L I F E B I B L E S T U D Y

TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction ...................................................................................................................................................................6

Lesson 1 : Jesus is the Fullfillment ..........................................................................................................................7

Lesson 2 : Jesus is the Son of God ........................................................................................................................14

Lesson 3 : Jesus is Fully Human ............................................................................................................................20

Lesson 4 : Jesus is the Messiah...............................................................................................................................26

Lesson 5 : Jesus is God ............................................................................................................................................34

Lesson 6 : Jesus is Savior.........................................................................................................................................41

How to Use This Book . . .

This study has been designed to help you prepare for a group Bible study experience, to use during a group Bible study experience, or as an individual Bible study guide. To get the most from this study, consider the following suggestions:

Gather your favorite Bible, a pen or pencil, and a highlighter before you begin. As you study the commentary, 1. stop and read the assigned passage first. You will have the opportunity to dig deeper into some of the verses at the end of each section.

Use the commentary and sidebars to guide your personal Bible study. You may want to keep a Bible atlas or 2. map handy to help you locate the places that are key to your understanding of each passage.

Continue your Bible study during the week using the devotional passages and journaling assignments. Allow 3. God this time to transform you through your study and your time with Him.

Take your book along to your small group study. The worksheets and other handouts will be helpful to you 4. during your study time.

Be prepared to consider, examine, and evaluate God’s Word as you move through this study. Our prayer is that this study will give you the opportunity to better understand who Jesus is by examining how He chose to reveal Himself to us.

STATEMENTS OF FAITHAs Christians, there are some essential truths we believe. We discover these truths in the Bible. At Student Life,we have identified eight truths we believe are essentialfor every Christian to know and understand. These statements give descriptions of those biblical truths and have been developed to help you talk about your faith. They will help you know what you believe.

GOD IS

Only one true and living God exists. He is the Creator of the universe, eternally existing in three Persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each equally deserving of humanity’s worship and obedience. He is infinite and perfect in all His attributes.

THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD The Bible is God’s written revelation to people, divinely given through human authors who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is entirely true. The Bible is totally sufficient and completely authoritative for matters of life and faith. The goal of God’s Word is the restoration of humanity into His image.

PEOPLE ARE GOD’S TREASUREGod created people in His image for His glory. They are the crowning work of His creation. Yet every person has willfully disobeyed God—an act known as sin—thus inheriting both physical and spiritual death and theneed for salvation. All human beings are born with a sin-nature and into an environment inclined toward sin. Only by the grace of God through Jesus Christ can they experience salvation.

JESUS IS GOD AND SAVIORJesus is both fully God and fully human. He is Christ,the Son of God. Born of a virgin, He lived a sinless life and performed many miracles. He died on the cross to provide people forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation. Jesus rose from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return in power and glory.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD AND EMPOWERER The Holy Spirit is supernatural and sovereign, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ. He lives within all Christians beginning at the moment of salvation and then empowers them for bold witness and effective service as they yield to Him. The Holy Spirit convicts individualsof sin, uses God’s Word to mature believers into Christ-likeness, and secures them until Christ returns.

SALVATION IS BY FAITH ALONEAll human beings are born with a sin nature, separated from God, and in need of a Savior. That salvation comes only through a faith relationship with Jesus Christ, the Savior, as a person repents of sin and receives Christ’s forgiveness and eternal life. Salvation is instantaneous and accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. This salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus Christ and not on the basis of human works. All the redeemed are secure in Christ forever.

THE CHURCH IS GOD’S PLAN The Holy Spirit immediately places all people who put their faith in Jesus Christ into one united spiritual body, the Church, of which Christ is the head. The primary expression of the Church on earth is in autonomous local congregations of baptized believers. The purpose of the Church is to glorify God by taking the gospel to the entire world and by building its members up in Christ-likeness through the instruction of God’s Word, fellowship, service, worship, and prayer.

