Bible-Articles

Jesus Christ

JESUS CHRIST

Unlike the religions of the world, Christianity is founded, not on some system or ideology or code of ethics or a mere man, but on a Person, Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully man.  Jesus is unique in His birth, His life, His teaching, His works and His death. None of the founders of the world’s religions bears a record like HIS. Indeed, if we were to consider all the greatest, mightiest and wisest men who ever lived, not one has a record even remotely resembling that of Christ’s.

HE STANDS ALONE IN ALL HISTORY UNIQUE, INCOMPARABLE, DIVINE.

Jesus Christ is the foundation on which Christianity is built.  He is the ROCK without which there would be no superstructure.  Let us consider His life and works as recorded in the Bible.

HIS LIFE AND WORKS

  1. HIS BIRTH by the Virgin Mary was in fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14) which means, GOD WITH US (Matthew 1:23). His was a supernatural birth, not by the will of man, but by the power of God (Luke 1:35).
  2. HIS KNOWLEDGE startled those who heard Him. At the age of twelve, He communed with the doctors in the Temple and “all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers” (Luke 2:47). His most famous Sermon on the Mount left His hearers baffled and amazed. It is recorded that “the people were astonished at His doctrine: For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:28,29). [Emphasis added]

The uniqueness of His knowledge and spiritual wisdom must be set against the fact that Jesus had grown up in a humble carpenter’s shop. As far as biblical records were concerned, He never attended any school of higher learning. He was omniscient from the very beginning.

 

  1. HIS TEACHINGS AND CLAIMS – Jesus’ teachings and claims are altogether theo-centric and self-centred at the same time, quite unlike those of any other teacher. The world’s great religious masters pointed men to someone or something higher. Jesus drew men to Himself. His statements clearly attest to this:

“I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John  6:35).

 

“I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

“I am the vine, ye are the branches” (John 15:5).

Men of the world would say of these claims: “They are amazing! How can they be?” Our Lord’s own words give the answer. “… with men it is impossible, but not with God” (Mark 10:27). [Emphasis added]

The above quotations are only a sampling of many other similar statements made by Jesus Christ. They are words which can only be uttered by divine authority, which authority Jesus is, as we shall shortly see.

  1. HIS DEITY – IS JESUS GOD? – In our previous lesson on God, we learnt that GOD revealed Himself to men in His Son Jesus Christ, that second person of the TRIUNE GOD. If this Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Man is also Son of God, then He must show clear and convincing evidence of the latter. And if such evidence is made available, then in all intellectual honesty, we must acknowledge that JESUS CHRIST IS GOD.

The sincere seeker of the truth who reads through the Gospels cannot fail to see that JESUS CHRIST is GOD for three main reasons:

  1. His WORDS
  2. His WORKS
  3. His RESURRECTION
  4. HIS WORDS

A man’s speech gives an insight into his personality and character. The words uttered by Jesus and recorded in the Gospel accounts are of the greatest significance. They reveal to us HIS heart and mind. Read and ponder over these statements:

  • “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Matthew 4:7).

With these words, Jesus rebuked Satan who tried to tempt Him.

  • “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am”

(John 8:58). To the disputing Jews, our Lord’s words asserted His deity and exposed their unbelief. Jesus made it clear that He is the eternal and pre-existent ONE, the God of Abraham.

  • “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). “… he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?” (John 14:9,10). In this discourse with the disciples, Jesus left no doubt in their minds as to who HE was: the GOD they worshipped.

These quotations and many other similar passages make it abundantly clear how we are to regard the MAN JESUS.  To know Him is to know God; to see Him is to see God; to believe Him is to believe God.

Some may object and argue that these are sweeping statements and wild claims.  Such an objection would be valid if JESUS did not substantiate His WORDS by His WORKS.  For if He had nothing to prove His deity, then truly these were but only empty words.

Let us now briefly consider His WORKS and how they bear the stamp of deity.

  1. HIS WORKS

If Jesus was GOD, as He claimed, then His WORKS must be SUPERNATURAL AND SUPERHUMAN. They must belong to another realm, the spiritual and divine, something beyond human means and understanding.

We have already mentioned His teachings. All who heard Him were amazed. His teachings were not of this world: no ordinary mortal possesses such wisdom to say the things He said. GOD alone could have conceived those thoughts and uttered those words.

