OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE



OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE

New Testament Life of Christ -- Session #4

Hand out cards -- please write down your questions for next time!

There are 66 books in the Bible -- 27 in the New Testament and 39 in the Old Testament.

Look at the "summary page" of the New Testament -- HANDOUT

This is how the New Testament is put together:

• 4 gospels (3 synoptic -- talk about common things -- Matthew, Mark, Luke --

John is "different" -- written from a different point of view)

• 1 history book -- Acts

• 21 letters -- 13 are from Paul (titles are who they are written to); 8 others who they are from

• 1 book of prophecy -- Revelation

The books are not "in order" -- most think Galatians was written first. They do generally move from the longer books to the shorter books (with the exception of Revelation).

SEE TABLE OF CONTENTS?

Look at the "comparison" sheet of the 4 gospels: -- HANDOUT

• Matthew, Mark and Luke (the "synoptic gospels" -- means "in common or "same point of view") have common miracles, teachings, threads, etc. but were written by different people for different reasons and from different viewpoints

• Matthew was a Jewish tax collector, and thinks "topical" rather than chronological

• Mark was a missionary, wrote to Gentiles, and arranges chronologically

• Luke was a physician, very logical and detail-oriented and chronological

• John was a fisherman, whose focus was topical.

How does John differ from the "synoptic" gospels?

John focuses on the DEITY of Christ

Synoptic gospels focus on the HUMANITY of Christ

John focuses on the Judean ministry of Jesus (south) -- SHOW MAP IN OPEN BIBLE

Synoptic gospels focus on the Galilean ministry of Jesus (north)

Matt. 1:1ff. and Luke 3:23ff.

Geneology and lineages of Jesus (the line of promise).

Matthew traces the lineage of JOSEPH, starting with Abraham (line of promise).

Luke traces the lineage of MARY, starting at Mary and working back to Adam.

As a Hebrew writing for Hebrews Matthew begins his genealogy with Abraham and descends to Jesus.

As a Gentile writing for Gentiles, Luke begins his genealogy with Jesus the Son of God and ascends to Adam, the father of all men.

Look mainly at Luke -- chronological account; written for non-Jews; gives explanations

Luke 1:1-4 -- Luke, a physician, researched these things -- historically accurate; vs. 4 - certainty

Luke 1:26-33 -- shows the line of DAVID and the tribe of JUDAH.

Verse 33 says that the reign of Jesus will never, ever end.

As Isaiah 7:14 (p. 669) said, "a VIRGIN shall conceive".

Matt. 1:22-23 -- EMMANUEL, GOD WITH US.

Micah 5:2 (p. 902) --

Luke 2:4 -- Jesus was born in BETHLEHEM, the town of DAVID.

Would be the "Offspring of a Woman" (Gen. 3:15; Gal. 4:4)

Promised Offspring of Abraham (Gen. 18:18; Matt. 1:1)

Promised Offspring of Isaac (Gen. 17:19; Matt. 1:2)

Promised Offspring of Jacob (Num. 24:17; Matt. 1:2)

Will descend from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10; Matt. 1:2-3)

The Heir to the Throne of David (Isa 9:7; Matt. 1:1)

Born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14; Mt. 1:18)

Place of Birth (Micah 5:2; Mt. 2:1)

John 7:41-42 -- "Others said, 'He is the Christ.' Still others asked, 'How can the Christ come from Galilee? Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?"

His birth divides history -- B.C. and A.D. "in the year of our Lord"

Luke 2:25-35

We meet Simeon, who had studied the Old Testament scriptures, and had been promised by God that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.

Also, we see that Messiah is for both Jew and Gentile. (Isaiah said that Messiah would be "a light to the nations".)

Even though it came through a Jewish line, the promise would benefit all mankind.

At the same time, it says (v. 34) that Jesus would cause some problems, so that (v. 35) the thoughts of people's hearts would be exposed!

People will need to make a decision about Him; not remain neutral.

From the time Jesus is 8 days old until the time he's 12 YEARS old, there is no account of Jesus' life.

