a misconception of sin leads people to a misconception of how the problem of sin can be corrected. For example, some believe that correcting sin involves nothing more than making things right with other people. With this misconception, they think they are forgiven of all past actions if they simply change their behavior.

But what is the Biblical definition of sin? The Bible actually defines three different types of sin. First, there is the direct violation of God’s Law. The apostle John describes sin in this way:
"Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness." (1 John 3:4)
For example, where God’s law tells us not to steal, we sin when we steal something. This is commonly referred to as the sin of commission (where we commit something that displeases God). Another kind of sin is found in James’ epistle:
"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17)
This is the sin of omission, where you fail (omit) to do that which you know to do. For example, when I know Jesus tells me to love my enemies, I sin when I do not display love towards them. The apostle Paul mentions yet another kind of sin:
"But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23)
For lack of better words, this is the sin of violating your conscience. In this case, the thing you are doing may be right in and of itself, but if you cannot do it with a clear conscience, you are sinning! The example found in Romans 14 pertained to someone who because of earlier religious training before becoming a Christian had difficulty eating meat without a guilty conscience. Paul would have the brother whose faith is weak to abstain from eating meats, and even calls upon brethren who are strong in faith to be careful not to put any enticements in the brother's way which might wound his conscience.

So we see that sin is more than simply a violation of human relationships (though it often involves that); sin is a serious matter that involves God and His Will! How serious is sin? By considering the consequences of sin as described in the Bible, we begin to appreciate its terrible nature. As Paul wrote in the book of Romans:
"For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23)
This "death: of which he speaks is ultimately described as the "second death" which involves eternal torment for those who die in their sins:
"But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8)
Why is sin considered so bad that unforgiven sinners must experience such torment?

To understand why, we must appreciate... THE NATURE OF GOD AND THE PROBLEM OF SIN
God's nature is such that it is very difficult for a sinner to be acceptable before Him. First, God is
supremely holy. His holiness makes any "truce" with sin impossible. The Psalmist understood this aspect of God’s nature:
"For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." (Psalms 5:4-6)
Because God’s holiness cannot tolerate sin, sin serves to separate man from God:
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2)
Not only is God supremely holy, He is also supremely just. His justice demands that sin be punished accordingly. As examples of the strict justice of God, notice what happened to the sons of Aaron when all they did was offer in sacrifice something God had not commanded:
Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. And Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’" So Aaron held his peace. (Leviticus 10:1-3) Even Moses and Aaron, the servants God used to lead the children of Israel, had to learn the hard way that sin must be justly dealt with. When they struck the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded, they lost the right to enter into the promised land of Canaan:
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." (Numbers 20:12)

And since we have already seen that the ultimate penalty for sin is eternal torment, all this tells us two things:
w How holy God must be!
w How terrible sin must be!
As we begin to realize these things, we should see that man is in a terrible predicament. For you see, the Bible has judged that all of mankind is guilty of sin:
"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23)
And the very nature of God (holy and just) demands separation of sinners from God and punishment for our sins!
Can man do anything to help himself? There are no "works" that a person can do to make himself innocent of the guilt of his or her sins. For example, a man who commits murder is not made innocent of that crime by living the rest of his life by the law! Yet many people think that they save themselves by balancing their good deeds against their sins. But sin of any kind is so repulsive to God’s holiness that His justice requires punishment. Look again at the sins referred to earlier:
"But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8)
Whether the sin is fear, lack of faith, lying, or murder, the "second death" is reserved for those who are guilty.

Do you think that your sins are few and therefore not worthy of such punishment? Even if you
commit just one sin, the nature of sin in the sight of a holy God is such that you are as guilty as one who broke every law:
"For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10)
Since we are all sinners (Romans 3:23), it appears that we are all doomed to suffer God’s justice! Is there any way that God can be both holy and just and yet allow sinful man to be "reconciled" to Him? Yes, there is, and Jesus is The Way! We will examine how Jesus makes The Way possible in our next lesson.

God Bless,
Jim Newsted
Shamrock, Tx

Jesus, The Way To A Better Life - Part Two

Jesus, The Way
Jesus, The Way To A Better Life - Part Two

In our last lesson we looked at the cause of so much unhappiness in this world. We also seen that Jesus leads the way to true happiness and peace by teaching us to seek new goals in life. And finally, Jesus leads the way to true happiness by giving us what we do not expect!

In addition to material things, Jesus provides a form of pure pleasure or happiness:
"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:11)
What kind of joy is Jesus talking about? A joy that is "unspeakable", unable to describe adequately with words, as Peter tells those Christians who were experiencing terrible persecution:
"whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory," (1 Peter 1:8)
And what about fame? Yes, if we will but follow Jesus and seek to lay up our treasure in heaven by following Him and His words, we will one day experience "fame" that is "out of this world"! Consider these passages which describes what lies ahead for the true disciples of Jesus Christ:
"When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:4)
"When He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus
Christ." (2 Thessalonians 1:10-12)
"To which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 2:14)
We can look forward to sharing in the wonderful glory (fame) that Jesus Himself will have when He comes again! How much "better" could life get?

The world sets before us goals which many people cannot achieve, and even if achieved, often do not satisfy. As one of the richest men who ever lived once wrote:
"He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
But Jesus places before us goals which can be achieved, and that do satisfy:
All can store up treasure in heaven
All can live for Jesus
And if there is any doubt that doing this brings lasting happiness and a much better life even now, just look at any individual you may know who is truly following Jesus. Outwardly they may be suffering persecution, social ostracism, or physical illnesses; but even then they still have that joy that is full, that peace which is unspeakable.

If you are not happy, if you are not at peace in your heart, if you are looking for a better life, why not let Jesus be "The Way" for you? Let Him take care of your problem of sin, which is the true cause of unhappiness in life! Let Him be your guide in giving you new direction in this life! Let Him be your key to "the good life"! In the following lessons we will explain how or you may contact me personally at:
jnlnewsted@nts-online.net

As Jesus Himself said:
"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!

Jesus, The Way To A Better Life - Part One

Jesus, The Way
Jesus, The Way To A Better Life - Part One
In the preceding lesson, we introduced the theme of this study as being "Jesus, The Way". In this lesson, we shall concentrate our attention on the subject "Jesus, The Way To A Better Life". The popular goal of our generation is "the good life"" This dream is not new. It has been the desire of every age and every walk of life -- of teachers and philosophers, of kings and common men. But to the truly good life, as to every good thing, Jesus is the way!

To see how this is true, consider first of all that...JESUS CORRECTS OUR MISCONCEPTIONS
Most people think of "the good life" in terms of material prosperity, pleasure, and popularity. Why do people think this? Nearly everyone would agree that two words sum up what "the good life" is all about: happiness and peace. Many suppose that material prosperity, pleasure and popularity will bring us these two things. But even a cursory observation reveals that most wealthy, high-living, famous people are extremely unhappy and lacking inner peace. Jesus, the way to true happiness and peace, corrects the misconception that such things as those mentioned above bring us happiness. He teaches that there is more to life than material possessions:
And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." (Luke 12:15)
In addition, He offers a peace which things of the world cannot give, and a joy which is complete and full:
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:11) What the world cannot give, Jesus can. How does He do it?

