Jesus is our Lord and our God.

This lesson is the logical next step in a unit of study on defending the Christian faith. In the previous lesson the Biblical claims regarding God’s existence and greatness as creator are surveyed. This lesson informs and reminds us the Bible tells that God chose to make the supreme revelation of Himself to humans through his eternally begotten Son, Jesus Christ. This lesson examines the Biblical claims that Jesus is God’s Son, and that, therefore, He is God the Son in the Holy Trinity. In an increasingly secularized world that scorns faith in Jesus Christ, this lesson affirms that God has made Him the only Savior of sinners (Acts 4:10-12).

THE ETERNAL AND SOVEREIGN GOD

A. Jesus Is the Eternal Creator

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word (the Devine mouthpiece, spoken word of God in the flesh), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

…….The Word is described as Jesus Christ, the very Son of the living God in the flesh. He was with God in the very beginning of time.

1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.

1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

…….Together as one being with God and the Holy Spirit, Jesus created all things. Gods Word (Jesus) is regarded as the exact representation of Gods nature, character, works, and will. Therefore, the closest one could come to knowing God was by knowing, believing, and obeying Gods Word.

1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

…….Jesus’ very presence and character was the representation of the Love, mercy, and compassion of God. If we want to know what the Life of God would have been like, we can see it by looking at the life of Jesus.

1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

…….When Christ came to the world He was rejected by most unless He had something physical to offer. Even then, at His death, though there were thousands that He touched and changed, there were only a few left that stayed with Him. His words were those of pure truth and they were taken either as help or offensive. The ones who chose not to know the Lord were those who simply did not want a change for the better.

1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

…….Those who were changed that sat back and surveyed Christ truly realized that God the Father sent His very son to help reconstruct His created people, and give a chance to understand their purpose in life, and that is, to have a relationship with the one who created them.

B. Jesus’ Power and Authority

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

…….He came to the religious groups who claimed to know about God, to only find how far away from God they truly were.

1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

…….What is this power you may ask? It is the power to overcome the sins and corruption of this world. It is an inward ability to refuse temptation on the face of it, in the heat of the moment where most people fail. This power is salvation. Though we were born of man, God had a purpose from the very beginning. Your life is His will and therefore will be a story of success.

Matthew 28:17  And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

…….Jesus had “All” power given unto Him. Not only did He have power but His power was accompanied by authority. Power without authority is dangerous, but authority without power is worthless. Jesus has them in perfect harmony. If you want His power directed by His authority, all we have to do is believe (John 1:12).

PROCLAIMER OF HIS KINGDOM

A. A Time to Choose

Matthew 4:12  Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

4:13  And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

4:14  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

4:15  The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

4:16  The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

…….Jesus’ move was a fulfilling of prophecy. After He was rejected by His own people, He came to those who were of “lesser value”. Those (Gentiles) would be the ones who received Him as Lord and experienced a true change of heart.

Listen to the examples He explained to the crowd: Matthew 13:1  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

13:2  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

13:3  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

13:4  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

13:5  Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

13:6  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

13:7  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

13:8  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

13:18  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

13:20  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

13:22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

13:23  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

…….The moral of the story is this, we must keep our life in good standing with the Lord. No matter how many times you hear the word preached or taught, we must follow after the Spirit. The Spirit will keep us in good fertile ground for perfect growth in every season of life. There will be those who come and go and many who follow in certain seasons for the wrong reasons. But those who stay and keep the word about the Kingdom bring forth fruit, and those who bring forth fruit will continue to bring forth fruit.

B. The Clash of Kingdoms

Luke 11:14  And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.

11:15  But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

…….There were always those who followed Him in doubt. Just as Christ, there will always be those around us who are against us either because of Jealousy or an inward hate of righteousness. If Christ dealt with it, don’t be consumed by it when you deal with it. Since He overcame, we now have the power to overcome.

11:16  And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

11:17  But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

11:18  If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

11:19  And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

11:20  But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

…….Just as in this story, your enemies will expose themselves. There is no need in walking around wondering who is not for you, the work will always show who is not fit to be in the process. Jesus’ focus was never directed to those who came to mock and accuse, His truth and purity weeded those out. Let our good works and kindness be the only proof this world needs for our testimony.

THE ONLY WAY TO SALVATION

A. To Enter God’s Kingdom

John 3:1  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

3:2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

3:4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

14:6  Jesus saith unto him (Thomas), I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

B. The Promise of Salvation

1 Corinthians 15:14  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15:15  Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

15:16  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

15:17  And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

15:18  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.