still reading it through his assumption that he would be a Davidic-like Messiah who would kick the Romans out of Palestine. The Gospels were written to answer one question more than any other: The question is: Who is this Jesus? What is the answer to this question? God in his infinite wisdom decided to answer this question in four different ways. If you want to know who Jesus really is, God’s response to you is: “Ask 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3) Luke, and 4) John!” God chose not to give us only one record of Jesus’ life, teaching, and passion; he decided to give us four. These four Gospels are four complementary perspectives on the same events. Each Gospel emphasizes certain things about Jesus that the others do not emphasize. Illustration: It is not so different from the French impressionist artist Claude Monet who did series paintings. He would paint the same landscape or bridge from different perspectives—say four different perspectives—in different seasons, with different lighting. Each painting is unique, but the landscape is the same in each instance. Now imagine that he did a series of portraits of a person. Actually, I think Picasso may have done four self-portraits (though Picasso was something else altogether!). The Gospel writers are similar. They select and emphasize certain events and teachings from the life of Jesus to help us to see Jesus more clearly while at the same time representing what actually happened correctly. All of the Gospel writers were interested in demonstrating that Jesus was the Messiah that the Jewish people had been waiting for. But they also emphasize certain things that give us a much clearer picture of Jesus than we ever could have gotten if we had had only one Gospel instead of four. The different emphases of the four Gospel writers is a huge topic in and of itself that could take all 12 weeks of our New Testament Fluency class, but let me use the chorus of our Gospels song to lead us through just a few thoughts about what the Gospel writers emphasize. Our first portrait: Matthew: “In Matthew, Jesus is the King.” Matthew is the most Jewish of the four Gospels, and you probably would do well every time you see “Christ” written in Matthew to retranslate it as
Imagine going into traffic court and telling the judge that you had 70,000 traffic violations! But most of us have to deal with a lot more sin than these simple three sins a day. How will we stand before a perfectly righteous judge who refuses to violate his justice and think we will get off the hook? We cannot. That’s why Jesus had to die! God’s love must be wonderful beyond comprehension. Romans 5:8 says: “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Christ’s salvation must be a free gift. Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Illustration: This is perhaps illustrated best by the thief on the cross. His salvation shows that salvation is all by grace through faith and not through works. He had no time to build up good works and think somehow he would get saved by them. No, he threw himself on God’s mercy by faith, and Jesus said that he would be with him that very day in Paradise. Question 3: What’s so important about God raising Jesus from the dead? [Read exactly] Answer: The resurrection of Jesus demonstrates that God possesses both the power and the right to forgive us our sins and to resurrect us in the final, future resurrection. Actually, the apostle Paul says that the Christian faith crumbles without the resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:14-17 …if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are
Luke 14:28-30 “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’” The point of these verses is simple: Count the cost! The expression “count the cost” in English probably comes from this verse. It costs you everything to be a disciple of Christ. Don’t enter into a discipleship relationship with Jesus unless you have first counted the cost. Recap: So what is the cost of discipleship? It will cost you everything—so you’d better count the cost if you really want to be a disciple. Marks of a Disciple How can you recognize a disciple of Jesus? What characterizes one of Jesus’ disciples? The short answer is that you recognize disciples by the fruit that they the way that they live. Illustration: I recently was introduced to Korean pears. They are kind of a cross between the mushy pears I’m used to and an apple. They are really good! But I could never recognize a Korean pear tree by looking at the tree. I would have to see, feel, and especially taste the fruit. In the same way, a disciple can be recognized as a disciple by what he or she does. Matthew 7:15-20 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” Note: In the passage, all five times that it says “bear fruit” or “produces fruit” the word for “bear” or “produce” is the same common verb for doing in the rest of the Bible. Here, literally, you “do fruit.”
The evidence of true discipleship is in what you do! The passage we just read comes from the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. (By the way, the Sermon on the Mount is found where? Right, in Matthew—in particular chapters 5-7). There is probably no better place in the Gospels to go than the Sermon on the Mount to talk about the marks of a disciple. What does Jesus expect of us? Here’s a quick walk-through the Sermon on the Mount: [Don’t look up the Scriptures] Jesus’ disciples are peacemakers who work for reconciliation (Matthew 5:23-24). Jesus’ disciples speak the truth (Matthew 5:37). Jesus’ disciples turn the other cheek and go the extra mile (Matthew Jesus’ disciples show love to their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44). Jesus’ disciples give to the poor, pray, and fast in secret (Matthew 6:3-4, 6, 17-18), not for public acclaim. Jesus’ disciples store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth (Matthew 6:19-20). Jesus’ disciples seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Jesus’ disciples take the log out of their own eye before taking the speck out of a brother or sister’s eye (Matthew 7:5). Jesus’ disciples trustingly pray to their heavenly Father (Matthew 7:7-11; 6:9-13). In summary, Jesus’ disciples obey the teachings of Jesus and teach others to do so (Matthew 28:18-20). Matthew’s Gospel ends with Jesus speaking the Great Commission to his disciples. Let’s read it: Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this he spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 16:7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” And I think today he once again summons us to follow. Please close your eyes and let me read to you again Jesus’ summons that I read at the beginning of this talk: Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Keep your eyes closed. I will read a responsive prayer based upon these verses. I will pray a line and you pray it after me if it communicates what is on your own heart. Precious Master and Savior Jesus You’ve invited me to come I come to you today I am weary and burdened You have offered to give me rest I receive the rest you give to me You have told me to put on a yoke I accept your yoke Please place it upon me I submit myself to you As your disciple I want to learn from you I want to sit at your feet I want to walk with you I want to take up my cross And follow you Thank you for your gentleness
Thank you for the rest that you give I am and forever will be Your disciple I pray in your very own name In the name of Jesus, Amen New Testament Fluency Week 4 Bring: Recorded or live music (some way to play the music for the Gospels song and the Acts & Letters of Paul Song). Bible Attendance Sheets [put by door with pen for people to sign as they come in] Quiz Templates [put by door for people to pick up as they come in] Week 4 NT Student Notes [put by door for people to pick up as they come in] Week 4 NT Acts & Letters of Paul Lyrics small for class Week 4 NT Matching Activity Acts & Letters of Paul Week 4 NT Matching Activity Acts & Letters of Paul (answer key) [for reference…don’t hand out] Class Layout: Open with Gospels song. [Just play the pre-recorded song and allow people to sing along as they wish. Tell them that they can look at their lyrics if they need to. If you prefer to use a live instrument like a guitar, that can work as well.] Lead in prayer. Quizzing with one another in pairs and threes for a few minutes in preparation for the quiz.
