Bible Answers 4 Today's Youth Challenge Booklet #3 THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD UNIVERSE!!

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book.   He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn't go to college.   He never visited a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials but Himself. He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to His enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for His clothing, the only property He had on earth. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind's progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that one solitary life. [3 - 1]

THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD UNIVERSE! ? WHO WAS JESUS CHRIST? ?    Who was this man conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin?   Who was this man whose birth was announced and anticipated thousands of years before it took place?   Who was this man whose birth took place in a stable, in a little town that was no bigger than a football field?   Who was this man... Jesus Christ? "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."   Isaiah 9:6 In answer to the above questions, we need to understand 2 basic truths: FJESUS CHRIST WAS FULLY HUMAN. FJESUS CHRIST WAS TOTALLY GOD.    Jesus Christ was like no man before Him, and no man after Him.   He was literally 100% God while being 100% man!   He was total deity while clothed in total humanity.   This is a mystery that cannot be explained, but it can be proved.   The BIBLE show us clearly that Jesus was the "God-man". 3 - 2

Let's start by looking at the fact that Jesus Christ was fully human. The BIBLE shows that as a man, Jesus Christ: Grew physically Got hungry and thirsty Became tired and needed sleep Suffered pain Experienced joy and sorrow Luke 2:40,52 Matt. 21:18; John 19:28 John 4:6; Matt. 8:24 Luke 22:44 Luke 10:21; John 11:35    Jesus Christ was "flesh and blood" and understood the human condition first hand.   He was God who had taken on the form of a man.   Jesus Christ: "...made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of A SERVANT and was made in the likeness of MEN."   Philippians 2:7    Jesus Christ laid aside the royal robe which He wore in Heaven, and came down to this earth to live as a man, temporarily putting aside the use of some divine qualities.   That is why, while on this earth, Jesus admitted to being inferior [lower] in some ways to God the Father (Mark 13:32; John 14:28) while still being God Himself. Now, let's look at the fact that Jesus Christ was GOD.      NEVER has there been a man to whom there has been such         controversy.   Because of the things He did, Jesus was either an outright lunatic or He was Almighty GOD.   Because of the things He said, He was either worthy of death or worthy of worship.   Was He God, or was He a total imposter? Some people say... I believe Jesus Christ was a good, moral man who taught love and truthfulness, but I do not believe He was God. 3 - 3

But, how could Jesus have been a good, moral man who taught love and truthfulness while at the same time lying, claiming to be God?   He was either a liar, or He was genuinely God.   Concerning His deity, Jesus Christ said: "ALL POWER is given unto me in heaven and in earth."   Matthew 28:18 "...all men should HONOUR THE SON even as they HONOUR THE FATHER..." John 5:23 "I and my Father are ONE."   John 10:30    The Scriptures further reveal that Jesus had abilities that fall under the domain of God, and God alone!   In Lesson #2 we noted that the BIBLE reveals that God is ALL-POWERFUL, EVERYWHERE at once, and ALL-KNOWING.   How about Jesus? ALL-POWERFUL r Christ declared He was "the Almighty."   Revelation 1:8 r He upholds the Universe with His power.   Hebrews 1:3 EVERYWHERE r Christ was in Heaven while He was bodily present     on the Earth.   John 3:13 ALL-KNOWING r He knew the history of the Samaritan woman.   John 4:29 r He knew the thoughts of men.   Matthew 9:4; Mark 2:6-8   LOOK AT THIS...                         Jesus Christ accepted worship "...and let all the angels of God WORSHIP HIM."   Hebrews 1:6 "There came a certain ruler, and WORSHIPPED HIM."   Matthew 9:18 "...behold, there came a leper and WORSHIPPED HIM..." Matthew 8:2 3 - 4

Jesus Christ had power over the weather "And he...rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And they...said one to another, What MANNER of MAN is this, that even the WIND and the SEA OBEY HIM?" Mark 4:39-41 Jesus Christ granted forgiveness of sins "...he said unto the sick of the palsy, son, THY SINS BE FORGIVEN THEE. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts... who can forgive sins BUT GOD ONLY?" Mark 2:5-7    JESUS was the God-Man.   He was all man and all God.   As a man, Jesus Christ knew first hand about mankind's problems.   As God, He knew the solutions.   As a man, Jesus was the appropriate sacrifice.   As God, He was the acceptable sacrifice. Q: Why did Jesus need to be 100% human?           A: To be the sacrifice for our sins! "By the which will we are sanctified through the OFFERING OF THE BODY of Jesus Christ..." Hebrews 10:10 Q: Why did Jesus need to be 100% God?           A: To be the PERFECT sacrifice for our sins!             "For he [God] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, WHO KNEW NO SIN; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."   II Corithians 5:21 3 - 5

Now that we know WHO Jesus Christ was. . . WHY DID HE COME TO EARTH?    When Jesus was 12 years old, His parents went to Jerusalem to participate in the feast of the PASSOVER.   On the way home, His parents lost track of Him and went back to Jerusalem to try to find Him.   Searching diligently, they finally found Him in the Temple sitting among the Jewish teachers, asking and answering questions about the Jewish religion.   His parents then asked Jesus why He had strayed away, causing them to search for Him: "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist [know] ye not that I MUST BE ABOUT MY FATHER'S BUSINESS?" Luke 2:49 AT THE AGE OF 12. . .    Jesus knew what His FATHER'S BUSINESS was.   It included a message to proclaim and a mission to accomplish.   The BIBLE speaks about this "business" that Jesus Christ had to finish: AT THE AGE OF 30. . .    Jesus put aside His handsaw, set His wood plane on the shelf, laid down His carpenter's apron, wiped off the saw dust, and left behind His earthly trade, never to return to it again.   He left Nazareth of Galilee and went on a 60-mile journey, which took Him to a place near the Jordan river.   There He was baptized by John the Baptist.   Upon seeing Jesus face to face, John cried out: "Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."   John 1:29 Now it was time to take care of His Father's business. . . 3 - 6