JESUS LEADS THE WAY TO A BETTER LIFE
First, by identifying and rooting out the real problem. What is the cause of so much unhappiness in this world? What deprives so many of inner peace? Is it not things like immorality, thefts, murder? Is it not things like coveting, deceit, envy and pride? Such things destroy families, friendships, and property. What then is the cause of these things? Jesus declared that the source of all these things to be the sinful hearts of men:
"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man." (Mark 7:21-23)
James, the Lord's half-brother in the flesh, concurred with this diagnosis:
"Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask." (James 4:1-2)
It is one to thing to identify the problem; what has Jesus done to provide a solution? The apostle Paul explains in his letter to Titus:
"For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:3-7)
Out of kindness, love, mercy and grace, God through Jesus Christ has saved us and made us righteous in His sight! This took place when we experienced the "washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit" (a reference to the act of baptism, in which one who believes in Jesus is truly born again of water and Spirit! - Jn 3:5). In other words, Jesus removes the problem of unhappiness and lack of inner peace by first removing the cause: Sin! But there is more...

Secondly, Jesus leads the way to true happiness and peace by teaching us to seek new goals in life. He warns us of the folly of seeking after riches:
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;" (Matthew 6:19)
Riches are perishable, and open to theft; therefore, He teaches us to put our treasure in heaven:
"but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:20)
But how does one go about laying up treasure in heaven? It involves living for Jesus, even under the most adverse conditions:
"Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets." (Luke 6:22-23)
Of course, living for Jesus means to follow His teachings; for example:
"But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil." (Luke 6:35)
Yes, our reward will be great, and even now we can have great happiness knowing that it can never be stolen, nor will it perish, for it is reserved for us in heaven!
Finally, Jesus leads the way to true happiness by giving us what we do not expect! Once we learn not to make material things, pleasure, and fame our goals in life, but to instead make following Jesus and His teachings our goal, He then provides us an unexpected portion of these very things!
For example, He promises the provision of those material things we need, if we will but put God first...
"Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:31-33)
Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You." So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundred fold now in this time; houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life." (Mark 10:28-30)

In part two of this lesson we will look at how Jesus provides a form of pure pleasure or happiness for us in addition to material things. There will also be included some questions to stimulate your thinking.

Introduction to Jesus, The Way - Part Two

Jesus, The Way
Introducing Jesus As The Way - Part Two

In the previous lesson we introduced Jesus as the way to a better life and the way to forgiveness of sin. But to be truly happy, we need more than just the forgiveness of sins; we need to be restored to the close union with God which we lost by our sins.

In this also, Jesus is our answer, for He is...THE WAY TO GOD
Many religions, claiming to be Christian, are almost totally silent about the new relationship Jesus provides with God, the Father. About all they seem to talk about is "Jesus, Jesus, etc." or "Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, etc." Could this indicate a lack of real understanding of Jesus’ purpose?
Jesus came to this world to reconcile man back to God the Father. As Paul told the Corinthians: "Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

As we have already noted, Jesus claimed to be the only way to the Father: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
Why emphasize this point? Because one does not truly experience what it means to have "eternal life" without having an intimate relationship with the Father, as well as with the Son. And this is exactly what Jesus has to offer us! As He mentioned in His prayer before His trial and crucifixion: Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:1-3) Yes, that "eternal life" Jesus offers to us includes "knowing" the Father as well as the Son! The way to a better life, the way to forgiveness of sins, the way to God...what wonderful blessings!

But there is more. Jesus is also...THE WAY OUT OF RELIGIOUS CONFUSION
Consider the plight of many who wish to follow Jesus. They are confused and even repelled by the multitude of different churches and conflicting doctrines being offered by those who profess to be His church. But one does not have to be a part of this confusion! Jesus Himself certainly does not approve it. He taught us that: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." (Matthew 12:25)
Before His betrayal and arrest, we find Jesus praying fervently... "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." (John 17:20-23)

How can we even begin to hope to have this unity of which Jesus spoke? It helps to remember that Jesus promised to build His church: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)
Despite the efforts of man and Satan to destroy it, or otherwise change it, they shall not prevail! Even today, when someone obeys the words of Jesus Christ, they are added by the Lord Himself to His church: "...praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:47)

In His church, we can enjoy the unity of which Paul wrote to the Ephesians... "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:4-6) But finding His church and enjoying this unity is experienced only as we follow Jesus as the way out of religious confusion.

Finally, let me point out that Jesus is...THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE
Death is inevitable (unless Jesus returns first), and as the author of the epistle to the Hebrews wrote, it is followed by judgment: "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment," (Hebrews 9:27)

In this way, death becomes the door, either to eternal life or to eternal condemnation. In His description of the Judgment scene, Jesus outlines only two alternatives... "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:46)
To die in Jesus is to die in the way to life eternal! As the apostle John wrote in the book of Revelation: Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them." (Revelation 14:13)

Yet another wonderful blessing in following Jesus as "The Way", is to find that He is the way to eternal life! I hope that I have sparked your interest in wanting to learn more about Jesus as "The Way". As I mentioned at the outset of this study, the other lessons will elaborate upon these great blessings provided only through Jesus. My purpose in this series is twofold...
w For those who are Christians, to increase their appreciation of Jesus as their Lord and Savior, so they will want to serve Him with greater zeal;
w For those who are not Christians, to encourage them to let Jesus be their way to everything that is truly good, both in this life and in the life to come!

This material is from ExecutableOutlines.com, a web site containing sermon outlines and Bible studies by Mark A. Copeland. Visit the web site to browse or download additional material for church or personal use. The outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2002

Introduction to Jesus, The Way - Part One

Jesus, The Way
Introducing Jesus As The Way - Part One

Note: This study is based upon an excellent Bible correspondence course program
entitled "Jesus, The Way", by Sewell Hall. I have slightly altered the order and
expanded the content.

As we begin this series of studies, I would like to start by having you ask yourself several questions:
Do you have problems?
Are you confused in things pertaining to life itself?
Do you feel lost, with a sense of despair?

If you do, don’t feel like you are alone. About the time of Abraham, a person who was experiencing a great deal of suffering said:
"Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue." (Job 14:1-2)
These words, spoken nearly four thousands years ago, express the sentiments of millions today. Now, however, there is a way out: Jesus Christ! As He Himself said:
"I am the way, the truth, and the life..." (John 14:6)
Yes, to everything that is truly good, both in this life and the one to come, Jesus Christ is the way!
In this study, I want to introduce several areas in which Jesus is truly "The Way". Succeeding lessons will expand upon these themes, but in this lesson I simply wish to whet your appetite.