THE FUTURE IS IN GOD’S HANDSGod will bring the world to its appropriate end in His own time and in His own way. At that time, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth. Both the saved and unsaved will be resurrected physically to be judged by Christ. Those who have trusted Christ will receive their reward and dwell forever in heaven with the Lord. Those who have refused Christ will spend eternity in hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The certain return of Christ motivates believers to be faithful in their daily lives.

Jesus: Image of the Invisible — Revealing Who Jesus Really Is

We hear Jesus’ name from celebrities, politicians, athletes, and everyday people, but do we really know who He is? Few people in history have been so thoroughly discussed yet so misunderstood. This study will take a look at how Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples and how He continues to reveal Himself in our lives. From this study, you will gain a deeper understanding of a key truth about Christ: Because Jesus is both fully human and fully God, He is the One we can trust as our Savior and our Lord. Jesus is the Image of the Invisible God.

This study will focus on six events that reveal Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and Savior of the world. As you study these lessons, consider what Jesus revealed about Himself in each passage:

• Jesus is the Fulfillment: Jesus declared that He came to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies about a coming Messiah. In His obedience to the Law, Jesus showed the timeless relevance of the Old Testament. Why would Jesus not abolish the Law? What did the Old Testament promise that Jesus fulfilled? (Matt. 5:17–20)

• Jesus is the Son of God: Jesus’ baptism announced His relationship with God. As God identified Jesus as His Son, Jesus was differentiated from other prophets. Why was it important that Jesus get baptized? What does His baptism mean to believers today? (Matt. 3:13–17; John 1:29–34)

• Jesus is Fully Human: Since Jesus is fully human, He had to face temptation. In confronting Satan in the wilderness, Jesus relied on His knowledge of Scripture. Why was it important that Jesus deal with temptation? What role does Scripture have in overcoming our temptations? (Luke 4:1–13; Heb. 4:15)

• Jesus is the Messiah: Throughout His ministry, Jesus performed miracles and signs that demonstrated His deity. In His first miracle, Jesus revealed the true nature of His identity and taught His followers that He was indeed the Messiah. Why were the people looking for a Messiah? What role does the Messiah have in our lives? ( John 2:1–11)

• Jesus is God: For fishermen, storms brought some of the most dreaded natural threats. Not only did they pose a threat to one’s livelihood, but they also threatened one’s personal well-being. In calming the storm, Jesus showed His power over nature—power that belongs solely to God. What was the effect of Jesus’ calming the storm? How can we trust Him to calm the storms in our lives? (Mark 4:35–41)

• Jesus is Savior: The concept of being born again has troubled people since the time of Jesus. Though well trained in the Scriptures, Nicodemus misunderstood the significance of spiritual rebirth through Jesus Christ, the Savior. Why was it necessary that he be born again? Is there any other way to obtain eternal life? What role do we have in telling others? ( John 3:1–21)

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Jesus is the Fulfillment Biblical Passage: Matthew 5:17–20Supporting Passages: Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 52:13–53:12; Luke 24:27; John 5:39Memory Verse: Matthew 5:17Biblical Truth: Believers can have confidence in the promises of Scripture and assurance of salvation because Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament.

Consider . . .

What does the Old Testament mean to you? A book of laws that does not fit in today’s world? A story book of violence and killing? A tale of sin and idol worship? Do you think the God of the Old Testament is consistent with the God of the New Testament? Many times, we tend to focus on the New Testament rather than the Old Testament because the New Testament focuses on Christ’s love for us. Yet Christ is a part of the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.

When Jesus entered the world, Israel was occupied by the Roman Empire. Herod was appointed first as tetrarch of Galilee and later as king of Judea. Although Herod restored the Jewish Temple, he ruled Israel as a Roman servant. It was no wonder the Jewish citizens eagerly awaited the promised Messiah—a king who would conquer their enemies and establish a kingdom without end.

