Lesson 4

ANSWERS TO LIFE’S QUESTIONS
A Bible correspondence course
Lesson #4 Who Is Jesus?

Simply stated, “Jesus is God in human flesh.”

The name that Mary and Joseph gave their son, Jesus, is the same as the Hebrew name Joshua in the Old Testament and actually means “Jehovah is salvation.” His name describes the purpose for which He left Heaven to come to earth.

Christ is not Jesus’ last name. It is a title. It describes His role in human history. Actually, a more accurate designation might be, “Jesus, the Christ.” “The Christ” refers to the Messiah, the Anointed One Who was prophesied in the Old Testament. God the Father promised that He would send the Messiah to redeem mankind from the curse of Adam’s sin.

Read John 1:1-5 In this passage Jesus is referred to as “the Word.”

What three important truths does this passage tell us about the Word?

1. ___________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________

The passage goes on to tell us that Jesus, the Word, came to earth, but He was not received by many of those He came to save. (See verse 11). However, He offered something special to those who did receive Him.

What does verse 12 tell us that gift is?
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The first fact that we need to understand about Jesus is that He is God.

Colossians 2:9, referring to Jesus, states “for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” “Godhead” refers to the triune God—one God in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

At the time when Jesus went to John to be baptized in the Jordan River, John heard God say, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17b).

A couple of years later Jesus was with His disciples–Peter, James, and John and God said the same thing to them. (Matthew 17:5)

Jesus said, “I and my father are one” (John 10:30) This statement was an indirect way of Jesus claiming to be God.

Even the demons, who were quite familiar with God, “…fell down before him, and cried , saying, Thou art the Son of God.” (Mark 3:11)

On several occasions Jesus demonstrated characteristics that only God possesses. We do not have space here to review all of the reasons that we know that Jesus is God, but it is very important to know that He is.

The second fact that we need to know about Jesus is that He was without sin.

Jesus was born of a virgin, and that truth is very important. God was His Father, not a mortal man. When the angel visited Joseph, he said, “fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1:20).

Joseph served as Jesus’ legal father on earth, but God in Heaven was His natural Father.

Because God was His Father and Jesus was born supernaturally of a virgin, the curse of sin that was placed on Adam was not passed on to Jesus. Jesus was not born with the sin nature that the rest of us have.

Jesus led a sinless life. He not only did not have a sin nature, but He also did not sin by yielding to the temptations that entice all of us to sin. Because Jesus had no sin, He could pay the penalty for our sin.

Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Jesus lived among us as a perfect example. He accurately taught what God wanted us to know. He was a great miracle worker, healing the sick and lame and raising the dead to life.

The third fact that we need to know about Jesus is that He loved us so much that He willingly gave His life to pay the penalty for our sin.

The political, social, and religious upheaval from men that led them to crucify Jesus was not the ultimate reason and cause of His death. Jesus came to earth knowing ahead of time what would happen to Him. He was not surprised when the mob cried, “Crucify Him!”

As we hear Jesus speaking to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, disciples who made an effort to protect Him from the Roman soldiers, He says, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53).

Jesus was not crucified because men overpowered Him. He willingly offered Himself, because He knew that his crucifixion was the only way to fulfill His divine mission. Christ’s death was the only way to solve the sin problem of the human race.

The fourth fact that we need to know about Jesus is that He died on the cross in our place.

Read II Corinthians 5:21: “For he hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for _______, who knew no sin; that _______ might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

So, when Jesus, Who was without sin, died on the cross, God placed upon Him the sin of humanity—yours, mine, everyone’s. He was our substitute.

Read I Peter 2:24a: “Who his own self bare ________ sins in his own body on the tree…”

The fifth fact that we need to know about Jesus is that He arose from the grave and lives today.

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is proof that He has power over sin and death and that God accepted His payment for man’s sin.

(I Corinthians 15:41-57)

The sixth fact that we need to know about Jesus is that today He is in Heaven interceding for His children.

While in His death on the cross, Jesus acted as a mediator with God on behalf of sinful man (I Timothy 2:5-6).

The Bible also tells us that in Heaven He continues to intercede for us.

Read Hebrews 7:25: “Wherefore he is able also to _________ them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he

ever liveth to make _____________________________ for them.”

Mediators often serve in business disputes to bring together two people or groups that do not agree with each other.

Jesus serves that function for us. He stands before God on our behalf because, as sinners, we are not worthy of meeting with God face to face.

That is why this lesson is so important. It offers us hope, because God has sent Jesus to solve our sin problem. It is Jesus who can free us from sin and its consequences. What we cannot do for ourselves, Jesus has already done for us. Jesus came to earth for one purpose.

Luke 19:10 tells us what that purpose was.

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You see, Jesus came to earth with a plan to save those who are lost. That is why Lesson Three was so important. It showed that everyone is lost in sin. If a person is lost, they are completely lost and that is our condition because of our sin.

Jesus does not have a plan to save people who are only half lost or partially lost. He only has a plan for those who are completely lost.

Now that we know we are sinners and that as sinners we are lost and that Jesus came to save the lost, we are ready for our next lesson.

You may want to review this lesson before completing the QUIZ SECTION below.