The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ.

Session 4:

Beatitudes

A.  “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven”

B.    “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”

C.    “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”.

D.  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled”.

1.     God’s righteousness as vital as food and water.

2.     An object lesson all could relate to: A typical teaching pattern of Christ.

E.     This Week: Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

1.     If we notice a progression

a.      first a discovery that we have nothing (poor in spirit)

b.     then a conviction of sin (mourning)

c.      then renouncing self-assertion and embracing meekness.

d.     then an intense longing for God and His righteousness.

2.     The normal human reaction is revenge. - Kingdom ethics reverse this, our hearts have been changed and a corresponding emphasis in forgiveness not retribution.

3.     Not a works oriented view, but rather God’s divine grace is operating. There is a qualitative difference in God’s grace and mercy and the world’s. Yet, when we practice mercy, this world “sees” mercy in action.

4.     Jude 21-25.

I. The Beginning of Jesus’ Public ministry.

A.    Overview: Preaching of John, Jesus baptism, Temptation, 1st cleansing of the Temple at Passover, John the Baptist put in prison, Jesus’ rejected at Nazereth.

B. Jesus and Nicodemus -  John 3:1-21

1.     John 3:3 No One can see the Kingdom unless he is born “anew” or “from above”. “gennhqh`/ a[nwqen”  -

2.     John 3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” - Fresh start initiated from above.

3.     In a real sense, the establishment of the Kingdom is God’s work.

4.     This is one of the very first speeches on entrance into the Kingdom. - Very Important.

5.     Immediately afterwards, Jesus speaks of the Spirit as the wind. We cannot “control” the Spirit, or reduce this to a process or methodology.

C. Jesus and the Samaritan Women - John Chapter 4.

1.     Jesus breaking many conventions.

a.      taking a route through Samaria

b.     talking with women, including Samaritan women.

c.      re-affirms a new order of worshipping in “Spirit and Truth”

D. Jesus rejected at Nazareth. (Luke 4:16-32).

1.     Jesus reads Isaiah 61:1,2a. He stops at first part of Verse 61:2. Leaving off the part about vengeance. No one grasps “suffering servant” element of Messiah.

2.     Jesus then cites two examples. Elijah and Elisha (I Kings 17:8-16, 2 Kings 5:1-14). The prophets in the instances cited aided Gentiles. Jesus’ clear implication that not only his prophetic message was subject to rejection by Israel. As verse 28 states “When they heard this, they were furious”.

3.     Luke 4:29,30 “They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.  ³⁰ But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”

E. The transition to the Galilean  ministry.

1.     When the forerunner is gone, a sign to come out.

2.     Jesus getting more disciples than John (John 3:26)

3.     The Pharisees now hearing of Jesus success, when Jesus heard that they heard in John 4:1-3, he goes to Galilee.

4.     Preview of the Galilean Ministry.

a.      Capernaum as a base. (Logistically, two main roads, economic base).

b.     Extended periods of Prayer, and Jesus being alone, away from the crowds.

c.      Commissions the twelve. (app. 200 cities in Galilee).

d.     Journey to Jerusalem - conflict on the Sabbath.

e.      Sermon on the Mount.

f.       Characterized by healings, exorcisms, growth, and growing renown.

II.    Summary of Galilean Ministry.

1.     Performing miracles

n      walk on water, still the storm, feed 5000, raise the dead, (Jairus’ daighter and the widow’s son @ Nain.

2.     Engaged in healings.

3.     Casting out demons.

4.     Ministering to people’s needs

n      individual contact, touch, talk, encouragement.

5.     Gathering disciples

n      No fixed pattern nor characteristic.

n      Most of the people return home and live their lives.

6.     Some conflict evident and begins to rise.

7.     Jesus’ necessity for close communion with God.

8.     Train the disciples by example and delegation, and preparing them for the future.

9.     Jesus Himself living out the example of what it meant to live in the Kingdom.

n      Humility

n      Embodied breaking down social barriers.

n      Accepted people on their own terms.

n      Breaking down religious prejudice

n      Stressed relationship with God the Father.

10. Summary of the teaching and preaching in this period

n      Repent and believe the gospel, the Kingdom has arrived.

n      Explain His role and meaning of Messiah, by showing how it will not come (by war), and how it will come (by the Spirit) in the hearts of humankind.

n      Growing unfolding of the cross.

n      On being the right kind of person (living in the Kingdom) and trusting (believing) in the right things - the Father.

n      The use of parables.

III. Key episodes of The Galilean Ministry: (period of time is longest)

A.    Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James and John (Matt. 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20, and Luke 5:1-11).

B.    Jesus’ extensive Prayer (Mark 1:35-38 and Luke 4:42-43)

C.    Trip to Jerusalem (Jn 5:1)

1.     Conflict over eating grain on the Sabbath (Matt 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28, Luke 6:1-5)

2.     Conflict over healing on the Sabbath. (Mark 3:1-5).

n      Jesus was “angry” at the Pharisees (only time this word is used, we do not see this emotion later when we would expect it.)

n      They were trying to stop him from healing.

n      Getting in the way of God’s grace, mercy and power.

