Jesus Is Indeed the Christ – the Promised Messiah

(Luke 24:25-27, 44-45; Acts 9:22; 17:2-3; 18:5, 28; Heb. 10:7)

I.     Jesus Christ – the main focus of the word
of God

II.    The time of the first coming of the Christ

A.  The prophecy of Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27)

1.   483 prophetic years “from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem”

a.    By King Artaxerxis Longimanus of Persia
(Neh. 2:1-9)

b.   March 5, 444 B.C. (first of Nissan)

2.   Until Messiah the Prince

a.    March 30, 33 A.D. (10^th of Nissan)

b.   The triumphant entry of the Christ into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:1-9; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:1, 12-16)

c.    The prophecy of Zechariah (Zech. 9:9)

B.  The historical record of Luke, the Physician
(Luke 3:1-3, 21-23)

1.   15^th year of Caesar Tiberius’ reign
(August 19, 28 A.D.)

2.   The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist

3.   The Lord Jesus was about 30 years of age

C.  The prophecy of Jacob (Gen. 49:10)

1.   The coming of Shiloh

2.   At the time when Israel has no king (John 19:15)

III.  The birth place of the Christ

A.  The prophecy of Micah (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:4-6)

B.  The sovereign arrangement of God

1.   The decree of Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1-5)

a.    In year 3/2 B.C. – a registration for an oath of allegiance

b.   The time when Caesar Augustus was presented with the title of “Pater Patriae” (Father of the Country) by the senate

2.   Joseph having to register in Bethlehem, being of the house and family of David (1 Sam. 16:18; 17:12)

3.   Mary being with Child at that particular time
(Luke 2:5)

4.   Jesus was born when they arrived Bethlehem
(Luke 2:6-7)

IV.  The genealogy of the Christ

A.  The seed of Abraham (Gen. 22:17-18)

1.   The heir of the promise (Gal. 3:14, 16)

2.   The promise of the Spirit

3.   The heir of the world (Rom. 4:13)

B.  The seed of David (Ps. 89:3-4, 35-37; 132:11; Acts 2:30; Jer. 23:5-6; Is. 11:1-5) – the heir to the throne

C.  The seed of a woman (Gen. 3:15)

1.   Born of a virgin (Is. 7:14)

2.   Through the power of the Holy Spirit

3.   Without sin (1 John 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15;
1 Pet. 2:22)

4.   Both Son of God and Son of Man

5.   His name (Is. 9:6)

6.   To bruise the serpent’s head (Heb. 2:14-18)

7.   To accomplish eternal salvation (Heb. 5:9)

V.    Called out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1; Matt. 2:13-15)

A.  Herod’s evil intent to kill Jesus

B.  The flight to Egypt

C.  Prophecy of Jeremiah (Jer. 31:15; Matt. 2:16-18)

VI.    Called a Nazarene (Matt. 2:22-23; John 19:19)

A.  Nazareth – a despised city (John 1:45-46; 7:41, 52)

1.   The mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5-8)

2.   Despised by the people (Is. 53:2-3; Ps. 22:6; 69:7-12)

B.  The Branch – from Hebrew “netzer” (Is. 11:1)

1.   The servant of the Lord (Zech. 3:8)

2.   Filled with the Spirit of the Lord and full of life

3.   The builder of God’s temple (Zech. 6:12)

4.   The King who executes judgment and righteousness (Jer. 23:5; 33:15)

VII. The ministry of the Christ

A.  The forerunner of Christ – John the Baptist
(Mal. 3:1; Is. 40:3-5; Matt 11:10, 14; 17:10-13;
Luke 1:15-17)

1.   A voice in the wilderness

2.   Being a Nazarite (Num. 6)

3.   Coming in the spirit and power of Elijah
(Matt. 3:4; 2 King 1:8)

a.    Being more than a prophet

b.   Being different from traditional religion

4.   Preparing the way of the Lord

B.  Beginning at the age of 30
(Num. 4:2-3, 22-23, 29-30; 1 Chron. 23:3; Luke 3:23)

C.  By the power of the Holy Spirit (Is. 61:1-2)

1.   To preach the gospel

2.   Being fully equipped (Is. 11:2-4)

D.  Well pleasing to the Father
(Is. 42:1-7; Matt. 3:16-17; 12:15-21)

E.  Starting in Capernaum (Is. 9:1; Matt. 4:13-16)

VIII. The sacrificial death of the Christ

A.  Abraham offering up Isaac (Gen. 22:1-14)

B. Christ – the reality of all the offerings
(Ps 40:6-8; Heb. 10:4-10)

C.  The prophecy of Isaiah (Is. 53:4-8)

D.  The type in Leviticus (Lev. 16:11-15, 27, 32-34)

E.  Betrayed by Judas (Ps 41:9; 55:12-13;
2 Sam. 15:12, 31; 16:20; 17:1-2; John 13:18, 21, 25-27)

F.   Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver
(Zech. 11:12-13; Matt. 26:14-15; 27:3-10)

G.  Death by crucifixion

1.   The type of the brazen serpent
(Num. 21:8-9; John 3:14-15)

2.   Hanged on a tree (Deut. 21:22-23; Gal. 3:13)

3.   Pierced (Ps. 22:16-17; Zech. 12:10)

4.   Not one of His bones broken
(Ps. 34:20; Exod. 12:46; Num. 9:12; John 19:31-36)

5.   Numbered with the transgressors
(Is. 53:12; Mark 15:28)

H.  The date, time, and place of Christ’s death *

1.   The Feast of the Passover
(Num. 28:16-17; Lev. 23:5-6; Exod. 12:14-17;
1 Cor. 5:6-8)

a.    The 14^th day – the Passover supper – commemorating the lamb slain for redemption

