God's Love
for Us
Jesus Christ was with us from the very beginning. All things were created by him and for him. It was through him that all living things were shaped and formed. Col 1:16
The earth was filled with beauty, splendor and wonderful peace until Satan planted the seed of confusion in the heart and mind of mankind.
Satan led Eve to believe that the fruit from the tree of knowledge will give her wisdom. She ate the forbidden fruit and gave some to Adam who willingly shared in the transgression. As a result of their disobedience, God banished them out of the garden with a curse that brings pain, hard work, sweat, and disappointment. Genesis 3:19-23
Satan sought equality with God when he deceived the angels to wage a rebellion. With these angels at his command, he desired for a kingdom of his own, with a following of men who would knowingly disobey God's commands. Crafty as he is, Satan knew that no amount of animal sacrifices would stop men from sinning.
But God foreknew what Satan was up to. So great was God's love for us that He sent his only begotten Son to suffer and die as a perfect sacrifice for our redemption from the bondage of sin, and a promise of eternal life. John 3:16
Prophecies and Fulfillment
It is said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.
The coming of Jesus Christ to redeem us
from
the bondage of sin was not an afterthought. God revealed His plans of sending
a redeemer called the Messiah through the prophets. The prophecies
on the birth, death and resurrection of the Messiah were written in the Old
Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament.
The book of Matthew contains the most number of fulfilled prophecies than any other book in the New Testament. In the opening chapter of the book, Matthew traced the genealogy of Jesus back to Abraham to whom God made a covenant for the rise of a nation that will be blessed through him. Genesis 18:19
The place of birth was foretold. Micah 5:2
The place of birth was fulfilled. Matthew 2:1
The time of birth was foretold. Daniel 9:25
The time of birth was fulfilled. Luke 2:1
For your easier reference, the instances of the prophecies on the coming of Jesus Christ are listed below. Click each subject below to view the Old Testament prophecy and its fulfillment in the New Testament. Ponder upon these prophecies. Do not leave this page until you are convinced in heart and in your mind that Jesus is the Messiah.
| Seed of a Woman | ||
| Seed of Abraham | ||
| Seed of Isaac | ||
| Seed of Jacob | ||
| From the tribe of Judah | ||
| From the throne of David | ||
| Place of Birth | ||
| Time of Birth | ||
| Born of a Virgin | ||
| Flight into Egypt | ||
| Massacre of Infants |
The Birth of Jesus Christ
Joseph and Mary traveled a long lonely road from Nazareth to
Bethlehem. Weary and homeless,
they
looked for a resting place for the night as Mary was heavy with a child. There
was no room for them at the crowded inn so they had to endure with what was at
hand -- a rough shelter for the beasts and cattle. In a manger, Jesus was
born.
The time and place of birth of Jesus, the Messiah were foretold in the scriptures, but Jerusalem was not anxious to honor that day. They were not jubilant to receive the Messiah as their thoughts were preoccupied with other matters of the world. But the lowly shepherds, while keeping watch over their flock at night, received the good news from the angels. They marveled at the fulfillment of the story that has been told them, as they spread the news to everyone. Luke 2: 8 -12
On the eight day, Jesus was circumcised, and after performing the ritual of purification in accordance with the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord and offer a sacrifice. These rituals were all religiously observed in obedience to the law, as Jesus was under the Law. Luke 2:21-38
Three Magi from the east anxiously awaited the fulfillment of the great prophecy, having gotten the knowledge of the birth of the Messiah from Daniel, a prophet who was held captive in the kingdom of Babylon. Daniel 9:25 A star, foretold in the scriptures, guided them to the place where they finally saw Jesus, and they worshipped him, offering precious gifts of frankincense, gold and myrrh. Mt 2:1-12
The surrounding circumstances about the lowly birth of the Messiah now opens our eyes to the true nature of God's Kingdom. The unadorned, makeshift dwelling place where Jesus was born portrays an image of his Kingdom, which is within our reach. Everyone is welcome -- whether rich or poor, of whatever race or color, and/or whatever social status in life. We now learn that in order to fully embrace and appreciate the love of God for us, we must humble ourselves as demonstrated by the lowly shepherds and the wise men who came to worship him.
Childhood and Youth of Jesus
As a child, Jesus lived in a little mountain village where he helped Joseph, his earthly father in carpentry work. Jesus lived in a peasant's home among the wicked citizens of Nazareth, a place where folks would often ridicule because nothing good can come out of it. Jesus may have spent much time helping his father, Joseph and we can see that he was more popularly known as a "carpenter's son". Jesus set an example. He lived with the poor to tell us that it is only when we experience a feeling of poverty that we can demonstrate true humility. Matthew 13:55,56
The Ministry of Jesus
Jesus did not begin his ministry until after he was baptized by John the Baptist where God declared Jesus to be His begotten Son. Luke 3:21-22
In his entire ministry, Jesus talked about his Kingdom. He delivered sermons on how to enter his Kingdom. He performed miracles to build up our faith so we can enter his Kingdom He related parables to teach about what it is like in his Kingdom.
