Powerful Evidence That Jesus Is the Savior
A note on the audio: This lesson's audio is a sermon recording in Korean. The notes below are in English, but pressing play will play Korean speech.
Romans 1:2
Q. Why do you consider Jesus to be clearly the Messiah?
1. God Testified to Jesus Through Prophecy
Romans 1:2
This gospel did not appear suddenly one day. Over thousands of years, God spoke of it beforehand through the prophets. Let's take a look at those prophecies.
Prophecies About Jesus' Family Line, Birthplace, and Hometown
Q. Listen to the sermon and summarize what it says about the prophecy above.
The Fulfillment of the Prophecy
Luke 2:3-5
Jesus' parents went to Bethlehem because of a census ordered by the Roman emperor at the time. Yet Jesus grew up in Nazareth. This prophecy was fulfilled exactly.
The Mysterious Birth of Jesus
Q. Listen to the sermon and summarize what it says about the prophecy above.
This is a very mysterious teaching. In Israel, betrothal carried the same legal weight as marriage. But in that culture, there was a year-long period of preparation between the betrothal and the wedding itself.
It was in that very interval that Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb through the Holy Spirit. Jesus' father Joseph was of the line of David — so the prophecy that the Messiah would be a descendant of David was fulfilled. Yet Jesus was not conceived through a normal marital relationship.
This is because Jesus is the Son of God. Through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, God became human and was conceived in Mary's womb. This is a mystery, and it is the exact fulfillment of prophecy. In other words, Jesus is fully God and, at the same time, fully human.
The Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus
Q. Listen to the sermon and summarize what it says about the prophecy in Isaiah 53.
Q. What prophecy did Jesus fulfill just before he breathed his last on the cross?
Jesus fulfilled this prophecy right up to his last moment on the cross. In this way, many prophecies that no mere human could fulfill were all fulfilled in the one person of Jesus Christ.
Q. What did you come to realize through this passage? You have come to be assured once again that Jesus is the Savior God sent.
2. The Mysterious Identity of Jesus
Q. Jesus' identity is twofold.
Q. What declared that Jesus is the Son of God?
The resurrection is the public declaration that Jesus is the Son of God who conquered the power of sin and death. If he had not risen, he would have been, at most, a great saint or the founder of a religion. But by rising again, Jesus testified that he is not merely a man, but the Son of God and the Savior.
Revelation 1:18
Jesus is both man and God. That was the only way he could save us. He had to be human to bear human sin and die in our place. But at the same time he had to be the Son of God, because he had to be without sin to bear our sin. This is how God sent Jesus into the world. This is the wisdom of God.
The gospel is Jesus. In Jesus there is salvation, power, and life. Jesus is King, Savior, and Victor. We believe in this Jesus. This Jesus is my Lord. I follow, obey, and depend on Jesus. This is faith.
The heart of the gospel is knowing who Jesus is, looking to Jesus, and believing in Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1
When flowers and plants receive sunlight, photosynthesis takes place and they grow. What matters is turning toward the light. In Jesus there is tremendous saving power. Faith is turning toward Jesus, looking to him, and depending on him. When we do, the saving power within Jesus begins to work among us.
Q. Do you truly believe in Jesus? Do you look to him and depend on him in that way?
Q. Do you overcome the problems, weaknesses, and failures in your life right now by believing in Jesus?
Our problem is that instead of looking to Jesus, we look at our problems, at other people, and at ourselves. That is where faith fails to arise, and there is no power. Faith means looking to Jesus in trust. When we look to Jesus in this way, faith will arise. The abundant power of salvation will flow into us, and we will overcome sin and failure.