For example, Jesus is...THE WAY TO A BETTER LIFE
On one occasion, Jesus stated His purpose in coming to this earth:
"...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) This "abundant life" Jesus offers is more than simply life in the "hereafter". Though He does not promise wealth or luxury, He does assure us of:
A loving Father in Heaven, who cares for His children. As Jesus taught in His "Sermon on the
Mount":
"Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:31-33)
A more than sufficient provision for those who are willing to follow Him as "The Way". As we read on another occasion:
So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundred fold now in this time; houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life." (Mark 10:29-30)
Therefore, it is not surprising to find that the happiest people in the world are those who have most completely committed themselves to following Jesus as "The Way". As the apostle Paul wrote, even though he was under house arrest at the time:
"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:11-13)
And when the apostle Peter wrote to Christians undergoing extreme forms of persecution, he could honestly say:
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory," (1 Peter 1:6-8)

Jesus is also...THE WAY TO FORGIVENESS OF SINS
He is the only solution to a very serious problem. The most serious threat to our well-being that we face: Sin! This is because everyone of us is guilty of sin:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23)
And sin is not without its consequences! Often physical, but always spiritual! Unless the problem of sin is resolved, the ultimate consequence is eternity in hell!
But through Jesus Christ, God has made provision for the forgiveness of our sins! Out of love, God offered Jesus as the "propitiation" for our sins:
"In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10)
Through His blood shed on the cross, Jesus provides forgiveness for our sins:
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. (Ephesians 1:7)
After His sacrificial death for us, Jesus explained how those lost in sin could be saved; it involves repentance on our part.
Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24:47-48)
It also involves faith and baptism.
"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mk 16:16)

This lesson will be continued in Part Two in which we will note that Jesus is the way to God and the way out of religious confusion.

That You May Believe - 13

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
They Did Not Believe In Him Part Two

We continue our lesson on why many did not believe in Jesus and why many today reject Him. We will look at two additional problems that people have for not believing in Jesus, a hardened and prejudice heart and intellectual pride.

There is also the problem of the hardened and prejudiced heart. Many were blinded by prejudice. The Pharisees were hardened by their traditions, making them blind to the miracle Jesus performed - Jn 9:13-16 "The day when Jesus made the mud and healed the man was a Sabbath. So the people took the man to the Pharisees. They asked him how he was able to see, and he answered, "Jesus made some mud and smeared it on my eyes. Then after I washed it off, I could see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man Jesus doesn't come from God. If he did, he would not break the law of the Sabbath." Others asked, "How could someone who is a sinner work such a miracle?" Since the Pharisees could not agree among themselves," They were so hardened by their prejudices they were willing to kill Jesus despite His signs - Jn 11: 46-47 "Others went to the Pharisees and told what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, "What should we do? This man is working a lot of miracles." , 53 "From that day on, the council started making plans to put Jesus to death." They even were willing to kill Lazarus - Jn 12:9-11 "A lot of people came when they heard that Jesus was there. They also wanted to see Lazarus, because Jesus had raised him from death. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus. He was the reason that many of the Jewish people were turning from them and putting their faith in Jesus."

Many are hardened by their prejudice today. Their prejudice for their traditions, creeds, denominations, etc. Their prejudice for their beliefs (e.g., evolution, humanism) which justify their lifestyles. Making them unwilling to study the Bible, to see whether their cherished beliefs are true. Yet Jesus warned about the dangers of hard hearts and blind eyes - Mt 13:15 "All of them have stubborn minds! Their ears are stopped up, and their eyes are covered. They cannot see or hear or understand. If they could, they would turn to me, and I would heal them.""
Perhaps contributing to such prejudice and hardening of the heart is another reason why many did not believe because of intellectual pride. Some were afraid of being thought of as foolish. A tactic used to persuade the soldiers not to believe - cf. Jn 7:45-48 "When the temple police returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, they were asked, "Why didn't you bring Jesus here?" They answered, "No one has ever spoken like that man!" The Pharisees said to them, "Have you also been fooled? Not one of the chief priests or the Pharisees has faith in him." Thus an appeal was made to the "wisdom" of the rulers.

Many today are hindered by intellectual pride. They don't want to be thought foolish by their professors in school. They are impressed by the many "wise" and "mighty" people who do not believe in Jesus, especially the elite media or the secular left. -- Yet God has purposely chosen foolish things to save man, to confound the arrogant and proud "scholars" of the world - 1 Co 1:18-21 "The message about the cross doesn't make any sense to lost people. But for those of us who are being saved, it is God's power at work. As God says in the Scriptures, "I will destroy the wisdom of all who claim to be wise. I will confuse those who think they know so much." What happened to those wise people? What happened to those experts in the Scriptures? What happened to the ones who think they have all the answers? Didn't God show that the wisdom of this world is foolish? God was wise and decided not to let the people of this world use their wisdom to learn about him. Instead, God chose to save only those who believe the foolish message we preach.", 26-31 "My dear friends, remember what you were when God chose you. The people of this world didn't think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families. But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame. What the world thinks is worthless, useless, and nothing at all is what God has used to destroy what the world considers important. God did all this to keep anyone from bragging to him. You are God's children. He sent Christ Jesus to save us and to make us wise, acceptable, and holy. So if you want to brag, do what the Scriptures say and brag about the Lord."

Many of the same people who reject Jesus out of intellectual pride are often guilty of rejecting Him for a reason that many people do, ignorance! They were ignorant of the facts, leading to wrong conclusions - Jn 7:40-43 "When the crowd heard Jesus say this, some of them said, "He must be the Prophet!" Others said, "He is the Messiah!" Others even said, "Can the Messiah come from Galilee? The Scriptures say that the Messiah will come from the family of King David. Doesn't this mean that he will be born in David's hometown of Bethlehem?" The people started taking sides against each other because of Jesus." They thought Jesus was born in Nazareth, not Bethlehem. There are many today rejecting Christ out of ignorance. They have not read the New Testament. They have not consider evidences for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They have listened to what religious leaders have taught or what a creed or doctrinal book has taught them. They have rejected misconceptions or caricatures of Jesus Christ and His church -- Unlike the noble Bereans, they make little effort to get all the facts - Ac 17:11 "The people in Berea were much nicer than those in Thessalonica, and they gladly accepted the message. Day after day they studied the Scriptures to see if these things were true."

Do you believe in Jesus? If not, why not? Could it be a lack of spiritual perception? Could it be out of fear or moral cowardice? Could it be a misplaced love? Could it be a prejudiced or hardened heart? Could it be out of intellectual pride? Could it be simply out of ignorance? Don't you want to believe in Jesus? Remember what He offers you Fellowship with God ("No one comes to the Father except through Me.") Salvation from sin ("If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."). Guidance throughout life ("He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness."). Spiritual sustenance ("He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."). The abundant life ("I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."). Immortality ("I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.") Let the Word of God, in particular the Gospel of John, give you the evidence necessary to believe in Jesus, that you might have life through His name! So then faith [comes] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. - Ro 10:17 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. - Jn 20:30-31

God Bless,
Jim Newsted
Shamrock, Tx
The town that turns green for a week every year

Join my Bible Study Group at internet-bible-studies-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/internet-bible-studies/join
Even though you can't see the air, It doesn't stop you from breathing
Even though you can't see God, It doesn't stop you from believing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That You May Believe - 12

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
They Did Not Believe In Him Part One

Despite evidence to substantiate the claims of Jesus, such as the testimony of the Father through signs and the testimony of the Father through Scripture John records that many did not believe in Jesus, Jn 12:37 "He had worked a lot of miracles among the people, but they were still not willing to have faith in him." In all fairness, those to whom John refers did not have the fullness of evidence presented in the gospel itself. They may have seen some of the signs, but not all of them. Some may have been ignorant of the Scriptures and their testimony concerning Jesus because they had yet to be given the witness of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. But even with the fullness of evidence provided in the gospel of John many still did not believe in Jesus in those days. Many do not believe in Jesus today. Why? The reasons are many and varied. John mentions several in the course of his gospel which may help us understand why many people do not believe today.

