The New Testament Witness to Christ and His Kingdom, Student Workbook, SW13

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T H E N E W T E S T A M E N T W I T N E S S T O C H R I S T A N D H I S K I N G D O M

understand how you can suggest that the God of heaven became a man, was born of a woman, grew up, learned language and did chores, and endured the lowly, difficult realm of life that all human beings do. I find your view of Jesus an ambitious but confusing doctrine. Could you explain to me, as simply as possible, how you believe Jesus to be the Son of God, and yet fully a human being, too?” How would you answer his question?

A Kingdom Postponed

In sharing your insights in your studies with a fellow seminarian, you are challenged with an idea regarding the nature of the coming of Messiah, and the coming of the Kingdom. The Christian friend agrees with the idea that Jesus of Nazareth is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah, but he rejects the idea that the Kingdom of God has in any way arrived with him. Their theological opinion, dispensationalism , suggests that Jesus came and made the kingdom offer to Israel, but they rejected his offer, crucified the Messiah, and the Kingdom was postponed. Now, instead, the age of the Church has dawned, and the promise of the Kingdom will not emerge again until the Second Coming of Jesus where he will fulfill his kingdom promise in full. How would you answer this claim that Jesus’ announcement of his Messiahship and the Kingdom are different? In your opinion, has the Kingdom of God come, in any way, in the first coming of Jesus, and if so, how? A profitable study of the life of Christ demands a devout and studious spirit, and an awareness of the critical perspectives and processes associated with his first coming. The announcement of Jesus coming as Messiah is connected with the key New Testament stories of the birth, infancy, and childhood of Jesus. The New Testament Gospel accounts reveal that the person of Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah who fulfills the promise of God for salvation, redemption, and revelation. John the Baptist is God’s chosen messenger to announce Messiah’s ministry to the nation of Israel. Jesus’ identity as Messiah is announced through his baptism, his temptation in the wilderness, his calling of his disciples, and two important incidents concerning the announcement of the Messiah at the synagogue in Nazareth and the wedding at Cana.

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Restatement of the Lesson’s Thesis