THE LIFE OF CHRIST. See the map on the page after the daily Bible readings to find where the cities and regions were located.

The Life of Christ Study #6 THE LIFE OF CHRIST This is a chronological study of the life of Christ based on the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. To help you remember when and where things happened, the study is organized in eight chronological periods of Christ s ministry: 1. Birth and early life of Christ (in Bethlehem and Nazareth) 2. Early ministry in Judea (region around Jerusalem) 3. Ministry in Galilee (region north of Judea and west of the Sea of Galilee) 4. Ministry in regions around Galilee 5. Later ministry in Judea 6. Ministry in and around Perea (region east of the Jordan River and away from Jerusalem) 7. Arrival in Jerusalem (one week before His crucifixion) 8. Death and Resurrection of Christ (in Jerusalem) See the map on the page after the daily Bible readings to find where the cities and regions were located. Instructions This Bible study can be used independently, but we highly encourage you to do it with a few other people because we learn so much from others. Each week has seven daily lessons on a common theme. The reading for Day 1 of each week (in bold italics) should be discussed in the study group. The remaining lessons are for personal study. 1 st Week During your small group meeting the first week: 1. Read aloud the introduction and Week 1 comments, The Birth of Christ, found on page 3. Discuss these comments before reading the Bible verses for Day 1. 2. Read aloud the verses for Day 1 (in bold italics) on page 11, make observations, and discuss the meaning of the verses. 3. Finally, discuss how to apply these verses to your lives. An illustration of this method is given below. (See Example for Day 1.) During the remainder of the week, study the daily verses on your own by using the method of observing, interpreting, and applying. Record what you are learning each day. This will make it easier to share with others at the next meeting and will also help you remember what you are learning. To maintain a close walk with God, spend time daily with Him in His Word. 2 nd and Following Weeks During the small group meeting the second week: 1. Spend the first half of the time sharing how you each applied the lessons of the past week to your life. 2. During the second half of your time together, discuss the comments for the coming week s lesson, and read aloud the verses for Day 1 of that week ( in bold italics), then discuss them together. Again, during the remainder of the week, study the daily verses on your own. Page 1 of 16

Study #6 The Life of Christ Example for Day 1 As you read the Scripture for each day, use this pattern of study: Observe What does the Bible say? For example, in Luke chapter 1, Zechariah was startled and gripped with fear when he saw the angel. At that moment, he had been offering incense before the Lord in the temple, which was an important spiritual event. Interpret What does the Bible mean? Sometimes, we can go through the motion of spiritual activity, such as attending Bible studies or worship services, without expecting the Lord to meet us in a special way. Apply What truths can I put into practice, and what changes should I make? I need to approach my quiet times and worship times with an expectation that God will meet me, and I should watch for what He wants to teach me. Some days may have only a few verses to read, while other days may have a chapter. Whatever the reading may be, take time to think about the passage and how it applies to your life. As you study, allow the Holy Spirit to lead you into a greater understanding of God. And this can be helped by sharing what you are learning with others. Paul instructed Timothy: The Challenge The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others (2 Timothy 2:2). Anything that does not reproduce dies out. Therefore, it is not enough for you to gain a deeper relationship with God. For Christ s church to grow, believers need to faithfully plant the seeds of faith in others as well. The Good News must not stop with you. God wants you to reproduce spiritually by introducing others to faith in Christ and helping them grow in their faith. At the very beginning of the study, we strongly urge each person to commit to helping others go through the study. The others might be your own family, your friends, or co-workers. You can start such a group anytime you feel comfortable with the material you have already learned. You don t have to wait until the end of the study. Enjoy the Bible study! May the Lord bless you greatly, and may He use you to help others grow in their relationship with Him. References: Cheney, Johnston M. The Life of Christ in Stereo. Portland, OR: Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1969. Thomas, Robert L. and Stanley N. Gundry. A Harmony of the Gospels. Chicago: The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, 1978. Wiersbe, Warren. The Bible Exposition Commentary/New Testament, Vol. 1. Colorado Springs, CO: Victor Books, 2001. 2008-2010 CCCI All rights reserved. Reprints of unchanged studies allowed. Contact: trulyfollowingjesus@ccci.org Page 2 of 16

