The Essence of Christianity

1
The Essence of Christianity

• God becomes Man

2
Simple Consequences

• The perfect relationship of God and humankind
  is severed.
• The Relationship between humankind and the world
  is disrupted.
• The Relationships between humans are no longer
  perfect.
• Perfect telios intended purpose, goal

3
Word Connotations Sin

• Old Testament Hebrew
• Ht missing the mark
• Hattat deviation from a norm
• Pesha breach of relationship, revolt against
  authority
• Wh twisting
• Avon guilt from deliberate wrongdoing
• Segagah - straying
• Resa - wickedness

4
Word Connotations Sin

• New Testament Greek
• Hamartia miss the mark
• Paraptouma error in measurement - measure
• Parabeasis beyond the norm, outside the bounds
• Asebai ungodliness
• Anomia lawless
• Adikea unrighteousness, typically against a
  neighbor.

5
The Predicament of Sin

• Who can restore creation from its brokenness?
• What possibilities exist.

6
Luke 1910

• Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to
  this house, because this man, too, is a son of
  Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and
  to save what was lost.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

7
A Savior comes to Earth

• Galatians 44 In the fullness of the time came,
  God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born
  under the Law, 5 in order that He might redeem
  those who were under the Law, that we might
  receive the adoption as sons.
• The New American Standard Bible, (La Habra,
  California The Lockman Foundation) 1977.
• Politically
• Culturally
• Religiously

8
The Purpose of His Comingto give eternal life

• John 316 For God so loved the world that he
  gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
  in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
• John 1028 I give them eternal life, and they
  shall never perish no one can snatch them out of
  my hand.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

9
The Purpose of His Comingto give His life

• Mark 1045 For even the Son of Man did not come
  to be served, but to serve, and to give his life
  as a ransom for many.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

10
The Purpose of His comingto reveal the Father

• John 149 Anyone who has seen me has seen the
  Father. How can you say, Show us the Father?
  10 Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and
  that the Father is in me? The words I say to you
  are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father,
  living in me, who is doing his work.
• John 334 For the one whom God has sent speaks
  the words of God, for God gives the Spirit
  without limit.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

11
The Purpose of His comingto take our sin

• I Peter 224 He himself bore our sins in his
  body on the tree, so that we might die to sins
  and live for righteousness by his wounds you
  have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep
  going astray, but now you have returned to the
  Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

12
The Purpose of His comingto be an example

• I Peter 221 To this you were called, because
  Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example
• John 1315 I have set you an example that you
  should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you
  the truth, no servant is greater than his master,
  nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent
  him.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

13
The Purpose of His comingto reconcile the world

• II Corinthians 518, 19 All this is from God,
  who reconciled us to himself through Christ and
  gave us the ministry of reconciliation 19 that
  God was reconciling the world to himself in
  Christ, not counting mens sins against them. And
  he has committed to us the message of
  reconciliation.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

14
His birth A Virgin birth

• Luke 135 The angel answered, The Holy Spirit
  will come upon you, and the power of the Most
  High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be
  born will be called the Son of God.
• Isaiah 714 Therefore the Lord himself will give
  you a sign The virgin will be with child and
  will give birth to a son, and will call him
  Immanuel.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

15
His birth An incarnation

• John 11-4 In the beginning was the Word, and
  the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2
  He was with God in the beginning.3 Through him
  all things were made without him nothing was
  made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and
  that life was the light of men.
• Colossians 29 For in Christ all the fullness of
  the Deity lives in bodily form
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

16
His birth Characterized by Humility

• The Circumstances Luke 28-14
• 2 Corinthians 89 For you know the grace of our
  Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet
  for your sakes he became poor, so that you
  through his poverty might become rich.
• Hebrew 214 Since the children have flesh and
  blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by
  his death he might destroy him who holds the
  power of deaththat is, the devil
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

17
His Natures - Divineto accomplish
reconciliation

• Colossians 29 For in Christ all the fullness of
  the Deity lives in bodily form
• John 11-4 In the beginning was the Word, and
  the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2
  He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him
  all things were made without him nothing was
  made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and
  that life was the light of men.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