Mary and Joseph had to flee from Bethlehem to Egypt, then Nazareth because of the Wise Men story where Herod kills all the baby boys age 2 and under.

Luke 2:41-50 -- stop after verse 41 -- Where did Passover come from?

They were celebrating PASSOVER at Jerusalem. A day's walk outside of Jerusalem, they miss Jesus and return to find Jesus debating the rabbis in the temple. Here we see Jesus' relationship with His HEAVENLY father, versus His earthly parents.

Then there's another jump from age 12 to age 30.

Luke 3 -- DON'T READ

John the Baptist (Baptizer), Jesus' cousin (Elizabeth's son) is the "greatest" prophet to date, who heralds the coming of the Messiah.

Luke 3:21-22

Story of Jesus' baptism -- "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." -- Here we have one of the best "pictures" of the Trinity -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Refer back to Genesis, "Let US make man in OUR image...") The idea of "multiplicity" within a singular nature.

SEE HANDOUT: Life of Christ

Left side of page -- predictions concerning Jesus.

(There are 333 prophecies that Jesus is going to fulfill during his life, death, resurrection,

Ascension, etc.)

(30 are fulfilled just on the day He dies)

Someone has figured out the statistical probability of that happening -- if you put an X on

one quarter, and filled the state of Texas with stacks of 7 quarters each, the

the likelihood of a helicopter landing and finding that one quarter matches the odds

of one man fulfilling all those prophecies as Jesus did.

Jesus' baptism announces His public ministry.

Now He goes to choose His 12 disciples -- (Luke 5) "I will make you fishers of men..."

Refer to sheet that breaks down the life of Jesus into teachings, miracles and parables.

Let's look at some episodes from the life of Christ; turn to the Gospel of John

John 3:1-16

The account of Nicodemus (a Pharisee -- one of the three groups of the Pharisees, the Herodians and the Sadducees, who each had their own fine tuned interpretation of what's most important in the law...).

Jesus says "you must be born again" -- he also "goes after Nicodemus' heart!" -- even the very good men of Jesus' day were not "good enough" -- it's a HEART issue.

Also, he refers to the "snake Moses lifted up in the wilderness" and shows what that event was pointing to -- Him!

You "look up" at the one who has been provided to save you!

John 4:1-4 -- Jesus talks with a Samaritan woman

The story of Jesus' encounter with the SAMARITAN "woman at the well" (review the Judean Jews hatred of the half-breed Samaritans.

vs. 4 -- view map; yet Jesus "had to go through Samaria" -- not a geographical necessity; a people necessity

Reminder that God knows where we are!

John 4:5-9

reminder of the hatred

John 4:10-19

vs. 19 -- brilliant deduction!

John 4:20-24

(Review Jeroboam's setting up of the "northern" mountain places of idol worship.)

vs. 22 - Jesus says that the "line of promise" is a pure Jewish line.

He also says that WHERE you worship isn't important -- it's an issue of the HEART!

God is a SPIRIT and He must be worshipped in spirit and in truth.

John 4:25-26

The power of Jesus' words to her: "I AM the One you've been looking for."

(ask group) What does this teach us about Jesus?

He cares about individuals -- he shows the value of one (that's why He went TO (not just

THROUGH) Samaria. She needs to know the Savior of the world!

He cares about those the world would tend to cast aside (a prostitute)

He knows us inside and out.

He confronts us with Who He is and Who we are.

Many other examples: Zacchaeus, blind man named Bartimaeus, bleeding woman who touched His garment, -- over and over Jesus approaches INDIVIDUALS and shows His interest in them.

John 5:17-24

Jesus claims equality with God

Focus on verse 24 -- when I look up in belief to Jesus (like the bronze serpent), I pass RIGHT THEN from death into life!

I don't have to die before I can experience freedom!

I can know my eternal destiny; NOT because I'm a good person or anything else but through faith.

John 8:54-59

Jesus uses very severe language with the Pharisees, and claims to have seen Abraham -- "Before Abraham was, I AM." [Note the reference to Yahweh - I AM - as to Moses.]

