Jesus Friend of Sinners Bible Study

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

-John 3:16

 I. What does Immanuel mean? (who is Jesus of Nazareth?)

               In Isaiah 7:14 the prophet writes, "Therefore the LORD Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel." This was prophesying the birth of our LORD and Savior Jesus, but how do we know this and why is it important?

              Matt 1:21-23 "And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call His name JESUS for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the LORD by the prophet, saying, 'Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel,' which being interpreted is 'God with us.'"

• Jesus is God veiled in humanity that we would be able to behold Him.

See also: Rev 22:13, and Rev 1:8

II. Where was Jesus before the creation of the world?

               "I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. And now, o Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with the before the world was."
-John 17:4,5

• Jesus was in all glory with the Father, and is one with the Father (John 10:30)

See also: John 1:1-4, 14

III. What is Christ also called throughout scripture?

                  "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."

-I Cor 10:4

• Jesus is the Rock of our Salvation Beloved!

See also: II Sam 23:3; Psalms 18:2

IV. Why are all our race doomed to perish?

                 "For the wages of sin is death; bur the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD."

-Rom 6:23

                  "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

-Rom 3:23

• All have sinned and the wages of sin is death... we are all doomed to perish. 
• But wait beloved! What about "the gift of God?" freely given that is "eternal life in Christ Jesus?"

V. Jesus does freely give us eternal life, by what means? What has Jesus done to save us?

                   "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men and being found as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." 

-Philippians 2:5-8

• Jesus is God, therefore to come down to this earth in the form of a king would have been degrading enough... Yet He chose not to come in the form of an earthly king, in-fact when the Jews tried to force Him to be king, He had the disciples take Him away in a fishing boat. Jesus became a poor human being.

                  "we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

-Heb 4:15

• coming in the form of sinless Adam would have been a degrading thing for Christ; yet He chose for Himself to come after sin had degraded the race for some 4,000 or more! He was tempted at all points and overcame, that in doing so He can show us how to overcome, and can teach us His ways.

                    "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy Him that had the power of death that is, the devil."

• Jesus had to be delivered unto death, despised and rejected of men (Isa 53) and made to suffer pain and death, a death for which He did not deserve, that we may live a life we do not deserve. He died for sinners of which He  was not, that sinners may take upon themselves His righteousness of which we have no part!

        Jesus did so much more than die for us though, as amazing as it is that the King of kings died for sinful human beings, without the Resurrection all else is vein! (1 Cor 15:17) More on that later on...

VI. Can obedience to the law save us?

                   "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

-Gal 2:16

                  "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

-Rom 3:20

• The law does not save us but merely shows us our infirmities

VII. Well if not by the law or how can we be saved?

                  "'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' and they said, "Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house."

-Acts 16:30,31

• We are saved ONLY by believing whole heartedly that Jesus is God, and therefore our redeemer.
• but is it enough to intellectually acknowledging this fact enough?

VIII. Is faith in Jesus simply realizing that Jesus is God and died to save mankind enough?

                   "Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, 'Thou hast faith, and I have works:' show me thy faith without thy works and I will will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: even the devils believe and tremble. But wilt thou know, o vain man, that faith without works is dead?"

-James 2:17-20

• merely knowing Jesus is God and came to save us makes us as Christian as Satan himself, who also knows those things and trembles.
• "I will show thee my faith by my works" it is true no man will be saved by works, but our good works and keeping of the commandments are the outward display of the work which Jesus Christ is doing in His servant, and if there is no change in the person than it is not Christ in their life.

There is a quote that seems to sum up this issue, "Though there will be no man saved by good works, there will be no man saved without good works."

-Ellen G. White

IX. What happens to our past sins when we give our heart to Jesus?

                 "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God."

-Rom 3:24,25

                "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."

-I John 1:7

• Jesus justifies us, and removes the sin from our wicked past, He freely cleanses us from all unrighteous acts of the former life!
• whatever your sin Beloved, lay it down at the feet of the Savior Jesus Christ! Fall in love with the Son of God who first loved you! 
• Give your heart to the Savior that all that once was may be cleansed away and you may be made new!

X. How does God Cleanse from sin?

               "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit."

-Rom 8:1-4

• The lovely Jesus cleanses us each and every one, and fulfills the righteousness of the Law of Liberty in us! 

              "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the LORD; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God and they shall be to Me a people."

• Beloved there is nothing we can do of ourselves for we are but dust, yet look at what can be wrought if you will but whole heartedly give yourself to Christ, He will write the commandments in your heart that you may live in accord with them, not of yourself, but His righteousness to be imputed!

             "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not burdensome." 

1 John 5:3

• don't take my word for it, fall in love with Jesus and let Him keep His promises, He always does!

XI. Where did Jesus go after the Resurrection and what is the lovely Jesus doing for us now?

               "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to out profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

-Heb 4:14-16

• Jesus ascended to the throne in heaven where He now sits doing a great work as our high priest! Beloved, the Good Shepherd is now tending to His flock, and knows just how to help you with whatever is troubling you!

XII. In closing, what motivates the lovely Jesus to do all this for this wretched and filthy race?

               "For God so loved that world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in

Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

-John 3:16

• it is all out of love that the Savior does what He does, I pray that you're blessed by this study and that you will out of love give your heart to the Good Shepherd and come to be a part of His lovely fold! 
• if you have any questions please e-mail me, I do not have all the answers but the Word of God does and He will give His servant the answer if He wills it

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

-John 15:13