The Life of Christ Study #6 BRIEF COMMENTS ON THE LIFE OF CHRIST These comments give an overview of the life of Christ and provide background information that may be helpful in answering questions you might have. However, the comments do not try to explain all the teachings of Christ because it is your responsibility to ask the Lord for His insights as you study His Word (Psalm 119:18). You may wonder why God included four books in the Bible on the life of Christ, particularly since Matthew, Mark, and Luke have many similarities. The four accounts of Christ s life represent four different witnesses speaking to four different audiences. Matthew This book was written by the Apostle Matthew primarily for Jewish readers. It presents Christ as King, the Messiah, and focuses on the kingdom of God. This Gospel tells how Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament promises concerning the Messiah. It presents Jesus as an active Teacher, performing miracles and healing many people. Matthew writes in topical order, so he does not always follow a chronological sequence. Mark This book was written by the Disciple John Mark primarily for Roman readers. It presents Christ as Servant and emphasizes His activities. Mark was very close to the Apostle Peter, so this Gospel reflects the personal experiences and eyewitness accounts of Peter with Jesus. Luke This book was written by the physician, Dr. Luke. He travelled with Paul, and he also wrote the book of Acts. Luke wrote mainly for the Greeks, but his account emphasizes that Jesus Christ and His salvation is for everyone. The book presents Christ as the compassionate Son of Man, who came to live among sinners, love them, help them, and die for them. Luke carefully examines everything to provide an accurate and orderly account of the life and ministry of Christ. John This book was written by the Apostle John for an audience of both Jews and Gentiles (non-jews). It presents Christ as the Son of God. John emphasizes that if anyone commits himself to Christ, He will give him eternal life. Whereas the first three Gospels focus on describing events in the life of Christ, John emphasizes the meaning of these events. BIRTH OF CHRIST WEEK 1 Birth of Christ The story of the birth of Christ can be so familiar that we miss the great significance it had for the people of that day. For centuries, the people of Israel had been waiting for their Messiah (who we call Christ). Prophets had told them that the Messiah would deliver them from their enemies, and His rule would never end. Four hundred years earlier, the last prophet, Malachi, promised that God would send one like Elijah to prepare the way for the Messiah. But God had sent no prophet, no visions, and no angels for the past 400 years. Therefore, it should have been exciting for the people in Bethlehem and Jerusalem to learn that the Messiah had been born. It is remarkable how many people actually heard what was happening. The praise songs of Mary, Zechariah, and Simeon reveal God s plan in the events of the nativity. Names are important to God. John means Jehovah is gracious, and Jesus means Jehovah is salvation. Page 3 of 16

Study #6 The Life of Christ The virgin birth is also part of God s plan for the Messiah. Jesus existed eternally as God the Son and was not created as a child by a human father and mother. A natural birth with a human father would have meant that Jesus inherited the sin nature of Adam and that He would not have been sinless. Therefore, He would have had to die for His own sins and could not pay for anyone else s sins. But since He was miraculously conceived, He did not inherit Adam s sin nature. Throughout His life on earth, He resisted temptation and remained sinless, then offered His life in payment for our sins. The Gospel of Matthew tells us that the Magi arrived in Jerusalem after Jesus was born. If we assume, as King Herod did, that Jesus was born when the star first appeared to the Magi, then two years passed before the Magi arrived in Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary may have moved there to raise Jesus in the City of David and to avoid rumors in their hometown. This would explain why the Magi found Jesus in a house rather than in the manger. The lists of genealogy in Matthew and Luke may seem unimportant when, in fact, they are critical. They demonstrate Jesus right to the throne of David as his heir. The Prophet Isaiah said 700 years earlier that the Messiah would be a descendant of David (Isaiah 9:7). The genealogy in Matthew is generally considered to be that of Jesus legal foster-father Joseph, and it demonstrates Jesus legal right to the throne through Solomon. The genealogy in Luke is that of Mary and demonstrates both His right as a Son of David and also His humanity as a Son of Adam. Matthew s genealogy mentions three women Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba whose early lives are not the most righteous. This demonstrates God s grace in using fallen but redeemed people to fulfill His plans. FIRST YEAR OF MINISTRY EARLY MINISTRY IN JUDEA WEEK 2 John the Baptist Prepares the Way; Jesus Begins His Ministry The Apostle John begins his Gospel by introducing the work of John the Baptist. Four hundred years earlier, Malachi promised the coming of one like Elijah before the Lord s appearance (Malachi 4:5-6), but Israel had not heard from God through a prophet since then. Suddenly, John the Baptist appeared, and a revival broke out. John made it clear that he was not the Messiah. Instead, he was the forerunner who would prepare the way for the Messiah promised by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3-5). He challenged people to repent of their sins and change their ways. Through his parents, John surely knew about Jesus. But God kept him from knowing Jesus true identity until the Spirit came down from heaven as a dove and remained on Jesus at His baptism. John s testimony about Jesus, found in the Gospel of John, came after the baptism of Jesus. Why did Jesus have to be baptized since He was sinless? This was God s way of introducing His Son to Israel. It was also a prophetic picture of the baptism of suffering Jesus would experience at His crucifixion and resurrection. For believers who would follow His example, water baptism would be a symbol of their spiritual death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. Why was Jesus tempted by Satan? This demonstrated His humanity and His identification with those He came to save. While He could have chosen to sin, He also was free not to sin since He did not inherit the sin nature of Adam. Notice that Jesus uses the Word to respond to Satan s temptations. As believers, we have the same spiritual resources that Jesus used when He faced and defeated Satan: prayer, the power of the Spirit, and the power of the Word of God. Page 4 of 16

