Category: Christ

His name is Jesus. His earthly family consisted of a carpenter named Joseph, and his young wife Mary. We don’t know much about Jesus’ youth. We know at an important age for a Jewish boy, 12, He visited Jerusalem for Passover.

We know nothing more about Jesus’ earthly life until He became an itinerant preacher at about age 30. Within three years His teaching and claims incensed the Jewish leaders, who prevailed upon the governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, to crucify Him on a cross between two other criminals.

In His life Jesus never traveled more than 150 miles from the place of His birth. He never owned His own home, never had wealth, and traveled in His ministry with 12 ordinary men, who were recognized as uneducated Galileans. He was buried in a tomb purchased by a friend.

What none of these modest facts about Jesus’ physical life tell us, is the significance of His birth and death, shown by His resurrection from the dead and His exaltation to God’s right hand.

Jesus was not just a man. He is God’s only begotten Son, sent from His Father to earth to redeem mankind. The scripture says, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Galatians 4:4). Jesus was not only a man, He is our Lord and our Savior!

There are many misconceptions about the nature of Jesus Christ. These can be held by those who are antagonistic to the idea of God and His Son. They also are often held by those who would identify themselves as followers of Jesus.
We can know Jesus only by what is revealed in the Bible. We have Old Testament prophecies, the gospels, and what is revealed to us in the remainder of the New Testament. It gives us a complete picture of Him, one that often conflicts with the claims made by those ignorant of these words. Let’s examine some of the contrasting views of Jesus. What is legitimate, and what is not! As John wrote, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him” (John 1:10).

It is wrong to think Jesus will let everyone into heaven!

Jesus truly loves all mankind. It His desire that all men be saved, and He died to accomplish our redemption. But that gift Jesus has given has conditions! “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Continue reading “The World Does Not Know Jesus!” →

Chapter 9 ends the argumentation contrasting the worship and priesthood under the Old Covenant with Jesus and His New Covenant. It is a stark contrast.

As high priest Jesus’ ministry is in heaven, not the tabernacle. “Heaven itself” is better than that sanctuary made by the hands of men. The atonement sacrifice of Jesus, as it is contrasted with the blood sacrifice of the high priest yearly, is also better. Jesus did not offer Himself often because His sacrifice on the cross finished the work of atonement. In effect, the sin problem that had plagued mankind from Adam and Eve was resolved. Now, through faith in Jesus, all men can received God’s grace and redemption. This happened because Jesus’ blood was shed as the final sacrifice for sin. The writer indicates this by noting if Jesus’ blood was not sufficient (like the blood of bulls and goats), His sacrifice would have had to be offered from the time of Adam until the present.

So, though Christ remains as High Priest. That aspect of priestly service is done. He offered the sin sacrifice of Himself. Because He did, such sacrifices are no longer needed!

Christ as a High Priest is here compared to the service rendered in the tabernacle under the old covenant. Christ serves in the “more perfect tabernacle not made with hands” (11). This is a reference to the throne room of God in heaven itself.

Christ’s work as High Priest was to offer His own blood for our redemption. This was an act that was done only once. Jesus’ blood (unlike the blood of “goats and calves”) could truly redeem man. His blood (the blood of God’s son in the flesh – an unblemished and sinless sacrifice – was sufficient to purchase us from sin’s bondage.

There is a contrast here between the physical sacrifices offered under the Old Covenant. It is said they only sanctify “for the purifying of the flesh” (13). This indicates a physical and symbolic work, that fell short of full and complete redemption from sin. In contrast, the blood of Christ, offered to God in heaven itself, has the power to “cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (14). We are truly cleansed spiritually. Because of this we “may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (15).

A discussion of Paul’s command to the Colossians in 2:6-15. what it means, and the reasons behind walking in Him.

Audio
PPTX (Right Click to SAVE)
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Luke 7 records in Jesus’ ministry a visit to the city of Nain. Nain was located southwest of the sea of Galilee about 8 miles south of Nazareth. There is no indication it was a large city, but verse 11 of the text indicates that when Jesus entered the city, he brought both His disciples, “and a large crowd” with Him.

