Who Jesus Was

 

1.    Have you seen some of the recent predictions about cell phones?

2.    Instead of reaching for your wallet or purse, people may one day pay bills with their cell phones.

3.    This technology is not destined to be years and years away.

4.    Wave a cell phone over a scanner, and our purchase will be instantly paid for.

5.    Cell phone payments would go far beyond shopping at the local grocery store.

6.    It may be extended to parking meters, taxis, even the local ballpark.

 

IN THE 1950’S COULD ANYONE HAVE GUESSED THAT IN LESS THAN 60 YEARS ALMOST EVERYONE WOULD HAVE A CELL PHONE AND WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF WAVING ONE OF THESE SMALL DEVICES IN THE AIR TO PAY A WIDE VARIETY OF BILLS?

 

a)      Had we made such a prediction 20 years ago people would have laughed at us.

b)      If the history of man shows anything at all, it says life is very unpredictable.

c)      We literally do not know what is around the next corner.

 

2)      Yet, in spite of this indisputable fact, the Bible is filled with predictions we can examine.

3)      Specific claims were made, and time after time these claims have been fulfilled.

4)      We have already presented a basic overview of Jesus’ life based on the Old Testament.

a)      Prophecies about His coming and the end of His life have been studied.

b)      For a little while we want to concentrate on Jesus’ earthly life.

c)      There are several Old Testament prophecies that tell us what Jesus would be like and do.

 

5)      The New Testament writers regarded these as important because they mention the prophecies.

a)      For instance, we have the information recorded in Heb. 10:5-7.

b)      The writer speaks of someone who was interested and eager to do the will of God.

c)      He says this prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus – READ

 

6)      Here are some key points from this prophecy:  a “body was to be prepared.”

7)      We find the fulfillment of this in the incarnation; Jesus was born of a virgin. 

8)      He was God in the flesh (He needed a human body to carry out His work and that was provided).

9)      In verse 7 we find this person came to do the “will” of God.  This is a quotation from Ps. 40:6-8.

10)  This part of the text is also perfectly fulfilled in the life of Jesus.

a)      In Jn. 8:29 Jesus said He “always did” the will of the Father.

b)      What person can we name who can make this statement about any part of their life?

c)      Is there a person who never fails at something time after time after time.

 

11)  A person may say they “always” brush their teeth.  An exception to that might be a hospital stay.

12)  A person in a comma is not going to brush and floss.

13)  Another may say, “I always lock my doors.”  That usually means “almost always.”

14)  By “always” Jesus meant every single time He did the Father’s will.  There were no exceptions.

15)  If people had really looked at Jesus and knew their Old Testaments, Ps. 40 may have come to mind.

16)  Such a passage might have popped into the head because Jesus was always perfect.

17)  This was precisely what the Old Testament had prophesied.

18)  One is reminded of what Jesus said in Mt. 26:39:  not my will, but thine be done.

19)  Paul picked up on this same theme in Phil. 2:8; he said Jesus was “obedient even unto death.”

20)  Then he added, “death on a cross.”

21)  A person might be good and obedient in so many ways.

22)  A time comes when they say, “That is too much to ask.  I will not do that.”

23)  Jesus’ entire life was dedicated to doing the will of God.

24)  If this is all the Bible told us about Him, it would be an amazing fact.

25)  This is not the entire story.

 

26)  Another demonstration of how the Lord would be perfect is found in Ps. 45.

a)      Ps. 45:2 has this interesting statement:

b)      “Thou art fairer than the children of men:  grace is poured into thy lips.”

c)      This does not sound like a typical person.  Who could the writer have had in mind?

d)     The rest of the verse ends the speculation:  “God hath blessed thee for ever.”

e)      Maybe the writer had some ruler in mind and he was using a lot of hyperbole.

f)       Whether that is true or not, this is a perfect description of Jesus.     

g)      What the writer describes is someone who is eternal; a quality man does not have.

 

27)  Jesus being fairer than the children of men brings to mind Heb. 4:15 and Heb. 7:8.

a)      The writer of that book refers to Jesus as a “high priest” in Heb. 4:15.

b)      High priests should have been very good men.

c)      Among the Hebrews these men should have been great examples.

d)     As good as these men were, Heb. 7:8 reminds us of something.  They all had flaws.

e)      If we could line up all the Jewish high priests, all would have had some defects.

f)       That is still true today.  Suppose we could line up the top 20 Christians since the Day of Pentecost.

g)      Every one of those men or women would have been guilty of at least some sin.

h)      Human beings are not perfect, but Ps. 45 speaks of someone fairer than men.

i)        Jesus literally fits that description; Heb. 4:15 says He was without sin, though He was tempted.

j)        We see something else in that psalm.

 

28)  From the lips of Jesus “poured grace” (we see that in the gospels).

29)  For instance, in Jn. 7 we find Jesus teaching in the area of the temple.

a)      He was teaching right under the noses of His opponents, and His enemies didn’t like it.

b)      Those who hated Him wanted Him captured – Jn. 7:30 – READ

c)      Verse 44 says “no man” laid hands on Him, though there were those who wanted to take Him.

d)     When the officials realize Jesus was not captured, they got angry.

e)      They wanted to know why the soldiers had not arrested the Lord.  Verse 46 – READ

f)       Did grace pour from the lips of Jesus?  Yes.

g)      People were so amazed by what He said that soldiers did not arrest Him.