For example, one reason many failed to believe in Jesus was their lack spiritual perception. In other words, their focus was on material or physical things. They were impressed by His feeding of the 5000 - Jn 6:14-15. They wanted to make Him their king or they saw in Him someone who could meet their material needs. But His discourse on the Bread of Life caused many to leave - Jn 6:60 "Many of Jesus' disciples heard him and said, "This is too hard for anyone to understand."", 66 "Because of what Jesus said, many of his disciples turned their backs on him and stopped following him." For He told them to work for the food which endures to everlasting life - Jn 6:27 "Don't work for food that spoils. Work for food that gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give you this food, because God the Father has given him the right to do so."" For He spoke of Himself as the true Bread of Life.

Many today lack the same spiritual perception. They are looking for material things. They want the church to provide for their physical needs. They want the church to entertain them or their children. If a church offers only the Word of God, to make them disciples, which is the primary mission of the church - cf. 1 Ti 3:15; Mt 28:19-20, they look elsewhere, seeking to find "the church of their choice." Yet Jesus taught His disciples where to place their focus in Mt 6:33 "And the bread that God gives is the one who came down from heaven to give life to the world." Not content with the spiritual nature of the kingdom ( Ro 14:17 "God's kingdom isn't about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness. All this comes from the Holy Spirit."), they are unwilling to accept the true demands of faith in Jesus.

We also read that many refused to confess Jesus because of fear and moral cowardice. They were afraid of what others might think. The multitude was afraid of what the Jews might think - Jn 7:13 "But the people were afraid of their leaders, and none of them talked in public about him." So were the parents of the man born blind - Jn 9:20-22 "The man's parents answered, "We are certain that he is our son, and we know that he was born blind. But we don't know how he got his sight or who gave it to him. Ask him! He is old enough to speak for himself." The man's parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. The leaders had already agreed that no one was to have anything to do with anyone who said Jesus was the Messiah." Some of the rulers were afraid of the Pharisees - Jn 12:42-43 "Even then, many of the leaders put their faith in Jesus, but they did not tell anyone about it. The Pharisees had already given orders for the people not to have anything to do with anyone who had faith in Jesus. And besides, the leaders liked praise from others more than they liked praise from God." Pilate was fearful of what Caesar might hear - Jn 19:12-13 "Then Pilate wanted to set Jesus free. But the crowd again yelled, "If you set this man free, you are no friend of the Emperor! Anyone who claims to be a king is an enemy of the Emperor." When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out. Then he sat down on the judge's bench at the place known as "The Stone Pavement." In Aramaic this pavement is called "Gabbatha."'

Even today many fear what others might think. They are afraid that their peers at school might ridicule them. They are afraid that their coworkers might ostracize them. They are afraid of persecution for being "politically incorrect" or "religiously intolerant" -- Yet Jesus taught His disciples whom they should fear - Mt 10:28 "Don't be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell." Fearful of losing acceptance, and being outcast, has made many unwilling to believe in Jesus.

Then there were those who had. a misplaced love. Their love was for the wrong things. They did not have a love for God - Jn 5:41-43 "I don't care about human praise, but I do know that none of you love God. I have come with my Father's authority, and you have not welcomed me. But you will welcome people who come on their own." Instead, their love was in such things as the things of darkness (evil), which they did not want to give up - Jn 3:19-20 "The light has come into the world, and people who do evil things are judged guilty because they love the dark more than the light. People who do evil hate the light and won't come to the light, because it clearly shows what they have done." They loved the glory of men, wanting to be praised by them - Jn 12: 42-43 "Even then, many of the leaders put their faith in Jesus, but they did not tell anyone about it. The Pharisees had already given orders for the people not to have anything to do with anyone who had faith in Jesus. And besides, the leaders liked praise from others more than they liked praise from God." They loved self and material things, as in the case of Judas - Jn 12:6 "Judas did not really care about the poor. He asked this because he carried the moneybag and sometimes would steal from it."

There many today that have the same misplaced love. A love for family, popularity among friends, for wealth, and hobbies They have a love for immoral lifestyles which they don’t want to give up -- Yet Jesus taught His disciples whom they should love and serve - Mt 22:37 "Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind."; 6:24 "You cannot be the slave of two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Misplaced love often blinds one to the evidence that is capable of producing faith.

In the next portion of this lesson we will look at two additional problems that people have for not believing in Jesus, a hardened and prejudice heart and intellectual pride.

That You May Believe - 11

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
The Testimony For Jesus' Resurrection - Part 2
In our last lesson we looked at some alternative views or theories to the actual resurrection of Jesus from the dead and the lack of sound logic in them. Other theories have been offered, but like these three (the body was stolen, the swoon hypothesis, and the vision hypothesis) they fail in the face of perhaps the greatest evidence for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the witness evidence.

Mary Magdalene was the first person to the empty tomb - Jn 20:1 "On Sunday morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance." She at first thought someone took the body - Jn 20:2 "She ran to Simon Peter and to Jesus' favorite disciple and said, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb! We don't know where they have put him."", 11-15 "Mary Magdalene stood crying outside the tomb. She was still weeping, when she stooped down and saw two angels inside. They were dressed in white and were sitting where Jesus' body had been. One was at the head and the other was at the foot. The angels asked Mary, "Why are you crying?" She answered, "They have taken away my Lord's body! I don't know where they have put him." As soon as Mary said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know who he was. Jesus asked her, "Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" She thought he was the gardener and said, "Sir, if you have taken his body away, please tell me, so I can go and get him."" But then believed when Jesus appeared to her - Jn 20:16-18 "Then Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him, "Rabboni." The Aramaic word "Rabboni" means "Teacher." Jesus told her, "Don't hold on to me! I have not yet gone to the Father. But tell my disciples that I am going to the one who is my Father and my God, as well as your Father and your God." Mary Magdalene then went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord. She also told them what he had said to her."

The disciples on the first day who were hiding for fear of the Jews - Jn 20:19a "The disciples were afraid of the Jewish leaders, and on the evening of that same Sunday they locked themselves in a room." Then Jesus appeared to them, showing His hands and His side - Jn 20:19b-20 "Suddenly, Jesus appeared in the middle of the group. He greeted them and showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they became very happy."