The Life of Christ Study #6 The cleansing of the temple was Jesus first confrontation with religious authorities. Jesus knew the leaders in Jerusalem would be His most dangerous enemies. When He learned that Herod had arrested John the Baptist and that the Pharisees realized He was attracting large crowds, Jesus left for Galilee where He would spend the next two years. At the beginning of His ministry in His conversations with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman, Jesus confirmed He was the Messiah, the Son of God. (As John 3:5-6 explains, to be born of water and the Spirit means both a physical and spiritual birth. Jesus was not referring to water baptism because we are saved by faith alone.) There are three routes between Jerusalem and Galilee: along the coast, across the Jordan through Perea, or straight through Samaria. Orthodox Jews avoided Samaria because to them the Samaritans were a hated mixed race. Jesus did not share that prejudice, and He took the direct route because the Holy Spirit had a divine appointment for Him with the Samaritan woman. As you read Jesus gospel presentation to the woman at the well, note that The Four Spiritual Laws uses a parallel approach: God loves us and offers a wonderful plan for our life (John 4:10-15); we are sinful (4:16-18); the Messiah (Christ) offers the only answer (4:19-25); and we must believe in Him (4:26). In John 1:35-51, Jesus challenges His first disciples to simply follow Him. He later challenges them to forsake everything and give their lives completely to Him. MINISTRY IN GALILEE WEEK 3 Call of Four Disciples; Sabbath Controversies When Jesus returned to Galilee, He visited His hometown of Nazareth. Why did the people there try to kill Him? He claimed He was fulfilling the passage from Isaiah that referred to the Messiah, but the people didn t seem upset about that. What really angered them was when He reminded them of God s goodness to the Gentiles (non-jews). The Jews hated the Gentiles. Israel was currently occupied by the Gentile Romans. This, coupled perhaps with His claim to be the Messiah, was enough to make them want to kill Him. After all, wasn t this Joseph s son who grew up with them! How could He be anything special, particularly when He wouldn t do any miracles? Just as Jesus said, no prophet is accepted in his hometown. Jesus then moved to Capernaum and continued to heal people. It was at this time that He called four key disciples Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow Him and become fishers of men. Matthew and Luke record two similar but different calls to follow Him. The second call came after a tour of villages in Galilee and was accompanied by a miraculous catch of fish. Jesus says, No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one... And no one pours new wine into old wineskins (Luke 5:36-37). In other words, the gospel would be different from the old, man-made traditions of obeying the law on the outside but not having a change of heart. The gospel of Christ was based on faith in His death on the cross, and it would be empowered by the Holy Spirit. As Jesus continued His ministry, He rapidly ran into all the rules regarding the Sabbath that the Pharisees had developed. Jesus pointed out that it is permissible to do good on the Sabbath, but this ran against the Pharisees concept of keeping the Sabbath holy. It directly challenged an important part of their religion. They were so bound by their mistaken understanding of Scripture that they were unable to see the truth. This can be a hindrance to people today as well. Page 5 of 16