With their expectations firmly in place, the Jews did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus did not come to establish an earthly kingdom. Instead, the Kingdom of God is based on the spiritual relationship between God and humanity. Therefore, Jesus began His ministry by explaining to His disciples His relationship to the Law and the Prophets, the Scriptures that defined Jewish religious life. Jesus’ message was clear: He came as the fulfillment of Scripture.

Jesus’ Fulfillment (Matt. 5:17–18)

Roman rulers occupied Israel, enforced Roman law, extracted taxes from Israel to support the Roman government, and dealt viciously with anyone who chal-lenged Roman authority. At the same time, Jewish religious leaders continued to stress the importance of obeying every aspect of the Law. Although the Jewish people were overwhelmed by rules, Jesus announced He had not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them.

Jesus proclaimed that He would fulfill every detail of the Old Testament, even the smallest letter and the least stroke of the pen. He knew the Jews longed for the Messiah—a political king who would defeat their enemies and establish Israel as an inde-pendent nation that would never again be ruled by foreigners. They were not looking for the Suffering Servant who would pay the price for humanity’s sin.

But Jesus came to earth as Savior. He would fully obey the Law and fulfill all of the prophecies about the Messiah. By sending Jesus into the world, God proved His faithfulness to His Word and His love for sinful humanity.

The Law and the Prophets TheLawreferstothefirstfivebooksoftheOldTestament.TheLawexplainedGod’sexpectationsofIsraelandemphasizedtheholinessofGodandthesinfulnessofhumanity.TheProphetsrefertotheremainingbooksintheOldTesta-mentwhichforetoldthebirth,ministry,andpassionoftheMessiah.Throughthesewritings,GodrevealedHisplantosendtheMessiahintotheworld.TetrarchThetetrarchwasapoliticalrulerwithintheRomanEmpirewhohadresponsibilityforadesignatedareaorterritory.

Least stroke of a penTheGreekwordkeraiareferstoalittlehornorapex.IntheJewishculture,itwasthepartofaHebrewletterthatprotrudedfromtheletter,suchasthecrossingofa“t”inourEnglishalphabet.Itisknownasa“tittle.”

Reread verses 17–18. The Greek letter iota was used to write the letter yod, the smallest letter in Hebrew. Jesus explained that He would fulfill every little detail of God’s Word. Why was that important to the Jews? How does God’s past faithfulness help you trust Him today?

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Jesus’ Call to Righteousness (Matt. 5:19–20)

Jesus condemned the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and teachers of the Law for at least two reasons. First, some were members of the “Do as I Say, Not as I Do” club. They failed to obey the laws they taught to others. Second, they taught the Law as a list of things to do and not to do. They failed to communicate the heart of true righteous-ness. When a person is devoted to God, his or her actions reflect that love for God.

The Law was not intended to reduce humanity’s relation-ship with God to a specific set of actions. A person could not earn salvation by keeping the Law. Instead, the Law revealed God’s love for His people. A person who truly understood the Law would know that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.

Reread verses 19–20. The Pharisees taught through both word and deed. Jesus stated that the actions of the Pharisees were contradictory to their teachings. List Jesus’ specific charges here: ______________________

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What happened when their actions contradicted their teaching? ________________

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Do your actions accurately reflect your devotion to God? Why or why not?

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Are you trying to earn God’s favor by following the rules? Or by trusting Jesus?

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Because The Bible is God’s Word in its entirety, Jesus Christ is at the very center. He was involved even before the world was created. Yet, Jesus came not to replace the Scriptures, but to fulfill them. By fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament, Jesus Christ firmly demonstrated that He was and is our Messiah.

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Pharisees ThePhariseesfocusedonJewishlawsandtraditionswhiledistancingthemselvesfromworldlyorliberalindividuals.TheymadetheLawburdensomebyexpectingallJewstoadherelegalisticallytotheLawofMosesandhypocriticallylookingdownonthosewhofailedtokeepthesmallestdetailsoftheLaw.