D.    Healings. (Notice 3 circuits around Galilee in this period.

E.     Commissioning the twelve.

1.     Choose a nucleus of leadership for the future.

2.     Identifying what he was doing.

3.     Establishing a new Israel.

4.     Willingness to share authority and acknowledge the size of the task.

5.     A Sense of urgency.

6.     Sends them out (Matt. 10:5-15, Marl 6:7-13, Luke 9:1-6)

7.     The 12 return from Preaching (Mark 6:30-31, Luke 9:10)

F.     The Sermon on the Mount. (Matt. 5:1-7:29, Luke 6:17-49).

G.    Widow’s Son at Nain. (Luke 7:11-17).

H.    The Death of John the Baptist (Matt. 14:3-12, Mark 6:17-29)

1.     Jesus answer to John - blind receive sight, lame walk, lepers cleansed, deaf hear and the good news is preached to the poor.

2.     Drawing a line between the Old and New Covenant.

3.     No one greater than John in the Old, yet He is least in the Kingdom. The New.

4.     Jesus explains John is the Elijah to come.

5.     Johns’ experience is a prototype of our own (Matt. 11:16-19).

I.       Feeding the 5000 (Matt. 14:13-21, Mark 6:32-44, Luke 9:11-17, John 6:1-13).

1.     Jesus has compassion on his followers earthly needs.

2.     Shows Himself to be the essence of the Kingdom (I am the bread of Life).

3.     If you only see food in this miracle, you’ve missed the point.

4.     Jesus set the terms, would not allow others to do so. (same today).

I.       Jesus came precisely to reveal God. Do you want to know God? then know Jesus’ care, compassion, and life.

IV.A Look into Exorcisms/Healings in the Galilean Ministry.  (Observations from the text)

(Observations from the text and citations from Dr. Walter Elwell).

A.    Exorcisms.

1.     Fact of Possession.

a.      Widespread phenomenon.

b.     No question about it.

c.      Distinguished from mental diasability.

d.     Those who were possessed, know it.

2.     The Nature of Demons.

a.      They have knowledge of Jesus.

b.     They can communicate

c.      1 or more can possess a person.

d.     Sometimes they have names.

e.      Bible refers to them as unclean spirits.

f.       They must obey Jesus.

g.      No physical appearance described.

h.      Satan has power over them.

i.        They’re contained to a singular place and time.

3.     The Results of possession.

a.      Physical manifestations.

b.     Their presence is destructive.

c.      Degrees of possession.

d.     Usually violent (self-inflicting at times)

e.      Increased strength

f.       Others recignize those possessed.

4.     Their reaction to Jesus.

a.      Attitude of fear and defeat/

b.     Recognize both Jesus and His power.

c.      Recognition that them and Jesus are totally separate.

d.     When Jesus appears they agonize. Cry out.

5.     Expulsion.

a.      By command

b.     Always works.

c.      Jesus doesn’t perform laying on of hands.

d.     Jesus can expel them from up close or afar.

e.      Casts them out in His own name.

f.       Frequently he commands them to silence in His presence.

g.      Jesus makes no requirements of the person possessed.

6.     Results of expulsion.

a.      Sanity.

b.     Spiritually restored.

c.      The Demon is gone.

7.     The Reaction of the Crowd and its’ effect.

a.      Crowd “amazed”.

b.     Great rejoicing.

I.       Joy mingled with fear/respect of God.

B.    Healings.

1.     The Disease.

a.      “All those who were sick”.

b.     some examples; deafness, leprosy, blindness, fever. Paralysis, hemorrhage, congenital disorders.

c.      Unhealable at the time.

2.     Jesus’ action in Healing

a.      Frequently touched the sick

b.     Verbal communication (Jesus is engaged, invovled).

c.      He was the power, appealed to no one.

d.     Different methods in different circumstances.

e.      He could be close or afar.

3.     The person’s action in being healed.

a.      Faith is a part. (no faith/no healing)

b.     Sometimes Jesus asks them to take certain actions.

c.      On Jesus term’s, no one bargained, etc., they followed his command.

4.     Results of the Healings.

a.      Problem gone.

b.     Person placed again into a normal human condition.

5.     Reaction of the Crowd.

a.      Amazement.

b.     Glory to God.

c.      Often used to ratify/confirm what is being said and taught.

6.     Purpose of Healings.

a.      As a fulfillment of prophecy.

b.     For the Glory of God.

c.      To show Jesus authority.

d.     To proclaim the power of the Kingdom.

e.      To show Jesus love and compassion.

C.    Personal Observations.

n      Jesus life was His teaching. Words and Acts are revealing God and his purposes. They are intextricably tied and complimentary.

n      Healing involves humble reliance upon God, almost childlike trust.

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