Sunday, September 16, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
T O U R : What are the highlights of his life?
Just a great moral teacher or was Jesus something more?
Some people claim he's a great teacher. Others think he's a prophet. Some dismiss him as a liar or even a madman. Millions hail him as Savior and Lord. Whatever people think of him, nobody can deny that he stands at the very crux of human history.
The biblical record of his life shows that Jesus was born to a virgin, lived a sinless life, taught throughout Palestine for about three years, was crucified and then rose back to life three days after his death. The Bible claims that more than 500 people saw him alive after this miraculous event. How could a mere man have lived such a life? The miracles Jesus performed, his death on the cross, his resurrection, his ascent to heaven--all point to the fact that he was no ordinary leader.
Hundreds of years before Jesus' birth, prophets predicted his coming. The Old Testament, written by many people over a period of 1,500 years, contains more than 300 such prophecies. All of these details came true, including his miraculous birth, his sinless life, his many miracles, his death and his resurrection.
By his own account, Jesus claimed he had the power to forgive sins, to cast out demons, and to determine people's eternal destiny. He even declared he himself was God!
Declaring that he was God so angered the religious and political leaders of his day that they had him crucified. They buried him in a borrowed grave, and three days later, he rose from the dead.
The resurrection of Jesus is what makes Christianity uniqueand radically different from Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Judaism, and Islam. In fact, the validity of Christianity hinges on the proof of the resurrection of Jesus. If the resurrection never took place, then the Christian faith is based on a lie and people have no true hope for life after they die. But if it is true, then we can do nothing else but accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and receive his gift of love and forgiveness.
Throughout the centuries, most great scholars who have considered the proofs of the resurrection have believed, and still believe that Jesus is alive.
Who is Jesus of Nazareth to you?
Your life on this earth and for all of eternity is affected by your answer to this question. Find out how you can get to know Jesus Christ personally and discover what provisions he has made for you to live with him forever.
Some people claim he's a great teacher. Others think he's a prophet. Some dismiss him as a liar or even a madman. Millions hail him as Savior and Lord. Whatever people think of him, nobody can deny that he stands at the very crux of human history.
The biblical record of his life shows that Jesus was born to a virgin, lived a sinless life, taught throughout Palestine for about three years, was crucified and then rose back to life three days after his death. The Bible claims that more than 500 people saw him alive after this miraculous event. How could a mere man have lived such a life? The miracles Jesus performed, his death on the cross, his resurrection, his ascent to heaven--all point to the fact that he was no ordinary leader.
Hundreds of years before Jesus' birth, prophets predicted his coming. The Old Testament, written by many people over a period of 1,500 years, contains more than 300 such prophecies. All of these details came true, including his miraculous birth, his sinless life, his many miracles, his death and his resurrection.
By his own account, Jesus claimed he had the power to forgive sins, to cast out demons, and to determine people's eternal destiny. He even declared he himself was God!
Declaring that he was God so angered the religious and political leaders of his day that they had him crucified. They buried him in a borrowed grave, and three days later, he rose from the dead.
The resurrection of Jesus is what makes Christianity uniqueand radically different from Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Judaism, and Islam. In fact, the validity of Christianity hinges on the proof of the resurrection of Jesus. If the resurrection never took place, then the Christian faith is based on a lie and people have no true hope for life after they die. But if it is true, then we can do nothing else but accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and receive his gift of love and forgiveness.
Throughout the centuries, most great scholars who have considered the proofs of the resurrection have believed, and still believe that Jesus is alive.
Who is Jesus of Nazareth to you?
Your life on this earth and for all of eternity is affected by your answer to this question. Find out how you can get to know Jesus Christ personally and discover what provisions he has made for you to live with him forever.
Friday, September 14, 2007
P R E V I E W : What were people saying before he was born?
Long before Jesus was born the Bible predicted his life and death.
The Old Testament (the part of the Bible written before Jesus' birth) was completed in 450 B.C., hundreds of years before Jesus was born. A large number of prophecies were made in astonishing detail by many people throughout these books. In fact, fulfilled prophecy is one of the distinguishing marks of the Bible, authenticating it's claim to be the inspired Word of God.
For instance, the Old Testament indicated Jesus would be betrayed by someone he trusted, "Even my close friend whom I trusted, he who has shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Psalm 41:9). The New Testament, which records Jesus' life and resurrection, reveals that one of the 12 people Jesus chose to be part of his inner circle betrayed him, "Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them" (Mark 14:10).
More than 300 Messianic prophecies like this were made in the Old Testament and then fulfilled through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. The chances of one person fulfilling a mere 8 of these prophecies are 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. For one person to fulfill 48 of these prophecies, the number becomes staggering--1 chance in 10 to the 157th power (1 with 157 zeros after it). Add to that the 250 other prophecies and it becomes impossible for any other person except Jesus to ever fit that particular sequence of time and events.
PROPHECY AND FULFILLMENT
Descendant of Abraham
Genesis 18:18 "Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him." Acts 3:25 "And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.'"
Descendant of Isaac
Genesis 17:19 "Then God said, 'Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.'" Matthew 1:2 "Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Descendant of Jacob
Numbers 24:17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel." Luke 3:34 "The son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor."
Will descend from the tribe of Judah
Genesis 49:10 "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his." Luke 3:33 "The son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah."
Place of birth to be Bethlehem
Micah 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Matthew 2:1 "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod..."
Will be born of a virgin
Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Matthew 1:18 "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit."
Infants will be slaughtered
Jeremiah 31:15 "This is what the Lord says: 'A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more.'" Matthew 2:16 "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."
Will escape into Egypt as a child
Hoseah 11:1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." Matthew 2:14 "So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt."
Will minister in Galilee and along the Jordan River
Isaiah 9:1-2 "Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." Matthew 4:12-16 "Jesus...returned to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali--to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
He will be rejected by the Jewish people
Isaiah 53:3 "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." John 1:11 "He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him."
Character of wisdom and understanding
Isaiah 11:2 "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." Luke 2:52 "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."
He will enter triumphantly into Jerusalem on a young donkey
Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." John 12:13-14 "They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is the King of Israel!' Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written."
The time of his entry prophesied to the very day
Daniel 9:25-26 "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Annointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two 'sevens' the Annointed One will be cut off and will have nothing." This prophesy refers to weeks of years, or 483 biblical years. Beginning with the exact day on which Persian King Artaxerxes gave the decree to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (March 5, 444BC), exactly 173,880 days later--Palm Sunday, March 30, AD33--Christ rode into Jerusalem the week before he was 'cut off' (crucified). This is the precise number of days spanning 483 biblical years, which were then measured as 12 months of 30 days each.1
Betrayed by a close friend
Psalm 41:9 "Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me." Mark 14:10 "Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them."
He will be sold for thirty pieces of silver
Zechariah 11:12 "I told them, 'If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.' So they paid me thirty pieces of silver." Matthew 26:15 "And asked, 'What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?' So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver."
Money returned and used to buy potter's field
Zechariah 11:13 "And the Lord said to me, 'Throw it to the potter'--the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter." Matthew 27:6-7 "The chief priests picked up the coins and said, 'It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.' So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners."
Silent when accused during his trial
Isaiah 53:7 "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." Matthew 26:62-63 "Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, 'Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?' But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, 'I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.'"
He will suffer for others
Isaiah 53:4-5 "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Matthew 8:16-17 "When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.'"
He will be crucified with sinners
Isaiah 53:12 "Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Matthew 27:38 "Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left."
His hands and feet will be pierced
Psalm 22:16 "Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet." John 20:27 "Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.'"
Will be mocked and insulted by the people
Psalm 22:6-8 "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 'He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.'" Matthew 27:39-40 "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, 'You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!'"
Will be given gall and vinegar to drink
Psalm 69:21 "They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst." John 19:29 "A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips."
His side will be pierced with a spear
Zechariah 12:10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." John 19:34 "Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water."
Soldiers will cast lots for his clothing
Psalm 22:18 "They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." Mark 15:24 "And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get."
Not a bone of his body will be broken
Psalm 34: 20 "He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken." John 19:33 "But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs."
Will be buried in a rich man's tomb
Isaiah 53:9 "He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth." Matthew 27:57-60 "As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away."
He will be resurrected after his death
Psalm 16:10 "Because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay." Matthew 28:9 "Suddenly Jesus met them. 'Greetings,' he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him."
He will ascend into heaven
Psalm 68:18 "When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious--that you, O Lord God, might dwell there." Luke 24:50-51 "When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven."
The Old Testament (the part of the Bible written before Jesus' birth) was completed in 450 B.C., hundreds of years before Jesus was born. A large number of prophecies were made in astonishing detail by many people throughout these books. In fact, fulfilled prophecy is one of the distinguishing marks of the Bible, authenticating it's claim to be the inspired Word of God.
For instance, the Old Testament indicated Jesus would be betrayed by someone he trusted, "Even my close friend whom I trusted, he who has shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Psalm 41:9). The New Testament, which records Jesus' life and resurrection, reveals that one of the 12 people Jesus chose to be part of his inner circle betrayed him, "Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them" (Mark 14:10).
More than 300 Messianic prophecies like this were made in the Old Testament and then fulfilled through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. The chances of one person fulfilling a mere 8 of these prophecies are 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. For one person to fulfill 48 of these prophecies, the number becomes staggering--1 chance in 10 to the 157th power (1 with 157 zeros after it). Add to that the 250 other prophecies and it becomes impossible for any other person except Jesus to ever fit that particular sequence of time and events.
PROPHECY AND FULFILLMENT
Descendant of Abraham
Genesis 18:18 "Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him." Acts 3:25 "And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.'"
Descendant of Isaac
Genesis 17:19 "Then God said, 'Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.'" Matthew 1:2 "Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Descendant of Jacob
Numbers 24:17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel." Luke 3:34 "The son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor."
Will descend from the tribe of Judah
Genesis 49:10 "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his." Luke 3:33 "The son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah."
Place of birth to be Bethlehem
Micah 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Matthew 2:1 "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod..."