The disciples including Thomas whom had not been with the disciples previously - Jn 20:24 "Although Thomas the Twin was one of the twelve disciples, he wasn't with the others when Jesus appeared to them." Thomas doubted their testimony, refusing to believe - Jn 20:25 "So they told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But Thomas said, "First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. I won't believe unless I do this!"" When Jesus appeared eight days later, Thomas was convinced - Jn 20:26-28 "A week later the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. Jesus came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted his disciples and said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!" Thomas replied, "You are my Lord and my God!""
The disciples were in Galilee by the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee) - Jn 21:1 "Jesus later appeared to his disciples along the shore of Lake Tiberias." Jesus showed Himself to Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, James, John, and two others - Jn 21:2-14

John in particular who bore witness to the death of Jesus - Jn 19:35 "We know this is true, because it was told by someone who saw it happen. Now you can have faith too." and who bore witness to the resurrection of Jesus - Jn 21:24 "This disciple is the one who told all of this. He wrote it, and we know he is telling the truth."

There are only two alternatives here. The witnesses were credible, honest, and truthful and their testimony is enhanced by the number of the witnesses. These witnesses are not just a few, isolated individuals, but many, including hundreds at a time. The testimony is enhanced by the character of the witnesses, not being gullible, but requiring proof (e.g., Thomas) - Jn 20:25 At first they were fearful, but something made them fearless - Jn 20:19; Ac 4:13 "The officials were amazed to see how brave Peter and John were, and they knew that these two apostles were only ordinary men and not well educated. The officials were certain that these men had been with Jesus.", 19-20 "Peter and John answered, "Do you think God wants us to obey you or to obey him? We cannot keep quiet about what we have seen and heard."" The disciples became men who spent their lives dedicated to truth, holiness, and love - 1 Jn 1:5 "Jesus told us that God is light and doesn't have any darkness in him. Now we are telling you.", 6 "If we say that we share in life with God and keep on living in the dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth."; 2:15-17 "Don't love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you love the oftlineworld, you cannot love the Father. Our foolish pride comes from this world, and so do our selfish desires and our desire to have everything we see. None of this comes from the Father. The world and the desires it causes are disappearing. But if we obey God, we will live forever."; 4:11 "Dear friends, since God loved us this much, we must love each other." The testimony is enhanced by the suffering of the witnesses. They gladly suffered for their testimony - Ac 5:41 "The apostles left the council and were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer for the sake of Jesus." Even after losing loved ones, like John who lost his brother James - Ac 12:1-2 "At that time King Herod caused terrible suffering for some members of the church. He ordered soldiers to cut off the head of James, the brother of John."

The other alternative is to declare these witnesses liars, frauds and deceivers. This is the only alternative if the resurrection did not occur - cf. 1 Co 15:14-15 "And if Christ wasn't raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith. If the dead won't be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying that he raised Christ to life, when he really did not." The nature of their testimony does not permit being mistaken or misled. They claimed to have heard, seen, and touched Jesus following His resurrection. 1 Jn 1:1-4 "The Word that gives life was from the beginning, and this is the one our message is about. Our ears have heard, our own eyes have seen, and our hands touched this Word. The one who gives life appeared! We saw it happen, and we are witnesses to what we have seen. Now we are telling you about this eternal life that was with the Father and appeared to us. We are telling you what we have seen and heard, so that you may share in this life with us. And we share in it with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing to tell you these things, because this makes us truly happy."; Ac 10:39-41 "We all saw what Jesus did both in Israel and in the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was put to death on a cross. But three days later, God raised him to life and let him be seen. Not everyone saw him. He was seen only by us, who ate and drank with him after he was raised from death. We were the ones God chose to tell others about him." You cannot say that they were simply mistaken, or misled; you must proclaim them liars if Jesus was not risen from the dead! Are you willing to believe that those who wrote the New Testament were so corrupt?

The testimony for Jesus' resurrection is strong, enhanced by the evidence of the crucifixion, the evidence of the empty tomb, and the evidence of the witnesses. Alternative theories simply do not hold up in the face of such evidence. What is the significance of this evidence and the resurrection of Jesus from the dead? Jesus is everything that John and Jesus Himself claimed to be! He is the Son of God! He is the bread of life! He is the light of the world! He is the Good Shepherd! He is the resurrection and the life! Believe in Jesus, and you can have the right to become a child of God - Jn 1:12 "Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God." Have life in His name! - Jn 20:31 "But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life." Sadly, many people do not believe in Jesus. In our final lesson, we shall consider why such is the case, even as it was in John's day. But if you believe in Jesus as the Son of God, don't hesitate to obey the gospel of Christ.

If you have not responded to the gospel message as we have just examined, by all means please contact me directly at jnlnewsted@nts-online.net

This study is from The Executable Outlines Series, a collection of sermon outlines and Bible study lessons by Mark A. Copeland . These outlines were developed in the course of my ministry as a preacher of the gospel. Feel free to use them as they are, or adapt them to suit your own personal style. To God be the glory!

The Executable Outlines Series, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2001

That You May Believe - 10

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
The Testimony For Jesus' Resurrection - Part 1

In this study we have noted that John seeks to produce faith in Jesus by recording the claims concerning Jesus We have looked at claims made by John in his prologue to the gospel and claims made by Jesus Himself throughout His ministry. By recording testimony to support such claims we read of the testimony of those who saw and heard Jesus and the testimony of the Father through signs and Scripture. Perhaps the strongest testimony provided by John is that of Jesus' resurrection. For if Jesus truly did rise from the dead He indeed is everything that both Jesus and John claimed!

What evidence is there for the resurrection of Jesus? In John's gospel, the testimony for Jesus' resurrection begins with Jesus' death; in other words, what is said about the crucifixion. Let’s look at the evidence. First there is the soldiers' observation that Jesus was dead - Jn 19:31-33 "After Jesus drank the wine, he said, "Everything is done!" He bowed his head and died. The next day would be both a Sabbath and the Passover. It was a special day for the Jewish people, and they did not want the bodies to stay on the crosses during that day. So they asked Pilate to break the men's legs and take their bodies down." Then we have blood and water coming from Jesus' pierced side - Jn 19:34-35 "One of the soldiers stuck his spear into Jesus' side, and blood and water came out. We know this is true, because it was told by someone who saw it happen. Now you can have faith too." Medical authorities have commented on this phenomenon as evidence that it proves Jesus died on the cross (not sometime later). "There remains, therefore, no supposition possible to explain the recorded phenomenon except the combination of the crucifixion and rupture of the heart." - Samuel Houghton, M.D. (physiologist from the University of Dublin). There is testimony of Tacitus, Roman historian (ca. 112 A.D.) - "Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberias."