Study #6 The Life of Christ By this time, Jesus had made the religious leaders angry. He was clearly doing the work of God independent of them; He was breaking their Sabbath laws; and He was claiming to be the Son of God. This was more than enough to make them want to kill Him. SECOND YEAR OF MINISTRY WEEK 4 Apostles Chosen; Sermon on the Mount The first three weeks of lessons emphasized that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of God. These next five weeks deal more with His teaching and miracles that prove He is the Son of God. At this point in Jesus ministry, the time had come for Him to select and prepare leaders to carry on after He was gone. Jesus had many disciples but chose only 12 apostles. A disciple is someone who is learning by doing. An apostle is someone who is sent on official business with a commission. Since Israel, God s chosen nation, was about to reject Christ, God was now establishing a holy nation, a people belonging to God (1 Peter 2:9). Christ s 12 apostles were the nucleus of this new spiritual nation (Matthew 21:43). (Luke tells us that Jesus spent the night praying before choosing these twelve key men as His apostles. This is a good encouragement for us to pray seriously about the people God wants us to disciple.) After choosing the Twelve, Jesus then needed to teach His disciples the true nature of the kingdom of God. The Sermon on the Mount explains God s kingdom in beautiful detail. The sermon begins with the beatitudes. Someone once pointed out that these are BE attitudes, not DO attitudes. They represent an outlook very different from that of the world. The list in Matthew is different from the list in Luke. Neither claims to be the full list, so we should take them together. Poor in spirit means to be humble. We are to mourn over sin and despise it. The word translated meek or gentle was used by the Greeks to describe a trained horse, powerful yet under control. And God commands us to be thankful in all things. Being thankful under persecution takes thankfulness to a new level. Jesus said that our righteousness must be greater than that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Mosaic Law. His listeners must have thought, How is that possible? These men are experts at obeying the Law! The Pharisees and teachers, however, were actually experts at selfrighteousness, obeying the external requirements of the law but not changing their bad attitudes. Jesus pointed out that true righteousness is a matter of the heart. It begins with the surrender of our will to God, which transforms our thoughts and attitudes as well as our actions. Jesus ended the sermon by warning, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 7:21). The will of His Father is that we believe in His Son and let Him live through us. All attempts at obedience in our own self-righteous efforts count for nothing. WEEK 5 Pharisees Publicly Reject Jesus as Messiah; Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Jesus was at a turning point in His ministry. His miracles were so amazing that people were wondering if He was the Son of David (the Messiah). The Pharisees did not want this to continue, so they began to openly oppose Jesus. When He cast out demons, they accused Him of acting as an agent of Satan. Jesus openly confronted the Pharisees and warned that anyone who personally rejected the testimony of the Holy Spirit regarding Christ would not be forgiven. There could be no compromise: You were either with Jesus or against Him. You either encourage others to believe in Jesus, or you discourage them. Page 6 of 16

The Life of Christ Study #6 At this point, Jesus immediately began to teach in parables, hiding the secrets of the kingdom from those who would reject Him, but revealing these secrets to His followers. (He did not, however, hide the way of salvation.) Notice that He says the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for a pearl of great price. The kingdom is not the pearl; we are the pearl. The healing of the demoniac was a clear demonstration of Jesus power over evil forces. Why did the people of the region want Jesus to leave after this great demonstration of His power? The 2,000 pigs were probably a community herd, and Jesus actions had just destroyed a major part of their economy. They did not see His presence as a blessing to them. Jesus left the former demoniac to be a missionary to his own people. Now the time had come for the twelve apostles to practice what they have been learning. THIRD YEAR OF MINISTRY MINISTRY IN REGIONS AROUND GALILEE WEEK 6 Ministry around Galilee Things were becoming increasingly dangerous for Jesus in Galilee. The religious authorities had openly opposed Him. King Herod, whose rule included Galilee, had just beheaded John the Baptist. Herod now wondered who Jesus was. Furthermore, the missionary activities of the 12 apostles may have stirred up further opposition. So Jesus began traveling more in the regions surrounding Galilee. His ministry also changed, and He began to focus more on teaching His followers and less on ministering to crowds. The miraculous feeding of 5,000 people demonstrated the danger of crowds. They were interested more in healing and in being fed than in applying the teachings of Christ to their lives. They wanted to make Him king. Jesus strongly rebuked them. He would become King in the future, but not for their reasons. In His sermon on the bread of life, Jesus used the analogy of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, illustrating that the people needed to internalize His teaching. He was the Word of life. But the crowds took it literally, were offended, and began to turn away. Jesus gave a simple explanation of why the people rejected Him when He said, No one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him (John 6:65). Jesus recent sermons offended the masses, and many turned back from following Him. But the same sermons and miracles strengthened the faith of His disciples. Now it was time for Jesus to have them verbalize their commitment. Peter responded correctly. From this point on, Jesus would minister more in other regions, helping individuals and instructing the apostles for their future work. LATER JUDEAN MINISTRY WEEK 7 Jesus Teaches at the Feast of Tabernacles; Sends Out Seventy-two The challenge is to weave together the events of Jesus later ministry in Judea and Perea recorded in Luke chapters 9-19 and in John chapters 7-10. This study follows the chronological order presented in A Harmony of the Gospels by Thomas and Gundry. Others might prefer a different order. The important thing is to focus on the teachings of Christ. In John chapters 7-10, Jesus attends the Feast of Tabernacles in October and the Feast of Dedication in December, which happened before the Passover the next spring. This illustrates God s leading and protecting His Son. The religious rulers in Jerusalem now hated Jesus and Page 7 of 16