Will be born of a virgin
Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Matthew 1:18 "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit."
Infants will be slaughtered
Jeremiah 31:15 "This is what the Lord says: 'A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more.'" Matthew 2:16 "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."
Will escape into Egypt as a child
Hoseah 11:1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." Matthew 2:14 "So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt."
Will minister in Galilee and along the Jordan River
Isaiah 9:1-2 "Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." Matthew 4:12-16 "Jesus...returned to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali--to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
He will be rejected by the Jewish people
Isaiah 53:3 "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." John 1:11 "He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him."
Character of wisdom and understanding
Isaiah 11:2 "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." Luke 2:52 "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."
He will enter triumphantly into Jerusalem on a young donkey
Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." John 12:13-14 "They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is the King of Israel!' Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written."
The time of his entry prophesied to the very day
Daniel 9:25-26 "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Annointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two 'sevens' the Annointed One will be cut off and will have nothing." This prophesy refers to weeks of years, or 483 biblical years. Beginning with the exact day on which Persian King Artaxerxes gave the decree to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (March 5, 444BC), exactly 173,880 days later--Palm Sunday, March 30, AD33--Christ rode into Jerusalem the week before he was 'cut off' (crucified). This is the precise number of days spanning 483 biblical years, which were then measured as 12 months of 30 days each.1
Betrayed by a close friend
Psalm 41:9 "Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me." Mark 14:10 "Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them."
He will be sold for thirty pieces of silver
Zechariah 11:12 "I told them, 'If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.' So they paid me thirty pieces of silver." Matthew 26:15 "And asked, 'What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?' So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver."
Money returned and used to buy potter's field
Zechariah 11:13 "And the Lord said to me, 'Throw it to the potter'--the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter." Matthew 27:6-7 "The chief priests picked up the coins and said, 'It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.' So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners."
Silent when accused during his trial
Isaiah 53:7 "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." Matthew 26:62-63 "Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, 'Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?' But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, 'I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.'"
He will suffer for others
Isaiah 53:4-5 "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Matthew 8:16-17 "When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.'"
He will be crucified with sinners
Isaiah 53:12 "Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Matthew 27:38 "Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left."
His hands and feet will be pierced
Psalm 22:16 "Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet." John 20:27 "Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.'"
Will be mocked and insulted by the people
Psalm 22:6-8 "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 'He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.'" Matthew 27:39-40 "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, 'You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!'"
Will be given gall and vinegar to drink
Psalm 69:21 "They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst." John 19:29 "A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips."
His side will be pierced with a spear
Zechariah 12:10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." John 19:34 "Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water."
Soldiers will cast lots for his clothing
Psalm 22:18 "They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." Mark 15:24 "And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get."
Not a bone of his body will be broken
Psalm 34: 20 "He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken." John 19:33 "But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs."
Will be buried in a rich man's tomb
Isaiah 53:9 "He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth." Matthew 27:57-60 "As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away."
He will be resurrected after his death
Psalm 16:10 "Because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay." Matthew 28:9 "Suddenly Jesus met them. 'Greetings,' he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him."
He will ascend into heaven
Psalm 68:18 "When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious--that you, O Lord God, might dwell there." Luke 24:50-51 "When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven."
Thursday, September 13, 2007
C L A I M S : What did Jesus Christ have to say about himself?
Legend, Lunatic, Liar, or Lord and GOD?
In his famous book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis makes this statement, "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic--on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg--or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.(emphasis: web author)"
Jesus could only have been one of four things: a legend, a liar, a lunatic--or Lord and God. There is so much historical and archeological evidence to support his existence that every reputable historian agrees he was not just a legend. If he were a liar, why would he die for his claim, when he could easily have avoided such a cruel death with a few choice words? And, if he were a lunatic, how did he engage in intelligent debates with his opponents or handle the stress of his betrayal and crucifixion while continuing to show a deep love for his antagonists? He said he was Lord and God. The evidence supports that claim.
Here are some of the key claims Jesus made about himself.
THE CLAIMS OF JESUS
He claimed to live a sinless life
Jesus could look at a crowd of people angry at his claims to share God's nature and ask, "Which of you can point to anything wrong in my life?" Even more amazing is that none of them could give a reply! No human being has ever lived a sinless life, except for Jesus.
John 8:28-29 "So Jesus said, 'When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.'"
John 8:46-47 "Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
He claimed to be the ONLY way to God
Not one of several ways, but the one and only way. Not to teach the way, but to be the way to God. Nobody has ever made claims like that before and backed them, but Jesus did through his love, balanced life, and miracles.
John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me."
Matthew 11:27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
Note: No other world religious leader, such as Buddha, Confucius, or Mohammed ever made this claim.
He claimed to have shared the glory of God in Heaven
Jesus claimed to have pre-existed the people he spoke with. The apostle John--who shared bread with Jesus--wrote that Jesus was with God in the very beginning, and that "all things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being." (John 1:1-5)
John 17:5 "And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."
This is a claim distorted by groups like the Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses.
He claimed to be able to forgive sins
One of the reasons that the Jewish leaders were so angry with Jesus was his continual practice of forgiving people's sins. The religious leaders understood clearly that since sins were rebellion against God Himself, only God could forgive sins.
Luke 5:20-21 "When Jesus saw their faith, he said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven.' The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, 'Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?'"(emphasis: web author)
Luke 7:48-49 "Then Jesus said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.' The other guests began to say among themselves, 'Who is this who even forgives sins?'"
He claimed to be a Heavenly king
Luke 22:69 "But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."
Luke 23:1-3 "Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, 'We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.' So Pilate asked Jesus, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' 'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus replied."
John 18:36-37 "Jesus said, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.' 'You are a king, then!' said Pilate. Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.'"
He claimed to be able to give everlasting life
He didn't just tell people how they could find everlasting life, or deepen their own life experience. He actually claimed to give life himself.
John 6:40 "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:47 "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life."
John 10:28-30 "I give [my followers] eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."
John 11:25 "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die...'"
He claimed that he would die and come back to life
John 10:17 "Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
John 12:32-33 "'But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.' He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die."
John 16:16 "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me."
Luke 18:31-33 "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, 'We are going up into Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.'"
He claimed that he would return again to judge the world
Matthew 24:27-30 "So as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man... At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory."
Matthew 25:31-32 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep and the goats."
Mark 14:61-62 "Again the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?' 'I am,' said Jesus. 'And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.'"
Jesus clearly claimed to be both God and Messiah.
In his famous book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis makes this statement, "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic--on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg--or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.(emphasis: web author)"
Jesus could only have been one of four things: a legend, a liar, a lunatic--or Lord and God. There is so much historical and archeological evidence to support his existence that every reputable historian agrees he was not just a legend. If he were a liar, why would he die for his claim, when he could easily have avoided such a cruel death with a few choice words? And, if he were a lunatic, how did he engage in intelligent debates with his opponents or handle the stress of his betrayal and crucifixion while continuing to show a deep love for his antagonists? He said he was Lord and God. The evidence supports that claim.
Here are some of the key claims Jesus made about himself.
THE CLAIMS OF JESUS
He claimed to live a sinless life
Jesus could look at a crowd of people angry at his claims to share God's nature and ask, "Which of you can point to anything wrong in my life?" Even more amazing is that none of them could give a reply! No human being has ever lived a sinless life, except for Jesus.
John 8:28-29 "So Jesus said, 'When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.'"
John 8:46-47 "Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
He claimed to be the ONLY way to God
Not one of several ways, but the one and only way. Not to teach the way, but to be the way to God. Nobody has ever made claims like that before and backed them, but Jesus did through his love, balanced life, and miracles.
John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me."
Matthew 11:27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
Note: No other world religious leader, such as Buddha, Confucius, or Mohammed ever made this claim.
He claimed to have shared the glory of God in Heaven
Jesus claimed to have pre-existed the people he spoke with. The apostle John--who shared bread with Jesus--wrote that Jesus was with God in the very beginning, and that "all things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being." (John 1:1-5)
John 17:5 "And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."
This is a claim distorted by groups like the Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses.
He claimed to be able to forgive sins
One of the reasons that the Jewish leaders were so angry with Jesus was his continual practice of forgiving people's sins. The religious leaders understood clearly that since sins were rebellion against God Himself, only God could forgive sins.
Luke 5:20-21 "When Jesus saw their faith, he said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven.' The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, 'Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?'"(emphasis: web author)
Luke 7:48-49 "Then Jesus said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.' The other guests began to say among themselves, 'Who is this who even forgives sins?'"
He claimed to be a Heavenly king
Luke 22:69 "But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."
Luke 23:1-3 "Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, 'We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.' So Pilate asked Jesus, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' 'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus replied."
John 18:36-37 "Jesus said, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.' 'You are a king, then!' said Pilate. Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.'"
He claimed to be able to give everlasting life
He didn't just tell people how they could find everlasting life, or deepen their own life experience. He actually claimed to give life himself.
John 6:40 "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:47 "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life."
John 10:28-30 "I give [my followers] eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."
John 11:25 "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die...'"
He claimed that he would die and come back to life
John 10:17 "Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
John 12:32-33 "'But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.' He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die."
John 16:16 "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me."
Luke 18:31-33 "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, 'We are going up into Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.'"
He claimed that he would return again to judge the world
Matthew 24:27-30 "So as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man... At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory."
Matthew 25:31-32 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep and the goats."
Mark 14:61-62 "Again the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?' 'I am,' said Jesus. 'And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.'"
Jesus clearly claimed to be both God and Messiah.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
M U S C L E : What kind of miracles did Jesus perform?
Since Jesus claimed to be equal to God, what did he do to prove it?
Many people have claimed to be God, but only one man in history demonstrated through his actions that he had a supernatural power source. The power Jesus displayed shook the nation of Israel to its core.
He healed the lame and the blind, controlled the movement of fish, and calmed storms. Not only did Jesus heal hundreds of people from sickness and disease, but on several occasions he raised people from physical death!
Many people have claimed to be God, but only one man in history demonstrated through his actions that he had a supernatural power source. The power Jesus displayed shook the nation of Israel to its core.