By His miracles, Jesus demonstrated His power as Lord of life and Master of both the physical and spiritual world. Should it surprise anyone, then, that Jesus changed water into wine (John 2:1-11), fed at least 5,000 men (Matthew 14:17-21) or walked on the Galilean Sea (Matthew 9:27; 20:30), that the lame walked (Matthew 11:5, 15:31; Luke 7:22), lepers were cleansed (Luke 17:12), and the dead came to life (John 11; Mark 5:22-43)?  The winds and sea obeyed Him (Luke 8:25) and evil spirits also (Mark 1:27).

Men demand to see “signs” and “wonders”, or they will not believe. But when they see them, they remain in their unbelief, because their hearts are hardened. So our Lord pleads with those who are looking for the Saviour: “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake” (John 14:11). [Emphasis added] If a man will not be convinced by the WORKS of Jesus, then nothing else will change his mind.

  1. HIS RESURRECTION

Of all the recorded miracles and signs in the Gospels,  the resurrection of Jesus is the greatest. Never before nor after has there been any event like it. For a man to claim that he would lay down his life for others is not easy, and yet, it happens, though rarely. But to lay down His life for His enemies is unheard of! Yet that was what Jesus Christ did! But that is not all. He claimed and also announced that he would rise again from the dead! This elevates Christ to the unique height which He, as the God-Man, alone belong.

Of His sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus said  “I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (John 10:17,18).

The resurrection of Jesus, then, sets Him apart as the unique SON OF GOD, GOD in the FLESH, come to earth as SON of MAN to redeem fallen man back to GOD.

IF CHRIST IS GOD, must not all men acknowledge HIM and WORSHIP HIM?

HIS DEATH

No treatment of the life and work of CHRIST is complete without an account of HIS DEATH. The one purpose of His coming to earth was to save fallen Man and redeem the lost Creation. “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

So as the hour of His death drew near, His soul went through deep travail. “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour” (John 12:27).

The death of Jesus is central to the Gospel message. It is the heart of GOD’S

PLAN OF SALVATION for FALLEN MAN.

GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION

In our chapter on SIN, we noted that with the fall of Adam, the entire human race fell under the curse of death. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

With Adam’s sin, a deep gulf and barrier came between man and God. Man’s original fellowship with God was broken forever. He became estranged, separated, at enmity with God, doomed and lost. But man is God’s best creation, made in His image and after His likeness, and God could not allow Satan to rob mankind from Him. The Holy Scriptures reveal that God foreknew all things including Adam’s disobedience and was in sovereign control at all times. God is never caught unawares:  with Him there are no surprises.

So GOD has a PLAN OF SALVATION even before the Creation. It was all carefully thought out, how Satan’s evil plot could be nullified, by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, “without blemish and without spot:  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world …” (1 Peter 1:19, 20).

This PLAN was announced soon after the fall, even while Adam and Eve were still in the Garden.  “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). Christ, the coming “seed of woman” would bruise Satan’s head: He would crush and vanquish the enemy of our souls.

That GOD’S  PLAN required JESUS to give up His life as the price for sin was clear.  Throughout the Old Testament  we see this one theme expressed over and over again in the Levitical system of animal sacrifice for sin required by God. The sin-offering and burnt offering are just two examples of offerings that every Jew must offer when they sin. The sacrifice of the Passover Lamb at the beginning of the Exodus when God saved His people out of slavery in Egypt was a beautiful portrayal of the sacrifice of Jesus, our Passover, to save mankind from the deadly enslavement of sin.

The Old Testament Prophets looked forward to God’s salvation. The best account of this is found in Isaiah 53 which speaks of Jesus’ coming as a suffering servant and God’s sacrificial Lamb, “stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: … it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin” (vv 4, 5, 10).

GOD’S PLAN IN ACTION

When Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist announced His appearance thus: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). [Emphasis added]

Our Lord Himself was never in any doubt about His mission on earth as God’s sacrificial Lamb. Time and again He reminded His disciples of His coming death “how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day” (Matthew 16:21).

As the day of His offering approached, “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). No one compels Him to give up His life. “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:18).

[Emphasis added]

At the Last Supper, our Lord instituted that Sacrament of the broken body and the shed blood, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). [Emphasis added] Jesus yielded Himself in submission to the Father’s will and drank the bitter cup of the death of the cross.