 

30)  Jesus came to live as a man, and He lived a perfect life.

31)  For that reason He was able to call Himself the “good shepherd” (Jn. 10:11).

a)      There are many “shepherd” statements in the Old Testament that look forward to Jesus.

b)      We know that shepherd imagery is scattered throughout the New Testament.

c)      Jesus is called the “chief shepherd” in 1 Pet. 5:4.

d)     We are told He came to “seek and save the lost” (Mt. 18:11).

e)      HE is called the “great shepherd of the sheep” (Heb. 13:20).

f)       In Jn. 10:9 He said, “I am the door” and He used the word “pasture.”

g)      His church is called a “flock” in Acts 20:28.

 

32)  Where did all this shepherd imagery come from?  Did the New Testament writers just make it up?

33)  Is all this information without some type of previous foundation?

34)  If we have never thought about this matter, let’s turn our minds back to the Old Testament.

35)  The shepherd language is rooted in the Old Testament; it is tied to Old Testament prophecy.

a)      All the shepherd language looked forward to someone who would be a perfect shepherd.

b)      Here are some of the keys texts relating to this part of Jesus’ work.

 

c)      The first shepherd passage comes from Isa. 40.

d)     Isa. 40:3 says, “prepare ye the way of the Lord.  Make level a highway for God.”

e)      This is a prophecy about Jesus and it sets the stage for other Messianic statements in this chapter.

36)  Verse 10 is familiar to us, and I want to read that text along with verse 11 – READ

37)  Given what is said in the first ten verses, Jesus is the promised shepherd in verse 11.

38)  As Peter, Matthew, and the Hebrew writer all said, Jesus is the “good shepherd.”

a)      Joseph was not a shepherd; Jesus could have grown up a carpenter (Mt. 13:55).

b)      He could have been a teacher as the Bible says He was, but not been a shepherd.

c)      Jesus became a shepherd just as the Old Testament foreshadowed.

 

39)  In previous lessons we have appealed to some information from Mic. 5.

a)      One of the best known passages in that book is Mic. 5:2.

b)      God’s prophet said Bethlehem was a small place.

c)      Yet, out of this tiny area would come forth a “ruler in Israel.”

d)     This ruler is said to be “from old,” from “everlasting” (i.e. a reference to Jesus).

 

40)  This passage is extremely helpful, but it is by no means all that is said about the Lord.

41)  This same person is still under consideration in verse 4 – READ

a)      One is struck by the words “His flock” (ASV).

b)      Jesus has His own flock; He is not a shepherd for someone else.

c)      Jesus is the shepherd for the people He bought with His blood, Acts 20:28.

 

42)  Jesus once told a parable about a man who had 100 sheep; one sheep got lost.

43)  The 99 sheep that were not lost were penned up and that man went out to search for the one lost soul.

44)  That is an excellent description of Jesus and His being a shepherd.

45)  There is not a single person in the church who is unimportant to the Christ.

a)      If we become a Christian, Jesus, the creator of all things is personally interested in us.

b)      We do not need to be famous, have a lot of money, or live in a certain country to get His attention.

c)      Micah expressed Jesus’ close interest and association with the flock in 4a.

d)     He said Jesus would “stand and feed” the flock.

e)      The Lord cares for His church and He watches over it.  He is personally involved.

f)       Jesus has been doing this for a very long time.

 

46)  He began the process many years ago by “giving gifts unto men” (Eph. 4:8).

47)  He gave supernatural gifts to the church so Christians could know and do what is right.

48)  He ensured the “faith was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3) so we have all we need.

49)  Peter said (2 Pet. 1:3) that He has given to us “all things that pertain to life and godliness.”

50)  Paul said (2 Tim. 3:16-17) we have been equipped for “every good work.”

51)  Who has done all these things?  Jesus the good shepherd.

52)  From time to time we read the 23^rd Psalm.

a)      Maybe we have memorized the six verses in that Psalm, or we can quote a few of the lines.

b)      Have we ever read this Psalm from the perspective of Jesus being the good shepherd?

c)      Jesus is my shepherd; I shall not want.

d)     Jesus maketh me to lie down in green pastures; Jesus leadeth me beside still waters.

e)      Jesus restoreth my soul: Jesus guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

 

53)    Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Jesus is with me; His rod and his staff, comfort me.

54)  He preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies

55)  He hast anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over.

 

56)  Jesus loves His sheep and welcomes all to be one of His children.

57)  Zechariah (13:7) said Jesus would be a “smitten shepherd.”  This was a prophecy.

58)  The prophet said something else:  the sheep would “scatter.”  This also happened.

59)  Jesus was not smitten because He was careless; He gave Himself so He could be a perfect shepherd.

60)  A big part of Jesus’ life and mission was being a shepherd, and this is what He still does today.

61)  The prophecies about Him have indeed come true.

62)  Are we one of His sheep?  Do we know the shepherd?