He healed the lame and the blind, controlled the movement of fish, and calmed storms. Not only did Jesus heal hundreds of people from sickness and disease, but on several occasions he raised people from physical death!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
M U S C L E : What kind of miracles did Jesus perform?
THE MIRACLES
Changes water to wine
In his first recorded miracle, which took place at Cana in the Galilee area, Jesus changes water at a wedding into wine after the host's wine ran out unexpectedly.
John 2:6-11
Cures the centurion's servant
In another miracle, Jesus heals the servant of a centurion at Capernaum without any contact with the ill man.
Matthew 8:5-13
Luke 7:1-10
Heals the paralytic at the pool
At the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, Jesus heals a man who had been unable to walk for 38 years.
John 5:5-9
Reverses the drought of fish
After a fruitless night of fishing on the Sea of Galilee, Peter receives a command from Jesus to lower his nets again. This time so many fish are caught that Peter's nets begin to break.
Luke 5:4-9
Heals the demonized in the Synagogue at Capernaum
Who is this man with the power to cast out demons?
muscled2.htm - demonized
Mark 1:23-28
Luke 4:33-37
Heals Peter's mother-in-law and many sick
Matthew 8:14-16
Mark 1:29-34
Luke 4:38-41
Heals the leper
Matthew 8:2-4
Mark 1:40-42
Luke 5:12-13
Heals the paralytic
Matthew 9:2-8
Mark 2:2-12
Luke 5:18-26
Raises the widow's son back to life
Luke 7:12-16
Heals the blind, mute demoniac
Matthew 12:22
Luke 11:14
Calms the storm
Jesus calms a storm on the Sea of Galilee with a wave of his hand--a storm of such an intensity that it terrifies his crew of experienced sailors.
Matthew 8:24-27
Mark 4:37-41
Luke 8:23-25
Heals the demonized man at Gerasa
Matthew 8:28-34
Mark 5:1-20
Luke 8:26-39
Heals the woman who touched him
A simple touch of Jesus' garment was enough to heal this woman.
Matthew 9:20-22
Mark 5:25-34
Luke 8:43-48
Raises Jairus' dead daughter back to life
Jesus demonstrates that he has the power to raise the dead back to life.
Matthew 9:18-19,23-26
Mark 5:22-24,35-43
Luke 8:41-42,49-56
Feeds crowd of five thousand
In one of the most spectacular miracles, Jesus feeds a massive crowd of 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two small fish. And there is enough food left over at the end to fill 12 baskets, one for each of the 12 disciples, nterestinlgly enough!
Matthew 14:15-21
Mark 6:35-44
Luke 9:12-17
John 6:5-14
Walks on the lake and stills the storm
Jesus is seen walking on the surface of the Sea of Galilee! One of his disciples, Peter, caught in a moment of pure faith, begins walking on the water towards Jesus. Moments later he starts to doubt, plunges down into the water, but is pulled to safety by Jesus when he cries out for help.
Matthew 14:22-33
Mark 6:45-52
John 6:16-21
Heals the Canaanite woman's daughter
Matthew 15:22-28
Mark 7:25-30
Heals deaf and mute man
Mark 7:32-37
Feeds four thousand
In another miraculous example of God's power, Jesus takes compassion on a large, famished crowd of followers who hadn't eaten in roughly three days. He feeds them with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Seven large baskets of food are left over after everyone is full.
Matthew 15:32-38
Mark 8:1-9
Heals the man born blind
Mark 8:22-26
Heals the blind, mute, and demonized son in Peraea
Matthew 17:14-20
Mark 9:14-29
Luke 9:37-42
Heals ten lepers
Ten lepers are healed. Yet only one has enough humility to return to Jesus and thank him for the miraculous healing of his illness.
Luke 17:11-19
Raises Lazarus from the dead
In a spectacular miracle which creates a stir throughout the country, Jesus brings back to life a man who had not only died, but had been laying in a tomb for several days. Many of the religious leaders now begin to follow Jesus after this clear demonstration of the power of the living God.
John 11:1-46
Heals woman of her illness
Luke 13:10-17
Curses the fig tree and it withers
Jesus performs this miracle to demonstrate the coming judgement upon the nation of Israel, which because of its refusal (as a majority) to accept his message, will soon wither into near oblivion under the brutal military might of the Roman empire. This takes place on the Monday following his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, just days before he will face his death and resurrection.
Matthew 21:18-20
Mark 11:12-14,20-21
Jesus is himself resurrected from the dead
In the greatest miracle of all, Jesus is raised from the dead, just as he had foretold on numerous occasions.
Matthew 28:2-20
Mark 16:1-20
Luke 24:1-48
John 20:1-31
The final miraculous catch of fish
After his resurrection, Jesus performs another miracle. His disciples immediately identify who is responsible for this sudden abundance of fish stocks on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is the resurrected Jesus of Nazareth.
John 21:1-14,24
Changes water to wine
In his first recorded miracle, which took place at Cana in the Galilee area, Jesus changes water at a wedding into wine after the host's wine ran out unexpectedly.
John 2:6-11
Cures the centurion's servant
In another miracle, Jesus heals the servant of a centurion at Capernaum without any contact with the ill man.
Matthew 8:5-13
Luke 7:1-10
Heals the paralytic at the pool
At the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, Jesus heals a man who had been unable to walk for 38 years.
John 5:5-9
Reverses the drought of fish
After a fruitless night of fishing on the Sea of Galilee, Peter receives a command from Jesus to lower his nets again. This time so many fish are caught that Peter's nets begin to break.
Luke 5:4-9
Heals the demonized in the Synagogue at Capernaum
Who is this man with the power to cast out demons?
muscled2.htm - demonized
Mark 1:23-28
Luke 4:33-37
Heals Peter's mother-in-law and many sick
Matthew 8:14-16
Mark 1:29-34
Luke 4:38-41
Heals the leper
Matthew 8:2-4
Mark 1:40-42
Luke 5:12-13
Heals the paralytic
Matthew 9:2-8
Mark 2:2-12
Luke 5:18-26
Raises the widow's son back to life
Luke 7:12-16
Heals the blind, mute demoniac
Matthew 12:22
Luke 11:14
Calms the storm
Jesus calms a storm on the Sea of Galilee with a wave of his hand--a storm of such an intensity that it terrifies his crew of experienced sailors.
Matthew 8:24-27
Mark 4:37-41
Luke 8:23-25
Heals the demonized man at Gerasa
Matthew 8:28-34
Mark 5:1-20
Luke 8:26-39
Heals the woman who touched him
A simple touch of Jesus' garment was enough to heal this woman.
Matthew 9:20-22
Mark 5:25-34
Luke 8:43-48
Raises Jairus' dead daughter back to life
Jesus demonstrates that he has the power to raise the dead back to life.
Matthew 9:18-19,23-26
Mark 5:22-24,35-43
Luke 8:41-42,49-56
Feeds crowd of five thousand
In one of the most spectacular miracles, Jesus feeds a massive crowd of 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two small fish. And there is enough food left over at the end to fill 12 baskets, one for each of the 12 disciples, nterestinlgly enough!
Matthew 14:15-21
Mark 6:35-44
Luke 9:12-17
John 6:5-14
Walks on the lake and stills the storm
Jesus is seen walking on the surface of the Sea of Galilee! One of his disciples, Peter, caught in a moment of pure faith, begins walking on the water towards Jesus. Moments later he starts to doubt, plunges down into the water, but is pulled to safety by Jesus when he cries out for help.
Matthew 14:22-33
Mark 6:45-52
John 6:16-21
Heals the Canaanite woman's daughter
Matthew 15:22-28
Mark 7:25-30
Heals deaf and mute man
Mark 7:32-37
Feeds four thousand
In another miraculous example of God's power, Jesus takes compassion on a large, famished crowd of followers who hadn't eaten in roughly three days. He feeds them with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Seven large baskets of food are left over after everyone is full.
Matthew 15:32-38
Mark 8:1-9
Heals the man born blind
Mark 8:22-26
Heals the blind, mute, and demonized son in Peraea
Matthew 17:14-20
Mark 9:14-29
Luke 9:37-42
Heals ten lepers
Ten lepers are healed. Yet only one has enough humility to return to Jesus and thank him for the miraculous healing of his illness.
Luke 17:11-19
Raises Lazarus from the dead
In a spectacular miracle which creates a stir throughout the country, Jesus brings back to life a man who had not only died, but had been laying in a tomb for several days. Many of the religious leaders now begin to follow Jesus after this clear demonstration of the power of the living God.
John 11:1-46
Heals woman of her illness
Luke 13:10-17
Curses the fig tree and it withers
Jesus performs this miracle to demonstrate the coming judgement upon the nation of Israel, which because of its refusal (as a majority) to accept his message, will soon wither into near oblivion under the brutal military might of the Roman empire. This takes place on the Monday following his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, just days before he will face his death and resurrection.
Matthew 21:18-20
Mark 11:12-14,20-21
Jesus is himself resurrected from the dead
In the greatest miracle of all, Jesus is raised from the dead, just as he had foretold on numerous occasions.
Matthew 28:2-20
Mark 16:1-20
Luke 24:1-48
John 20:1-31
The final miraculous catch of fish
After his resurrection, Jesus performs another miracle. His disciples immediately identify who is responsible for this sudden abundance of fish stocks on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is the resurrected Jesus of Nazareth.
John 21:1-14,24
Monday, September 10, 2007
QUESTIONS : Answers to tough questions
How can I be sure the Bible is really the Word of God?
A number of facts make it reasonable to believe the Bible is accurate and reliable. Jesus, the Son of God and the greatest spiritual authority of all time, attested to the accuracy of the Bible, even to the "smallest letter or stroke."(Matthew 5:18) Archaeology has affirmed its historical accuracy. Biblical manuscripts number in the many thousands and, in some cases, date less than 30 years from the actual occurrence of the events that they describe – giving us by far the best attested historical document civilization possesses.