To the Pharisees, this was blasphemy! That's why they wanted to stone Him.

Other I AM sayings of Jesus: SEE HANDOUT

• the way, the truth and the life

• the vine

• the bread of life

• the light of the world

• the resurrection and the life

• the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end

• the good shepherd

John 10:27-30

What a comfort to have the assurance that nothing can "snatch" us out of God's hand once we've entered relationship with Him! (i.e. when we fear death, or the death of a loved one) We are "double clutched" by the hand of Jesus, and in turn by the hand of the Father.

Miracles -- SEE HANDOUT

• He walks on water

• He feeds 5,000

• He heals diseases

• He cures the blind and lame

• He raises people from the dead

Parables -- SEE HANDOUT

A PARABLE example:

Mark 4:1-9 -- Parable of the Sower -- differing responses to the message

After his three year ministry of teaching and miracles, Jesus' life culminates in the cross.

Jesus' PASSION week -- follows his 3-year ministry. He goes to Jerusalem. Four fifths of the gospels' material deals with non-passion events. One fifth of the gospels deal with PASSION week alone -- it must be very important!

Luke 19:41-44

Jesus gets the donkey to ride into Jerusalem -- His triumphant entry to Jerusalem.

Then, he WEEPS over Jerusalem, because they don't recognize Him as Messiah, and because He looks ahead and sees the destruction of Jerusalem, when one stone will not be left upon another. [This will happen in 72 A.D., when Titus comes in and wipes out the Temple. Today, all that's left is the "wailing wall" or "Western wall" which was a sort of supporting wall or buttress for the temple (not part of the temple itself).]

It HURTS Jesus when people reject Him!

Of course, the first people who believe in Jesus are Jewish people. Jesus' weeping was over the masses who won't. Jesus is willing to die for those who had totally rejected Him!

He asks the disciples to prepare the "last supper." [Maundy (or "command") Thursday or Holy Thursday].

Jesus knows He's going to die, so He goes to Gethsemene where He prays an agonizing prayer of struggle. We see the HUMANNESS of Jesus here. He perspires drops of blood over it, but yields His will to the Father.

Jesus gets criss-crossed between Pilate and Herod and Pilate again. Finally Pilate "washes his hands" of Jesus, bows to the will of the mob and has Jesus crucified.

Matt. 27:45-51

Jesus' words on the cross.....

Why would Jesus say "why have You forsaken me?" -- God is holy, and cannot look upon iniquity and sin. For that second, God the Father turns His back on the SCAPEGOAT that bears the sin of the people [cross-reference back to Old Testament scapegoat].

When Jesus was sweating blood in Gethsemene, He wasn't thinking about nails in His hands, He was thinking about the separation from God!

Is that love or what!

Later, in the epistles, we read: "He made Him who know no sin to be sin for us that we might be the righteousness of God in Him"

The foot-thick curtain, 40 feet high, separating the people from the "Holy of Holies" is torn from top to bottom.

Now we can go DIRECTLY to the throne of God! The death of Jesus has phenomenal impact -- we have access to the Holy of Holies!

Jesus dies on Good Friday, and all the disciples are distraught. Then comes Easter morning!

Matt. 28:6 -- He is not here! He is risen!

"One Solitary Life"

An anonymous poet expresses the significance of Jesus' person and life:

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman.

He grew up in still another village where he worked until he was thirty.

Then for three years he was an itinerant preacher.

He never wrote a book. He never held an office.

He never had a family or owned a home. He didn't go to college.

He never travelled more than 200 miles from the place he was born.

He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness.

He had no credentials but himself; he was only 33 when public opinion turned against him.

His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial.

He was nailed to the cross between two thieves.

While he was dying his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth.

When he was dead he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen centuries have come and gone and today he is the central figure of the human race, the leader of mankind's progress.

All that armies that ever marched,

All the navies that ever sailed,

All the parliaments that ever sat,

All the kings that ever reigned,

Put together, have not affected the life of man on earth

As much as that One Solitary Life.

TB: Set a date for next time:

Thursday night? Sunday, Nov. 6th? Keep it for Friday night?

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