b.   The 15^th day – the Passover Feast – commemorating the exodus out of Egypt

2.   The 10^th of Nissan – Jesus entered into Jerusalem to be examined for 4 days

a.    By the chief priests and elders (Matt. 21:23-27)

b.   By the Pharisees with the Herodians
(Matt. 22:15-22)

c.    By the Sadducees (Matt. 22:23-33)

d.   By the Scribes (Matt. 22:34-46)

e.    All brought to silence (Matt. 22:41-46)

3.   Apprehended on the night of the 14^th of Nissan,
year 33 A.D.

a.    Matthew 26:2-4, 17
² “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
³ Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
⁴ and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.
¹⁷ Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”

b.   Mark 14:1, 12
¹ After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.
¹² Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?”

c.    Luke 22:1, 7-8
¹ Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.
⁷ Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.
⁸ And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat”

d.   John 13:1-2
¹ Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
² And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, ..

e.    Prophecy of Zechariah 13:7
“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,
Against the Man who is My Companion,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
“Strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep will be scattered;
Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.”

4.   The time of crucifixion

a.    Early in the morning (still the 14^th) – Jesus was delivered to Pontius Pilate (Mark 15:1, 12-13)

b.   The morning before the Passover Feast, which was also a Sabbath day (John 18:28)

c.    Crucified between the 3^rd and the 6^th hour (between 9 am and noon) – John 19:14; Mark 15:25

d.   Darkness fell over the whole land from the 6^th to the 9^th hour (noon to 3 pm) – Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44

e.    At the 9^th hour Jesus cried out: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
(Ps. 22:1; Matt. 27:46)

f.    After Jesus said: “I thirst!” and received the sour wine (Ps. 69:21), He said: “It is finished!” and gave up His spirit (John 19:28-30)

5.   The place: Golgotha – outside of the camp
(Lev. 16:27; Heb. 13:11-13; John 19:17)

I     Having an honorable burial
(Is. 53:9; Matt. 27:57-60; John 19:39-40)

IX.  The resurrection of Jesus Christ
(Ps. 16:10; 49:15; 86:13; Acts 2:24-32; 13:33-35)

A.  On the third day after His death

1.   The Feast of the Firstfruits – the wave offering
(Lev. 23:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:20; Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5)

2.   The sign of the prophet Jonah
(Jonah 1:15-17; 2:1-2, 6, 10; Matt. 12:39-41)

B.  The body of Christ did not see corruption (Ps. 16:10)

C.  The sure mercies of David
(Is. 55:3; Acts 13:34; Ps. 89; Rev. 1:18)

D   Designated Son of God in power
(Ps. 2:7; Acts 13:33; Rom. 1:3-4)

E   Becoming the Firstborn among many brethren
(Rom. 8:29; 1 Pet. 1:3)

F    Becoming a life-giving Spirit (John 7:37-39;
1 Cor. 15:45; 2 Cor. 3:17; Exod. 30:23-25; 1 John 2:20, 27)

G   Possessing the keys of death and of Hades
(Ps 68:20; Rev. 1:18; Is. 25:8; Hosea 13:14)

1.   Liberating the believers from the power of sin and death (Rom. 8:2)

2.   Death is swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54-55)

X.    The ascension of Jesus Christ
(Ps 68:18; Eph. 1:20-23; 4:8)

A.  The secret ascension – the heave offering
(Num. 15:18-21; John 20:17, 27)

B.  The public ascension
(Ps. 68:18; Acts 1:9-11; Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-53)

C.  Sitting at the right hand of God
(Ps 110:1-2; Mark 16:19; Acts 2:32-36; 3:21; 7:56;
Heb. 1:3; 10:12-13; 12:2)

1.   Made Lord and Christ (Phil. 2:9-11)

2.   Made head of all principality and power
(Ps. 97:9; Heb. 1:6; Col. 2:10; 1 Pet. 3:22)

D.  Made head over all things to the church
(Eph. 1:22-23)

1.   Leading captivity captive (Ps. 68:18; Eph. 4:8)

2.   Receiving gifts among men

3.   For the building up of the church

E.  Receiving and pouring out the Holy Spirit
(Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:14-18, 32-33)

1.   At the Feast of Pentecost (Lev. 23:15-21; Num. 28:26)

2.   Offering up of 2 leavened loaves – the Jewish and the Gentile churches

F.   Being constituted the great heavenly High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek
(Gen. 14:18; Ps. 110:4; Heb. 6:20; 7:1-3, 11, 14-27)

