Alex Tang
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Books Recommendation
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Medical Students /Paediatric notes
Discovering Christ and Assurance
Dr Alex Tang
Introduction: Who is Christ?
A. Jesus is a Teacher
Most if not all people regard Jesus as a great teacher. Mahatma Gandhi regards
Jesus as one of the greatest teacher who ever lived and the Sermon on the Mount
as the greatest sermon ever preached. He studied the New Testament in South
Africa and when he went back to India to lead the Indian Independence movement.
Unfortunately, he was unable to see Jesus as more than a man.
a. Teaches about God (John 14:6,7)
JN 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me,
you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen
him."
If you read through the Gospel accounts, you will notice that Jesus has always
been teaching the people about God. He understands that it is difficult for
people to relate to a God who is invisible. That is why He often points to
Himself as the incarnation of an invisible God.
b. Teaches about God’s love (John 3:16)
JN 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his
one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal
life.
The other emphasis about Jesus’ teaching about a God is who is not only our
creator but a God who loves us, His creation. God loves us so much that He is
willing to sacrifice His only Son for us. That is another difficult lesson to
learn. For example, you have a really good friend. So good that you love each
other very much. Then one day, you discovered that you have cystic fibrosis.
This is a disease that eats up and destroys your lung tissues. The doctors tell
you that the only way you will survive is if you receive a heart-lung
transplant. And your friend came up to you and said, “Here take the lungs and
heart of my only son so that you can live, the son I love very much.” I know it
is not a likely scenario but that is what the love of God can be compared to in
our present setting.
c. Teaches about God’s plan of Redemption (2 Cor. 5:18,91)
2 Cor 5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to
himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God
was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against
them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
This world is not what God made it to be. God created a perfect world which He
said was good. This world is broken. God wants to fix this world, this creation
that He has made. Therefore He has a plan which involves His Son. Jesus coming
to this world is part of this plan. The other part of the plan is what Jesus has
been teaching: calling people to turn back to worship God and training the
disciples to be the people of God-the Church.
B. Jesus is a Man
The Gnostics do not believe that Jesus is a man. If you have read the book or
watch the movie, The Da Vinci Code, you would have been exposed to some of the
Gnostic gospels; the Gospel of Barnabas; Gospel of Mary etc. Some Gnostic
teaches that Jesus is not a man but something that looks like a man. Others
teach that Jesus was the first created creature of God. The biblical accounts
was very clear that Jesus is a flesh and blood man.
a. He is the son of Joseph and Mary (Matt 13:35)
MT 13:55 "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his
mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
Even though He was conceived by the Holy Spirit while Mary is still a virgin,
yet He was born normally like any other child. He has a childhood and was
accepted by other children as one of them. In fact, he was accepted by his
community as one of them. That is why they were so surprised to find Him
different. Isn’t he so and so’s son? Even though Jesus has a divine nature and a
human nature, His human nature was so prominent during His time on earth that He
was accepted as one of the community.
b. He struggled with decision making (John 12:27,28)
JN 12:27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I
say? `Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to
this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!"
If Jesus is purely God, then there is not need to struggle. After all, God is
omniscience and omnipotence. The fact that Jesus struggled with His decision
making indicates that He is like us. He is a human male. For his time on earth,
He has put aside His divine nature so that he is human. Like us, he felt stress,
pain and the uncertainty of decision making.
c. He was thirsty (John 19:28)
JN 19:28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and
so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."
For me, this is the strongest proof that He was human as He hung on the cross.
It was midday, the sun was beating down mercilessly and He felt thirsty. God
does not feel thirsty. A human being does.
C. Jesus is God
Jesus is a great teacher and a man. If that is what He is, then He would have
just started an effective philosophical school and we are still in our sins.
Jesus is fully man. He is also fully God. That is what is so amazing about
Jesus.
a. He is called by Divine Names (Rev.22:12,13)
REV 22:12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with
me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha
and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Names are very important. It is not just a label to identity you but denotes who
you are. Those of you who have children will be aware of how difficult it is to
find names for your children. Will they grow into their names? In Revelations,
Jesus is uses a name the Alpha and the Omega. Alpha is the first letter of the
Greek alphabet and omega, the last. It means completeness or perfection. The
only one who can bear such a name is God. Jesus uses names reserved for God such
as the “I am”. That is why the Jewish people wanted to kill Him. He was using
the name of God and to them that is taboo; taking the name of God in vain.
b. He is called by Thomas his God (John 20:28)
JN 20:28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
The apostle Thomas, often called Doubting Thomas because he said he would only
believe if he can see and touch the risen Christ. Actually I would consider him
an empirical scientist because he wants to be sure in his own belief. Jesus knew
that. That’s why He allowed Thomas to touch His wounds. Thomas burst out in
amazement acknowledging that He is God. Legend has it that Thomas traveled to
southern India. Here he came into contact with an ancient civilization and
Hinduism. That he was able to have converts and started the Mar Thomas Church
was an indication of how strong was his conviction that Jesus Christ is God.
c. He is referred to as God (Heb.1:8)
HEB 1:8 But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God,
will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your
kingdom.