JESUS CHRIST HAD A MESSAGE TO PROCLAIM "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, BUT BY ME."   John 14:6 "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, HE SHALL BE SAVED..." John 10:9 "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to FORGIVE SINS..." Matthew 9:6 "...REPENT ye, and BELIEVE the gospel."   Mark 1:15 In other words, Jesus was saying: If you are willing to turn from your sin and trust Me as the only way to Heaven, I can -- and will -- forgive you and give you eternal life!    JESUS SPENT 3 YEARS teaching and preaching to the masses this message of hope and salvation, this message about a personal relationship with God.   His entire ministry revolved around helping people see their spiritual need.   But along with His message. . . 3 - 7

JESUS CHRIST HAD A MISSION TO ACCOMPLISH JESUS CHRIST WAS BORN TO DIE!    Shortly before His death, Jesus shared with His disciples this fact: "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall CONDEMN HIM TO DEATH, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall KILL HIM: and the third day he shall rise again."   Mark 10:33,34    Not only did He live for others but He also died for others.   He was the only sinless person to ever exist, and yet He had to die to pay for sin itself.   His life on this earth began in the wood of a manger, and finished on the wood of a cross.   He suffered the pain at Calvary for OUR SINS! "...he was wounded for OUR transgressions, he was bruised for OUR iniquities..." Isaiah 53:5 3 - 8

WHAT DID JESUS LOOK LIKE?    Although the average person pictures Jesus as thin, with long, straight light colored hair, a beard, and even blue eyes -- this is wrong. They confuse Christ with being a Nazarite (one whose vow included long hair) when actually Christ was a Nazarene (from the town of Nazareth).   Earliest sketches of Christ, found in the catacombs, picture him with SHORT hair. Also, Christ would have had olive skin, dark hair, dark eyes and would have looked like any Jewish man of His day (John 4:9).   He would have been a very rugged and strong individual, being a carpenter in those days.   Jesus looked so much like any other man that Judas had to identify Him to the soldiers with a kiss of betrayal. Q&A WHAT WAS JESUS LIKE AS A YOUNG MAN?    The BIBLE gives no information about Jesus Christ from age 12 (Luke 2:42) to age 30 (Luke 3:23).    During those 18 years it is believed that Jesus' "stepfather" died.   Though Mary is mentioned often later, her husband never is.   He was perhaps much older than Mary.   Joseph was a carpenter (Matthew 13:55) and so was Jesus (Mark 6:3).    Jesus would no doubt have had to support His family, and was known in the community as the carpenter (Luke 4:16-24).   Though He was instructed in the Scriptures and would have learned the religious law from the synagogue, the BIBLE says that He never had the opportunity to attend school and be formally educated (John 7:15). DID JESUS HAVE OTHER BROTHERS AND SISTERS?    Jesus Christ was clearly virgin born of the young Jewish woman, Mary. The BIBLE always refers to Jesus as Mary's "firstborn son".   Later, she had other sons-- James, Joses, Jude and Simon--and daughters.   (Matthew 12:47; 13:55; 27:56; Mark 6:3; I Corinthians 9:5)    Some say that these siblings were actually cousins.   Yet, in the above verses, the word brother is defined as "brother or of the same womb" according to Young's Greek Concordance.   That Mary had a normal marriage with children after the birth of Jesus in no way minimizes His virgin birth. 3 - 9

BIBLIOGRAPHY Halley's Bible Handbook   by Henry H. Halley Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible   by Robert Young, LL.D. What Did Jesus Look Like?   by E.L. Bynum Willmington's Book of Bible Lists   by H.L. Willmington The Doctrine of Christ   by Robert Sargent Encyclopedia of the Bible and Christianity   by David Cloud The Concordia Bible Dictionary   by T. Graebner Holy Bible   King James Version «««««««« A Sneak Preview «««««««««««««    In this lesson we have looked at the life of the greatest man ever born.   And now, having examined the main person of the BIBLE, it is only fitting that we examine the "main event" of the BIBLE.   In our next Challenge Booklet, we will take you to Calvary, the place where man executed God!   We will go to "the place of the skull" and examine the events surrounding the death of Jesus Christ!   We will take a journey back to the place of Satan's greatest defeat, God's greatest victory, and man's greatest forgiveness!!    "The Blood of the Cross" promises to be our best Challenge Booklet yet, and will reveal answers to such questions as . . . WHY DIDN'T GOD THE FATHER WATCH THE FINAL MOMENTS OF THE EXECUTION OF HIS SON ? WHY COULDN'T JESUS HAVE BEEN STRANGLED, DROWNED OR SUFFOCATED? WHAT DOES MOSES AND THE PASSOVER LAMB HAVE TO DO WITH CALVARY? CAN MOUNT CALVARY STILL BE LOCATED TODAY? WHO ACTUALLY KILLED JESUS? WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE? AND MORE. . .         DON'T MISS IT!   TAKE THE CHALLENGE!! [3 - 10]

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