SEARCH for STUDENTS: Unit 02 – Who Is Jesus?
- INTRODUCTION
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Prophecy — Fulfillment
Isaiah 9:6-7 — Matthew 1:16
Isaiah 7:14 — Matthew 1:18-25
Micah 5:2 — Matthew 2:1
Prophecy Yet to be Fulfilled
Acts 1:10-11
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
Throughout the 4000 years of history before the coming of Christ, we can see how God masterminded His plan of salvation which would be fulfilled in Christ. In the Old Testament, we find many authors of different ages and places supplying the bits, pieces, types, shadows, and detailed predictions which describe Christ’s purpose in coming to this earth, His manner of life, the reason for His death, and His triumph over death through the Resurrection.
The same prophets who gave us advance details of Christ’s first coming speak expressly of a coming day when righteousness will triumph over evil. As surely as the details predicted were fulfilled in Christ’s first coming, just so surely shall this earth experience the Rapture of the saints, and then the coming of Christ with His saints for 1000 years of peace, goodwill toward men!
- QUESTION
- What is prophecy? (Consult Webster or a Bible dictionary.)
- What is the mark of a true prophet? See Jeremiah 28:9.
- Who received this promise, “. . . and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed”? See Genesis 12:3. Explain in your own words what this promise might mean.
- Isaiah wrote over 700 years before Christ was born. Compare Isaiah 7:14 with Matthew 1:18-25 and comment on how we benefit by studying prophecy and its fulfillment. See also 2 Peter 1:21.
- Why is the virgin birth of Christ important? See Luke 1:26-27, 35.
- Who is the prophet referred to in Matthew 2:5-6? And how do we know that the Jewish scribes of King Herod’s time knew about this prophecy and understood it?
- Memorize the five beautifully descriptive terms used in Isaiah 9:6 to denote Christ’s names. Place the name which you think best applies opposite the New Testament Scriptures given below:
- Matthew 21:15; Acts 2:11
- Matthew 28:20
- John 14:27
- John 3:1-2
- John 10:29-30
- Describe in your own words the future event pictured in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
- Summarize the event prophesied by the angels in Acts 1:11 which has not yet happened. See Zechariah 13:1-2,6,9; 14:3-11 and Revelation 20:4. How are we certain that this event will take place?
- In Matthew 24, Jesus gave us signs which were to immediately precede His return to earth. These included the appearance of false Christs, wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, persecution of Chris- tians, apostasy of previous believers, worldwide preaching of the Gospel, and the re-emergence of Israel as a nation. Seeing these signs around us, we cannot help but conclude that we are living in the time of the soon coming of our Lord. Among the living, who will be caught up to join the Lord in the air when the Trumpet of the Lord sounds for the Rapture of the saints? See John 8:31; 1 John 1:7 and Revelation 2:3.
SUPPLEMENTAL SCRIPTURES
Numbers 24:17; Isaiah 53:1-12
THEME THOUGHTS
Old Testament history paints a colorful picture of God’s dealing with man, but the New Testament brings us to the climax of God’s redemptive work—the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
“Who is Jesus?” is the thought-provoking question that establishes our theme for this quarter. Looking into the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we trace the story of Jesus’ time on earth, including His birth and some of the major events of His life.
We find, as we delve into this story, that the incidents and occurrences recorded in a biographical sketch of Jesus hold many important lessons relevant to our lives today.
Some of the highlights of Jesus’ ministry and His personal example to us are brought out in such lessons as His calling of the twelve disciples, His example in resisting temptation, and His formula for happiness as found in the Beatitudes. The quarter concludes with one of Jesus’ parables which emphasizes the importance of being firmly grounded so that we might be able to grow as Christians.
The purpose of this quarter is to learn about Jesus Christ, not just as a personage of Biblical history, but as a living Savior who wants to be directly and personally involved in our lives.