Jesus
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 12/16/2018
Foundation Scriptures:
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. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 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. John 1:1-14 KJV
1. Jesus In the Gospels.
a. Everything we need to know about Jesus’ ministry is written in the four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
b. His Birth; His Life; His Earthly Ministry; His Death; His Resurrection; His Ascension.
c. His Birth: Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin.
d. He was 100 percent God and 100 percent man.
e. His Life: He led a sinless life, even though He was tempted with everything that any one of us are tempted with.
f. Hebrews 4:15 AMPC — For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.
g. His Earthly Ministry: Jesus spent 30 years preparing for an earthly ministry that began when He was baptized in water and the Holy Spirit at the River Jordan.
h. His ministry lasted about 3 ½ years and 70 percent of that ministry was healing the sick and casting out devils.
i. His Death: His death at Calvary was for the sins of the whole world.
j. His Resurrection: Jesus was raised up from the dead and He stripped Satan of the keys of death, hell and the grave.
k. His Ascension: The angel told the disciples, “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11KJV)
l. At the end of his account of Jesus earthly ministry, John says, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did. If they should be all recorded one by one [in detail], I suppose that even the world itself could not contain (have room for) the books that would be written.” (John 21:25 AMPC)
2. What Was Jesus Really Like?
a. Jesus was led by the Spirit of God in everything He said and did.
b. John 8:28-29 KJV — Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
c. He did what the Father told Him to do — not what people thought He would or should do.
d. John 14:10 KJV — Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
e. John 3:34 AMPC — For since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God’s own message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit!
f. Jesus was radical. He was unpredictable.
g. Jesus was not religious and did not fit in with the religious crowd.
h. If Jesus were around today, He would probably be kicked out of most churches.
3. Jesus’ Ministry Now.
a. John 14:12 KJV — Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
b. Jesus sent us another Comforter — the Holy Spirit, who is just like Him — the same Holy Spirit that anointed Jesus.
c. This Comforter comes to live in us and with us.
d. This Comforter allows Jesus to live inside us and to have expression through us in the earth.
e. Christian means: little Christ; little anointed one.
f. Jesus is not physically here on earth where He can be seen.
g. The only Jesus the world will ever see is in born-again believers, children of God, filled with the Holy Spirit.
h. The only way that people can see Jesus in your eyes, hear Jesus in your voice and feel Jesus in your touch is if you allow the Holy Spirit to do a work in you, as you obey Him by walking in the love of God toward others and by doing the works of Jesus.
i. Allow Jesus to live big on the inside of you so that the world may know He is alive!