The Bible’s amazing unity – even though composed of 66 books written over a period of 1,500 years by more than 40 authors from widely different cultures and parts of the world – attests that there was divine superintendence over its writing. The Bible not only claims to be the Word of God, (2 Timothy 3:16) but through the minute fulfillment of prophecy and the miraculous transformation of individuals (even skeptics) who have believed its message, it has proved itself over and over to be exactly that.
The bottom line is whether you will choose to believe the Bible is God’s Word or not. Moreover, if you choose to believe, will you obey what it tells you to do? True ‘saving faith’ is shown by a growing desire to please God out of love. Jesus stated, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me …"(John 14:21a) A true believer will demonstrate love towards God as he chooses (with God’s help) to bring increasing numbers of areas of his life into obedience with what the Bible teaches
A number of facts make it reasonable to believe the Bible is accurate and reliable. Jesus, the Son of God and the greatest spiritual authority of all time, attested to the accuracy of the Bible, even to the "smallest letter or stroke."(Matthew 5:18) Archaeology has affirmed its historical accuracy. Biblical manuscripts number in the many thousands and, in some cases, date less than 30 years from the actual occurrence of the events that they describe – giving us by far the best attested historical document civilization possesses.
The Bible’s amazing unity – even though composed of 66 books written over a period of 1,500 years by more than 40 authors from widely different cultures and parts of the world – attests that there was divine superintendence over its writing. The Bible not only claims to be the Word of God, (2 Timothy 3:16) but through the minute fulfillment of prophecy and the miraculous transformation of individuals (even skeptics) who have believed its message, it has proved itself over and over to be exactly that.
The bottom line is whether you will choose to believe the Bible is God’s Word or not. Moreover, if you choose to believe, will you obey what it tells you to do? True ‘saving faith’ is shown by a growing desire to please God out of love. Jesus stated, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me …"(John 14:21a) A true believer will demonstrate love towards God as he chooses (with God’s help) to bring increasing numbers of areas of his life into obedience with what the Bible teaches
Sunday, September 9, 2007
M U S C L E : What kind of miracles did Jesus perform?
THE RESURRECTION
The resurrection is central to the Christian faith. If Jesus was not raised from the dead, then Christian beliefs don't amount to much, since Jesus himself said that he would be raised from the dead on the third day. On the other hand, if Jesus did rise from the dead, all his claims are true and we can know for sure that there is life after death.
A large volume of evidence exists to support the resurrection claims. In fact, there is more legal-historic evidence (the kind used in courtrooms) for the resurrection than there is for Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. There are several reasons why those who have studied the resurrection are convinced beyond a doubt that it is true.
Jesus himself foretold his death and resurrection, and these events came about exactly as he had predicted.
John 2:19-21 "Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.' The Jews replied, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?' But the temple he had spoken of was his body."
John 10:17 "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again."
John 16:16-22 "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.' Some of his disciples said to one another, 'What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?' They kept asking, 'What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying.' Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, 'Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy..."
Matthew 12:40 "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Matthew 16:21 "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."
Luke 18:31-33 "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, 'We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again."
The event is well-documented by numerous reliable, historical sources.
Historians such as Josephus (c.37-110 AD), Ignatius (c.50-115 AD), Justin Martyr (c.100-165 AD) and Tertullian (c.160-220 AD) were convinced of the authenticity of the resurrection. Their writings validate the accounts of the Gospel writers, who, according to leading biblical scholarship, recorded the event as soon as 37 AD and no later than 64 AD.
In addition, other first and second century historians including Cornelius Tacitus, Suetonius, Plinius Secundus, and Lucian of Samosata acknowledged the impact this incredible event had on the people of the time.
The resurrection is the only plausible explanation for the empty grave.
Roman soldiers closely guarded the tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Moreover, the grave's entrance was sealed by an enormous boulder. The Roman guard, which was usually composed of 16 members, would have made it impossible for the disciples--who, by the way, were cowering in fear for their own lives--to steal the body. If, as some have claimed, Jesus was not dead, but only weakened, the guards and the stone would have stopped his escape. After being beaten and flagellated, hung on a cross for six hours, pierced by the spear of his executioners to ascertain his death, and wrapped, as was the custom, in 100 pounds of linen and spices, Jesus would have been in no shape to roll a two-ton stone uphill, outwit 16 Roman soldiers and then appear radiantly to his disciples.
The Jewish leaders of the day could easily have refuted all claims of the resurrection by simply producing a body, but they were unable to do so because there was no body.
There are numerous eyewitnesses to the resurrection.
After he rose from the dead, Jesus appeared at least ten times to those who had known him and to as many as 500 people at one time. These appearances were not hallucinations; Jesus ate and talked with his followers and they touched his resurrected body. Their experiences were not delusions.
Luke 24:36-39 "While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.'"
John 20:26-29 "A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.' Thomas said to him, 'My Lord and my God!' Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, the Apostle Paul wrote, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."
The resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the beginning of the Christian movement.
The Christian church was born in the very city where Jesus was publicly killed and buried. The belief in a resurrected Jesus had to be authentic to take root in Jerusalem and grow to encompass the whole world. The Christian church is now the largest institution that exists or has ever existed in the history of humanity. Clearly, this would have been impossible if the resurrection was a fabricated story.
The resurrection is the only logical explanation for the transformed lives of the disciples.
They deserted and even denied Jesus before his public trial; after his death they were discouraged and fearful. They did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead. Yet, after his resurrection and their experience at Pentecost, these same discouraged, disappointed men and women were transformed by the mighty power of the risen Christ. In his name, they turned the world upside down. Many lost their lives for their faith; others were terribly persecuted. Their courageous behavior does not make sense apart from their conviction that Jesus Christ was truly raised from the dead--a fact worth dying for.
Throughout the centuries, most great scholars who have considered the proofs of the resurrection have believed, and still believe, that Jesus is alive.
After examining the evidence for the resurrection given by the Gospel writers, the late Simon Greenleaf, an authority on legal issues at Harvard Law School, concluded: "It was therefore impossible that they could have persisted in affirming the truths they have narrated, had not Jesus actually risen from the dead, and had they not known this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact." Mr. Greenleaf was a Jewish professor who became a believer in Jesus the Messiah after studying the facts for himself.
The resurrection is central to the Christian faith. If Jesus was not raised from the dead, then Christian beliefs don't amount to much, since Jesus himself said that he would be raised from the dead on the third day. On the other hand, if Jesus did rise from the dead, all his claims are true and we can know for sure that there is life after death.
A large volume of evidence exists to support the resurrection claims. In fact, there is more legal-historic evidence (the kind used in courtrooms) for the resurrection than there is for Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. There are several reasons why those who have studied the resurrection are convinced beyond a doubt that it is true.
Jesus himself foretold his death and resurrection, and these events came about exactly as he had predicted.
John 2:19-21 "Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.' The Jews replied, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?' But the temple he had spoken of was his body."
John 10:17 "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again."
John 16:16-22 "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.' Some of his disciples said to one another, 'What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?' They kept asking, 'What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying.' Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, 'Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy..."
Matthew 12:40 "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Matthew 16:21 "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."
Luke 18:31-33 "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, 'We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again."
The event is well-documented by numerous reliable, historical sources.
Historians such as Josephus (c.37-110 AD), Ignatius (c.50-115 AD), Justin Martyr (c.100-165 AD) and Tertullian (c.160-220 AD) were convinced of the authenticity of the resurrection. Their writings validate the accounts of the Gospel writers, who, according to leading biblical scholarship, recorded the event as soon as 37 AD and no later than 64 AD.
In addition, other first and second century historians including Cornelius Tacitus, Suetonius, Plinius Secundus, and Lucian of Samosata acknowledged the impact this incredible event had on the people of the time.
The resurrection is the only plausible explanation for the empty grave.
Roman soldiers closely guarded the tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Moreover, the grave's entrance was sealed by an enormous boulder. The Roman guard, which was usually composed of 16 members, would have made it impossible for the disciples--who, by the way, were cowering in fear for their own lives--to steal the body. If, as some have claimed, Jesus was not dead, but only weakened, the guards and the stone would have stopped his escape. After being beaten and flagellated, hung on a cross for six hours, pierced by the spear of his executioners to ascertain his death, and wrapped, as was the custom, in 100 pounds of linen and spices, Jesus would have been in no shape to roll a two-ton stone uphill, outwit 16 Roman soldiers and then appear radiantly to his disciples.
The Jewish leaders of the day could easily have refuted all claims of the resurrection by simply producing a body, but they were unable to do so because there was no body.
There are numerous eyewitnesses to the resurrection.
After he rose from the dead, Jesus appeared at least ten times to those who had known him and to as many as 500 people at one time. These appearances were not hallucinations; Jesus ate and talked with his followers and they touched his resurrected body. Their experiences were not delusions.
Luke 24:36-39 "While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.'"
John 20:26-29 "A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.' Thomas said to him, 'My Lord and my God!' Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, the Apostle Paul wrote, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."
The resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the beginning of the Christian movement.
The Christian church was born in the very city where Jesus was publicly killed and buried. The belief in a resurrected Jesus had to be authentic to take root in Jerusalem and grow to encompass the whole world. The Christian church is now the largest institution that exists or has ever existed in the history of humanity. Clearly, this would have been impossible if the resurrection was a fabricated story.
The resurrection is the only logical explanation for the transformed lives of the disciples.
They deserted and even denied Jesus before his public trial; after his death they were discouraged and fearful. They did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead. Yet, after his resurrection and their experience at Pentecost, these same discouraged, disappointed men and women were transformed by the mighty power of the risen Christ. In his name, they turned the world upside down. Many lost their lives for their faith; others were terribly persecuted. Their courageous behavior does not make sense apart from their conviction that Jesus Christ was truly raised from the dead--a fact worth dying for.
Throughout the centuries, most great scholars who have considered the proofs of the resurrection have believed, and still believe, that Jesus is alive.