GOD’S LOVE MANIFEST IN THE CROSS

While it was CHRIST who suffered on the cross as our sin bearer, nevertheless GOD the Father was no less involved in this great redemptive act. How it can be is very much a mystery, but Scripture says that GOD was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). Further, “GOD commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

On the cross, then, we see GOD’S justice and mercy and love met in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE VICTORY OF THE CROSS

Christ’s death on the cross is the very heart of the Gospel. There the spotless

Lamb of God gave His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). There Christ

“suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  “Who His own self bear our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

Christ’s obedience to the Father’s will won Him a mighty victory over sin and death for us. “And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).  “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). [Emphasis added]

By His death on the cross, Christ removed the barrier separating man from God.

At that moment He cried “It is finished!” and “into Thy hands I commend My Spirit” and the veil of the Temple was rent into two from top to bottom, opening the way into God’s holy Presence for all who turn to Him through Jesus Christ only.  Christ has opened the way to Heaven to all sinners who would accept Him as Lord and Savior.

THE BLESSINGS OF THE CROSS

To all who believe, there is “life for a look”.  A look of faith at the Crucified One gives life (John 3:14-15).

We are justified by His blood and saved from wrath (Romans 5:9).

We are reconciled to God by His death (Romans 5:10).

Once we were aliens, strangers, far from God. Now, by the blood of Christ we are made nigh, and become citizens and members of the household of God (Ephesians 2:12-19).

Once we were enemies, now we are reconciled, friends and children of the Holy God (Colossians 1:21).

THE POWER OF THE CROSS

When Jesus ascended to heaven, He left behind the Apostles to continue the work, to teach all nations and to make more disciples. The message which they were to bear unto the uttermost parts of the earth was “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). The preaching of the cross and Christ crucified is “the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).

Alas, and did my Saviour bleed?

And did my Sovereign die?

Would He devote that sacred head For such a worm as I?

Was it for crimes that I have done, He groaned upon the tree?

Amazing pity!  Grace unknown! And love beyond degree!

~ Isaac Watts ~

BIBLE KNOWLEDGE QUIZ 5:

JESUS CHRIST: HIS LIFE & DEATH

Fill in the blanks:

  1. Immanuel means GOD __ __ __ __
  2. CHRIST’s teachings drew men to __ __ __ __ __ __ __ .
  3. CHRIST backed His words by His __ __ __ __ __.
  4. The Son of Man was also the Son of __ __ __ .
  5. To believe in the Son is to believe in the __ __ __ __ __ __ .

Underline the correct answer:

  1. Jesus manifested His divine power in
    • miracles           (b) songs                      (c) hunger.
  2. If men will not believe in the mighty works of Jesus through God’s revealed Word…
    • they are of high IQ             (b) they have eternal life (c) they will not be convinced by other arguments.
  3. By His death on the cross Jesus
    • received a fair punishment(b) paid the penalty for our sins (c) made sin less serious.
  4. Apart from Christ’s death
    • we have other ways to God
    • we must work for our salvation
    • there is no other way to have peace with God.
  5. Christ died as
    • a martyr
    • a criminal
    • the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

 

Text:

1 Corinthians 15:12-22; John 2:19-21

The RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ makes Christianity unique, for only JESUS among all religious leaders who ever lived and died rose again from the dead. The RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST confirms all the other doctrines of the Christian faith. On the other hand, if the RESURRECTION can be disproved, then all the doctrines of the Christian faith lose their credibility, our faith is useless, our preaching false, and we are still in our sins.

CHRIST FORETOLD HIS OWN RESURRECTION

In our last lesson, we saw that our Lord’s mission in coming to earth was to offer His life as a sacrifice for sin. Whenever He spoke of His death, He also foretold His resurrection on the third day. He did this at the very beginning of His ministry (John 2:19-21). Once He compared His death and resurrection with Jonah’s three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish (Matthew 12:40). After Peter’s “Great Confession”, our Lord spoke in detail of His death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). Similarly, He referred to these events at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:9,23; Mark 9:9,10,31). As He approached Jerusalem, our Lord again predicted His resurrection (Matthew 20:19).

If these prophesies had not come true and Christ had died and remained buried in the grave, then all His teachings would have perished with Him.

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST: FACT or FICTION?

