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

/ 8 3

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

Put away your notes, gather up your thoughts and reflections, and take the quiz for Lesson 2, The Messiah Opposed .

Quiz

Scripture Memorization Review

Review with a partner, write out and/or recite the text for last class session’s assigned memory verse: John 15.18-20.

Turn in your summary of the reading assignment for last week, that is, your brief response and explanation of the main points that the authors were seeking to make in the assigned reading (Reading Completion Sheet).

Assignments Due

The Nature of True Greatness

In a society that measures success by size, number, and power, the Christian life offers a radical and revolutionary alternative. Jesus of Nazareth, although the greatest personage in the universe as heir of God and Son of the Father himself, demonstrates in his lowliness and humility a new vision of what constitutes “greatness,” “success,” “strength,” and “power.” Has the American experience of success caused the Church to reject the Christian view of true greatness and success? If so, how?

3

Why Would Messiah Have to Die?

One of the sticking points for many who find the Christian view compelling as an ethical system but reject its theological understanding is the rejection of the idea of vicarious sacrifice for sin. A vicarious sacrifice is a substitutionary sacrifice , one in which one thing is given in place of another. According to the Christian faith, the innocent and perfect Messiah of God was given as a sacrifice to die in the place of and on behalf of humankind, who transgressed and rejected the righteous law and will of God. This idea of blood sacrifice on behalf of the guilty, of one dying on behalf of the entire human race, is said to be hard to understand. How could the death of a single one be sufficient to satisfy the moral debt of billions of human beings? How can this be? In as few words as possible, provide your explanation for this critical doctrine of the Christian faith.