Study #6 The Life of Christ were determined to destroy Him. Yet Jesus walked among them during these festivals and nothing happened to Him. He was blunt and told the religious leaders that God was His Father and Satan was theirs. Even the people wondered what was going on because they knew of the religious leaders hatred. But the Lamb of God had to be slaughtered on the Passover, and nothing humans could do would change God s perfect timing. Between the feasts, Jesus probably sent out the 72 disciples to visit the areas of Judea and Perea where He had yet not ministered. The 72 returned rejoicing because they had seen demons submitting to them in the name of Jesus. Jesus warned them not to rejoice in this, but to rejoice that their names were written in heaven. In the same way, we can get caught up in our ministry successes and forget what is really important. WEEK 8 Further Teaching in Judea; Feast of Dedication This lesson begins with a remarkable promise. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus told them, Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you (Luke 11:9). James 4:2-3 tells us there are some conditions we must meet: You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives. We must totally surrender our lives to God. Then the Holy Spirit will direct us how to pray according to God s will, and these promises will be fulfilled. James goes on to tell us, The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (James 5:16). Jesus also gave a solemn warning: He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters (Luke 11:23). You cannot love God and the world. You must decide whom you will serve. Traditionally, Bible scholars believed the public ministry of Jesus lasted three years. To some scholars, however, the story of the Galileans whose blood was mixed with their sacrifices (Luke 13:1-3) suggests an additional Passover and fourth year. The story Jesus told about giving the fig tree (Israel) a fourth year to bear fruit (Luke 13:1-9) may support this view. Opposition from the Pharisees and teachers of the law continued to grow during this time. Jesus made it clear that their efforts to earn their own righteousness through keeping the law were wrong. They began to oppose Him fiercely. At the Feast of Dedication, it was clear to the Pharisees that Jesus was claiming to be God, and they wanted to stone Him. After this feast in December, Jesus withdrew to Perea across the Jordan where He primarily stayed until His final visit to Jerusalem for Passover the next spring. MINISTRY IN AND AROUND PEREA WEEK 9 Ministry in and around Perea The last few months leading up to Jesus final trip to Jerusalem are filled with His teachings. Jesus described the great wedding banquet in heaven when He, the Bridegroom, will be united with His bride, the church. (Also see Matthew 22:1-14.) He explained who will be present and who will not be present. Jesus emphasized the need for humility and the cost of being His disciple. He also explained the importance of one lost soul. At that time, Jews expected the kingdom of God to appear soon. Jesus explained that the kingdom of God was not coming in the way they expected. Instead, He must first suffer many things and be rejected by that generation. He also said that certain prophesies regarding Him would be fulfilled in Jerusalem. He would be killed, and on the third day, He would rise again. His future return would be a great event that no one could predict, and it would be a time of Page 8 of 16

The Life of Christ Study #6 judgment. But His disciples did not understand any of this because it was hidden from them. Only after His resurrection did they understand what He had been telling them. The resurrection of Lazarus from the dead was the final event that tipped the scale. The Sanhedrin (the ruling body of the Jews) decided that they had to kill Jesus. They feared that Jesus great following would anger the Romans, and that the Roman army would then come and crush their nation and remove them from leadership. The high priest spoke prophetically when he said that it was better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to perish (John 11:50). This was God s plan all along. ARRIVAL IN JERUSALEM WEEK 10 Arrival in Jerusalem The Jews were looking for the promised King, the Messiah, who would deliver them from their enemies. They welcomed Jesus with joyful shouts of, Blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord! (John 12:13).Their King was coming but they would ultimately reject Him. The fig tree cursed by Jesus demonstrated God s rejection of them as a nation until He gathers them together again at the end. Jesus strongly rebuked the Pharisees and teachers of the law for misleading the people. You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? (Matthew 23:33). They knew Jesus was talking about them when He told the story of how the tenants of a vineyard killed the owner s son. The chief priests and teachers of the law had already decided to kill Jesus, but they could not find a way to do it without angering the crowds. So they were delighted when Judas offered to betray Jesus when no crowds were present (Luke 22:1-6). Jesus clearly told His disciples that He would die. He also warned them that Jerusalem would be destroyed. The disciples still believed in an actual kingdom on earth and asked what would be the signs of the end of the age. Jesus gave a sweeping view of the future and what would happen at the end when He would return to earth. Matthew, Mark, and Luke speak of two different destructions of Jerusalem. In Luke chapter 21, Jesus warned about the immediate destruction of Jerusalem. This occurred in A.D. 70 (40 years after Jesus prophecy) when the Roman army punished a Jewish rebellion. The Jewish historian Josephus claimed that the Roman army killed nearly a million people, and more than 100,000 were taken captive. In Matthew chapter 24 and Mark chapter 13, Jesus describes the destruction of Jerusalem by the Antichrist during the seven year tribulation in the end times. (See the End Times study for more details.) As believers today, our hope is in our new home in heaven, not in the things of this world. Therefore, we need to remain watchful, filled with the Holy Spirit, and walk daily in obedience as He leads our lives. WEEK 11 Teaching at the Last Supper This is the last time Jesus would be with His disciples until after His resurrection. He started by emphasizing that He was the way to the Father. They had seen Him, and therefore, they had seen the Father because it was the Father who was doing the work through Him. He used this time to tell them about the Holy Spirit, whom they would later receive. The Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. Three times He emphasized that they could ask anything of Him and He would do it. But they must remain in Him, for apart from Him they could do nothing. He promised them His peace, even though the world would hate them and try to kill them. Page 9 of 16