The alternative view is that Jesus only swooned, to either die or be revived some time later. Postulated by many skeptics, trying to deny the resurrection of Jesus (e.g., The Passover Plot, by Hugh J. Schonfield)
Which is more likely becomes apparent as we consider the evidence of the empty tomb. The stone removed - Jn 20:1 "On Sunday morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance." The first observation is by Mary Magdalene, on early Sunday morning. A stone that had been sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers - Mt 27:62-66 "On the next day, which was a Sabbath, the chief priests and the Pharisees went together to Pilate. They said, "Sir, we remember what that liar said while he was still alive. He claimed that in three days he would come back from death. So please order the tomb to be carefully guarded for three days. If you don't, his disciples may come and steal his body. They will tell the people that he has been raised to life, and this last lie will be worse than the first one." Pilate said to them, "All right, take some of your soldiers and guard the tomb as well as you know how." So they sealed it tight and placed soldiers there to guard it." The body gone - Jn 20:2 "She ran to Simon Peter and to Jesus' favorite disciple and said, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb! We don't know where they have put him."' The tomb is empty! Mary supposes that the body has been removed, and runs to tell Peter. The grave clothes - Jn 20:3-9 "Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. They ran side by side, until the other disciple ran faster than Peter and got there first. He bent over and saw the strips of linen cloth lying inside the tomb, but he did not go in. When Simon Peter got there, he went into the tomb and saw the strips of cloth. He also saw the piece of cloth that had been used to cover Jesus' face. It was rolled up and in a place by itself. The disciple who got there first then went into the tomb, and when he saw it, he believed. At that time Peter and the other disciple did not know that the Scriptures said Jesus would rise to life." Peter and John see the head covering (napkin) lying neatly folded by itself indicating there had been no hurry to get away, or to steal the body (Hailey).

The alternative views and theories are the body was stolen. This theory says the disciples stole the body, then claimed He rose from the dead. This was the "official" theory offered from the very beginning - Mt 28:11-15 "While the women were on their way, some soldiers who had been guarding the tomb went into the city. They told the chief priests everything that had happened. So the chief priests met with the leaders and decided to bribe the soldiers with a lot of money. They said to the soldiers, "Tell everyone that Jesus' disciples came during the night and stole his body while you were asleep. If the governor hears about this, we will talk to him. You won't have anything to worry about." The soldiers took the money and did what they were told. The people of Judea still tell each other this story." There are difficulties with this described explaination. The explanation defies logic. If the soldiers were asleep how did they know it was the disciples who took the body? How could the large stone guarding the entrance be rolled away without awakening the soldiers? The soldiers guarding the tomb were Romans - Mt 27: 62-66. They were professional soldiers charged to guard the tomb with their lives. The punishment for falling asleep on duty was death. This would make those who testified they saw Jesus liars and frauds for they claimed empirical evidence - Ac 10:39-41 "We all saw what Jesus did both in Israel and in the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was put to death on a cross. But three days later, God raised him to life and let him be seen. Not everyone saw him. He was seen only by us, who ate and drank with him after he was raised from death. We were the ones God chose to tell others about him." Suppose just a few disciples stole the body, unknown by others, such as Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, or the women. Others still say they saw Jesus, ate and drank with Him. You have to explain why they were willing to lie and die knowing it was a lie.

Another alternative view or theory is the swoon hypothesis. The theory explained that Jesus did not actually die on the cross, He only swooned. Suffering from shock, pain, and loss of blood, He fainted (swooned) from exhaustion. Thinking that He was dead, the Roman soldiers took Him down and He was buried in the tomb. In the coolness of the tomb, Jesus revived. Somehow He left the tomb, and appeared to His disciples, then lived in obscurity to die years later. The difficulties here are that Jesus would have had to revive sufficiently enough to break through the burial garments that bound Him, including a hundred pounds of spices used in preparing His body for burial - Jn 19:38-40. He had to role away the large stone that sealed the tomb, fight off the Roman guards protecting the tomb, walk the seven miles to Emmaus where He was seen by the two disciples, then walk back to Jerusalem where He was seen by the apostles. All within the same day! Every effort was made to prove He was dead. The Roman soldiers at the cross pierced His side - Jn 19:31-34, Pilate made sure He was dead - Mk 15:43-45. When Joseph of Arimathea wanted the body the Roman centurion confirmed that Jesus was dead. Not only would this make the apostles liars and frauds, but Jesus also for allowing a lie to spread for years! Another alternative view or theory is the vision hypothesis. The theory explained all of Christ's post-resurrection appearances were only supposed appearances and those who claimed to see Jesus had hallucinations. The difficulties as described are the appearances were not just to individuals, one at a time. Ten apostles claimed to see Him - Jn 20:19-25. Jesus appeared to six disciples at the Sea of Galilee - Jn 21:1-14. He appeared to over 500 people at once as recorded in 1 Co 15:6. The theory contradicts laws and principles which psychiatrists say are essential to hallucinations. Only certain kinds of people have hallucinations. Usually high-strung, highly imaginative, and very nervous people, only paranoid or schizophrenic individuals have hallucinations, or someone on drugs. The appearances were not restricted to people of any particular psychological make up. Hallucinations are linked in an individual's subconscious. An individual may have an hallucination, but hallucinations do not appear to groups of people. They occur in people when there is a spirit of anticipation or hopeful expectation. The disciples had no such anticipation - Lk 24: 13-21. They were prone to disbelieve even after they were told of the resurrection - Jn 20:24-25. I would highly suggest the reader open their Bible and read the scriptures referenced in this last paragraph.

Having looked at these alternative views or theories we will continue our study in a lesson to follow looking at the greatest evidence of all, the witnesses.

That You May Believe - 9

THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
The Father's Testimony Through Scripture
Part Two

Jesus was rejected as a teacher. Prophecies related to this are Isa 53:1; 6:9,10, in which many would not receive the Messiah because of dull hearts. John made reference to these passages - Jn 12:37-41"He had worked a lot of miracles among the people, but they were still not willing to have faith in him. This happened so that what the prophet Isaiah had said would come true, "Lord, who has believed our message? And who has seen your mighty strength?" The people could not have faith in Jesus, because Isaiah had also said, "The Lord has blinded the eyes of the people, and he has made the people stubborn. He did this so that they could not see or understand, and so that they would not turn to the Lord and be healed." Isaiah said this, because he saw the glory of Jesus and spoke about him." The Jews' rejection of Jesus and His teachings thus fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy

The King’s entrance is recorded in Zech 9:9 "Everyone in Jerusalem, celebrate and shout! Your king has won a victory, and he is coming to you. He is humble and rides on a donkey; he comes on the colt of a donkey." Israel's king would come to Jerusalem riding on a donkey. John records Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem - Jn 12: 12-16 "The next day a large crowd was in Jerusalem for Passover. When they heard that Jesus was coming for the festival, they took palm branches and went out to greet him. They shouted, "Hooray! God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the King of Israel!" Jesus found a donkey and rode on it, just as the Scriptures say, "People of Jerusalem, don't be afraid! Your King is now coming, and he is riding on a donkey." At first, Jesus' disciples did not understand. But after he had been given his glory, they remembered all this. Everything had happened exactly as the Scriptures said it would." Later, His disciples would understand how this fulfilled what was written of the Messiah
Reference to the crucifixion of the Messiah is made in Zech 12:10 "I, the LORD, will make the descendants of David and the people of Jerusalem feel deep sorrow and pray when they see the one they pierced with a spear. They will mourn and weep for him, as parents weep over the death of their only child or their first-born." Reference to his burial is found in Isa 53:9 "He wasn't dishonest or violent, but he was buried in a tomb of cruel and rich people." John describes the crucifixion in detail, and refers to Zechariah's prophecy in Jn 19:37 "and, "They will see the one in whose side they stuck a spear."" He also refers to Isaiah's prophecy regarding His burial in Jn 19:38-42 "Joseph from Arimathea was one of Jesus' disciples. He had kept it secret though, because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders. But now he asked Pilate to let him have Jesus' body. Pilate gave him permission, and Joseph took it down from the cross. Nicodemus also came with about seventy-five pounds of spices made from myrrh and aloes. This was the same Nicodemus who had visited Jesus one night. The two men wrapped the body in a linen cloth, together with the spices, which was how the Jewish people buried their dead. In the place where Jesus had been nailed to a cross, there was a garden with a tomb that had never been used. The tomb was nearby, and since it was the time to prepare for the Sabbath, they were in a hurry to put Jesus' body there."

