The Story of Jesus

“Jesus of Nazareth: the Son: Part 1”

As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene.... No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.”

~ Albert Einstein (Early 2oth Century German-born Theoretical Physicist)

He saw with open eyes the mystery of the soul. One man was true to what is in you and me. He, as I think, is the only soul in history who has appreciated the worth of man.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson (19th Century American Essayist, Lecturer, Poet)

I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.

~ H.G. Wells (20th Century English Writer and Historian)

 Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today He is the Centerpiece of the human race and the Leader of the column of progress. I am within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not

affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that One Solitary Life.

~ James C. Hefley (2oth Century Writer, Teacher and Pastor)

I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ

founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him…

… Everything in Christ astonishes me. His spirit overawes me, and his will confounds me. Between him and whoever else in the world, there is no possible term of comparison. He is truly a being by Himself… I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel. Neither

history, nor humanity, nor the ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or explain it to. Here everything is extraordinary.

~ Napoleon Bonaparte (18th Century French Military and Political Leader)

As Walter Wink has said, “if Jesus had never lived, we would not have been able to invent Him.”  

“Two words one could never think of applying to the Jesus of the Gospels: boring and predictable. How is it, then, that the church has tamed such a character?”

~ Phillip Yancey (21st Century Writer) 

“Who do you say that I am?”

~ Jesus

“We cannot assume that by saying the word Jesus, still less the word Christ, we are automatically in touch with the real Jesus who walked and talked in first-century Palestine, the Jesus who, according to the letter to the Hebrews, is the same yesterday,

today and forever. We are not at liberty to manufacture another Jesus.” (Wright p. 10 Challenge of Jesus)

The God Story So Far…- God is an eternal Triune Family that dreamed of enlarging His family before creation, this is His eternal purpose.- God‘s dream is that every person would be included in His eternal family, “every family on Earth would be blessed”- God created us for relationship with Him, blessed us to rule over creation and fill the earth with His image & likeness. - Man departed from this original design and in sin destroyed relationship, forfeited authority and brought death.

- God initiated His rescue plan to restore, redeem & re-include humanity into His eternal Family & Fellowship through a series of Covenants with his people Israel starting with Abraham.

- Israel was unable to be faithful to God in Covenant relationship, was sent into exile losing King, Temple & Land, but God promised a New Covenant & Coming King at His own expense to fulfill His eternal purpose and original promise.

Isaiah 9:6 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Last Words Before Silence(Mal. 4:5-6)

“See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the

Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, or else I will come

and strike the land with a curse.”

History During the 400 Year Silence

Death of Promises in Exile- Land, King, TempleLegalism- - Fear of another judgment and exile- Disillusionment with the new temple- Messiah expectation- Davidic military ruler to overthrow - Roman occupation

Greek Hellenization- Spread of Greek Language and culture, brief freedom with Maccabees: Judah the Hammer (celebrated in Hanukkah) 164 B.C. rededicated the temple

Roman Occupation- 64 B.C. they had a vast territory, Herod Dynasty- Herod the Great (king of the Jews, was despised), built extensive Roads 

Luke 1:5-23

Gabriel Prophesies the Birth of John the Baptist

to Zechariah

Luke 1:26-38 

Gabriel Prophesies to Mary about the Birth of God’s Son

26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." 

29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign

over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

 34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35The 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. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God." 38"I am

the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

1st Trimester

The new life begins as one single cell. By the 21st day the embryo’s tiny

heart begins to beat. When the baby is 3 months old it has already

developed its own blood type, unique from the mother’s. The face is well

formed and the eyes are almost fully developed.  The eyelids will close and not reopen until the 28th week.  Arms,

hands, fingers, legs, feet, and toes are fully formed.  Nails and earlobes

start to form

2nd Trimester

The brain is fully developed and the

fetus can suck, swallow, and make irregular breathing

sounds

Fingernails and toenails appear

There is a rapid increase in the amount of body fat the

fetus has. Rhythmic breathing occurs.  The fetus sleeps 90-95% of the day.

3rd Trimester

you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. - Psalm 139

Luke 1:57-79

John the Baptist is Born(Zechariah Sings)

Luke 2:1-20; Matt. 1:18-20

Jesus is Born: in Bethlehem the Town of David

“Good News of Great Joy for All People”

John 1:1-4,14- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men…..The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

“It is impossible to overstate the significance of the Incarnation for without it there would be no restoration of humanities purpose, no sinless sacrifice, no relationship

with the Father or adoption as sons and daughters, no defeat of death and no perfect revelation of God as Father. No Kingdom on earth as in heaven.”

Incarnation: Word Made Flesh

Human Image of God Restored: God will be a man Forever!!

God’s Desire to Be Near: The Distance is Deleted

Kingdom & Tabernacle: The Connection of Heaven & Earth

Humility of Limitation & Locality

Identification: Fully Experienced Human Life

Trinity, Creation and Humanity Bound Together in Christ

Now we know what Love is: Now we Know who God is

Heb. 2:11,14- Both the one who makes men holy (Jesus) and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers…Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity.

Phil 2:6-7- Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being found in human likeness.