18
His Natures Humanto enable Jesus to represent
us

• Luke 2439 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I
  myself! Touch me and see a ghost does not have
  flesh and bones, as you see I have.
• Hebrews 214 Since the children have flesh and
  blood, he too shared in their humanity
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

19
Some of His Names -

• Jesus Yeshau Yahweh is our salvation
• Savior Matthew 121
• Messiah anointed one
• Teacher - Mk. 438 917, 38 1017
• Master - Lord
• Son of David
• Son of Man
• Jesus most commonly used self referent.

20
Jesus office

• Prophet Luke 418,19 cf. Isaiah 621,2
• Priest Hebrews 31 414, John 129
• King Luke 132,32 Isaiah 97 Ephesians 122
  Matthew 2818

21
Luke 418,19 quoting Isaiah 611,2

• The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has
  anointed me
• to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me
• to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and
• recovery of sight for the blind,
• to release the oppressed,
• to proclaim the year of the Lords favor.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

22
Doing the Fathers will

• John 434 My food, said Jesus, is to do the
  will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

23
The Saving Work of Christ

• Humiliation of Christ His Experience
• Leaving heavenly Glory - Philippians 26,7
• Suffering
• In His life His own reject Him John 111
• Forsaken by His disciples Judas, Peter
• Condemned and sentenced by man
• Silently bears reproach.
• Death the Cross will to die John 1017,18
• The grave

24
The Saving Work of Christ

• His Death Its meaning
• The curse of sin Romans 623
• Christ took the curse upon himself John 129,
  Mark 1045, Gal. 313, I Peter 224, Col 119.
• The Great High priest
• The Offerer - Galatians 414
• The Offering Hebrews 928

25
The Saving Work of Christ

• His Resurrection its meaning
• The Seal of His work Philippians 28,9
• Defeated death Acts 224, I Cor. 1520
• Defeated Satan Ephesians 122 48
• The First I Corinthians 1520

26
The Saving Work of Christ - Its significance for
us

• We are now at peace with God
• Romans 59-11 Since we have now been justified
  by his blood, how much more shall we be saved
  from Gods wrath through him! 10 For if, when we
  were Gods enemies, we were reconciled to him
  through the death of his Son, how much more,
  having been reconciled, shall we be saved through
  his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also
  rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
  through whom we have now received reconciliation.
  
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

27
The Saving Work of Christ - Its significance for
us

• We are free from the curse of the Law
• Galatians 313 Christ redeemed us from the curse
  of the law by becoming a curse for us
• Romans 425 He was delivered over to death for
  our sins and was raised to life for our
  justification.
• (We are justified)
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

28
The Saving Work of Christ - Its significance for
us

• Our view of life has changed
• Colossians 31-2 Since, then, you have been
  raised with Christ, set your hearts on things
  above, where Christ is seated at the right hand
  of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on
  earthly things.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

29
The Saving Work of Christ - Its significance for
us

• The basis for our Hope
• 2 Cor. 414 because we know that the one who
  raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also
  raise us with Jesus and present us with you in
  his presence.
• I Peter 13 In his great mercy he has given us
  new birth into a living hope through the
  resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

30
The Ascended Lord

• John 142 I am going there to prepare a place
  for you.
• John 1724 Father, I want those you have given
  me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory,
  the glory you have given me because you loved me
  before the creation of the world.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

31
The Ascended Lord - His ongoing work

• John 1526 When the Counselor comes, whom I will
  send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth
  who goes out from the Father, he will testify
  about me.
• Romans 834 Christ Jesus, who diedmore than
  that, who was raised to lifeis at the right hand
  of God and is also interceding for us
• Ephesians 122 And God placed all things under
  his feet and appointed him to be head over
  everything for the church, 23 which is his body,
  the fullness of him who fills everything in every
  way.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

32
Revelation 117,18

• Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
  18 I am the Living One I was dead, and behold I
  am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys
  of death and Hades.
• The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI
  Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.