The Father's testimony through Scripture was not limited to prophecies found in the writings of Moses and the Prophets. Let's briefly note how John also makes several references to prophecies in the Psalms. The zeal of Jesus is recorded in Psa 69:9 My love for your house burns in me like a fire, and when others insulted you, they insulted me as well." This is mentioned by John in regards to Jesus cleansing the temple - Jn 2:13-17 "Not long before the Jewish festival of Passover, Jesus went to Jerusalem. There he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves in the temple. He also saw moneychangers sitting at their tables. So he took some rope and made a whip. Then he chased everyone out of the temple, together with their sheep and cattle. He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and scattered their coins. Jesus said to the people who had been selling doves, "Get those doves out of here! Don't make my Father's house a marketplace." The disciples then remembered that the Scriptures say, "My love for your house burns in me like a fire."" His betrayal by His familiar friend is recorded in Psa 41:9 "My most trusted friend has turned against me, though he ate at my table." This is mentioned by Jesus in regards to the betrayal by Judas - Jn 13:18 "I am not talking about all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But what the Scriptures say must come true. And they say, "The man who ate with me has turned against me!"" Jesus being hated without cause is recorded in Psa 35:19 "Don't let my brutal enemies be glad because of me. They hate me for no reason. Don't let them wink behind my back.."; 69:4 "There are more people who hate me for no reason than there are hairs on my head. Many terrible enemies want to destroy me, God. Am I supposed to give back something I didn't steal?" Jesus explained that the Jews' rejection of Him fulfilled these passages - Jn 15:24-25 "I have done things that no one else has ever done. If they had not seen me do these things, they would not be guilty. But they did see me do these things, and they still hate me and my Father too. That is why the Scriptures are true when they say, "People hated me for no reason."'

The parting of His garments is recorded in Psa 22:18 "They took my clothes and gambled for them." John explains this was fulfilled by the solders during the crucifixion - Jn 19:24 "The soldiers said to each other, "Let's not rip it apart. We will gamble to see who gets it." This happened so that the Scriptures would come true, which say, "They divided up my clothes and gambled for my garments." The soldiers then did what they had decided." The offering of gall and vinegar while on the cross is recorded in Psa 69:21 "Enemies poisoned my food, and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar." 2. This was fulfilled by Jesus while on the cross - Jn 19:28-30 "Jesus knew that he had now finished his work. And in order to make the Scriptures come true, he said, "I am thirsty!" A jar of cheap wine was there. Someone then soaked a sponge with the wine and held it up to Jesus' mouth on the stem of a hyssop plant. After Jesus drank the wine, he said, "Everything is done!" He bowed his head and died."

Through the writings of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms, the Father was bearing testimony. Preparing Israel for the coming of the Messiah. He was providing a way for them to be able to recognize the Messiah, proving that Jesus was everything that He claimed to be regarding the Messiah. We should not underestimate the force of such testimony from the Father. It has been estimated that over 300 prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. The likelihood that anyone coincidentally or purposefully fulfilled all these prophecies is mathematically implausible. The apostles' depended heavily upon the testimony by the Father through Scriptures to convince people that Jesus was the Christ (cf. Ac 3:24; 17:2-3). Are we willing to accept the Father's testimony concerning His Son given through the Scriptures? Will we allow the Scriptures to produce faith in our hearts? Ro 10:17 "No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ."

That You May Believe - 8

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
The Father's Testimony Through Scripture
Part One

We saw where Jesus appealed to His Father's testimony through signs. Miracles and wonders that Jesus did (e.g., turning water to wine, healing the nobleman's son, healing the lame man, etc.), in which the Father bore witness to Jesus as being sent by God - cf. Jn 5:36. Jesus also appealed to His Father's testimony through scripture, the same Scriptures many looked to for eternal life - Jn 5:39a "You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them.". Scriptures which themselves bore witness to Jesus - cf. Jn 5:39b "The Scriptures tell about me," From Lk 24:44, "Jesus said to them, "While I was still with you, I told you that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Books of the Prophets, and in the Psalms had to happen."", we can assume that Jesus had in mind the following scriptures in The Law of Moses, The Psalms and The Prophets, when He said ""The Scriptures tell about me,". Note Jesus' words in Jn 5:45-47 "Don't think that I will be the one to accuse you to the Father. You have put your hope in Moses, yet he is the very one who will accuse you. Moses wrote about me, and if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me. But if you don't believe what Moses wrote, how can you believe what I say?". In these scriptures were many prophecies concerning the Messiah.

In John's gospel, he records how many of these prophecies bore witness to Jesus as the Messiah. In the writings of Moses the first prophecy is recorded in Gen 3:15 "You and this woman will hate each other; your descendants and hers will always be enemies. One of hers will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel."" depicting the conflict that would exist between Satan and Christ. This conflict was referred to by Jesus in Jn 12:31-33 "This world's people are now being judged, and the ruler of this world is already being thrown out! If I am lifted up above the earth, I will make everyone want to come to me." Jesus was talking about the way he would be put to death."; 14:30 "I cannot speak with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. But he has no power over me." Jesus' resurrection proved Him to be the fulfillment of this conflict - cf. He 2:14-15 "We are people of flesh and blood. That is why Jesus became one of us. He died to destroy the devil, who had power over death. But he also died to rescue all of us who live each day in fear of dying."

The seed of Abraham is recorded in Gen 12:1-3 "The LORD said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others. I will bless anyone who blesses you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you. Everyone on earth will be blessed because of you."; 22:18 "You have obeyed me, and so you and your descendants will be a blessing to all nations on earth."" That in his seed (Christ) all the nations would be blessed. Jesus made reference to the promise made to Abraham - Jn 8:56 "Your father Abraham was really glad to see me."" In their gospels, Matthew and Mark reveal Jesus' genealogy from Abraham .

