Practical Lessons for Understanding the Word of God

Who Is This Jesus?

KEY PASSAGE: Matthew 16:13-17 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Genesis 1:1, 26 | Psalm 103:19 John 1:1; 8:29; 10:10, 30; 14:2-3, 6, 9 | Acts 4:8-12 | Colossians 1:15-17 | Hebrews 4:15-16

SUMMARY:
The most important question we face today is not political, military, or economic.
Though these are significant issues, they pale in comparison to the most critical question you will ever have to answerWho is Jesus Christ? You cannot afford to ignore Him because your response not only influences your character, belief system, and lifestyle, but also determines your eternal destiny. Christ made many amazing claims about Himself such as, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me (John 14:6). There is no middle ground when it comes to deciding who Jesus is. Either He is the divine Son of God, or He is a fraud. While many people believe that His life began in Bethlehem, He existed long before that. As a member of the Trinity, Christ is the eternal Son of God who has no beginning and no end (John 1:1). Jesus and His Father are linked, so that what is done to one is also done to the other. Therefore, to reject Christ is to reject God (See John 8:29; 10:30; 14:9). Jesus was the long awaited Messiah who came to earth to carry out the will of His Father. He walked throughout Israel teaching, healing, and performing miracles. At one point He asked His disciples, Who do you say that I am? (Matt. 16:15-17). When Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus told Him that the Father had revealed this truth to him. Like him, we need the Lords

help in order to comprehend who Jesus is. The best way to discover the truth is to find out what the Bible says about Him.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:
The Attributes of Christ
I

Creator: The Son of God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Col. 1:15-17).

Sovereign: He rules over the universe at all times (Ps. 103:19).

I I Omniscient: The Lord knows all thingspast, present, and future. I Omnipotent: Christ demonstrated His divine power by performing miracles and raising the dead. I Omnipresent: Though Jesus took a human form, today the Holy Spirit is ever-present throughout His creation. I

Merciful: Jesus is our Great High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses and offers us mercy (Heb. 4:15-16).

Lamb of God: Christ was the perfect sacrifice for our sins. His blood brought us full forgiveness and continues to cleanse us as we walk with Him.
I

Both God and Man: The Son took on human flesh while still retaining His deity.
I

The Names of Jesus

Both the Old and New Testaments contain the names of Christ that reveal various aspects of His character, His mission on earth, and His exalted position in heaven. A few examples include:

LIFE PRINCIPLES NOTES | LP101219

I Emmanuel, which means God with us, signifies how He came to earth. Even today, He lives inside every believer. I

I Though Christ was born in a stable, kings came to worship Him. I His birth is the event that divides time into B.C. and A.D.

Deliverer indicates His mission on earthto rescue us from sin and give us new life. Chief Cornerstone conveys His supremacy, for no other name provides for our salvation.

many people have hated Him, Jesus followers love and worship Him. is both the author and subject of the Bible.
I Jesus never wrote a song, but thousands have been written that praise His name. I He I He

I Although

King of kings and Lord of lords denotes the truth that He is the One who judges and reigns over all. One day, every knee will bow before Him.

The Activities of Christ

Jesus ministry didnt end when He ascended to heaven. He is still actively working on our behalf.
I Christ is seated at the Fathers right hand making intercession for us. We have access to God through His Son. I

didnt travel far from home, yet He influenced the entire world. never built a house, but Hes building one for each of us in heaven.

I Christ

I He didnt practice medicine, yet Hes the Great Physician.

Jesus is living within believers through His Holy Spirit, meeting our needs and revealing truth.

never marshaled an army, but Hes brought down kingdoms.

I The

I Jesus

devil couldnt deceive Him. could not destroy Him. grave had no power to hold Him.

I Death I The

Hes preparing a place for us in heaven and will one day come for us so that we can be with Him forever (John 14:2-3).

The Lord Jesus is also preparing for His return to reign on the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords.
I I Christ is revealing the Father to us. He shows us that God is our Father and invites us to converse with the Father as He does. I

CONCLUSION:
Simply learning what the Bible says about Jesus is not enough. Once youve heard who He is and what He came to do, you must respond. What will you do with Jesus? To hear the truth and ignore or reject it is spiritual suicide that results in eternal separation from God. Your only hope is Jesus. He died in your place so that you could live with Him forever. The only appropriate response is to believe in Him, receive His offer of salvation, and proclaim Him as Lord. Then you can spend the rest of your life loving, serving, and following your Savior.

Hes giving us abundant life (John 10:10). Christ wants us to live with peace, joy, and strength to persist in whatever He calls us to do.

I Jesus is our Helper through the presence of His indwelling Holy Spirit. When He ascended to the Father, He didnt leave us alone; He gave us the Spirit to empower, lead, and complete us.

The Marvel of Christs Life

During His earthly ministry, the majority of the world took no notice of Jesus. Yet we know that no one had a greater impact on this world than He did. Think of it this way:
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LIFE PRINCIPLES NOTES | LP101219