So crucial is this question of Christ’s resurrection that the whole Christian Church stands or falls with it. The reason is that without the resurrection of Jesus Christ we would still be in our sins. Our sins would not have been forgiven still. Death would still have its power over every sinner. We would be heading

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for Hell, everyone of us without exception. Let us therefore examine the biblical facts, and be quite clear in our minds that the resurrection is based on “many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3).

The fact of the resurrection may be decisively established by seven documented and sequential events.

  1. FIRST DAY: JESUS DIED AND WAS BURIED

It seems almost unnecessary to have to make out a case for our Lord’s physical demise. Nevertheless, to dispel the “swoon theory” and any such foolish talk, let us establish clearly the fact of His death.

The eye witness record leaves no room for doubt. The soldiers, whose business it was to ensure that crucified persons had actually expired before allowing their bodies to be taken down, found that Jesus was already dead, so there was no need to break His legs. But one of the soldiers confirms the death of Christ by piercing His side with a spear, and immediately came forth blood and water from the side of Christ (John 19:33, 34). This affirms that Christ was definitely dead!

Next, the burial of our Lord by two secret disciples, Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus. They took the body and wound it in linen clothes with about one hundred pound weight of myrrh and aloes after the Jewish tradition.

Then they laid Him in a new sepulchre in a nearby garden (John 19:38-42). This was Good Friday evening.

  1. SECOND DAY: HIS TOMB WAS SEALED AND GUARDED

On Saturday, the day after the burial, the chief priests and Pharisees came to Pilate the Governor, requesting that the tomb of Jesus “be made sure until the third day, lest His disciples came by night, and steal Him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead …” (Matthew  27:64).

The necessary permission having been granted, they went and sealed the entrance with a stone and set a watch to guard outside the sepulchre (Matthew 27:66). A “watch” would mean to set as many guards as were needed to ensure the tomb of Christ was secured safely. It was humanly impossible for anyone to break into the tomb for these guards were there with the punishment of death hanging over their heads if they failed.

So while our Lord’s embalmed body lay in linen bands inside the tomb, armed guards watched on the outside. This was Saturday.

  1. THIRD DAY: THE TOMB WAS EMPTY

In the Gospels, we have four independent accounts of the happenings on

Sunday morning “the third day” (Cf. Matthew 28:1ff; Mark 16:1ff; Luke 24:1ff; John 20:1ff). When certain women arrived at the break of dawn at the tomb with sweet spices intending to anoint our Lord’s body, they were taken aback to find the great stone rolled away and the body gone! The linen wrapping of the body and napkin of the head were lying undisturbed on the stone slab where the body had been. Certain of the disciples who came later were witnesses to the same things.

John 20:1-9 , “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.” [Emphasis added]

  1. THE TESTIMONY OF THE ANGELS

The guards stationed by the priests and Pharisees, at the command of Pilate, to keep watch over the tomb were as dead men. Matthew 28:1-4, “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.”

Inside the tomb were two angels who announced the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead with the words: “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:5, 6, 7). [Emphasis added]

  1. THE APPEARANCES OF JESUS

The Gospels record ten separate appearances of our risen Lord to the disciples and other “chosen witnesses” (namely to Mary Magdalene, to the women returning from the sepulchre, to Peter, to two disciples on the Emmaus road, to the ten in the upper room on the first Easter evening, to the eleven at the same place a week later, to more than 500 brethren at one time, to James, to several disciples by the Sea of Galilee, and to the assembled believers on the Mount of Olives at the Ascension, and finally to the apostle Paul.)

1 Corinthians 15:4-8, “And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.”

In all these instances, Jesus appeared bodily and impressed this fact on the disciples (Luke 24: 39, 40; John 20:27). That there was substance to His body was beyond doubt. On at least one occasion He ate. However, He had a supernatural body.  He was able to pass through physical barriers freely and without obstruction: grave clothes and closed doors were no hindrances to His movement. He could appear and disappear instantly (Luke 24: 31,36).

Luke 24:39-43, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.” [Emphasis added]

From the Gospel accounts and from the Apostle Paul’s epistles, we conclude that the resurrection body of Jesus was a supernatural “glorified” body, whose body will be ours at our future resurrection” (Philippians 3:20).

In His glorified resurrection body, Jesus ascended to Heaven. In the same body, He will return to earth one day.