SadduceesTheirnameintheGreekmeans“therighteous,”whichishowthisgroupofreligiousleaders,includingmostofthehighpriests,viewedthemselves.TheyrejectedJewishtradi-tions,acceptingonlyMosaicLawasScrip-ture.Thesemostlyupper-classcitizensoversawcommerceintheTempleandcollaboratedwiththerulinggovernment.

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Daily Bible Readings

Day 1 — How to LiveRead Matthew 5:1–2 and Matthew 7:28–29.

When Jesus taught, large crowds of people gathered to hear what He had to say. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus did more than explain the Old Testament; He taught His disciples how to live. He communicated the heart and soul of God’s Word instead of focusing their attention on a list of rules. As you journal below, consider: How much time do you spend listening to Jesus speak? How is the authority of God’s Word reflected in your life?

Pause to Pray: Thank God that His Word has the power to radically change your life. Ask God to create within you an unquenchable desire to spend time with Him each day.

Day 2 — A Promise KeptRead Matthew 5:17–18.

Jesus knew that He would challenge the Jews’ interpretation of the Law and their expectations concerning the Messiah. As He began His ministry, He promised that everything written in the Old Testament, down to the smallest detail, would be fulfilled in His life. As you journal below, consider: What value did Jesus place on the Old Testament? How does His statement challenge your beliefs about the Old Testament? How does God’s faithfulness to keep His promises affect your trust in Him?

Pause to Pray: Thank God that He can be trusted to keep His Word. Pray that God would give you the desire to faithfully obey His commands.

Day 3 — Nonverbal CommunicationRead Matthew 5:19.

Those who practice and teach God’s commands will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven, but those who break the commands and teach others to break them will be least in the Kingdom. All of us teach someone, both intentionally and unintentionally, both verbally and by example. Jesus stressed that we must live according to His commands and lead others

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to do the same. As you journal below, consider: What do my actions show others about my walk with God? Do I lead others to follow or break God’s commands?

Pause to Pray: Ask God to show you the people in your life who watch your Christian example. Pray that both your actions and your words will give evidence to your faith in God.

Day 4 — Only One SourceRead Matthew 5:20.

The Pharisees and teachers of the Law relied on their Jewish heritage and strict observance of the Law for salvation. But people have never been able to earn salvation; it has always been a gift from God (Eph. 2:8–9). A true understanding of the Old Testament reveals that salvation is found through Jesus Christ alone. The righteousness of Christ far exceeds any righteousness of our own. As you journal below, consider: Do you rely on your works or God’s grace for salvation?

Pause to Pray: Thank God that you do not have to act “good enough” to earn salvation. Read Psalm 42:1–2 and allow your soul to thirst for God.

Day 5 — Keeping It SimpleRead Matthew 22:34–40.

The Jewish religious leaders continued to challenge Jesus’ teaching throughout His ministry. In this instance, they effectively dared Jesus to pick the most important law. Jesus’ response was both simple and profound: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. . . . Love your neighbor as yourself.” All of the teachings of the Old Testament are built on these two commands. As you journal below, consider: What does it mean to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind? Do you consistently love others in the same way?

Pause to Pray: Pray that love for God will occupy your thoughts, your emotions, and your spirit throughout the day. Ask God for opportunities to share that love with others.

Lesson 1: Jesus is the Fulfillment Biblical Passage: Matthew 5:17–20Memory Verse: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to

abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17Table Talk Question: What will a study of the Old Testament do for my personal walk with the Lord?

JESUS IS THE FULFILLMENT

1. Jesus fulfilled every ___________ of the Old Testament (Matt. 5:17–18).

2. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament through ___________ that went beyond legalism (Matt. 5:19–20).

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

How do people today respond to the idea of righteousness? •Why are there so many negative connotations about a person being righteous? •How can we be in a right relationship with God? •What is Jesus’ role in that relationship?•

FOR FREE THOUGHT

“In the precepts of the law, God is but the rewarder of perfect righteousness, which all of us lack, and conversely, the severe judge of evil deeds. But in Christ his face shines, full of grace and gentleness, even upon us poor and unworthy sinners.” —John Calvin, Calvin’s Institutes

Answers: 1. intention; 2. righteousness.

