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A NEW TESTAMENT AND HISTORICAL LOOK AT CHRIST:
The following material is adapted from William R. Bright, editor, "TEACHER'S
MANUAL FOR THE TEN BASIC STEPS TOWARD CHRISTIAN MATURITY," San Bernardino,
CA: Campus Crusade for Christ, International, 1965. I have presented it
in an outline form with comments for your continued study and reference.
I did not expand extensively, due to the coverage that Mr. Bright had given
to the subject.
"INTRODUCTION: THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST
"More than nineteen hundred years ago there was a Man born contrary
to the laws of life. This Man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity.
He did not travel extensively. Only once, did He cross the boundary of
the country in which He lived; that was during His exile in childhood.
He possessed neither wealth nor influence. His relatives were inconspicuous
and had neither training nor formal education. In infancy He startled a
king; in childhood He puzzled doctors; in manhood He ruled the course of
nature, walked upon the billows as if pavements, and hushed the sea to
sleep. He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for
His service. He never wrote a book, yet all the libraries of the country
could not hold the books that have been written about Him. He never wrote
a song, and yet He has furnished the theme for more songs than all the
songwriters combined. He never founded a college, but all the schools put
together cannot boast of having as many students. He never marshaled an
army, nor drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun; and yet no leader ever had
more volunteers who have, under His orders, made more rebels stack arms
and surrender without a shot fired. He never practiced medicine, and yet
He has healed more broken hearts than all the doctors far and near. Every
seventh day the wheels of commerce cease their turning and multitudes went
their way to worshiping assemblies to pay homage and respect to Him. The
names of the past proud statesmen of Greece and Rome have come and gone.
The names of the past scientists, philosophers, and theologians have come
and gone, but the name of this Man abounds more and more. Through time
has spread nineteen hundred years between the people of this generation
and the scene of His crucifixion, yet He still lives. Herod could not destroy
Him and the grave could not hold Him. He stands forth upon the highest
pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed of God, acknowledged by angels,
adored by saints, and feared by devils, as the living, personal Christ,
our Lord and Savior." AUTHOR UNKNOWN
He is presented as coming in the Old Testament.
He is presented as coming in the flesh in the New Testament.
He is presented as the Lamb of God.
He is presented as the sin bearer.
He is presented as the Bread of Life.
He is presented as the Only Way to God.
He is presented as coming in the future for His people.
I. HE IS PRESENTED AS THE THEME OF SCRIPTURES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:
A. He was the theme of the prophets: Acts 3:18-20, "And he shall send
Jesus Christ, who before was preached unto you,"; Acts 10:43, Rom. 1:1-3.
Some prophecies that were fulfilled:
EVENT OT PREDICTION NT FULFILLMENT _______________________________________________________________ Town of birth Mic. 5:2 Matt 2:1-6; Jn 7:42 Born of a virgin Isa 7:14 Matt 1:23 Betrayal money Zech.11:12 Matt 27:9-10 Scourged and spit upon Isa 50:6 Matt 26:67 Given gall and vinegar Ps 69:21 Matt 27:34,48 Resurrection Ps 16:8-10 Acts 2:22-28;13:34-35 Coming again to judge Ps 50:3-5 YET TO BE FULFILLED Ezek. 21:27 Zech. 14:1-7 Lu. 1:31-33 Philip. 2:10-11 _______________________________________________________________
B. He was the theme of the apostles: Acts 5:41,42 "And they departed
from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy
to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house,
they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." Acts 9:20, Rom. 1:1-3.
C. He was the theme preached to the Jew: We know that Paul always went
to the Jews in the hope that he could lead some to Christ. Acts 17:1-4
mentions that Paul's ministry brought Jews to Christ. Acts 28:29-31, in
the close of the book, Paul is still preaching Christ and working with
all, including the Jews.
D. He was the theme of the message to the Samaritans: Acts 8:5, "Then
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them."
E. He was the theme of the message to the Gentiles: Gal. 1:15,16, "But
when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called
me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among
the Gentiles, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:"
F. He was the theme of the Gospel to be preached today: Mk 16:15, "And
he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature." Rom. 1:1-3, I Cor. 15:1-4 speaks of the gospel as the death,
burial and resurrection.
G. He is the only Gospel to be preached: Gal. 1:6-9 Paul tells the Galatians
that if they are approached with any other Gospel then that person is to
be accursed. I Cor. 16:22
II. HE WAS PRESENTED AS GOD BY THOSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:
A. Peter: Matt 16:16 "...Christ, the Son of the living God."
B. Thomas: Jn 20:28 "...My Lord and my God."
C. John the Baptist: Jn 1:29 "...Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh
away the sin of the world."
D. Nathaniel: Jn 1:49 "...Thou art the Son of God; thou art the King
of Israel."
E. Martha: Jn 11:27 "...thou art the Christ, the Son of God...."
F. The Centurion: Matt 27:54 When speaking at the death of Christ, "...Truly
this was the Son of God."
III. HISTORIANS SPEAK OF THE CHRIST OF THE NEW TESTAMENT:
A. The Encyclopedia Britannica reportedly gives 20,000 words to Christ.
No, I did not count them.
B. H.G. Wells in his two volume OUTLINE OF HISTORY devoted ten pages
to Christ. He was not a believer to my knowledge.
C. Tertullian AD 155-200 wrote the APOLOGY to the Roman government and
mentioned a letter from Pilate to Caesar: "Tiberius accordingly, in whose
days the Christian name made its entry into the world, having himself received
intelligence from Palestine of events which had clearly shown the truth
of Christ's divinity, brought the matter before the senate, with his own
decision in favor of Christ. The senate, because it had not given the approval
itself, rejected his proposal. Caesar held to his opinion, threatening
wrath against all the accusers of the Christians."
