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"You and Your Beliefs"--Christology, part 2
It’s important to know what we believe. It’s important to know WHY we believe what we believe. It’s important to be able to defend what we believe using the Scriptures (and not just opinion). Furthermore, it’s vital that what we say we believe is substantiated by the way we live our lives.
Discuss: What happens if we say we believe something and yet discredit it by our lives? Give an example.
Tonight: The Doctrine of Jesus Christ, part 2
What do you believe about Jesus Christ?
We cannot separate Christianity from Jesus Christ. What we believe about Jesus Christ is the ultimate issue.
In a survey fashion, we’re devoting a couple of weeks to answer this question. What essential, non-negotiable truths must we affirm about Christ?
There are 2 main areas...
1. His Person--Who is Jesus Christ?
2. His Works--What has Jesus Christ done?
We addressed the first area last week, and we turn to the second area now.
Let’s review as we begin…
The Person of Jesus Christ
Discuss: Suppose were asked, "Who is Jesus Christ?" What would you say?
There are 2 essential truths the Bible affirms about Jesus Christ:
1. Jesus Christ is God--His Deity.
2. Jesus Christ became a Man--His Humanity.
New Material…
The Works of Jesus
Christ
Discuss: What are the works of Jesus Christ? What has He accomplished?
Here's the outline of our study:
I. The Person of Jesus Christ
II. The Works of Jesus Christ
A. Jesus Christ created the
universe. (Jn 1:3;
B. Jesus Christ entered human history in the Incarnation. (Is 7:14; 9:6; Mt 1:23;
Gal 4:4)
1. He fulfilled the Old Testament. (Mt 5:17)
2. He revealed the character
and purposes of God. (Jn 1:14, 18;
Heb 1:1-3)
3. He entered the world as Man's Representative to remove the barrier of
sin.
(II Cor 5:21; Gal 4:4)
C. Jesus Christ provided an Atonement. (I Tim 2:5-6)
1. He lived a perfect life. (Heb 2:10; 5:9; 7:28)
2. He died a substitutionary death. (Mk 10:45; I Cor 15:3; Is 53:4-6)
3. He conquered death, having satisfied the righteous demands of God. (I
Cor 15:4)
4. He ascended to heaven. (Lk 24:51; Acts 1:9; Eph 4:8; Ph 2:9;
Heb 2:8-9)
5. He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His people. (Jn 14:16-17; Acts 1:8)
D. Jesus Christ is building and protecting His Church. (Mt 16:18)
1. He gave gifts to His Church. (Eph 4:8; Rom 12:5-6)
2. He intercedes for His People. (I Jn 2:1; Heb 4:14-16)
E. Jesus Christ promised He would come again. (Jn 14:1-4)
1. He will rescue and reward His people. (I Cor 3:14; 15:51-58; II Cor
5:10; I Thes 4:13-18)
2. He will judge the world. (Rev 4-21)
3. He will rule the world in His Messianic Kingdom. (Rev 20:4)
4. He will create a new heaven and new earth. (Rev 21:1; II Pt 3:13)
5. He will restore the redeemed universe to the Father. (I Cor 15:28)
Having seen the outline, let’s work our way through the accomplishments of Jesus one by one…
Here are the Works
of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures:
Let’s examine five works…
A. Jesus Christ created
the universe. (Jn 1:3;
John 1 and Colossians 1 make it clear that the second person of the trinity was the builder of the universe. We have to go back to Genesis 1 to find out how He accomplished His creative work.
According to Col 1:16 why was everything made? “…for Him…”
Discuss: Why is that purpose clause significant?
B. Jesus Christ entered human history in the Incarnation. (Is 7:14; 9:6; Mt 1:23;
Gal 4:4)
Discuss: Why did Christ enter human history?
To accomplish at least 3 objectives...
1. He fulfilled the Old
Testament. (Mt 5:17)
Key: Jesus Christ fulfilled three offices seen in the OT. He is the Prophet, Priest, and King.
Discuss: How did Jesus demonstrate He is the Prophet? The Priest? The King?
2. He revealed the character
and purposes of God.
(Jn 1:14, 18;
Jesus didn’t just talk about God. He revealed God to the onlooking world.
3. He entered the world as
Man's Representative to remove the barrier of
sin. (II Cor
5:21; Gal 4:4)
Q: How did Jesus Christ remove the barrier of our sin?
C. Jesus Christ provided an Atonement. (I Tim 2:5-6)
The message of atonement is the central message of Christianity. It is what makes Christianity distinct from all other religions. It is at the heart of the gospel message.
Discuss: What is atonement? It’s God's means of getting rid of the spot and penalty of Man's sin. See: Heb 9:14 "How much more shall the blood of Christ...purge your conscience..."
Q: What did Christ do to secure our atonement?
1. He lived a perfect life.
(Heb 2:10; 5:9; 7:28)
2. He died a substitutionary
death. (Mk 10:45; I Cor 15:3; Is 53:4-6)
3. He conquered death, having
satisfied the righteous demands of God.
(I Cor 15:4)
4. He ascended to heaven. (Lk
24:51; Acts 1:9; Eph 4:8; Ph 2:9;
Heb 2:8-9)
5. He sent the Holy Spirit to
indwell His people. (Jn 14:16-17; Acts 1:8)
What is Christ doing right now? The Bible tells us…
D. Jesus Christ is building and protecting His Church. (Mt 16:18)
1. He gave gifts to His
Church. (Eph 4:8; Rom 12:5-6)
2. He intercedes for His People. (I Jn 2:1; Heb 4:14-16)
Discuss: How does this truth affect you?
What will Christ do in the future? The Bible explains…
E. Jesus Christ promised He would come again. (Jn 14:1-4)
What will Jesus do at His second coming to earth? The following…
1. He will rescue and reward
His people. (I Cor 3:14; 15:51-58;
II Cor 5:10;
I Thes 4:13-18)
2. He will judge the world.
(Rev 4-21)
3. He will rule the world in
His Messianic Kingdom. (Rev 20:4)
4. He will create a new
heaven and new earth. (Rev 21:1; II Pt 3:13)
5. He will restore the redeemed universe to the Father. (I Cor 15:28)
Discuss: Why does the Bible tell us ahead of time what Jesus is going to do?
Application: How
should this knowledge of Christ’s work affect our lives today?
1. We must believe Him and submit to Him.
2. We should worship Him.
3. We should tell others about Him.
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These unedited notes were prepared for use in a Wednesday evening,
discussion-oriented Bible study at