What is God like?

god the son, jesus christ: loving redeemer & perfect savior

HOMEWORK DUE TODAY:

  • Read Chapter 3-4 from KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE and complete workbook questions.

Everything about Christianity is determined by the person and work of Jesus Christ.

In His Own Words...

"I and the Father are one." 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" 33 The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." John 10:30-33

The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God." John 19:7

But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God." 64 Jesus *said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN." 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; 66 what do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death!" Matthew 26:63-66

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." 57 So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. John 8:56-59

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-4,14

In the Words of Paul...

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11

He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him [Jesus] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. Colossians 1:15-20

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION (FROM “KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE" Ch 3 & 4)

Ch 3: Jesus Christ

1. List and explain four ways in which Jesus proved he is fully God. (p 55-58)

2. How do we know that Jesus was also fully human? (p 58-60)

3. Why does it matter that Jesus was fully human? (p 60-64)

4. What are three reasons Jesus had to live a perfect life? (p 65-66)

5. How can you know the resurrection is fact, not fiction? (p 66-68)

6. What difference does the resurrection make to you? (p 69-70)

7. Now that Jesus has ascended to heaven, what roles does he assume?

8. How often do you take advantage of your "free and confident access into the presence of God?" Do you need to make some changes? How will you do it?

9. Assume you have a non-Christian friend who asks you, "Who is Jesus? Why should I believe in him?" How would you respond, based on the information in this chapter?

Ch 4: Jesus Christ's Death

Theme: The cross of Christ has been called the central fact of Christianity.

1. When the cross of Jesus Christ is called "the central fact of human history," what does that mean?

2. Why is Christ's death also the central fact of Christianity?

3. How did Christ's death fulfill the Old Testament sacrificial system?

4. How do the terms listed below describe Christ's death on the cross?

atonement ransom reconciliation substitution appeasement

5. Explain one of the theories that people have used throughout history to minimize the importance of Christ's death on the cross.

6. How would you answer a friend who asked you, "Why was the cross necessary? Why couldn't God just forgive?"

7. How would you answer a friend who asked you, "How could one person die to save the whole world?"

8. "The gospel is not Christ 'plus' something, as good as that something may be." What does that statement mean?

9. What does Christ's death mean to you?

For Further Study:

for next week:

1. ASAP go take the Class Reflection Survey.

2. Complete WEEK 6 course work.