1.   “… A High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Heb. 8:1)

2.   “Without father and without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually” (Heb. 7:3)

3.   “… Not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life” (Heb. 7:16)

4.   Because He continues forever, it is an unchangeable priesthood (Heb. 7:24)

5.   Jesus Christ as the great heavenly High Priest “… is holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens” (Heb. 7:26)

6.   “… He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25)

7.   Being the “Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Heb. 8:6-13)

8.   As such a High Priest, Christ is also “king of righteousness” and “king of peace” (Heb. 7:1-2)

G.  Being the one worthy to take the book out of God’s right hand (Rev. 5:1, 7)

H.  Being the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
(Ps. 2:8-12; Rev. 1:5; 17:14; 19:16)

XI.  The second coming of the Christ

A.  The signs of the second coming

1.   The gospel preached in the entire world (Matt. 24:14)

2.   The apostasy – the falling away (2 Thess. 2:3)

3.   The parable of the fig tree – the revival of the nation of Israel in the year 1948 (Matt. 24:32-33;
Mark 13:28-29; Luke 21:29-31)

4.   The restoration of Jerusalem to the Jews in June 1967 (Luke 21:24)

5.   The peace treaty in the Middle East (Dan 9:27;
1 Thess. 5:3)

a.    The beginning of the last seven years

b.   The Jews allowed to offer sacrifices at the temple mount

6.   The abomination of desolation standing in the Holy Place (Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Matt. 24:15;
Mark 13:14; 2 Thess. 2:3-4)

a.    The breaking of the treaty in the middle of the 7 years – beginning of the great tribulation

b.   The beast will stop all sacrifices and offerings

c.    The beast will exalt himself to be God
(Dan 8:10-11; 11:36-37; Rev. 13:5-6)

d.   The beast will persecute the saints
(Dan. 7:21-22, 25; Rev. 13:7)

B.  The second coming of the Messiah in relation
to the believers

1.   The secret aspect (Matt. 24:43; Luke 12:36-40)

a.    Before the 3½ years of the great tribulation

b.   Rapture to the throne

      - The man-child (Rev. 12:5-6)

      - The firstfruits (Rev. 14:1-5)         

2.   The rapture of the late overcomers (Rev. 15:2-4)

a.    During the great tribulation

b.   „To the sea of glass mingled with fire“
(Rev. 4:6; 15:2)

3.   The open aspect (Matt. 24:27; Luke 21:27)

a.    Toward the end of the great tribulation

b.   Rapture of the rest of the believers to the air
(1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 14:15-16)

4    The judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10)

C.  The second coming of the Messiah in relation to the Gentile world

1.   The preaching of the eternal gospel by the angel
(Rev. 14:6-7)

2.   Christ – the stone not cut out by hands
(Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45; Zech 3:9; 4:6-7; Ps. 118:22; Matt. 21:42-44; 1 Pet. 2:6-8)

3.   Smashing the Anti-Christ and his kingdom (Rev. 13; 17:3; 9-13)

a.    The war at Armageddon (Rev. 16:12-16;
Zech 12:2-9; 14:1-3; Joel 3:1-2, 9-12)

b.   Treading the winepress of God’s wrath
(Rev. 14:17-20; 19:15)

c.    The beast and the false prophet cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20-21)

d.   The dragon bound and chained for 1000 years
(Rev. 20:1-3)

4.   Judging the nations on the throne of His glory
(Matt. 13:47-50; 25:31-46)

5.   Setting up the millennial kingdom

D.  The second coming of the Messiah in relation
to the Jews

1.   Sending His two witnesses to the Jewish people
(Rev. 11:3-4; Zech. 4:2-3, 11-14; Mal. 4:5;
Matt. 17:2-3; Jude 9)

a.    Moses and Elijah

b.   Jerusalem will again be trodden down (Rev. 11:1-2)

c.    She will be like Sodom and Egypt (Rev. 11:8)

2.   Christ descending on the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:3-5)

a.    Jerusalem will be encompassed with the armies of the Antichrist (Zech 12:1-4; 14:2-3)

b.   Mount of Olives will split in its middle

3.   The repentance of the remnant

a.    The pouring out of the Spirit of grace and supplication (Zech 12:10a; 13:1; 14:8)

b.   The remnant shall see the Messiah whom they have pierced and mourn (Zech 12:10-12)

4.   All (the remaining) Israel will be saved (Rom. 11:25-26)

E.  The consummation of the second coming of the Messiah

1.   The Lord shall be King over all the earth (Zech. 14:9)

2.   The overcomers shall reign with Christ in the millennial kingdom (Dan 7:18, 21-22, 27;
Rev. 2:26-27; 3:11; 12:5; 20:4, 6; Luke 12:32)

3.   The Jews shall be the priests (Zech 8:20-23)

4.   Jerusalem shall be the city of the great King
(Zech 14:10-12, 16-21; Ps. 48:1-3)