In 2 Corinthians 10-13 Paul has to deal with people who are into power, prestige, and presentation. They are challenging his claim to be an apostle while claiming to be apostles themselves, even though he was the one who planted the church and still had spiritual oversight for the church from a distance. [Read]: “What are the marks of a true Christian community? A true Christian community is firmly committed to the truth of the gospel, follows the Lord’s teaching and example in baptism and the Lord’s Supper, teaches and trains people to follow Christ, lives as a family, disciplines sin, emphasizes the importance of each person’s role to the health of a body, demonstrates love, worships together, suffers together, gives generously together, and graciously supports and follows the leadership God has put in place.” Illustration: [Transition by telling about a church or Christian group you have been a part of where you saw these ten marks displayed. Or tell of one where you didn’t see these ten marks displayed. Then move onto the three dangers.] There are a few dangers that are quite pronounced and extremely dangerous for a small community like the emerging community we were part of starting in the Middle East or like the small community of believers founded by Paul in Corinth. Here are three dangers to a Christian community in the Corinthian Letters. These are also warnings to us… Three Dangers to a Christian Community in the Corinthian Letters: The first danger to a Christian community is…DIVISIONS The Corinthian community divided into groups and some of them were having trouble with their founder, Paul. 1 Corinthians 1:11-13 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Illustration: I have heard of Christians dividing over everything from styles of worship music, to the color of the carpet in the main meeting room.
lyrics if they need to. If you prefer to use a live instrument like a guitar, that can work as well.] Lead in prayer Quizzing with one another for a few minutes in preparation for the quiz. SAY: “Call out a book or section, like ‘synoptic gospels’ and quickly say everything you can think that is in it” Quiz over All four Gospels-2 Corinthians. “Draw a line under ‘2 Corinthians’ on the quiz template. All the answers to the quiz questions will be above the line.” Paul had to address the problem of divisions among Christians in this letter [1 Corinthians] Jesus tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep [Matthew and Luke] Jesus tells the Parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus [Luke] Paul is under house arrest awaiting trial in Rome before the emporer [Acts] Paul’s thorn-in-the-flesh [2 Corinthians] Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” [John] Wise men from the east bring gifts to the baby Jesus [Matthew] Jesus tells a parable about a farmer who sowed seed that fell onto different kinds of soils [Synoptic Gospels] Paul addresses the problem of believers opening lawsuits against other believers before non-believing judges [1 Corinthians] The Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost [Acts] Quiz Grading: “Let’s see how you did. Grade your own paper.” [Read back through each question and then give them the answers.] “Put the correct number out of ten on the top of the page and hand it in to me.” Questions and Answers from homework and reading in the books of 1 and 2 Corinthians. “Let’s spend a few minutes discussing any questions you have about the books of 1 and 2 Corinthians that came up while you were doing your homework. Is there anything you would like to discuss?”
(Places for 100) Jesus speaks to the storm and it becomes quiet [Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke] (Places for 200) Paul travels on three missionary journeys [Acts] (Places for 300) Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman beside a well [John] (Places for 400) Paul writes two chapters about the money gift he is collecting to take to the poorer brothers and sisters in Jerusalem [2 Corinthians] (Places for 500) This letter says that Christ is over and before everything [Colossians] (People for 100) Angels announce the birth of Jesus [Luke] (People for 200) Jairus’s daughter is raised from the dead [Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke] (People for 300) Onesimus [Philemon] (People for 400) Jesus tells the parable of the Two Sons (not the Prodigal Son) [Matthew] (People for 500) Some people were going to the places Paul had visited and were telling the Gentile Christians that they had to get circumcised [Galatians] (Perspectives for 100) Paul writes about the Lord’s Supper [1 Corinthians] (Perspectives for 200) Although Paul is in prison, he is writing about joy! [Philippians] (Perspectives for 300) Jesus taught a parable about a rich man and his relationship to a poor man named Lazarus [Luke] (Perspectives for 400) The Gentiles have been grafted in among the Jews and also share in God’s plan of salvation [Romans]