Introduction: (When we study the preaching of the early church it becomes obvious that Jesus was the central theme of their preaching. That is because Jesus is the central them of everything in Christianity. Every tenet of Christ s will is focused on him, whether it be daily living, worship, salvation, or any other issue. Since Christ is the obvious focal point of everything in our faith it is appropriate that we study Jesus from different perspectives. The scriptures present many different views of Jesus. Each view reveals many important truths about Christ and our relationship with him.)
1. Creator: Gen. 1:26 (The creation account confronts us with the fact that God was not alone at creation. He had others [Jesus and the Spirit] with him assisting him.)
A. Jesus Created: Col. 1:16-17 (This passage speaks of Jesus and how he created all things. By him all things consist.) Rev. 3:14 (This passage is misused by some to suggest Jesus was the first to be created. The term "beginning" actually means originator, so it says just the opposite. Jesus is creator, not created.)
B. The Significance: Isa. 45:9 (The significance of Jesus being co-creator with God is that he has all the power and authority worthy the creator. By presenting Jesus as creator, the scriptures show Jesus has the authority to tell you what to do, and he has the power to back it up.)
2. Promised Messiah: Deut. 18:15 (This and countless other passages prophesy from Old Testament times about the coming Messiah, Jesus. The prophesies are too many to number, but I have found at least between two and three hundred, all fulfilled in Jesus.)
A. Jesus Fulfilled: Acts 13:23-27 (Many places in the New Testament show how Jesus fulfilled the prophesies regarding the expected Christ. This one is interesting in that it lumps all the prophets together into one voice, unanimously anticipating the Messiah. Ironically, the Jews fulfilled these same prophesies they frequently read in killing Jesus.)
B. The Significance: 2 Pet. 1:19 (Peter represents this unanimous prophetic voice as being sure in its testimony about Jesus. By presenting Jesus as promised Messiah, the scriptures show God s promises are sure and Jesus is not a myth.)
3. Crucified Savior: Rom. 6:23 (The fact that sin incurs the penalty of death demands that this penalty be paid in order for sin to be reckoned with.)
A. Jesus Was Crucified: Jn. 19:16-30 (The scriptures give four chilling accounts of Christ s death on the cross. Each account reveals terrible treatment of an innocent man. But Jesus was more than just an innocent man, he was the creator of the universe! He could have easily stopped the ill treatment, but he chose to suffer it.)
B. The Significance: Jn. 15:13-14 (When Jesus died on the cross, it was creator dying for the unworthy human creation. By portraying Jesus as crucified Savior, the scriptures show Jesus love for us in that he died for us so we could be elevated to the level of friend.)
4. Resurrected Christ: Jn. 20:1-8 (Three days after his death they found the tomb of Jesus empty. There is consistent report from eyewitnesses the tomb was empty and many saw Jesus alive after his resurrection. At the same time, there is no contemporary testimony that reports seeing the body in the tomb.)
A. Jesus Was Resurrected: Acts 2:32-33 (The apostles preached the resurrection as a fact. Non could ever successfully demonstrate the doctrine was wrong. None could ever show an occupied tomb or discredit the hundreds of witnesses.)
B. The Significance: Rom. 6:9-13 (The power behind the resurrection empowers us to live a new life, not enslaved to sin.) Rom. 8:11 (The same power that brought Jesus out of the grave will some day resurrect the faithful, glorified and immortal. Because the scriptures represent Jesus as resurrected Christ we have the hope of a better life here on earth and eternal life with God in heaven.)
5. Lawgiver: Gen. 49:10, Isa. 33:22 (The prophesy that the kings would be of the tribe of Judah also pointed to the fact that the Messiah/King would come from Judah. Though Judah was a physical fulfillment to this prophesy, Christ the Lord is an eternal and spiritual fulfillment to the same principle.)
A. Jesus Is Our Lawgiver: Jas. 4:12 (Today, Jesus is our lawgiver. He passed down his will to man and we must obey him.)
B. The Significance: Jas. 2:12 (This fact reminds us we must obey the will of Christ because that same law will be the standard by which we are judged.)
6. Returning Judge: Jn. 5:22-23, 2 Thes. 1:7-10 (God has appointed Christ to judge the world. He is coming back some day to judge all of humanity.)
A. Christ Will Judge You: Rom. 14:10 (You and all others must appear before Christ in judgment.)
B. The Significance: Acts 17:30-31 (The fact Christ will judge us calls upon each of us to repent from sin and turn to him. By representing Jesus as a returning judge, the scriptures show you are accountable for your actions and compel you to submit your life to him.)
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