Sermon on the Mount
Jesus began his sermon on the mount by expressing how blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. In his Kingdom, those who mourn will be comforted, those who are meek will inherit the earth; those that hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled; blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy; the pure will see God; the peacemakers will be called the children of God; the persecuted for righteousness sake will share the kingdom of heaven; those who are persecuted will rejoice, for great is their reward in heaven. All of these joys will happen in his Kingdom. Luke 6:20-29
Miracles of Jesus
Miracles are events that were described in the scriptures as works of wonder. The miracles of Jesus, in controlling nature, casting out demons and healing the sick are manifestations of the power of God in him. These actual events that took place were written so that seekers of the truth will believe in him and build up their faith.
Read each miracle occurrence below and note the following:
Miracles are above the normal laws of nature
Miracles have instant consequences
Miracles are the results of unusual and spectacular power from God
Jesus performed miraculous signs so that we may believe that he is the Messiah, the son of God. John 20: 30-31.
Parables
Parables are stories narrated by Jesus to illustrate the nature of his
Kingdom. Relating anecdotes from ordinary daily living, he compares its
similarity to his Kingdom. At the end of the parable, he often leaves a
puzzling conclusion and a call to a firm decision which can only be understood
and obeyed by one who truly seeks his Kingdom with humbleness in his heart.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-24 is perhaps the most popularly narrated parable in the New Testament. As we look closely into this parable, we will dwell on two things: 1) Man's separation from God, and 2) Man's reconciliation with God; and study its practical applications into our lives today.
1. Man's separation from God
Man's separation from God is caused by self-will. When the younger brother demanded his share of the estate, (v 12) his arrogant behavior demonstrated an act of self-will. Normally in those days, a father would not divide the estate too early. In the parable however, the father grants the son's request anyway. The parable teaches that God allows us to go our own way even with the knowledge that the result of our disobedience is suffering. In this way, He can show mercy on us. Romans 11:32
Disobedience to our parents initiates our rebellion against God. To be disobedient to our parents is to be disobedient against the will of God. Ephesians 6:1| Colossians 3:20
By the time we reach the age of accountability, we start to disobey our parents because we are lured to a more carefree lifestyle, without having to submit to any form of authority, and without having to be responsible for our behavior. This act of self-will initiates our rebellion against God and thus, we are separated from God.
What is the consequence of our being separated from God?
a) We become slaves to sin (v13)
We learn from the parable that the prodigal son squandered his wealth in wild living. In v. 30 of the same chapter, we also learn that he spent his wealth with prostitutes.
b) We suffer both physically and spiritually.
In v. 14-15 of the parable, we can see that the prodigal son had absolutely nothing; he began to be in need, and he experienced hunger. He worked for a Gentile to feed swine. He lost his dignity and self-respect. He was a Jew after all, and for a Jew to work for a Gentile to feed swine brings great dishonor to himself and his family.
In our life today, a tragedy can be in a form of serious illness, bankruptcy, loss of earnings, mounting debts, broken family relationships, and a host of other sufferings. Just like the prodigal son, a sinner will be in need, will experience hunger, will do whatever it takes to survive, and finally, will lose his dignity and self-respect.
2) Man's reconciliation with God.
In v. 17-19 of the parable, we read that the prodigal son "came to his senses". Suddenly he realized that in his father's house even the hired hands had plenty of food to spare, and there he was , starving to death! After making a practical rationalization, he was resolved to go back and be reconciled with his father. He humbled himself and repented of his disobedience.
In the end, the prodigal son was restored to his family, regaining his dignity and self-respect; and where he will hunger no more.
His father's house mentioned in the parable is the Kingdom of God where there is joy, peace and contentment. Matthew 6:25,26
There are more parables below that can be viewed on the sidebar. Click the desired parable topic. Read each parable with a prayerful heart. In the scriptures Jesus engages you to a heart-to-heart conversation about the right attitude and perception of his Kingdom. He speaks about humility, repentance and forgiveness. He also foretells about his death, resurrection and second coming. Contemplate as you read the parables line by line, observing the things that Jesus wants you to know.
The Road to Emmaus
We will conclude this lesson by looking at an incident in the last
chapter of the book of Luke where on the day of the resurrection of Jesus, two
men on their way to Emmaus were talking about the things that happened on that
day.
Jesus came up and walked along with them and inquired what they were talking about. The two men, not knowing that they were talking to Jesus, related the story of the prophet Jesus of Nazareth, whom they hoped would redeem Israel.
At this point, Jesus seized the opportunity to explain that the man whom the prophets have spoken about had to suffer and then enter his glory. And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:27
Many people speak of receiving Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. They were led to believe that simply praying and accepting Jesus as their Savior would lead to their salvation. Yet there is no change in their lives, they continue to live in sin.
Do not be deceived by those who preach that simply believing in Jesus Christ will save you! Even Satan believes in Jesus Christ! The Gospel provides us with a solid foundation and faith leading to obedience of God's commands for your salvation. To believe and accept Jesus Christ as a savior without a solid foundation of what the scriptures speak of him, yields a weak faith and a shallow knowledge that is easily confused by every teaching of deceitful men for their selfish gains. Ephesians 4:14
The prophecies and their fulfillment, the wonderful miracles, the thought-provoking parables, and the ministry of Jesus were all laid out in the Bible so that by understanding the nature of Jesus and his Kingdom we may build up our faith with a firm foundation in our hearts and now believe that:
Jesus is the son of God
Jesus is the Messiah.
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