A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

Session 3 The Gospels The Manifestation of Christ, Part II

The Gospels and Their Witness to Jesus’ Character, His Contemporaries, and His Spiritual Opposition

Nevertheless, it is still possible to affirm – cautiously but confidently – that Jesus Christ has had an enormous influence for good, not only in art and architecture, music and painting, science, democracy and legal systems, but especially in moral standards and values such as the dignity of the human person. Indeed, one would hardly be guilty of hyperbole if one were to claim: “All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected our life on earth as much as that one solitary life.” ~ John Stott. The Incomparable Christ . p. 133.

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The Gospel Witness to Jesus’ Character

John 1.14-18 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. [15] (John bore witness about him, and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’) [16] And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [18] No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”

I. The Messiahship of Jesus Is Revealed through His Perfect Life.

A. The Incarnation: the Word made flesh

1. The Word which was with God and was God was embodied .

2. He was the agency through which God created the worlds.

3. He was in his person and works a perfect revealer of the Father’s own glory, Heb. 1.1-3; 2 Cor. 4.4; Col. 1.15-16.

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