After examining the evidence for the resurrection given by the Gospel writers, the late Simon Greenleaf, an authority on legal issues at Harvard Law School, concluded: "It was therefore impossible that they could have persisted in affirming the truths they have narrated, had not Jesus actually risen from the dead, and had they not known this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact." Mr. Greenleaf was a Jewish professor who became a believer in Jesus the Messiah after studying the facts for himself.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
I M P A C T : How did the life of Jesus impact the world?
Nobody has changed the world the way Jesus has. Nobody.
Throughout history, the influence Jesus had on the lives of people has never been surpassed. No other great leader has inspired so many positive changes in the lives of his followers. People who encounter the risen Christ are totally transformed. Their outlook on life is altered forever. Staying true to their faith, they do not hesitate to face hardship, persecution and even death. Many consecrate their lives to serving others, minimizing their own needs and desires.
First Century Christians
Following Jesus' crucifixion, his disciples were devastated. They had forsaken him in the Garden of Gethsemane to save their own lives. But after they met the resurrected Christ, they were radically changed. Suddenly, they were willing to give their lives to tell Jesus' story to the world. Many were tortured and killed because they proclaimed Jesus was alive.
Skeptics and enemies were also transformed. Jesus' younger brother, James, didn't think Jesus was anybody special. But after his resurrected brother appeared to him, James not only believed Jesus was Lord but became the leader of the Jerusalem church and died a martyr in 62 AD.
Saul of Tarsus was the chief persecutor of early Christians. He dragged people to prison. When they did not recant their faith, he was a party to their execution. But he had a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ on his way to Damascus and he was transformed from Saul, the enemy of Christianity, to Paul, the main propagator of its message. He left his position of prestige in Jewish society, to become a traveling missionary who experienced incredible suffering in order to share the love of Christ throughout the Roman empire.
Roman governor Plinius Secundus wrote in his Epistles X96 that Christians were people who loved the truth at any cost. Although he was ordered to torture and execute them for refusing to curse Jesus, he was continually amazed and impressed with their firm commitments "not to do any wicked deeds, never to commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word, not to deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up." For centuries, true Christians around the world have stood as shining examples of the standards of truth and love established by Jesus of Nazareth.
Historian Philip Schaff described the overwhelming influence which Jesus had on subsequent history and culture of the world. "This Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science...he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times."
Modern Day Christianity
The power of Christ knows no boundary of time or space. In our own age, many skeptics have been convinced just as thoroughly their first-century counterparts. For example, Lew Wallace, a famous general and literary genius, was a known atheist. For two years, Wallace studied in the leading libraries of Europe and America, seeking information that would forever destroy Christianity. While writing the second chapter of a book outlining his arguments, he suddenly found himself on his knees crying out to Jesus, "My Lord and my God."
When confronted by solid indisputable evidence, he could no longer deny that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Later, Lew Wallace wrote the book Ben Hur, one of the greatest English novels ever written concerning the time of Christ.
Similarly, the late C.S. Lewis, professor at Oxford University in England, was an agnostic who denied the deity of Christ for years. But he, too, in intellectual honesty, submitted to Jesus as his God and Savior after studying the overwhelming evidence for his deity. Over the years, he wrote many books to uphold the ideals of Christianity, including Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters.
Many other men and women in our century have dedicated their lives to spreading the Christian message, often braving torture and death. For example, one of Romania's most widely known Christian leader, Richard Wurmbrand, spent 14 years in prison and was repeatedly tortured for running the underground church under Communist rule. Even after international pressure secured his release from Romania, he continued to receive death threats from the Communist regime. But these attempts at intimidation did not silence him. He kept publicly spreading the good news of Christ.
Similarly, in Korea, Joon Gon Kim, a well-known Christian leader, witnessed his wife and father slaughtered before his eyes by Communist sympathizers from his own village. He himself was beaten senseless and left for dead. He survived the beating and asked God to give him love for the souls of his enemies. He eventually led 30 Communists to believe in Christ, including the person responsible for the death of his family members.
Not only does the love of Christ impel Christians to face persecution and death but also to work to make the world a better place. Mother Theresa was an outstanding example of a life poured in the service of Christ. Of her well-known ministry among the poor, she said: "Our work is only the expression of the love we have for God."
Like her, many others have given their lives to serve the destitute and the outcast, either in their homeland or abroad. William and Katherine Booth, founders of the Salvation Army, believed that ministering to the poor was like ministering to Christ himself. The movement they launched enlisted the tireless efforts of enthusiastic people who wanted to make a difference in the world around them.
All of these Christian men and women have found fulfillment and joy in following the teachings of Jesus. They were transformed when they met Christ and yielded their lives to him. Each of them has made a positive impact on the world. They realize that agnosticism, atheism, and secular humanism hold no true answers. Christianity is still relevant to the needs of today.
Throughout history, the influence Jesus had on the lives of people has never been surpassed. No other great leader has inspired so many positive changes in the lives of his followers. People who encounter the risen Christ are totally transformed. Their outlook on life is altered forever. Staying true to their faith, they do not hesitate to face hardship, persecution and even death. Many consecrate their lives to serving others, minimizing their own needs and desires.
First Century Christians
Following Jesus' crucifixion, his disciples were devastated. They had forsaken him in the Garden of Gethsemane to save their own lives. But after they met the resurrected Christ, they were radically changed. Suddenly, they were willing to give their lives to tell Jesus' story to the world. Many were tortured and killed because they proclaimed Jesus was alive.
Skeptics and enemies were also transformed. Jesus' younger brother, James, didn't think Jesus was anybody special. But after his resurrected brother appeared to him, James not only believed Jesus was Lord but became the leader of the Jerusalem church and died a martyr in 62 AD.
Saul of Tarsus was the chief persecutor of early Christians. He dragged people to prison. When they did not recant their faith, he was a party to their execution. But he had a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ on his way to Damascus and he was transformed from Saul, the enemy of Christianity, to Paul, the main propagator of its message. He left his position of prestige in Jewish society, to become a traveling missionary who experienced incredible suffering in order to share the love of Christ throughout the Roman empire.
Roman governor Plinius Secundus wrote in his Epistles X96 that Christians were people who loved the truth at any cost. Although he was ordered to torture and execute them for refusing to curse Jesus, he was continually amazed and impressed with their firm commitments "not to do any wicked deeds, never to commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word, not to deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up." For centuries, true Christians around the world have stood as shining examples of the standards of truth and love established by Jesus of Nazareth.
Historian Philip Schaff described the overwhelming influence which Jesus had on subsequent history and culture of the world. "This Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science...he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times."
Modern Day Christianity
The power of Christ knows no boundary of time or space. In our own age, many skeptics have been convinced just as thoroughly their first-century counterparts. For example, Lew Wallace, a famous general and literary genius, was a known atheist. For two years, Wallace studied in the leading libraries of Europe and America, seeking information that would forever destroy Christianity. While writing the second chapter of a book outlining his arguments, he suddenly found himself on his knees crying out to Jesus, "My Lord and my God."
When confronted by solid indisputable evidence, he could no longer deny that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Later, Lew Wallace wrote the book Ben Hur, one of the greatest English novels ever written concerning the time of Christ.
Similarly, the late C.S. Lewis, professor at Oxford University in England, was an agnostic who denied the deity of Christ for years. But he, too, in intellectual honesty, submitted to Jesus as his God and Savior after studying the overwhelming evidence for his deity. Over the years, he wrote many books to uphold the ideals of Christianity, including Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters.
Many other men and women in our century have dedicated their lives to spreading the Christian message, often braving torture and death. For example, one of Romania's most widely known Christian leader, Richard Wurmbrand, spent 14 years in prison and was repeatedly tortured for running the underground church under Communist rule. Even after international pressure secured his release from Romania, he continued to receive death threats from the Communist regime. But these attempts at intimidation did not silence him. He kept publicly spreading the good news of Christ.
Similarly, in Korea, Joon Gon Kim, a well-known Christian leader, witnessed his wife and father slaughtered before his eyes by Communist sympathizers from his own village. He himself was beaten senseless and left for dead. He survived the beating and asked God to give him love for the souls of his enemies. He eventually led 30 Communists to believe in Christ, including the person responsible for the death of his family members.
Not only does the love of Christ impel Christians to face persecution and death but also to work to make the world a better place. Mother Theresa was an outstanding example of a life poured in the service of Christ. Of her well-known ministry among the poor, she said: "Our work is only the expression of the love we have for God."
Like her, many others have given their lives to serve the destitute and the outcast, either in their homeland or abroad. William and Katherine Booth, founders of the Salvation Army, believed that ministering to the poor was like ministering to Christ himself. The movement they launched enlisted the tireless efforts of enthusiastic people who wanted to make a difference in the world around them.
All of these Christian men and women have found fulfillment and joy in following the teachings of Jesus. They were transformed when they met Christ and yielded their lives to him. Each of them has made a positive impact on the world. They realize that agnosticism, atheism, and secular humanism hold no true answers. Christianity is still relevant to the needs of today.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Y O U : What does all this have to do with you?
Can we still have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ today?
Is Jesus still interested in us? What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Christ, and in what way does it impact our lives? And how does someone go about making that kind of commitment?
Those are good questions, and typical of someone who understands the significance of Jesus. Here is some information to help answer these and other questions you may have about Jesus.
Because of Jesus' resurrection, his followers do not honor a dead founder
They have a vital, personal relationship with him. Jesus Christ lives today and faithfully enriches the lives of all those who trust and obey him. Throughout the centuries, multitudes have acknowledged the worthiness of Jesus Christ, including many who have greatly influenced the world. French physicist and philosopher Blaise Pascal spoke of people's need for Jesus when he said, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, which only God can fill through his Son Jesus Christ."
WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW JESUS PERSONALLY?
You can! Because of God's deep love for you, he has already made all the necessary arrangements. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can enjoy a personal relationship. Jesus made it possible to bridge the chasm which separates us from God. The following four principles will help you discover how to know Jesus personally and experience the abundant life he promised.
PRINCIPLE 1
God LOVES you and created you to know Him personally
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 17:3 "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
What prevents us from knowing God personally?