D. Napoleon: While discussing Christ with a man that did not believe
in the deity of Christ was quoted as saying, "I know men, and I tell you
that Jesus Christ is not a man. Superficial minds see a resemblance between
Christ and the founders of empires and the gods of other religions. That
resemblance does not exist. There is between Christianity and whatever
other religions the distance of infinity...Everything in Christ astonishes
me. His spirit overawes me, and His will confounds me. Between Him and
whoever else in the world, there is no possible term of comparison. He
is truly a being by Himself. His ideas and sentiments, the truth which
He announces, His manner of convincing are not explained either by human
organization or by the nature of things...The nearer I approach, the more
carefully I examine, everything is above me - everything remains grand,
of a grandeur which overpowers. His religion is a revelation from an intelligence
which certainly is not that of man...One can absolutely find nowhere, but
in Him alone, the imitation or the example of His life...I search in vain
in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ or anything which can approach
the gospel. Neither history, nor humanity, nor the ages, nor nature offer
me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything
is extraordinary."
IIII. CHRIST MADE SOME CLAIMS ABOUT HIMSELF:
A. He claimed to be the light: "...I am the Light of the world...."
Jn 8:12. It seems that He told us that we were the light of the world as
well (Matt 5:14). Many speak of the fact that Christ is to live in and
through us so others can see Him in us. This seems to be a good proof text.
B. He claimed to be the good Shepherd: "I am the good Shepherd; the
good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." Jn 10:11
C. He claimed to preexist Abraham: "Before Abraham was, I am." Jn 8:58
D. He claimed to the Master and Lord: "Ye call me Master and Lord; and
ye say well; for so I am." Jn. 13:13
E. He claimed to be the Vine: "I AM the true vine...." Jn 15:1
F. He claimed to fulfill the law: "Think not that I am come to destroy
the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Matt.
5:17
G. He claimed to forgive sins: Mk 2:1-12 in speaking of the paralytic
man that was let down through the roof.
H. He claimed to fulfill prophecy: He read Isa 61, the prophecy of the
Messiah and stated, "...This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."
Lu 4: 21 cf. Isa 61:1-2.
I. He claimed to be the Resurrection: "...I am am the resurrection,
and the life...." Jn 11:25
J. He claimed to be the way: "...I am the way, the truth, and the life...."
Jn 14:6
V. CHRIST MADE SOME DEMANDS UPON HIS FOLLOWERS:
A. We are to receive Him. Matt 10:40, "...he that receiveth me receiveth
him that sent me."
B. We are to witness. Matt 10:32, "Whosoever, therefore, shall confess
me before men, him will I confess also before my Father, who is in heaven."
C. We are to love Him more than others. Matt. 10:37, "He that loveth
father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth
son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me."
D. We are to follow Him. Matt 9:38, "And he that taketh not his cross
and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." Lu 9:23 also.
E. We are to learn of Him. Matt. 11:29, "Take my yoke upon you, and
learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto
your souls."
F. We are to forsake all and follow Him. Lu 14:33, "So likewise, whosoever
he is of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple."
So, why are Bible college graduates turning down $20,000 a year because
it is not enough money? So, why are Bible college graduates turning down
churches because they might have to work in secular work to make a living?
And then there are those that are willing to be home missionaries to open
churches in small communities. They go with little support, they struggle
to plant a church, and when things are going decently his home church informs
him that they are going to pull his support if he remains in that town.
They want him to come home to be a visitation pastor, or no more support.
PRAISE GOD he was willing to work outside the church and told the home
church he was called to where he was ministering, and not to their church
to do visitation!
CONCLUSION:
"The Influence of One Life."
"Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant
woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until
He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He
never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He
never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His feet inside
a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He
was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness.
He had no credentials but Himself.
"While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against
Him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to
His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon
a cross between two thieves. His executioners gambled for the only piece
of property He had on earth while He was dying, and that was His coat.
When He was dead, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through
the pity of a friend.
"Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone, and today He is the centerpiece
of the human race and the leader of the column of progress.
"I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched,
and all the navies that were ever built, and all the parliaments that ever
sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together have not affected
the life of man upon this earth as has that one solitary life."
Maybe you should add your own salvation testimony to this list of information.
Christ just continues to change lives wherever He is preached!
HANDOUT
A NEW TESTAMENT AND HISTORICAL LOOK AT CHRIST:
I. HE IS PRESENTED AS THE THEME OF SCRIPTURES IN THE NT:
A. He was the theme of the prophets
B. He was the theme of the apostles
C. He was the theme preached to the Jew
D. He was the theme of the message to the Samaritans
E. He was the theme of the message to the Gentiles
F. He was the theme of the Gospel to be preached today
G. He is the only Gospel to be preached
II. HE WAS PRESENTED AS GOD BY THOSE IN THE NT:
A. Peter:
B. Thomas:
C. John the Baptist:
D. Nathaniel:
E. Martha:
F. The Centurion:
III. HISTORIANS SPEAK OF THE CHRIST OF THE NT:
A.
B.
C.
D.
IIII. HE MADE SOME CLAIMS ABOUT HIMSELF:
A. Jn. 8:12
B. Jn. 10:11
C. Jn. 8:58
D. Jn. 13:13
E. Jn. 15:1
F. Matt. 5:17
G. Mk. 2:1-12
H. Isa. 61 cf. Lu. 4: 21
I. Jn. 11:25
J. Jn. 14:6
V. HE MADE SOME DEMANDS UPON HIS FOLLOWERS:
A. Matt. 10:40
B. Matt. 10:32
C. Matt. 10:37
D. Matt. 9:38; Lu 9:23
E. Matt. 11:29
F. Lu. 14:33