INTRODUCTION: One fact that is beyond any question is that Jesus lived on this earth, preached and taught in Palestine, and died on the cross. But so many don't know very much about Jesus' mission and work. What about
Jesus' life and mission?

BODY

I. THE WORLD INTO WHICH OUR LORD WAS BORN

A. The world was prepared for the coming of the messiah.

1. Galatians 4:4_ " But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

2. Daniel 2:44_ " "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

3. Malachi 3:1_ " "Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the LORD of hosts.

B. The Roman world was ideally prepared for the coming of the Messiah and the spread of his message to the entire world.
 

1. The Roman government had brought a measure of peace to Palestine and the rest of the Mediterranean world.

2. The "Pax Romana" (Roman peace) ruled the world and brought economic prosperity on a scale unknown.

3. Rome was responsible for the building of a system of roads which joined together the most far flung parts of the empire. It was possible to travel, with relative safety, from Palestine to Britain. They had also swept the sea lanes of pirates.

4. Polytheism had lost it's vitality. People were looking for some new idea that would give them hope for a better life, both here and after death.

5. Extreme immorality had actually created a desire for something different. It was not satisfying their souls.

6. The authority of Rome actually served as a shield from the hatred of unbelieving Jews in the early days of the church.

7. Galatians 4:4_5_ " But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, {5} to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

II. THE NATURE OF JESUS, THE MESSIAH WHO CAME TO EARTH.

A. Jesus was like no other person who has ever been born into this world.

1. He had a human mother but did not have a human father. He was born from a virgin.

2. Matthew 1:18-23

3. Luke 1:26-35

4. John 3:16_ " "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

a. Literally, "completely unique, one of a kind, totally different."

5. Daniel Webster once said: "If I might comprehend Jesus Christ, I could not believe on Him. He would be no greater than myself. Such is my consciousness of sin and my own inability, that I must have a superhuman Savior."

B. Jesus was Divine - God come down to earth.

1. John 1:1-2

2. John 8:56_59_ " "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." {57} Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" {58} Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." {59} Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

3. John 20:26-29

C. But Jesus was also human, subject to the same pain, feelings, etc. that all of us have.

1. Was born into the world like other babies.

2. Galatians 4:4- "...born of a woman..."

3. This is the significance of the phrase that appears over and over in the gospels, "son of man."

A. Our Lord's birth and early life.

1. Preparation with Mary and Elizabeth.

a. Luke 1:5-25 Elizabeth and the coming of John the Baptizer
b. Verses 26-38 The Angel of God promises Mary about the coming Messiah

2. The Lord's birth and early infancy

a. Luke chapter 2- Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem, Jesus is born, the Shepherds come to worship him, Jesus is circumcised on the eighth day and then is presented in the temple. Simeon and Anna prophesy concerning his future.

b. Jesus is taken to Egypt to avoid King Herod's attempt to murder him in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:13-15).

c. They take him back to Nazareth after the death of Herod (Matthew 2:22-23).

3. Little is known about the years of Jesus' growth into manhood.

a. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, learning the trade of his earthly father Joseph (Matthew 2:22-23; Mark 5:3).

b. A the age of twelve we are told that Jesus was found talking with Scribes and Priests concerning the law, who were amazed at his wisdom. (Luke 2:40-49)

c. Jesus grew in wisdom and stature before God and men. "And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him....And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:40, 52).

B. The ministry of our Lord

1. Was prepared for by the coming and preaching of John. (John 1:15ff)

2. The calling of the twelve apostles (Matthew 10:1-4; John 1:35-51)

3. Jesus taught the great "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5-7).

4. Jesus spoke a multitude of parable about the kingdom to the multitudes, both to hide and reveal truth.

a. Matthew 13:33_35 Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened." 34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."

5. Jesus was the master teacher.

a. Matthew 7:28_29 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

6. Jesus did many miracles. He stilled the storm, cast out demons, feed 5,000, with only a young man's dinner, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, etc. But these were all for a purpose, to cause belief in him as Messiah.

a. John 20:30_31 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

7. Jesus' ministry included a promise of the end of the old Jewish system and the Final Judgement.

a. Matthew 24 and 25

C. Our Lord's death, resurrection, and ascension.

1. Jesus forewarned his apostles that we was going to be betrayed and killed.
 

a. Matthew 16:21 - From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

2. On the Sunday before his execution Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph (Matthew 21:7-11).

3. The follow Thursday would be the most momentous one in the history of the world

a. Jesus keeps the Passover with his apostles and institutes the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:20-29).

b. Jesus was betrayed by one of his own apostles, by a kiss (Matthew 26:47ff).

c. All Jesus' apostles, with the exception of Peter and John flee. Only John remains faithful through the coming ordeal. Peter denies Jesus three times (verses 56ff).

d. Through that long Thursday night into early Friday Jesus is dragged from one mockery to another, finally being sentenced to the cross by Pontius Pilate (Matthew 27:21-25).

e. Jesus was crucified between two thieves on Calvary, just outside Jerusalem. During the time in which he was on the cross, from midmorning to midafternoon on Friday, the skies grew dark, his enemies and the thieves railed at him, one of the thieves pleaded with him for mercy, the soldier gambled for his robe, and he prayed for those who were killing him. (Verse 26ff)

f. At the moment of Jesus' death the curtain that separated the holy place from the most holy place in the temple ripped in two from the top to the bottom. Dead saints came out of graves an appeared in Jerusalem. A centurian who had be at the foot of the cross declared, "truly this man was the Son of God" (Matthew 27:51-54; Mark 15:39)

4. Jesus resurrection and ascension.

a. The tomb was empty on the Lord's day following the death of Jesus. "Why seek the Living among the dead?" (Luke 24:1-5). 

b. Jesus stayed with his apostles for forty days and appeared to as many as 500 brethren at once (1 Corinthians 15:1-7).

c. His disciples were promised that he would return again! (Acts 1:10-11)

A. Jesus came to give his life for the sins of mankind.

1. John 3:16

2. Luke 19:10 - "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

3. 1 Timothy 1:15 - This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

B. Jesus came to establish his kingdom/church. 

1. Matthew 16:16-18

2. Mark 9:1

C. Jesus came to bring a new attitude for his people.

1. John 13:34_35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

2. John 13:34_35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

STUDIES OF BASICS:
Intoduction
Existence of God
Creation of Mankind
Epistles- Christ's Messages to the Church
Book of Acts
The Inspiration of The Bible
The Inspiration of The Bible (Part 2)
The Life & Mission of Christ
The New Testament
The Book of Revelation -- Victory