The city is only known from this account, where Jesus raised a young man from the dead. His mother is famously known as “the widow of Nain.” Perhaps the most significant aspect of this notable miracle Jesus performed is the motivation behind it. We are told the young man was the only son of his widowed mother, and “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her” (13). Continue reading “The Widow of Nain” →

There are some important truths we must consider on the matter of judgment. This has been illustrated through the egregious false statements typically seen on the news following any issue of consequence. The truth does not matter, all that matters is how it can be spun to benefit “our party” or “our interests”.

Our Lord said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). It is important to adjudicate facts, not what we wish to be so. It is important that we be fair. Later in the same chapter, Nicodemus counseled the same basic thing with regard to the judgment they sought against Jesus Himself, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” (51).

Let’s do that now. Was Jesus what men claimed about Him? Concerning those who witnessed Jesus, we are told that some said, “He is good”, while others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people” (John 7:12). After Jesus protested His innocence among them some said, “You have a demon” (7:20). Some who were more impressed with Jesus said, “Truly this is the Prophet” (7:40). Continue reading “What About This Jesus?” →

The triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem is so called because of the response of the people to Him.  This response is written by Mark in 11:9-10.

“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David
That comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!”

The event is chronicled in all four gospels—Matthew 21; Mark 11; Luke 19; John 12. The word Hosanna in the text above is a transliteration from the Hebrew into the  English translations, and is an expression of adoration with which the Jews were familiar.  The basic sentiment was an expression seeking to bring well being and victory to Jesus as the Messiah of the Jews.  A literal definition from the Hebrew would be something like — oh save! Continue reading “Hosanna!” →

A discussion of the Two Tabernacles and the ordinances of divine service mentioned in Hebrews 9.

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An examination of Paul’s wonderful sermon preaching on Mars Hill in Acts 17.

Audio

YouTube Video of Sermon

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4).

The Word references the Son of God. One of three in the beginning, with the Father and the Holy Spirit. John here affirms the place God’s Son had in creation. As He and the Father are One, God’s Son can truly and fully be referred to as the Creator of all things. He is described as “the light of men” (5).

After the first 5 verses, there is an ellipsis dealing the John the Baptist. John was the one who came to “bear witness of the Light” (6). Notice the word “Light” here is capitalized, emphasizing our point that the “light” is another designation for the “Word”, signifying God’s Son. Hence the capitalized word indicating deity. John the Baptist is not God’s Son. He is the forerunner of the “Light.” “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”  For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight.’ ” (Matthew 3:1-3). Continue reading “The Incarnate Word” →

Most of Acts chapter 2 contains Peter’s gospel sermon. It was at this time God kept His promise to establish the Messianic kingdom, and was the first time the declaration of the ratified gospel of Jesus was preached.

As such it is a significant event and significant message. In examining the first part of the lesson, we note first of all the gospel is proclaimed to be heeded by men (cf. Romans 1:16; 10:17). While some were wrongly thinking that these men who were preaching in tongues were drunk (cf. vs. 13), Peter revealed what was actually in play.

Their baptism in the Holy Spirit and the signs accompanying this event was prophesied in the Old Testament, and Peter brings their minds to this passage (cf. Joel 2). Not only was this a sign that the apostle’s words were to be obeyed, but it also was an indication that God’s ultimate blessing to all men had come. “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (vs. 21).

The text of Mark 10:32-34 states the beginning of the final stage of Jesus’s life as he began his journey to Jerusalem where he would be crucified.

“Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;  and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again’”

As Jesus had already spoken to them twice about His eventual death, no doubt his determination to go directly to the source of his opposition (Jerusalem) was both amazing (“they were amazed”) and troubling (“they were afraid”) to His disciples. For a third time Jesus declares His impending death, this time to the twelve as He took them aside. Continue reading “Jesus Predicts His Death” →

In Acts 8, a eunuch from Ethiopia was traveling a road from Jerusalem back to his home. He was reading from the prophet Isaiah, specifically the beginning of chapter 53 when he met the evangelist Philip. When the eunuch asked Philip, “of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”, Philip correctly answered that the prophecy was about Jesus Christ (Acts 8:34-35).

In truth, there is much said about the Christ in Isaiah’s book of prophecy.  The interesting thing about chapter 53 is that it pictures a Messiah that the Jew of Jesus’ time would have a hard time accepting.  Let’s explain:

“For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2). Continue reading “The Rejected Savior of Mankind” →