Who is Jesus Christ?

Acts 5:42 - And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the center of the entire Bible

The “success” of the early church can be summed up in these words.  Their success was not based on programs, plans, or promotions.  They simply taught and preached Jesus Christ.

Peter preached Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost and 3,000 souls were saved.

Peter and John preached Jesus Christ in Acts 3 when the lame man was healed.

Acts 4 when the early church was commanded to not speak in the name of Christ, they continued preaching and teaching Jesus Christ, who he is and what he has come to do.

Acts 5 – When the Ananias and Sapphira died because they wanted the pre-eminence, the early church continued to preach and teach Jesus Christ.

Peter and John preached Jesus Christ when they were persecuted.

All the church continued in one accord, preaching and teaching Jesus Christ.

Paul taught Jesus Christ, proving from the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Many today might major on some doctrines, but the doctrine of Christ is, by far, the most important doctrine of all.  Rev. 2:4 – The doctrine of Christ is so important that if we lose our first love, we are in danger of ceasing to be a church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Many might deny that Jesus every existed, but they are all liars.  Many might declare that the stories about Jesus have grown, as they are told and retold. They are all liars. The Bible declares who Jesus is and what he came to do.  The Bible is the word of God, and is absolutely true.

I.        He is the promised seed.

A.     Gen. 3:15 – “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

1.       Gen. 12:7 - as explained in Gal. 3:16 - the promise is to seed, not seeds.

II.     He is the Son of God, whose earthly body developed in the womb of Mary.

A.     Matt. 1:18 - Born of a virgin, which was prophesied.

1.       Matt. 1:23 - “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

2.       Phil. 2:6-8 - Jesus Christ was in the form of God, yet left all heaven and its glories to come to the earth and die for unworthy sinners.

B.     Jesus is the creator, who left all heaven and came to the earth as a part of his creation, his earthly body being formed in the womb of one of the women he created.

1.       John 1:1-3 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  The same was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

2.       Verse 14 – “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

3.       Colossians 1:16 (and verses 12-16) reveals that Jesus Christ not only created everything, but also shed his blood that we might have redemption of sins.

4.       Our sins have separated us from God, not from people.  David said in Psalms 51:4, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned…”

C.     Jesus is the one who makes it possible for us to “get to” God.

1.       Eph. 2:11-22 – Use verse by verse – show how Christ made it possible for us to contact God.

2.       The resurrection from the dead reveals that Jesus is God.

a.      Acts 17:32 – Mars Hill – When Paul declared the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, others wanted to hear more, and some rebelled.

b.      Acts 26:24 – Festus declared that Paul was mad when he preached about the resurrection from the dead.

III.      He is the Son of God.  I am my father are one.  John 10:30  (To say that Jesus is the son of God is the same thing as saying he is God.)

A.     Jesus and God have many of the same characteristics.

1.       John 5:21 – Same attributes – “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.”

2.       John 5:23 – Same honor – “That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.”

3.       John 5:24 – Same life – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

4.       John 14:1 – Same belief – “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

5.       Luke 5:18-24 –  Same works – “And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. 19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? 23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.”