PRINCIPLE 2
Man is SINFUL and SEPARATED from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23 "The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God].
Romans 8:6-8 "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."
A great gulf separates man from God. Man is continually trying to reach God and establish a personal relationship with Him through human efforts, such as living a good life, philosophy, or religion. But he inevitably fails.
The third principle explains the only way to bridge this gulf...
PRINCIPLE 3
Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through him alone we can know God personally and experience God's love
Romans 5:8 "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
1 Corinthians 15:3-6 "Christ died for our sins... he was buried... he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures... he appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that he appeared to more than five hundred..."
John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
God has bridged the gulf that separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.
But it is not enough just to know these truths...
PRINCIPLE 4
We must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; then we can know God personally and experience His love
John 1:12 "As many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name."
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith. This does not depend on anything you have achieved, it is the free gift of God; and because it is not earned no one can boast about it."
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (a spirit of repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive us of our sins and make us what he wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of our will.
Jesus Christ is waiting for an invitation to come in to your life. In fact, he says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in" (Revelation 3:20).
Perhaps you can sense Christ knocking at the door of your heart. You can invite him in by faith right now. God knows your heart so it doesn't matter exactly what words you use. Here's a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.
If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, pray it right now and Jesus Christ will come into your life just as he has promised. Once you invite Christ into your life, he promises to never leave you.
Hebrews 13:5 "God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"
Is Jesus still interested in us? What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Christ, and in what way does it impact our lives? And how does someone go about making that kind of commitment?
Those are good questions, and typical of someone who understands the significance of Jesus. Here is some information to help answer these and other questions you may have about Jesus.
Because of Jesus' resurrection, his followers do not honor a dead founder
They have a vital, personal relationship with him. Jesus Christ lives today and faithfully enriches the lives of all those who trust and obey him. Throughout the centuries, multitudes have acknowledged the worthiness of Jesus Christ, including many who have greatly influenced the world. French physicist and philosopher Blaise Pascal spoke of people's need for Jesus when he said, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, which only God can fill through his Son Jesus Christ."
WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW JESUS PERSONALLY?
You can! Because of God's deep love for you, he has already made all the necessary arrangements. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can enjoy a personal relationship. Jesus made it possible to bridge the chasm which separates us from God. The following four principles will help you discover how to know Jesus personally and experience the abundant life he promised.
PRINCIPLE 1
God LOVES you and created you to know Him personally
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 17:3 "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
What prevents us from knowing God personally?
PRINCIPLE 2
Man is SINFUL and SEPARATED from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23 "The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God].
Romans 8:6-8 "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."
A great gulf separates man from God. Man is continually trying to reach God and establish a personal relationship with Him through human efforts, such as living a good life, philosophy, or religion. But he inevitably fails.
The third principle explains the only way to bridge this gulf...
PRINCIPLE 3
Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through him alone we can know God personally and experience God's love
Romans 5:8 "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
1 Corinthians 15:3-6 "Christ died for our sins... he was buried... he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures... he appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that he appeared to more than five hundred..."
John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
God has bridged the gulf that separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.
But it is not enough just to know these truths...
PRINCIPLE 4
We must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; then we can know God personally and experience His love
John 1:12 "As many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name."
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith. This does not depend on anything you have achieved, it is the free gift of God; and because it is not earned no one can boast about it."
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (a spirit of repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive us of our sins and make us what he wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of our will.
Jesus Christ is waiting for an invitation to come in to your life. In fact, he says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in" (Revelation 3:20).
Perhaps you can sense Christ knocking at the door of your heart. You can invite him in by faith right now. God knows your heart so it doesn't matter exactly what words you use. Here's a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.
If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, pray it right now and Jesus Christ will come into your life just as he has promised. Once you invite Christ into your life, he promises to never leave you.
Hebrews 13:5 "God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"
Thursday, September 6, 2007
I N V E S T I G A T E : Discover Jesus for yourself. [1]
SECTION 1
Jesus: A comprehensive look at his origin and purpose.
In this study we will see:
· How Luke's Gospel fits into history.
· That Jesus is "the Son of God."
· What Jesus said he came to do.
The New Testament is made up of several short books and letters. Our English Bibles are translations of what the early Christians actually wrote. The experts tell us that we can be sure that the text on which these translations are based is exceptionally accurate and that seeming contradictions are readily explained.
How can we be sure about the Bible accounts?
In the days of the first Christians, there were many writings about the life of Jesus. But some had special quality--they had been written by Jesus' followers or their close friends. These gospels and letters were carefully copied by hand. Over the years, archaeologists have found thousands of manuscripts of bits of the New Testament and even some complete copies. By comparing these, we can get very close to what the New Testament writers originally wrote. Some of these copies are dated less than 100 years after the original gospel or letter was written.
For an idea of how good this evidence is, compare the New Testament with other writings that are about as old as the New Testament. For example, Julius Caesar wrote a book called The Gallic War about 50 years before Christ was born. We obviously do not have the original copy. Yet, we do have nine or ten copies, and the earliest of these was made about 900 years after the original. This is a typical gap for ancient writings.
When, however, we examine the historical evidence relating to the Bible, one learns that there are thousands of manuscripts of the New Testament books. Therefore, we have good reason to believe that we know almost exactly what Luke, Paul and the others wrote.
Who wrote the gospel of Luke?
The author of this gospel, Luke, also wrote another book in the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles. He was the only New Testament writer who was not Jewish, and he was a doctor. Independent evidence confirms that he was a very careful and accurate historian.
Luke's Gospel: fact or fiction?
Read Luke 1:1-4
· Where did Luke get his information? (1:2)
· How did he write it? (1:3)
· Why do you think Luke wrote this introduction?
Where did Jesus come from?
Jesus: A comprehensive look at his origin and purpose.
In this study we will see:
· How Luke's Gospel fits into history.
· That Jesus is "the Son of God."
· What Jesus said he came to do.
The New Testament is made up of several short books and letters. Our English Bibles are translations of what the early Christians actually wrote. The experts tell us that we can be sure that the text on which these translations are based is exceptionally accurate and that seeming contradictions are readily explained.
How can we be sure about the Bible accounts?
In the days of the first Christians, there were many writings about the life of Jesus. But some had special quality--they had been written by Jesus' followers or their close friends. These gospels and letters were carefully copied by hand. Over the years, archaeologists have found thousands of manuscripts of bits of the New Testament and even some complete copies. By comparing these, we can get very close to what the New Testament writers originally wrote. Some of these copies are dated less than 100 years after the original gospel or letter was written.
For an idea of how good this evidence is, compare the New Testament with other writings that are about as old as the New Testament. For example, Julius Caesar wrote a book called The Gallic War about 50 years before Christ was born. We obviously do not have the original copy. Yet, we do have nine or ten copies, and the earliest of these was made about 900 years after the original. This is a typical gap for ancient writings.
When, however, we examine the historical evidence relating to the Bible, one learns that there are thousands of manuscripts of the New Testament books. Therefore, we have good reason to believe that we know almost exactly what Luke, Paul and the others wrote.
Who wrote the gospel of Luke?
The author of this gospel, Luke, also wrote another book in the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles. He was the only New Testament writer who was not Jewish, and he was a doctor. Independent evidence confirms that he was a very careful and accurate historian.
Luke's Gospel: fact or fiction?
Read Luke 1:1-4
· Where did Luke get his information? (1:2)
· How did he write it? (1:3)
· Why do you think Luke wrote this introduction?
Where did Jesus come from?
Luke gives details of the unique origin of Jesus, and the following passage explains how Jesus' birth was foretold.
Read Luke 1:26-38
· What would the future hold for Mary's child? (1:32,33)
· How would Jesus be conceived? (1:35-37)
· Jesus is said to be the Son of God. What do these verses say about Jesus' "double" origin?
Jesus explains his purpose
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the south of Palestine. He grew up in a very ordinary town, named Nazareth, located in Galilee which was in the north of Palestine. Jesus was a carpenter, but at the age of 30, he became a religious teacher, moving from town to town.
In Luke 4:14-22, we read what happened when Jesus began teaching. He went to the synagogue, which was the local place of worship. Although he probably had no more religious education than the average Jewish man, people wanted to hear him. He was asked to speak at the synagogue in Nazareth.
Read Luke 4:14-22
· What kinds of people had Jesus come to help? (4:18)
What do you think this means?
· What was he going to announce? (4:19)
What does this mean?
· What do you think the people in the synagogue understood when he said the words in verse 21?
TO THINK ABOUT
Jesus came to help the "poor", the "captive", the "blind", and the "oppressed." What are ways in which people today are poor, captive, blind or oppressed?
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
I N V E S T I G A T E : Discover Jesus for yourself. [2]
SECTION 2
Jesus: Equal hope for both the rich and needy as the healer.
In the first study, we saw that Jesus was not just an unusual person; he was God's Son. He came into the world in order to meet the deepest needs of all men and women.
In this study, we will look at how Jesus met the needs of two particular people.
Everywhere Jesus went, he came across needy people. Often, the people he met had incurable diseases. He was able to change their physical lives by healing them. More importantly, he changed their spiritual lives through forgiveness of their sins.
He healed Simon's mother-in-law, a Roman officer's servant, a man with a paralyzed hand, a crippled woman, a paralyzed man, people suffering from spiritual and mental disorders or skin diseases, blind people, and he even raised the dead. "All who had friends who were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus; he placed his hands on every one of them and healed them all" (Luke 4:40).
Jesus: Equal hope for both the rich and needy as the healer.
In the first study, we saw that Jesus was not just an unusual person; he was God's Son. He came into the world in order to meet the deepest needs of all men and women.
In this study, we will look at how Jesus met the needs of two particular people.
Everywhere Jesus went, he came across needy people. Often, the people he met had incurable diseases. He was able to change their physical lives by healing them. More importantly, he changed their spiritual lives through forgiveness of their sins.
