GOD THE SON PRESENTED

Four Gospel writers present four portraits of Jesus.

Mark declares Jesus is more than man—that He is the Son of God—and shows Jesus engaged in actions that only God could do.  “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”  (Mark‬ ‭1:1‬)

Matthew seeks to show to the Jews that Jesus is the promised Messiah.  “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, ‘God with us.’” (Matt.‭1:21-23‬). As such He appeals—as here—to the Old Testament.

Luke did meticulous research interviewing eyewitnesses in compiling his account. “Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.” (Luke‬ ‭1:1-4‬). What Jesus said and what He did are preserved for us with historical accuracy.  How can anyone read them and dispute that the early church believed in the Deity of Christ?

John wrote last and his Gospel was theological and evangelical.  “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John‬ ‭20:30-31).

He presents seven signs—specific miracles—as evidence that Jesus is the Son of God.  He records Jesus making seven “I AM” statements:

"I am the bread of life" (John 6:35,48,51).
"I am the light of the world" (John 8:12).
"I am the door of the sheep"(John 10:7,9).
"I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11,14).
"I am the resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25).
"I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).
"I am the true vine" (John 15:1,5).

We know that “I AM” is the name Yahweh—the Old Covenant name of God.  Jesus was claiming to be God. “‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’ Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” (John‬ ‭8:56-59‬).  His enemies understood more than many so-called modern scholars who deny Jesus claimed Deity. They didn’t believe Him and so were ready to kill Him for blasphemy, but they clearly understood His claim.

Consider the Old Testament promise and the New Testament fulfillment:

“Hear O Israel: Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one. (Deut. 6:4). ”For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ , through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (1 Cor. 8:6).

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh shall be saved.” (Joel 2:32). “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved … For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” (Rom. 10:9, 13).

“For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’” (Isa. 45:22–23). “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord , to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9–11). Many more might be offered, but just these few are remarkable.

The Book of Acts is Volume Two of Luke’s work. “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:1-3).  Volume One was all that Jesus began to do while He was in His physical body on earth; Volume two is what Jesus continued to do through His spiritual body, the church.

There is a Savior and His name is Jesus!

GOD THE SON PROPHESIED

“Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’” (Luke‬ ‭24:44‬)

The reason Jesus could teach these texts concerning Himself is because from the first book of Moses, Genesis, and on through the last of the Prophets, Malachi, you have Jesus on page after page—in types, symbols, and prophecies.

The first prophecy of a Savior to come was made as soon as the need for a Savior arose :

“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” (Gen.3:15).

The last prophecy of a Savior who would come is found in Malachi 4:2:

“But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.”
‭‭
In every Old Testament Book we see Jesus.

The late Adrian Rogers said this:
• Christ is the Seed of woman and in Genesis 3:15 we are told He will one day crush Satan.
• In Exodus we find the story of the Passover Lamb, and Christ is the sacrificial Lamb given for us.
• In Leviticus we read of the high priests making sacrifices for the people, and Christ has become our High Priest, making the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins.
• In Deuteronomy Moses prophesied of a prophet who would come that would be greater than Himself. Jesus is that Great Prophet.
• In the book of Joshua, Joshua met the Captain of the Lord's host. That man is Jesus Christ.
• In Judges, the leaders were judges who delivered God's people, each of them typifying the Lord Jesus.
• Boaz, the kinsman who redeemed Ruth's inheritance, is a picture of Christ.
• David, the anointed one, pictures Jesus and Jesus is described as being the Son of David.
• In 2 Samuel when the king is being enthroned, the entire scene is descriptive of the Lord Jesus.
• The books of Kings speak of the glory of God filling the temple and the Chronicles describe the glorious coming king, both referring to Jesus, the King of Kings.
• Ezra depicts Jesus as the Lord of our fathers.
• Job says clearly that the Redeemer is coming!
• Esther offers a picture of Christ interceding for His people.
• Christ appears time after time in the Psalms, including when David describes Him as "the Shepherd."
• Isaiah details His glorious birth.
• Jeremiah reveals that He will be acquainted with sorrows.
• Joel describes Him as the Hope of His people.
• Amos tells us that Jesus is the judge of all nations.
• Obadiah warns of the coming eternal kingdom.
• Jonah offers a picture of Jesus being dead for three days, then coming back to life to preach repentance.
• Zephaniah says that He will be the king over Israel.
• Zachariah is the prophet who speaks of Jesus riding on a colt.
• Malachi is the one who calls Him the Son of Righteousness

If you can read the Old Testament and not see Jesus, you need to go back and look more closely. Standing somewhere in the shadows, you will find Him.

GOD IS TRIUNE

Although the word, “Trinity,” is never found in Scripture, the concept of God as Triune is found throughout.  The first Hebrew word used for God in Gen.1:1 is Elohim and it is a plural word.  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
‭‭
This doctrine of the Trinity is seen in the opening chapters of Genesis—with God speaking the world into existence and the Holy Spirit hovering over the face of the waters—as a mother hen would nest and hatch out her chicks.  “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (v.2).‬

The New Testament writers add that Christ was also part of that creative process—as much as the Father and the Spirit:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (John‬ ‭1:1-3‬).

Thus, we have the one God speaking as three Persons who says, “Let US make man in OUR image” (Gen.1:26a, emphasis added).

Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6 are Old Testament messianic prophecies where Jesus is presented as God—just as much as God the Father.  “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”(7:14‬). The name, “Immanuel,” means, “God with us.”  Then in 9:6, we read, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  Jesus is called, “Mighty God.”

Tomorrow, our intention is to examine some of the New Testament teaching concerning the Trinity.