JESUS IN GOD’S PLAN TO SAVE MAN

The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans 16:16)

TEXT: Matthew 1:18-23

Intro:

1. We are thankful for this opportunity
1. to say a few words about Jesus our Savior.
2. "Jesus" was the name that God Himself chose for His Son.
2. The name "Jesus," which was a common one for Jewish males,

1. means "Savior" or "salvation of Jehovah."
2. The angel told Joseph, "And she [Mary] shall bring forth a son,

and thou [Joseph] shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

3. Jesus is also called the "Christ" or "The anointed one."
1. Christ is the New Testament equivalent
2. of the Old Testament (Hebrew) word "Messiah" (John 1:41).
4. "Christ" is not a name, but rather more like a title.

1. There was only one true Christ, so we should
2. think of Him as Jesus "the" Christ (cf. Matt. 16:15-16).

5. Jesus is also known as "Emmanuel"
1. meaning "God with us" (Matthew 1:23).
2. While living on the earth, He had a human body,
3. but at the same time He was "God with us."
6. More than once the Bible refers to Jesus as "God" (John 1:1, 14; Heb. 1:8).

1. Jesus was not, and is not, God the Father,
2. but because He possesses the qualities of Deity,
3. it is proper to call Him "God" (the Son).

7. John the Baptizer called Jesus "The Lamb of God."  
1. He would be the One that would give Himself as a sacrificial lamb
2. or an atonement for the sins of the world:

"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

8. Jesus is "Lord" or "Ruler."
1. He is the One that has absolute authority over His servants (Acts 2:36).  
2. Thus, He is "the Head of the church."
3. Through His teaching He is the Supreme Ruler over His church (Ephesians 5:23-24).

I. JESUS' DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION

1. While Jesus was popular with the common people among the Jews (Mark 12:37),

a. many of the Jewish leaders despised Him.

b. They were constantly considering "how they might destroy him" (Mark 3:6).

2. Once, when the Jewish Passover feast was approaching,

a. those leaders "sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death,"

b. but they wanted to wait and do it after the feast (Mark 14:1-2).

3. They adjusted their plan, however,

a. when one of Jesus' apostles, Judas Iscariot,

b. came to them with an offer to betray Jesus into their hands (Matthew 26:14-16).

4. When they thought the time was right,

a. Judas and others dragged Jesus off to the Jewish leaders,

b. and in the course of the next several hours

1. Jesus was forced to stand before

2. both Jewish and Roman officials

3. and undergo a series of intense interrogations.

5. It was Jesus' confession that He was the Son of God

a. which especially infuriated the Jewish leaders (Mark 14:61-64).

b. Because they envied Jesus so much,

1. and because they wanted so badly to do away with Him,

2. the Jews turned Him over to the Roman authorities,

3. hoping to convince them to put Him to death.

6. In the end, Pilate, who was the Roman-appointed governor of the land,

a. gave the order for Jesus to be crucified.

b. The Savior of the world was put to death

c. in the same way that common criminals of that day were punished.

7. Spikes were driven into His body to hold Him on a wooden cross;

a. that cross was put in place,

b. and He endured agony that never ceased

c. until He breathed His last breath.

8. It was a horrible, inhumane form of death,

a. especially for One that had done no wrong

b. to anyone at anytime.

9. The place where Jesus was put to death was called Calvary (Luke 23:33).

a. It was also known as Golgotha or place of the skull (John 19:17-18).

b. Our Lord's crucifixion took place just outside the city of Jerusalem (John 19:20).

1. There is another side to the account of Jesus' death,
1. and that is the Divine side.
2. God the Father used man's wicked deed (killing His Son)
3. to bring about our salvation.
2. Before the creation of the world, it was God's plan

1. for Jesus to come into the world to offer Himself as a sacrifice
2. and to shed His blood for our redemption (1 Peter 1:18-20).

3. There is more.
1. Not only is it true that God the Father sent His Son,
2. but it is equally true that God the Son willingly went to the cross
3. and stayed on the cross in order that wretched sinners
4. might have their sins washed away (John 10:17-18).
4. What amazing love our God had for us

1. in loving us while we were so evil (Romans 5:8),
2. and what marvelous love Jesus showed by bearing our sins (1 Peter 2:24)!

1. The gospel of the Christ

a. reveals three great facts about Jesus

b. that all men need to know and believe: " ... how that Christ died for

 our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried,

and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures"

(1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

2. Jesus did not simply die, but as the text says, He died "for our sins."

a. He was buried that same day, but the great news is,

b. three days later, which was the first day of the week or Sunday,

c. He rose from the dead,

d. showing His power over the bonds of death (Mark 16:9).