Study #6 The Life of Christ The words of Jesus to His disciples apply to us as well. Jesus said, Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me (John 14:21). You must know His commands, and you must be filled with the Holy Spirit so that you have the power and leading to obey Christ s commands. You can t obey the commands of Christ in your own strength. In His final prayer with the disciples, He prayed that believers would be brought to complete unity. This will show the world that His Father sent Him and loves the believers as much as He loves Jesus. These passages are as powerful for believers today as they were for Jesus disciples. Take some serious time to study these verses. DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST WEEK 12 Death and Resurrection of Christ The end had come, yet it was only the beginning. Jesus was betrayed and brought before the authorities. He confirmed to the Sanhedrin that He was the Son of God, and He confirmed to Pilate that He was the King of the Jews. Pilate sentenced Jesus to death, not because He deserved to die, but because the mob demanded it. Jesus came to earth to offer His life as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. He remained sinless, and His death was accepted by God as payment for our sins. Christ s death was not pretty. We all hope we die peacefully in our sleep, but that is not the way the Father chose for His Son. Crucifixion is a cruel and horrible way to die. Jesus cried out on the cross, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46). Jesus was temporarily separated from His heavenly Father when He took upon Himself the sins of the world. Interestingly, His death was foretold 1,000 years before by King David in Psalm 22. Verse one begins with this same question, then the psalm ends with the statement,... for he has done it (31). John 19:30 records that when Jesus died on the cross, He said, It is finished, then bowed His head and gave up His spirit. Another detailed description of His death and the reason for it is given in Isaiah 52:13 53:12, which was written 700 years before the death of Christ. Jesus told His disciples, You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). In the 2,000 years since His death, believers have experienced that power at work. We have the same power available to us today, and the same charge to help finish the work. References: Cheney, Johnston M. The Life of Christ in Stereo. Portland, OR: Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1969. Thomas, Robert L. and Stanley N. Gundry. A Harmony of the Gospels. Chicago: The Moody Bible Institute, 1978. Wiersbe, Warren. The Bible Exposition Commentary/New Testament, Vol. 1. Colorado Springs, CO: Victor Books, 2001. 2008-2010 CCCI All rights reserved. Reprints of unchanged studies allowed. Contact: trulyfollowingjesus@ccci.org Page 10 of 16