  1. THE DISCIPLES WERE TRANSFORMED

Whereas the crucifixion of Jesus left the disciples in a state of fear and grief, His appearances effected an instantaneous, profound and permanent change. Cowardice gave place to courage which endured through the ensuing years till the hour of martyrdom. The fearless band of Galileans went everywhere, against all opposition proclaiming the Gospel of the risen Lord. Their reward was hardship, persecution, imprisonment, every form of suffering, exile and including death.

Their preaching was attended with great power and success. Masses were won to the cause of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem and Judea, and throughout the Mediterranean world. Such an outbreak of power could never have been possible if Jesus had perished in the grave. The following passage in Acts is one of many Bible passages which demonstrate the courage of the disciples of Christ AFTER the resurrection of Christ

Acts 5:26-33, “Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.” [Emphasis added]

  1. THE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD’S DAY

It is significant to note that our Lord’s appearances, whenever the day was mentioned, were on the first day of the week. The day of worship for the New Testament Church then became the first, instead of the Old Testament seventh day. This day has come to be named “The Lord’s Day” and was also the day on which our Lord appeared to John on the Isle of Patmos.

From all available records, then, we find the Christian Church observing Sunday as the day of worship and rest (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2,9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1,19; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2).

From the foregoing accounts, we have the full assurance that our Lord not only died according to the Scriptures, but He also rose again from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures and is the Head of the Church.

Acts 20:7, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”

THE IMPLICATIONS OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION FOR CHRISTIANS

  1. BECAUSE JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD it confirms the truthfulness and trustworthiness of all His teachings:
    1. that His shed blood is efficacious for the remissions of sins.
    2. Christ has defeated death.
    3. All of man’s sins have been forgiven in Christ Jesus.
    4. God has fully accepted Christ as the only Saviour of the world.
    5. that He was not only the Son of Man but also the Son of God.
    6. that whosoever believes on Him has everlasting life.
    7. that He had gone ahead to prepare a place for those who believe.
    8. that at His return believers shall also receive a resurrection body like His.
    9. that He will return to judge the world.
  2. BECAUSE JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD we know that He has overcome sin and death and hell, and through Him we who believe have the same victory. Believers therefore do not need to fear death, for we know that “to be absent from the body” is to be “present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

We also know that the risen Christ is the firstfruits of them that slept i.e. He is the pioneer of a great band of believers who will  be raised from the dead. In that day, all believers, dead or alive, shall receive a new and glorious incorruptible body – when Jesus returns. 1 Corinthians 15:20, “But now is

Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”

What a glorious and blessed hope!

  1. BECAUSE JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD He has power to enable us

to live for Him, in newness of life.  Believers are “dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:11).

  1. BECAUSE JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD we can trust Him when He said that He would return again to take all rule and authority and power on this earth and establish His righteous reign. In that day, all evil and injustice on earth shall be subdued under Him. Then shall God’s Kingdom be established among men for ever and ever, and ALL BECAUSE JESUS LIVES!

Lesson 6: Jesus Christ – His Resurrection

BIBLE KNOWLEDGE QUIZ 6:

JESUS CHRIST: HIS RESURRECTION

Underline the correct answer:

  1. If Christ is not risen, Christians
    • are still dead in their sins (b) have eternal life (c) have nothing to fear                    (d) may still go to heaven.
  2. Christ spoke of his death and
    • also predicted His resurrection (b) never thought He would rise again (c) planned a way of escape           (d) did not tell the disciples about it.
  3. The priests and Pharisees
    • stole the body of Jesus (b) set a watch on the grave (c) mourned for Jesus                     (d) cried when Jesus died.
  4. When the women came to the tomb on Sunday morning(a) the grave was tightly sealed (b) they found an empty tomb (c) the guards were at the tomb (d) Jesus’ body was still inside.
  5. The angels in the sepulchre said

(b) Jesus has gone to Heaven (a) You have come to the wrong grave (c) He is not here but is risen        (d) Jesus is still dead.

Fill in the blanks (one letter for each space):

  1. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared at least __ __ __
  2. When Jesus rose from the dead,

He had a supernatural, glorious  __ __ __ __ .

  1. When we see Him we shall be like __ __ __ .
  2. If we believe in Him we need not __ __ __ __
  3. One day our Lord shall return to __ __ __ __ __  as King of kings and Lord of lords.