God Himself referred to Jesus as God. We believe that God is Trinity: God the
Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. We do not have three Gods. We
have one God who is three. Hence the doctrine of the Trinity. God is
omnipresent. When Jesus was on earth, His divine essence is still part of the
Trinity. One must not have the misconception that when Jesus was walking the
earth, there is only two of the Godhead up there. There are always three who are
one.
D. Jesus is Savior
a. Savior because of His completed work on the cross (Col 1:20)
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell
in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on
earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
When Jesus died on the cross, it was all part of God’s plan of redemption. The
world was broken. It was corrupted by human sin. Sin is defined as disobedience
to God. The punishment for sin is death. That is justice. Since we have all
sinned, we can die only for our own sin. We need someone who does not have sin
to die for us. Then we can be free. This person is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ
being God is sinless. Hence He can die for our sin. Thus justice is fulfilled.
The theological term for this is penal substitution atonement.
b. Savior that brings the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)
AC 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every
one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And
you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your
children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
We receive this justice when we believe that Jesus die on the cross for our
sins. We have received the forgiveness of sin because of what Christ has done.
And what is more, God gives us a sign of our forgiveness. He gives us the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given to us when we accept Jesus Christ’s completed
work on the cross.
c. Savior bringing eternal life and assurance of salvation (John 10:28-30)
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never
perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them
to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I
and the Father are one."
God has given us his assurance that what He has given us is eternal. God however
respects our freedom. We are all given the freedom to accept or reject Him. That
is the wonder of God. Only a loving and supreme God will allow His creature to
choose to accept Him or reject Him. If we accept Him, we move from the kingdom
of this broken world to the kingdom of God. Once we are there, as long as we
remain faithful, we will never fall out of the grace of His Hands.
Conclusion: Making Friends with Jesus (John 15: 5-8)
JN 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in
him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does
not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such
branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me
and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8
This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be
my disciples.
If Jesus is who He is: fully God and fully man, then what He has done on the
cross are true and we have been freed from our sins. He has taken our sins upon
Him. We have received forgiveness. All that He has taught us about God is true.
God loves us and wants us to be part of His plan for the redemption of this
creation. No only people but the environment as well. Jesus Christ is God
incarnate. He is the invisible God making Himself visible. So our role now is to
follow Jesus Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria
Sermon Handout
Discovering Christ and Assurance
Who is Christ?
A. Jesus is a Teacher
a. Teaches ___________________________________(John 14:6,7)
JN 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes
to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my
Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
b. Teaches ___________________________________ (John 3:16)
JN 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
c. Teaches ___________________________________ (2 Cor. 5:18,91)
2 Cor 5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and
gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to
himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to
us the message of reconciliation.
B. Jesus is a Man
a. He _____________________________________________(Matt 13:35)
MT 13:55 "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and
aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
b. He ___________________________________________ (John 12:27,28)
JN 12:27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? `Father, save me from
this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father,
glorify your name!"
c. He ___________________________________________ (John 19:28)
JN 19:28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture
would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."
C. Jesus is God
a. He is _______________________________________ (Rev.22:12,13)
REV 22:12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to
everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
b. He is _______________________________________ (John 20:28)
JN 20:28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
c. He is _______________________________________ (Heb.1:8)
HEB 1:8 But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and
ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.
D. Jesus is Savior
a. Savior _________________________________________ (Col 1:20)
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him
to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
b. Savior _________________________________________ (Acts 2:38)
AC 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are
far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
c. Savior ________________________________________(John 10:28-30)
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them
out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no
one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."
Conclusion: Making _____________________________________Jesus (John 15: 5-8)
JN 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in
him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does
not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such
branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me
and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8
This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be
my disciples.
Discovering Christ and Assurance
Bible Study
1. Why do you think most people regards Jesus as a great teacher?
2. What does Jesus teach about God’s Plan of Redemption?
3. Do you think Jesus Christ is a human person like us? If yes, why? If no, why?
4. Why do you think it is important that Jesus be human?
5. Do you think Jesus Christ is God? If yes, why? If no, why?
6. How does Jesus Christ being fully God, fully human helps us?
7. What did Jesus Christ achieved by dying on the cross?
8. Can we lose our salvation?
9. Discuss some of the ways we can get to know Jesus Christ better.
10. Write down 3 applications from this study that you will apply this week.