3. Yes, our Lord rose from the dead.

a. He lives!

b. We serve a risen, living, never-to-die-again Lord! (Romans 6:9).

II. What did Jesus accomplish or make possible through His death?

1. By means of His death, He abolished the old law

a. (the Law of Moses or Old Testament law),

b. meaning that it would no longer be in force (Ephesians 2:15).

2. What He did, so to speak, was to take that old law out of the way

a. and nail it to His cross (Colossians 2:14).

b. But, at the same time, Jesus used His blood

c. to establish and seal the new covenant.

d. Jesus said, "For this is my blood of the new testament,

which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28).

3. In addition, as we think of the cross of the Christ and what it means,

a. we cannot help but look to it as God's provision

b. for the sins of humanity.

4. The Bible teaches that it is only through the death of Jesus

a. that we can be reconciled (or brought back) to God (Romans 5:9-10),

b. as it is the plan of God

1. for redemption to be possible for all sinners through,

2. and only through, the precious blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1:7).

5. It is also true that by means of the cross, Jesus bought His church:

" ... the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).

6. The Bible plainly says that

"Christ also loved the church and gave Himself  for it" (Ephesians 5:25).

7. Jesus was crucified about 9:00 a.m., apparently on Friday.

a. He died about 3:00 p.m., and before the sun went down,

b. His body had already been placed in a tomb.

8. But, as we noted, death could not hold Him,

a. and He came out of the grave early Sunday morning,

b. after which He appeared to His followers

c. on at least five different occasions that very same day.

9. Following His resurrection, Jesus remained on the earth for 40 days,

a. during which time He appeared to over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:4-8)

b. and continued to teach His disciples about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).

10. Jesus' earthly sojourn came to an end

a. when He ascended back to heaven in the full view of His apostles (Acts 1:9-11).

b. Again, His ascension took place 40 days after He rose from the dead.

c. Jesus ascended on high and sat down on the right hand of the Father

(Mark 16:19; Colossians 3:1),

d. where He awaits the time that He will come again

e. in order to judge all men.

III. There is abundant biblical evidence that Jesus was God's Son.

1. What are we told in the Bible that demonstrates Jesus' Deity,

a. that is, what is there that shows

b. that the Christ possesses the divine nature?

2. Here are nine proofs.

(1) His eternal existence - Jesus never began to exist.

a. He always existed, having been with the Father

b. before the foundation of the world (John 1:1, 14; 17:5, 24).

1. Since only God has no beginning and no end,

2. then Jesus' eternal nature points to His divinity.

(2) His work as Creator – The Bible says, "For by him were all things

                        created ... all things were created by him, and for him.

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist"

(Colossians 1:16-17).

(3) His virgin birth - Jesus had an earthly mother,

a. but no biological human father.

b. His real Father was the God of heaven (Matthew 1:18-25).

(4) God the Father's confession of Him –

a. Since God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18),

b. we accept His statement about Jesus:

c. He said,

"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).

(5) In Christ and in His work were fulfilled

a. all Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah

b. that was to come.

c. This included prophecies about His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14)

d. and the place of His birth - Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1).

(6) His own claims - He said that He and the Father were one (John 10:30),

a. declaring also that the Father sent Him from heaven (John 6:38)

b. and that He was the Son of God (Mark 14:61-62).

1. His miracles gave evidence

2. that His claims about Himself were true.

(7) His sinless life - Though Jesus was tempted

a. in every aspect like all other humans,

b. He never violated the law of God,

c. and thus did what no other person ever has or could do

            (Hebrews 4:14-15).

1. Since only God is completely without sin (Psalm 92:15),

2. then the fact that Jesus lived without sin

3. clearly demonstrates His Deity.

(8) His miracles - Whether He was healing the sick,

a. raising people from the dead,

b. or showing His power over the laws of nature,

1. His miracles not only showed His concern

2. for man's best interest,

3. but they also confirmed that He was speaking the truth,

4. and thus served to prove

5. that what He said about Himself was true

(John 20:30-31; 5:36).

(9) His resurrection from the dead –

a. His victory over death showed that He was

b. "the Son of God with power" (Romans 1:4).

3. The evidence is overwhelming:

a. Jesus possesses the characteristics of God.

b. There is simply no other way to account rationally for His nature

c. and what He was able to accomplish.

4. If you desire to one day make heaven your home,

a. you must get into Jesus and put Him into your life. 
            b. see  Baptism Outline

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