He healed Simon's mother-in-law, a Roman officer's servant, a man with a paralyzed hand, a crippled woman, a paralyzed man, people suffering from spiritual and mental disorders or skin diseases, blind people, and he even raised the dead. "All who had friends who were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus; he placed his hands on every one of them and healed them all" (Luke 4:40).
Look at how Jesus interacted with these people.
A. A blind beggar is healed
Read Luke 18:35-43
· What do you think life was like for this blind man?
· Why do you think he kept calling for Jesus?
· What did Jesus do and say once he had heard the man? (18:40-42)
· In what way did the man show he believed in Jesus?
· If you had seen this miracle, what would you have thought of Jesus?
This was a blind man to whom Jesus gave "recovery of sight" (Luke 4:18). He healed many people of different physical illnesses. But he also healed people from other forms of "sickness."
B. Jesus and Zacchaeus
The Romans gave the job of collecting taxes to the highest bidder. Tax collectors did not get any wages for their work. They collected as much money as they could so there would be plenty left over for themselves after paying the government. Zacchaeus was one of these tax collectors. He was a greedy and unpopular man.
Read Luke 19:1-10
· What was Zacchaeus' attitude toward Jesus? (19:3,4,6)
· Many people grumbled about Jesus talking to such a man What was Jesus's attitude toward Zacchaeus? (19:5,9,10)
· How did Zacchaeus change after meeting Jesus? (19:8)
· What do you think Jesus meant by "the lost"? (19:10)
· What does this incident show about the character and purpose of Jesus?
TO THINK ABOUT
Zacchaeus was "captive" to his own greed. Jesus gave him freedom.
A. A blind beggar is healed
Read Luke 18:35-43
· What do you think life was like for this blind man?
· Why do you think he kept calling for Jesus?
· What did Jesus do and say once he had heard the man? (18:40-42)
· In what way did the man show he believed in Jesus?
· If you had seen this miracle, what would you have thought of Jesus?
This was a blind man to whom Jesus gave "recovery of sight" (Luke 4:18). He healed many people of different physical illnesses. But he also healed people from other forms of "sickness."
B. Jesus and Zacchaeus
The Romans gave the job of collecting taxes to the highest bidder. Tax collectors did not get any wages for their work. They collected as much money as they could so there would be plenty left over for themselves after paying the government. Zacchaeus was one of these tax collectors. He was a greedy and unpopular man.
Read Luke 19:1-10
· What was Zacchaeus' attitude toward Jesus? (19:3,4,6)
· Many people grumbled about Jesus talking to such a man What was Jesus's attitude toward Zacchaeus? (19:5,9,10)
· How did Zacchaeus change after meeting Jesus? (19:8)
· What do you think Jesus meant by "the lost"? (19:10)
· What does this incident show about the character and purpose of Jesus?
TO THINK ABOUT
Zacchaeus was "captive" to his own greed. Jesus gave him freedom.
Jesus said that he had come "to seek and to save the lost." People changed when they met Jesus. How do you think meeting Jesus would affect your life?
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
I N V E S T I G A T E : Discover Jesus for yourself. [3]
SECTION 3
Jesus: Teacher of principles and of parables.
In the last study, we looked at Jesus the healer. But people didn't come just to be healed by him; they also wanted to listen to him. Large crowds from all over the country would come to hear what he had to say. He talked about: God's Kingdom, prayer, wise and foolish lifestyles, love and forgiveness, and also himself.
Not everyone liked Jesus' teaching. He was outspoken against the religious leaders who were hypocrites. He had enemies who tried to trick him with questions, but he always managed to give wise answers. Even when the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus, they found it hard because the crowds wanted to listen to his teaching, "not wanting to miss a single word" (Luke 19:48). In this study, we will discuss two of the best known parables (stories which teach biblical truth) that Jesus told.
A. The Good Samaritan
· What would you say are the most important things in life?
Many people went to Jesus with their important questions. For one man, his concern focused on what would happen to him after his death. He asked Jesus how he could "receive eternal life." Jesus got the man to answer it himself, from the Scriptures (Luke 10:27).
Read Luke 10:25-28
· What did the man say were the two most important things in life? (10:27)
· What do you think of the man's answers?
Jesus was then asked, "Who is my neighbor?" He answered by telling the story of the good Samaritan.
Read Luke 10:29-37
· What did the priest and Levite do that was wrong? (10:31,32)
· Did they disobey the principle "I never do anyone any harm"?
· Did they break the Law?
· Due to their religious and cultural upbringing, Jews looked upon the Samaritans (Gentiles) with contempt. How did the Samaritan in this parable show love?
· How would you answer the question, "Who is my neighbor?"
Jesus acts as a good Samaritan towards us. He sees our needs and failures, and instead of passing by, he reaches out to help.
B. The lost son
This is a simple story, yet one of the greatest in the world of literature. It takes the problems that often arise between people to illustrate how men and women react toward God.
Read Luke 15:11-32
· What do you think the younger son was thinking as he left home? (15:12,13)
· Where did he go? (15:13)
· How do you think the father felt when his son had gone?
· Things went fine for awhile. What happened when things got bad? (15:14-16)
· The son changed his mind. Why? (15:17)
· How did he show that his attitude had changed? (15:18-20)
· What was the father's attitude? (15:20, 22-24)
· In what ways do you think this story is a picture of our relationship with God?
This story show us that God still offers His love in spite of our willful selfishness. It also shows us that we can come back to God, no matter how far we have wandered from Him.
TO THINK ABOUT
What do you identify with more: the attitude of the son as he left home or his attitude when he decided to return?
Jesus: Teacher of principles and of parables.
In the last study, we looked at Jesus the healer. But people didn't come just to be healed by him; they also wanted to listen to him. Large crowds from all over the country would come to hear what he had to say. He talked about: God's Kingdom, prayer, wise and foolish lifestyles, love and forgiveness, and also himself.
Not everyone liked Jesus' teaching. He was outspoken against the religious leaders who were hypocrites. He had enemies who tried to trick him with questions, but he always managed to give wise answers. Even when the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus, they found it hard because the crowds wanted to listen to his teaching, "not wanting to miss a single word" (Luke 19:48). In this study, we will discuss two of the best known parables (stories which teach biblical truth) that Jesus told.
A. The Good Samaritan
· What would you say are the most important things in life?
Many people went to Jesus with their important questions. For one man, his concern focused on what would happen to him after his death. He asked Jesus how he could "receive eternal life." Jesus got the man to answer it himself, from the Scriptures (Luke 10:27).
Read Luke 10:25-28
· What did the man say were the two most important things in life? (10:27)
· What do you think of the man's answers?
Jesus was then asked, "Who is my neighbor?" He answered by telling the story of the good Samaritan.
Read Luke 10:29-37
· What did the priest and Levite do that was wrong? (10:31,32)
· Did they disobey the principle "I never do anyone any harm"?
· Did they break the Law?
· Due to their religious and cultural upbringing, Jews looked upon the Samaritans (Gentiles) with contempt. How did the Samaritan in this parable show love?
· How would you answer the question, "Who is my neighbor?"
Jesus acts as a good Samaritan towards us. He sees our needs and failures, and instead of passing by, he reaches out to help.
B. The lost son
This is a simple story, yet one of the greatest in the world of literature. It takes the problems that often arise between people to illustrate how men and women react toward God.
Read Luke 15:11-32
· What do you think the younger son was thinking as he left home? (15:12,13)
· Where did he go? (15:13)
· How do you think the father felt when his son had gone?
· Things went fine for awhile. What happened when things got bad? (15:14-16)
· The son changed his mind. Why? (15:17)
· How did he show that his attitude had changed? (15:18-20)
· What was the father's attitude? (15:20, 22-24)
· In what ways do you think this story is a picture of our relationship with God?
This story show us that God still offers His love in spite of our willful selfishness. It also shows us that we can come back to God, no matter how far we have wandered from Him.
TO THINK ABOUT
What do you identify with more: the attitude of the son as he left home or his attitude when he decided to return?
Can you believe that God would accept you as completely as the father accepted his son?
You may be at a point in your life where you know that you need God, and want to return to Him. Perhaps you would like to pray:
Dear Father, I admit I have wandered away from You, and I have sinned against You. I have not loved You or other people as I should. I realize that my sin deserves the death sentence and hell. I want to come back to You now, just as the lost son came back to his father. Please forgive me for all of my sins. Come into my life, so that I can be transformed into the person You want me to be and spend eternity in Heaven with You, God. Amen.
Monday, September 3, 2007
I N V E S T I G A T E : Discover Jesus for yourself. [4]
SECTION 4
Jesus: Sent by God to die as our Mediator and Redeemer.
At the trial of Jesus it seemed that both the weak-willed Roman governor, Pilate; and the shouts of the crowd sent Jesus to death. In fact, the Bible tells us that these events amazingly formed part of God's purpose.
Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, "Listen! We are going to Jerusalem where everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. He will be handed over to the Gentiles, who will make fun of Him, insult Him, and spit on Him. They will whip him and kill Him, but on the third day he will rise to life." The disciples did not understand any of these things. (Luke 18:31-34a)
A. The Passover meal and "The Last Supper"
On the last night of his life, Jesus ate a meal with his disciples.
Read Luke 22:7-20
· What do you think the atmosphere was like during that meal?
· What did Jesus say about the bread and cup of wine? (22:19,20)
· What did you think Jesus meant when he said his body was "given for you," and his blood was "poured out for you"?
B. The trial
After the Passover meal Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was taken before the Jewish ruling council.
Read Luke 22:66-71
· What did the Jewish leaders want to find out from Jesus?
· What did Jesus tell them?
· How did the Jewish leaders respond? (22:71)
C. The Cross
Jesus was not condemned to death for anything he had done. He was condemned for who he claimed to be.
Read Luke 23:32-49
· What did the following groups say about Jesus:
· (v.35) Jewish leaders?
· (v.36) soldiers?
· (v.39) the criminal?
· How was the second criminal's reply different from that of the first? (23:39-42)
· What did he recognize about Jesus?
