Life of CHRIST Study 1-1-11

As we start this study on the life of CHRIST, it will take us about 1 year to complete. The Book of John is the reference book for our study. I will be posting note from my study at TBC here in Asheville, NC where I attend. What a privilage to be studying about My LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. We often hear of role model's that we look up too. I want to present to you my ROLE MODEL, CHRIST! There are 3 things that you can rest assured of 1. CHRIST Died for our sins. 2. CHRIST was buried with our sins. 3. CHRIST rose up from the Dead, defeating sin, death, hell and the grave. The reference for this is I Corinthians 15:3-4. As we look at the Book of John, we often hear it called and referred to in the scriptures as The Gospel According to Saint John. The word GOSPEL means GOOD NEWS. What other good news is any better than a HOLY GOD, sent HIS ONLY SON, into this old corrupt world, in the flesh, just like you and me, to Live, Die and Rise Again for our sins. The blood of the prize lambs, the show lambs, the very best animals they had, could not do anything for our sins but just roll them over and over and over..But THE LAMB, THE PERFECT LAMB in the PERSON of CHRIST was the SUPREME Sacrafice, once and for all. I can't tell you of any other good news but the Only GOOD NEWS of CHRIST. Please study Romans 15:4 this week and try to memorize this piece of scripture. What Hope we have according to this verse from GOD'S WORD. According to John 21:20-24 John wrote The Gospel of John. It was written in AD 90. It was written in the City of Ephesus. John was call the Beloved Disciple. He was #1 of the 12 Disciples. JESUS commited HIS Mother mary to John when HE was at the Cross. Galatians 2:9 speaks of John as a pillar, recieving grace. According to Luke 6:14-16 the 12 Disciples were Simon(Peter), Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James(Son of Alphaesus), Simon called Zelotes, Judas, Judas Iscariot. John was in the fishing business. It has been said that it was quite a money making fishing business at that. John 1:37-41 tells us that John saw JESUS and recognized as he spoke, Behold, The LAMB of GOD, heard JESUS speak and Followed JESUS. What Faith, but, John knew JESUS..GLORY to GOD, What a Savior. I may not get through this folks. Just think what John saw and recognized and said..Behold the LAMB of GOD!! Wow!! John wanted to see where JESUS dwells, he abode with JESUS on the 10th hour before HIS Death on the Cross. Andrew said to his brother Simon, We have found the Messiah or CHRIST!! Read and study John 13:23, John 18:15-16, John 20:2-10, John 21:2,7,20,24. These verses are key to the life John desired, which was to be like CHRIST. What an example CHRIST is to us and John knew CHRIST, Oh to know HIM is to Love HIM! John leaned on JESUS bosom, John was the Disciple who JESUS Loved, John went into the high Preist with JESUS. As I stated earlier, at the Crucifixtion of CHRIST, HE gave watch care over Mary, HIS Mother to John. There were two thinking patterns in the days refered to in John. Gnosticism was a rapidly growing philosopy in John's day. Gnostics believed that GOD was absolutly good and that matter was absolutly evil. A good GOD, they taught could not create evil matter. so there must be other beings descending from GOD in a chain. These beings called aeons and each one had a little less Diety than the one above it. The last aeon they called CHRIST. The Gnosics were divided into two groups, he Docetists and the Cerenthians. The Docetists taught that CHRIST did not have a flesh and blood body; HE only seemed to have one. The Cerenthians, however taught that CHRIST neither was born nor died. They believed that the Aeon CHRIST came upon JESUS at HIS baptism and left HIM at the cross. The Mosaic System of laws and regulations influenced the thinking of the people of John's day. The Jews followed the Old Testemant Law of Moses and rejoiced the idea that the Messiah would establish salvation for the whole world. Instead, He was to come for only the Jews. This view, of, that GOD so loved the world..that whosoever believeth in HIM should not perish but have everlasting life. Such teaching opened the door of salvation to everyone, Gentiles (non-Jews) as well as the Jews. John's Gospel attacked the popular thinking of the time. In the first 18 verses of John, he served notice that both Gnosticism and the reliance upon the Mosaic System for salvation were incompatible with CHRISTian Doctrine. Read John 1:1-3, John 1:1-14, John 1:1-18, for reference. John records 7 Miracles of JESUS in Chapters 2,4,5,6,9,11,21. John emphasizes The Deity of CHRIST. John is not trying to prove CHRIST's Diety so much as he is letting JESUS CHRIST prove HIS own Diety. John paints the Portrait of CHRIST as GOD, HE was, HE is and He always will be King, Servant, GOD and Man. John also emphasizes JESUS' own Words concerning HIMself. John focuses on Judea rather than on Galilee. John is one of the simplest of the books of the NT, Most profound book in the NT. It is the 3rd book of the 4th Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). To summarize The Book of John is the Most Powerful, Precious, Important Book in the Bible. JESUS is much more than a fact in history. HE Lives, HE longs for us to know HIM, not just know about HIM. May GOD Bless You and Until Next week is My Prayer!!




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