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Law and Order

According to www.dumblaws.com, the following laws are still on the books in the United States:

• In Alabama, it is illegal to wear a fake mustache that causes laughter in church.• In California, no vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 miles per hour.• In Indiana, baths may not be taken between the months of October and March.• In Minnesota, a person may not cross state lines with a duck atop his/her head.• In Nebraska, it is illegal for bar owners to sell beer unless they are simultaneously brewing a kettle of soup.• In South Dakota, it is illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a cheese factory.• In Texas, an anticrime law requires criminals to give their victims 24 hours notice, either orally or in writing, and

to explain the nature of the crime to be committed.

The Bible also contains some laws that some deem outdated and unimportant:

• You may eat any animal that has a split hoof and chews cud (Lev. 11:3).• When you have a boil on your skin and it heals, and in the place where the boil was, a white swelling or

reddish-white spot appears, you must present yourself to the priest (Lev. 13:18).• To purify the house from mildew, the priest must take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop.

He must kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. Then he must take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn, and the live bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times (Lev. 14:49–51).

• You must not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard (Lev. 19:27).

Consider . . .

• Which do you think is the strangest law listed in the top section? Why do you think it was originally approved?

• Which is the strangest law listed in the bottom section? Why do you think it was originally instituted?

• If Scripture includes these laws, what do we do with them today?

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Legalist

Legalism is the strict (often too strict) obedience to a law, usually without heeding the reason for the law. Legalism can quickly become obedience without a commitment to the deeper principle that guided the original law. Legalism was one of the major conflicts between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. They believed that the only way to maintain a relationship with God was to strictly follow the laws found within the Old Testament. Jesus countered that they did not understand the purpose of the Law or how to maintain a relationship with God.

Consider your understanding of your relationship with God. Use the following to evaluate if you are moving into legalism:

If you treat your relationship with God like a ladder you have to climb by good works, you might be a legalist.•If you believe God loves you, but He does not like you very much, you might be a legalist.•If you judge your intimacy with God by how well you do in one or two key areas of your life, you might be a legalist.•If you try to use your obedience as leverage for the blessings of God, you might be a legalist.•If you take more pride in your own righteousness than in what Jesus has done for you, you might be a legalist.•If you say, “I’m sorry,” to God after sinning by doing good things, you might be a legalist.•If you consistently compare your obedience level to the obedience of others, you might be a legalist.•If you believe the depth of your spirituality is measured by the amount of highlighting in your Bible, you •might be a legalist.If you check off the number of prayers you pray each day, you might be a legalist.•

Consider . . .

• What other legalisms could you add to this list?

• Sometimes we do acts of righteousness for the wrong reason. For what wrong reasons might we perform such acts?

Jesus: Image of the Invisible

Voices clamor to tell you who Jesus really was. Was He a prophet of love who welcomed all people, regardless of their lifestyles? Did He really claim to be God, or did a bunch of religious people come up with that later? Was He a rabble-rouser or a pacifist?

The truth is, the best historical information we have about Jesus are the records left by His followers. The first four books of the New Testament give eyewitness accounts about who Jesus said He was and how He demonstrated the truth about Himself.

Jesus revealed Himself as the fulfillment of Scripture. He demonstrated that He was the Son of God. Despite His divine identity, He also showed that He was fully human. He was the promised Messiah of the Jewish people. He is God. He sacrificed everything to show Himself to us as the Savior of humanity.

Who is Jesus really? That is what this study is all about.

This book will serve as your study guide for the next six weeks. Inside you will find material to help you with your personal Bible study along with suggestions to enrich your prayer life. You will also find Bible study activities designed to use during your small group study.

(To obtain access to the online Bible study plans for this study or to order more

copies of this book, visit our Web site: www.lifebiblestudy.com.)