The prophet to come is recorded in Deu 18:15 "Instead, he will choose one of your own people to be a prophet just like me, and you must do what that prophet says.", 17-19 "Then the LORD told me: Moses, they have said the right thing. So when I want to speak to them, I will choose one of them to be a prophet like you. I will give my message to that prophet, who will tell the people exactly what I have said. Since the message comes from me, anyone who doesn't obey the message will have to answer to me.". The prophet was to be like Moses whom they were to heed. Jesus claimed to be such a spokesman (prophet) from God - Jn 12:48-49 "But everyone who rejects me and my teachings will be judged on the last day by what I have said. I don't speak on my own. I say only what the Father who sent me has told me to say." His apostles later declared Jesus to be this prophet - cf. Ac 3:22-26 "Moses said, "The Lord your God will choose one of your own people to be a prophet, just as he chose me. Listen to everything he tells you. No one who disobeys that prophet will be one of God's people any longer." Samuel and all the other prophets who came later also spoke about what is now happening. You are really the ones God told his prophets to speak to. And you were given the promise that God made to your ancestors. He said to Abraham, "All nations on earth will be blessed because of someone from your family." God sent his chosen Son to you first, because God wanted to bless you and make each one of you turn away from your sins."

From the prophecies of Moses, we turn now to the prophecies recorded by the prophets after Moses. The coming of a forerunner is recorded in Isa 40:3 "Someone is shouting: "Clear a path in the desert! Make a straight road for the LORD our God.". A reference to one who would prepare people for the coming of the Lord. John the Baptist makes reference to this prophecy - Jn 1:19-23 "The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and temple helpers to ask John who he was. He told them plainly, "I am not the Messiah." Then when they asked him if he were Elijah, he said, "No, I am not!" And when they asked if he were the Prophet, he also said "No!" Finally, they said, "Who are you then? We have to give an answer to the ones who sent us. Tell us who you are!" John answered in the words of the prophet Isaiah, "I am only someone shouting in the desert, 'Get the road ready for the Lord!' "" Thus the work and testimony of John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy.

Several prophecies found in Isa 11:2; 42:1; 61:1 2. In which the Spirit was to come upon the Messiah. A fulfillment to which both John the Baptist and Jesus referis recorded in Jn 1:32-33 "I was there and saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven. And the Spirit stayed on him. Before this I didn't know who he was. But the one who sent me to baptize with water had told me, "You will see the Spirit come down and stay on someone. Then you will know that he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.""; 3:34 "I saw this happen, and I tell you that he is the Son of God." Luke also records how Jesus fulfilled such prophecies - cf. Lk 4:16-21 "Jesus went back to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and as usual he went to the meeting place on the Sabbath. When he stood up to read from the Scriptures, he was given the book of Isaiah the prophet. He opened it and read, "The Lord's Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers, and to say, 'This is the year the Lord has chosen.' " Jesus closed the book, then handed it back to the man in charge and sat down. Everyone in the meeting place looked straight at Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, "What you have just heard me read has come true today."’

We will continue this lesson in another section looking at the prophecies concerning the rejection of Jesus as a teacher, His entrance into Jerusalem and references to His crucifixion.

That You May Believe - 7

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
The Father's Testimony Through Signs
In our last lesson, we considered the human testimony recorded in John's gospel, such as that offered by John the Baptist, the early disciples and others who believed. But also the testimony by the masses, including many who did not believe. As noted, human testimony alone does not prove Jesus to be the Son of God. Jesus Himself did not depend upon human testimony alone as evidence - cf. Jn 5:33-37 "You sent messengers to John, and he told them the truth. I don't depend on what people say about me, but I tell you these things so that you may be saved. John was a lamp that gave a lot of light, and you were glad to enjoy his light for a while. But something more important than John speaks for me. I mean the things that the Father has given me to do! All of these speak for me and prove that the Father sent me. The Father who sent me also speaks for me, but you have never heard his voice or seen him face to face.". He recognized human testimony, such as that offered by John the Baptist. Yet He appealed to a "greater witness", that of His Father's testimony! -- Jesus encouraged people to consider the Father's testimony as evidenced by the works which He did. In this lesson we shall define the purpose of the works or "signs" Jesus did, and note how they serve as evidence to sustain the claims Jesus made.

The definition "sign" is a Greek word, semeion. It is used "of miracles and wonders by which God authenticates the men sent by Him, or by which men prove that the cause they are pleading is God's." - Thayer. This word is used by John almost exclusively in his gospel (as opposed to miracle or wonder). Jesus claimed that the works, miracles or wonders He performed "bear witness of Me" - Jn 5:36 The Father bore witness through these "signs" to the validity of His claims (such as the claim "the Father has sent Me"). What were these "signs" in which the Father bore testimony concerning Jesus? John says there were many (Jn 20:30), too many to record them all (Jn 21:25). In his gospel, John records at least seven.
Turning water to wine is the first sign and was done in Cana of Galilee - Jn 2:1-11. Jesus demonstrated His power over creation, proving the claim made in the prologue ("All things came into being by Him") - Jn 1:3. For example, He is the Creator! The next sign we read of is the healing of the nobleman’s son which was also done in Cana of Galilee - Jn 4:46-54. Jesus demonstrated His power over physical disease, supporting His claim to provide salvation from spiritual disease - cf. Jn 8:34-36 for example, He is the Savior! In Jn 5:1-9 we read of the healing of the lame man done in Jerusalem, at the pool of Bethesda. Jesus demonstrated His power over birth defects used to show His equality with God - Jn 5:17-21. For example, He is Deity, and capable of giving life! In Jn 6:1-14 we find the feeding of the five thousand done near Bethsaida of Galilee. Jesus showed His power over food supply proving His claim to provide man with his spiritual needs - Jn 6:35 "Jesus replied: I am the bread that gives life! No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who has faith in me will ever be thirsty.", He is the Bread of Life! In walking on the water on the Sea of Galilee Jesus showed His power over nature - Jn 6:16-21 Once again this confirms the claim made by John in the prologue - Jn 1:3, He is the Creator! F. In healing the blind man in Jerusalem who was blind from birth - Jn 9:1-12, Jesus showed His power over blindness confirming His claim to be "the light of the world" - Jn 8:12, He is the Light! When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead as He done at Bethany - Jn 11:39-44, Jesus shows His power over death, proving His claim to be "the resurrection and the life" - Jn 11:25, He is the Life! Through such signs as these seven, the Father bore testimony concerning Jesus of Nazareth they were designed to impact those who saw them and indeed they did.

We have the testimony by witness such as Nicodemus saying to Jesus, "You are a teacher come from God" - Jn 3:2a, "No one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him" - Jn 3:2b There is also the testimony of the multitude, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?", prompting many to believe in Him - Jn 7:31 We also have the testimony of His enemies. "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs." - Jn 11:47. They could not deny the signs, though they refused to accept their implications. John stated his purpose in recording these "signs" of Jesus, including the one in which He showed Himself alive to doubting Thomas (cf. Jn 20:26-29), That we might believe in Jesus as the Son of God, and that we have life in His name - Jn 20:30-31. Jesus said these "signs" served as testimony from the Father - Jn 5:36. That the Father sent Him and that He is everything He claimed to be. The question we face is this: Do we ignore these signs, attested to even by the enemies of Jesus? Or do we accept them as testimony from the Father, that the claims of Jesus are true? The blessing of eternal life hangs in the balance.