· What did the army of officer say when Jesus died? (23:47)
· What do you think Jesus' attitude was while he was being crucified? (23:34,43,46)
This study is about Jesus the Redeemer. To redeem means to buy something back, to recover something by payment. Jesus' death was for the sake of other people, to bring them back to God.
TO THINK ABOUT
As the criminal faced his own death, he asked Jesus to remember him in his future Kingdom. Jesus promised that the robber would be with him that day in Paradise. In what ways can we have the same hope as the criminal did after hearing Jesus' words?
Jesus: Sent by God to die as our Mediator and Redeemer.
At the trial of Jesus it seemed that both the weak-willed Roman governor, Pilate; and the shouts of the crowd sent Jesus to death. In fact, the Bible tells us that these events amazingly formed part of God's purpose.
Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, "Listen! We are going to Jerusalem where everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. He will be handed over to the Gentiles, who will make fun of Him, insult Him, and spit on Him. They will whip him and kill Him, but on the third day he will rise to life." The disciples did not understand any of these things. (Luke 18:31-34a)
A. The Passover meal and "The Last Supper"
On the last night of his life, Jesus ate a meal with his disciples.
Read Luke 22:7-20
· What do you think the atmosphere was like during that meal?
· What did Jesus say about the bread and cup of wine? (22:19,20)
· What did you think Jesus meant when he said his body was "given for you," and his blood was "poured out for you"?
B. The trial
After the Passover meal Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was taken before the Jewish ruling council.
Read Luke 22:66-71
· What did the Jewish leaders want to find out from Jesus?
· What did Jesus tell them?
· How did the Jewish leaders respond? (22:71)
C. The Cross
Jesus was not condemned to death for anything he had done. He was condemned for who he claimed to be.
Read Luke 23:32-49
· What did the following groups say about Jesus:
· (v.35) Jewish leaders?
· (v.36) soldiers?
· (v.39) the criminal?
· How was the second criminal's reply different from that of the first? (23:39-42)
· What did he recognize about Jesus?
· What did the army of officer say when Jesus died? (23:47)
· What do you think Jesus' attitude was while he was being crucified? (23:34,43,46)
This study is about Jesus the Redeemer. To redeem means to buy something back, to recover something by payment. Jesus' death was for the sake of other people, to bring them back to God.
TO THINK ABOUT
As the criminal faced his own death, he asked Jesus to remember him in his future Kingdom. Jesus promised that the robber would be with him that day in Paradise. In what ways can we have the same hope as the criminal did after hearing Jesus' words?
Sunday, September 2, 2007
I N V E S T I G A TE : Discover Jesus for yourself. [5]
section 5
Jesus: Giver of hope, peace, joy, purpose, and eternal life.
Jesus: Giver of hope, peace, joy, purpose, and eternal life.
The last chapter of Luke gives a clear account of the fantastic miracle of the resurrection. After Jesus' crucifixion his disciples were afraid of the Jews. While they continued to meet, they did so in secret. Suddenly, Jesus came to them.
C.S. Lewis, a famous writer and Christian, wrote:
"The New Testament writers speak as if Christ's achievement in rising from the dead was the first event of its kind in the whole history of the universe. He has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. He has met, fought and beaten the king of death."
A. The Resurrection
Read Luke 24:1-48
Read Luke 24:46-53
· How do you think the disciples felt after seeing Jesus crucified?
News began to reach them that Jesus was alive again. The disciples' reaction shows that they did not expect this. They thought the story was nonsense (v.11). The two on the road said that they were surprised by the news (v.22) and Jesus himself confirmed that they had doubts in their minds (v.38). Nevertheless, various people became convinced that Jesus had risen from the dead.
· What convinced the women? (24:5-8)
· What convinced the two people on the road? (24:25-32)
· What convinced the group of disciples? (24:33-43)
· How did the disciples' attitude toward Jesus change? (24:52,53)
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the climax of his life's work. Jesus rose from the dead as he said he would. This historical fact challenges us to believe that the other things he said about himself are also true. The resurrection demands a response from us, one way or another.
B. Responding to Jesus
Let's look at one particular woman about whom Luke wrote, and see how she responded to Jesus.
Read Luke 7:36-50
This woman had a bad past. Her behavior toward Jesus was very different from the stiff and starchy response of Simon the Pharisee.
· Why do you think the woman acted as she did? (7:37,38)
· Jesus told Simon a story to explain the woman's actions. (7:40-43)
· Why do you think he did that?
· How were the woman's debts cleared before God? (7:48)
· What does "faith" mean? (7:50)
· What did "go in peace" mean to this woman? (7:50)
She could be sure that she was at peace with God. Jesus had welcomed, accepted and forgiven her because of his love and mercy. Nothing she had done could have earned his response. But she was now free to live as a new person.
We can be sure in this same way. We can never pay God the debt we owe Him for our sinful behavior. But, if we come to Jesus as this woman did, we can know that he forgives and accepts us completely. In the last session we discussed how this happens through Jesus' death on our behalf.
C. Becoming a Christian
The sinful woman came to Jesus and recognized her sin. She trusted Jesus to forgive her and, by her actions, thanked him for the new life he offered her. We must do the same if we want to be at peace with God, both now and eternally.
Each one of us must realize that living a good moral or "religious" life will not make us acceptable to God.
To begin a relationship with God, you could pray something like this:
Jesus, I realize that I have been running my own life and have rebelled against You. I admit that I have sinned against you and deserve to go to hell. Thank You for dying for my sins so I can spend eternity with You in Heaven. I open my life to You and ask You to be my Savior and Lord. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen.
D. Growing as a Christian
These five studies have shown us who Jesus is and why he came. Luke 6:46-49 teaches that we must not only hear what Jesus said, but put it into practice.
Read Luke 6:46-49
A decision to become a Christian is just the beginning of a lifetime of getting to know God better. As you get to know God by reading His Word (The Bible), you will gain assurance of salvation. Feelings have their place, though Christianity is not just another emotional or psychological experience. Also, You should expect to see changes if Christ has really entered your life.
C.S. Lewis, a famous writer and Christian, wrote:
"The New Testament writers speak as if Christ's achievement in rising from the dead was the first event of its kind in the whole history of the universe. He has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. He has met, fought and beaten the king of death."
A. The Resurrection
Read Luke 24:1-48
Read Luke 24:46-53
· How do you think the disciples felt after seeing Jesus crucified?
News began to reach them that Jesus was alive again. The disciples' reaction shows that they did not expect this. They thought the story was nonsense (v.11). The two on the road said that they were surprised by the news (v.22) and Jesus himself confirmed that they had doubts in their minds (v.38). Nevertheless, various people became convinced that Jesus had risen from the dead.
· What convinced the women? (24:5-8)
· What convinced the two people on the road? (24:25-32)
· What convinced the group of disciples? (24:33-43)
· How did the disciples' attitude toward Jesus change? (24:52,53)
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the climax of his life's work. Jesus rose from the dead as he said he would. This historical fact challenges us to believe that the other things he said about himself are also true. The resurrection demands a response from us, one way or another.
B. Responding to Jesus
Let's look at one particular woman about whom Luke wrote, and see how she responded to Jesus.
Read Luke 7:36-50
This woman had a bad past. Her behavior toward Jesus was very different from the stiff and starchy response of Simon the Pharisee.
· Why do you think the woman acted as she did? (7:37,38)
· Jesus told Simon a story to explain the woman's actions. (7:40-43)
· Why do you think he did that?
· How were the woman's debts cleared before God? (7:48)
· What does "faith" mean? (7:50)
· What did "go in peace" mean to this woman? (7:50)
She could be sure that she was at peace with God. Jesus had welcomed, accepted and forgiven her because of his love and mercy. Nothing she had done could have earned his response. But she was now free to live as a new person.
We can be sure in this same way. We can never pay God the debt we owe Him for our sinful behavior. But, if we come to Jesus as this woman did, we can know that he forgives and accepts us completely. In the last session we discussed how this happens through Jesus' death on our behalf.
C. Becoming a Christian
The sinful woman came to Jesus and recognized her sin. She trusted Jesus to forgive her and, by her actions, thanked him for the new life he offered her. We must do the same if we want to be at peace with God, both now and eternally.
Each one of us must realize that living a good moral or "religious" life will not make us acceptable to God.
To begin a relationship with God, you could pray something like this:
Jesus, I realize that I have been running my own life and have rebelled against You. I admit that I have sinned against you and deserve to go to hell. Thank You for dying for my sins so I can spend eternity with You in Heaven. I open my life to You and ask You to be my Savior and Lord. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen.
D. Growing as a Christian
These five studies have shown us who Jesus is and why he came. Luke 6:46-49 teaches that we must not only hear what Jesus said, but put it into practice.
Read Luke 6:46-49
A decision to become a Christian is just the beginning of a lifetime of getting to know God better. As you get to know God by reading His Word (The Bible), you will gain assurance of salvation. Feelings have their place, though Christianity is not just another emotional or psychological experience. Also, You should expect to see changes if Christ has really entered your life.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
the four spiritual laws
Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws which govern your relationship with God.
1. God LOVES you and offers a wonderful PLAN for your life.
(References contained on this page are from the Bible and should be read in context wherever possible.)
God's Love
"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NIV).
God's Plan
[Christ speaking] "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" [that it might be full and meaningful] (John 10:10).
Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life? Because...
2. Man is SINFUL and SEPARATED from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life.
Man Is Sinful
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin. Man Is Separated "The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23).
The third law explains the only way to bridge this gulf...
3. Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life.
He Died in Our Place
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
He Rose From the Dead
"Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures...He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
He Is the Only Way to God
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me'" (John 14:6).
It is not enough just to know these three laws...
4. We must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
We Must Receive Christ
"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12).
We Receive Christ Through Faith
"By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9).
When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth
(Read John 3:1-8)
We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation
[Christ speaking] "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20).
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for your sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. You receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.
The following explains how you can receive Christ:
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer:
(Prayer is talking to God)
God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:
"Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be."
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does, I invite you to pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.
Prayed this prayer? e-mail us at info_pagka@yahoo.com
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