The Life of Christ Study #6 THE LIFE OF CHRIST Note: Comments in italics found under various daily readings give major milestones and locations in the ministry of Christ. BIRTH OF CHRIST Week 1 Birth of Christ Day 1 The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold Luke 1:1-25 Day 2 The Birth of Jesus Foretold Luke 1:26-56 Day 3 The Birth of John the Baptist Luke 1:57-80 Day 4 Situation Explained to Joseph Matthew 1:18-25 Day 5 Birth of Jesus; Jesus Presented in Temple Luke 2:1-40 Day 6 Visit of the Magi; Flight to Egypt and Matthew 2:1-23; Luke 2:41-52 Back; First Passover Day 7 Jesus Lineage through Joseph and Mary Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38 FIRST YEAR OF MINISTRY EARLY MINISTRY IN JUDEA Week 2 John the Baptist Prepares Way; Jesus Begins His Ministry 1. The Word Became Flesh John 1:1-18 2. Mission and Message of John the Baptist Luke 3:1-20 John the Baptist begins to prepare the way for Jesus by calling people to repent of their sins. 3. Baptism of Jesus; John Identifies Jesus as Luke 3:21-23; John 1:19-34 the Son of God Jesus is first revealed as the Messiah to John at the baptism. 4. Temptation of Jesus; First Disciples Luke 4:1-13; John 1:35-51 5. Wedding in Cana of Galilee; First John 2:1-25 Cleansing of the Temple Jesus goes to Cana for a wedding and returns to Jerusalem for the Passover. The cleansing of the temple is His first confrontation with the Pharisees. 6. Jesus Teaches Nicodemus; John 3:1-36 John the Baptist s Testimony about Jesus Jesus explains to Nicodemus, You must be born again. 7. Jesus Talks with a Samaritan Woman John 4:1-42 When Herod arrests John the Baptist and the Pharisees learn that Jesus is attracting large crowds, Jesus leaves Judea and goes to Galilee. MINISTRY IN GALILEE Week 3 Call of the Four Disciples; Sabbath Controversies 1. Official s Son Healed; Rejected at Nazareth John 4:46-54; Luke 4:14-30 2. First Call of Four Disciples; Tour of Galilee Matthew 4:12-25; Luke 4:31-44 3. Second Call of Four Disciples Luke 5:1-11 4. Jesus Heals a Leper and a Paralytic Luke 5:12-26 Pharisees question Jesus ability to forgive sins. Only God can forgive sins. 5. He Calls Matthew; Indicates Major Changes Luke 5:27-39 The Gospel represents something new for those trying to obey rules and regulations. 6. Jesus Heals at Pool on Sabbath; Explains John 5:1-47 His Equality with the Father 7. Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath; Withdraws to Luke 6:1-11; Mark 3:7-12 Sea of Galilee. The Pharisees are greatly angered that Jesus heals on the Sabbath and begin to plan with the Herodians how to kill Him. Page 11 of 16

Study #6 The Life of Christ SECOND YEAR OF MINISTRY Week 4 Apostles Chosen; Sermon on the Mount 1. Twelve Apostles Named Luke 6:12-16 2. The Beatitudes Matthew 5:1-12; Luke 6:20-26 3. Our Responsibility as Salt and Light Matthew 5:13-20 4. Six Clarifications on the Law Matthew 5:21-48; Luke 6:27-36 5. Three Hypocritical Practices to Avoid Matthew 6:1-18 6. Materialism and Judging Others Matthew 6:19 7:6; Luke 6:37-42 7. Application and Conclusion Matthew 7:7-29; Luke 6:43-49 Week 5 Pharisees Publicly Reject Jesus as Messiah; Jesus Sends Out the Twelve 1. Centurion s Servant; Widow s Son Luke 7:1-17 First recorded event where Jesus raises someone from the dead. Big impact on crowds. 2. Jesus and John the Baptist; Jesus Anointed Luke 7:18-50; Matthew 11:20-30 by Sinful Woman; Rest for the Weary Jesus begins to warn those who refuse to repent (Matthew 11:20-24). 3. First Public Rejection by Jewish Leaders, Matthew 12:22-50 Jesus begins another tour of cities and villages. Great crowds come from everywhere. At this first public rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leaders and scribes, they accuse Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. 4. Story of Sower; Parables of the Kingdom; Matthew 13:1-58; Mark 4:26-29 Final Visit to Nazareth Jesus again teaches by the sea. He also begins to teach in parables to hide truths of the Kingdom from those who would not believe. (He did not hide truth concerning the way of salvation.) 5. Jesus Calms the Storm, Heals Demoniac Luke 8:22-39 Jesus travels by boat across the Sea of Galilee to the Gentile region of the Gerasenes. 6. Dead Girl and Sick Woman; Few Workers Luke 8:40-56; Matthew 9:27-38 Jesus returns to Capernaum. 7. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve; Beheading of Matthew 10:1 11:1; Luke 9:1-10 John the Baptist Jesus and the six teams of disciples set out on another preaching tour of Galilee. THIRD YEAR OF MINISTRY MINISTRY IN REGIONS AROUND GALILEE Week 6 Ministry around Galilee 1. Jesus Feeds 5,000, Walks on Water John 6:1-24; Matthew 14:22-36 In the spring of the third Passover, Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida area. 2. Jesus Is the Bread of Life John 6:25-71 Jesus returns to Capernaum and offers Himself as the Bread of Life. The crowds desert Him, and many disciples turn back from following Him. 3. What Makes a Man Unclean; Faith of Matthew 15:1-28 Canaanite Woman Jesus travels into the region of Tyre and Sidon. 4. Jesus Feeds 4,000; Demand for a Sign Matthew 15:29 16:12 Jesus returns to the Gentile Decapolis region on the far side of the Sea of Galilee. The people glorify the God of Israel. 5. Peter s Confession of Christ; First Direct Luke 9:18-27 Prediction of Christ Death Jesus goes to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, possibly for rest and time with His disciples. 6. Transfiguration; Healing of Demoniac; Luke 9:28-45; Matthew 17:24-27 Second Prediction of Death; Temple Tax 7. Greatest in Kingdom; Forgiveness Luke 9:46-50; Matthew 18:1-35 Page 12 of 16

The Life of Christ Study #6 LATER JUDEAN MINISTRY Week 7 Jesus Teaches at the Feast of Tabernacles, Sends Out Seventy-two 1. Jesus goes to the Feast of Tabernacles Luke 9:51-62; John 7:1-24 We are now in the fall of the third year. 2. People Confused about Jesus John 7:25-52 3. Jesus Forgiveness of an Adulteress John 8:1-11 4. Invitation to Believe in Jesus John 8:12-30 5. Before Abraham Was Born, I Am! John 8:31-59 6. Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-two Luke 10:1-24 7. Parable of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-42 Week 8 Further Teaching in Judea; Feast of Dedication 1. Teaching on Prayer Luke 11:1-13 2. More Opposition Luke 11:14-54 3. Hypocrisy and Greed; Watchfulness Luke 12:1-59 4. Repentance; Woman Healed on Sabbath Luke 13:1-21 5. Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind John 9:1-41 6. The Good Shepherd John 10:1-21 7. Unbelief of the Jews at Feast of Dedication John 10:22-42 MINISTRY IN AND AROUND PEREA Week 9 Ministry in and around Perea 1. Narrow Door; Sorrow for Jerusalem; Luke 13:22 14:35 Pharisee s House; Banquet; Discipleship 2. Parables of Lost Sheep, Coin, and Son; Luke 15:1 16:31 Use and Dangers of Money 3. Sin, Faith, and Duty; Ten Lepers; Coming Luke 17:1 18:14 of Kingdom of God; Two Parables on Prayer 4. Lazarus Raised from the Dead John 11:1-54 5. Little Children; Rich Young Man; Luke 18:15-34; Matthew 19:1-12 Third Prediction of Death; Divorce 6. Parable of Workers; Be Least to Be Great Matthew 20:1-28 7. Blind Beggar; Zacchaeus the Tax Collector; Luke 18:35 19:27 Parable of Ten Minas ARRIVAL IN JERUSALEM Week 10 Arrival in Jerusalem 1. Jesus Anointed; Triumphant Entry John 11:55 12:11; Luke 19:28-44 2. Second Cleansing of the Temple; Mark 11:12-26 Cursing of the Fig Tree 3. Parable of Tenants; Wedding Banquet; Luke 20:1-19; Matthew 22:1-14; Jesus Predicts Death John 12:20-50 4. Questions by Pharisees and Sadducees; Luke 20:20 21:4; Matthew 22:34 23:39 Christ s Response to Enemies Challenges 5. Signs of the End of the Age Luke 21:5-38 6. Parables to Teach Watchfulness; Matthew 24:36 25:46 Judgment at Jesus Second Coming 7. Arrangements for Betrayal; Last Supper; Luke 22:1-30; John 13:1-38 First Prediction of Peter s Denial Page 13 of 16

Study #6 The Life of Christ Week 11 Teaching at the Last Supper 1. Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit John 14:1-31 2. The Vine and the Branches John 15:1-17 3. Opposition from the World John 15:18 16:4 4. Work of the Holy Spirit John 16:5-15 5. Disciples Grief Will Turn to Joy John 16:16-33 6. Jesus Prays for Himself and His Disciples John 17:1-26 7. Second Prediction of Peter s Denial; Mark 14:26-42 Jesus Prays in Gethsemane DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST Week 12 Death and Resurrection of Christ 1. Jesus Betrayed, Arrested; Peter s Denials Luke 22:47-65 2. Taken before Sanhedrin; Pilate and Herod; Luke 22:66 23:25; Matthew 27:1-10; Suicide of Judas Iscariot John 18:28 19:16 3. The Crucifixion Matthew 27:27-31; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-42 4. The Resurrection Matthew 28:1-15; John 20:1-18 5. On the Road to Emmaus; Doubting Thomas Luke 24:13-35 6. Jesus Appears to the Disciples Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19 21:25; Matthew 28:16-20 7. Christ s Ascension Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-11 Page 14 of 16

The Life of Christ Study #6 Page 15 of 16

Study #6 The Life of Christ Page 16 of 16