CG notes - Intro to the King

this is the final paper i had from the other night - the class notes themselves.

Challenge Group ’10- ’11 The Life of the King

Introduction of the King

1.      Introduction to our study

-         Why Study Christ?

a.     Every Heresy denies Christ. Christ is even controversial within “Christian” churches. 1 John makes it clear that people who want to be in with God need to have a proper outlook on Christ.

b.    Christ is who we aspire to relate with and become like (2 Cor. 3:17-18)

c.     Christ is the earthly representation of God – part of His role is to show us God’s character/relational pattern/wisdom/ etc.. in a way we can better comprehend. (Jn. 1)

d.     Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King ministers to every part of our souls. Christ the Prophet (truth-teller) ministers to our minds as we see the truth; Christ the High Priest (intercessor) ministers to our hearts as we realize our acceptance; and Christ the King (sovereign) ministers to our wills as we see He is worthy of our submission.

e.     Christ offers a “new and living way” of living a spiritual life on earth. (sidewalk example/ vitamin example – take in/ assimilate)

f.       Also, Christ is the crux of our whole belief, salvation, eternity, sanctification, ministry “fruit”, and anything we study in the Bible plays a part in pointing to Christ. He is the Ultimate.

-         Our study

2.    Map/Timeline/Resources/Homework

3.    Christology

-         Fully Human = Heb. 2:14-18, 1 Tim. 2:5, Jn. 8:40, Rm. 5:12-19

-                   Importance = Mediation/ Death

-         Sinless Humanity = 2 Cor. 5:21, Heb 4:15, 1 Jn. 3:5, Heb. 7:26-28

-                   Importance = Substitution/ Sacrifice

-         Full Deity = Col. 2:9, Rm. 9:5, Jn. 1:1-10, 30; Heb. 1:10-12, Jn. 1:18, Heb. 1:1-3, Heb. 10:10-12

-                   Importance = Paying for an infinite amount of sin;    

                        Revealing God to us.

-         Kenosis = Mt. 24:36, Mk. 6:5, Jn. 4:4, Heb. 4:15, 9:14, Jn. 5:30, 1 Cor. 15:3, Php 2:6-7, Jn. 14:10, 15:9, 14:28, Acts 2:22, 10:38, Heb. 2:17, 1 Cor. 15:21, Jn. 14:10-17

-                   Definition: At the incarnation, Christ gave up not only the environment of the Godhead and His position as Ruler, but also the use of His Divine attributes.

-                   Importance = Jesus can sympathize with us, and shows us an example of a life led in dependence on the Holy Spirit. Jesus made real sacrifices for us; not only on the cross – but even before that.

-         3-Fold Office of Prophet, Priest, King = Jn. 1:1-18, Rev. 22:3, Jn. 17:4, 14:24, Acts 2:22, Mk. 6:14, Lk. 4:43, Mt. 19:16-26, Isa. 9:6, Deut 18:15, Jn. 20:26-28, Lk. 7:16, 24:19, Heb. 4:14

-                   Importance = Fulfills prophecy and typology of the OT. Ministers to our needs as truth-teller, intercessor, and ruler. Defeated Satan, death, slavery to sin, and deception with His truth, love, and authority.

-         Pre-Existence =

-                    Importance = not a demigod.  He had true authority and infinity. Jesus being a Deity is something we cannot bend our beliefs about.

-         Salvation and Resurrection =

-                    Importance = Nothing matters without this.

-         2^nd Coming and Role in Eschatology =

-                    Importance = This world is not in order currently; things will be made right in the future. Jesus still has an important role to play. He is not just a sacrificial Lamb; but also a living King with a Kingdom.

4.    History/ Background

-         OT ends during the Persian kingdom; that was a time of re-building and general peace

-         Then Alexander the Great defeated the Persians and as he marched into the city of Jerusalem was welcomed to read the Law and Prophets and see prophecies about himself within them. He left Israel in relative peace also.

-         When Alexander died young, the kingdom was divided into 4 quadrants under his 4 generals. The Ptolemys of Egypt ruled over Israel. They lived in harmony with each other; this is when the Septuagint (LXX) was written.

-         Then the northern kings in Syria began to take control of Israel – they were not as kind. One of the Syrian kings was Antiochus Epiphanies who desecrated the temple (by slaughtering a pig on the altar) and killed 40,000 people in the city of Jerusalem. The Syrian kings began religious persecution of the Jews, and eventually made Judaism illegal as they were trying to assimilate them into the Greek culture (Hellenizing) During this time, the Jews began to rely more on town synagogues and lawyers (teachers of the Law) and Pharisees.

-         The Maccabean Revolt took place led by Mattathias and his family. They were tired of the years of oppression and the lack of religious freedom. Members of Mattathias’ family went on to begin the sect of the Saducees.

-         Pompey of Rome took control of Israel around 60 years before Jesus was born (63 BCE) He gave control of Israel to a wealthy Edomite/ “Idumaean” officer who found favor with Pompey. Also, the Sanhedrin was set up at this time.

-         The Edomite/ “Idumaean” ruler of Israel had 2 sons; one of whom was Herod the Great. This is likely the king who was ruling at the time of Jesus’ birth.

-         After Herod the Great died; Israel was divided up into 3 tetrarchies. Archelaus was tetrarch of Judea, Herod Antipas was tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, and Herod Philip was tetrarch of Trachonitis, Aurtanitus, and Batanea.

-         Archelaus was unpopular and ended up being banished in 6 CE. He was succeeded by a string of Roman proconsuls, the 5^th of whom was Pontius Pilate. After Jesus’ death, Pilate was later banished to Gaul and ended up committing suicide in 36 CE.

-         In 37 CE Caligula made Agrippa I king of first the area that Herod Philip had, and later the area of Galilee and Perea.

-         In 44 CE, Caligula reversed his policy of having a puppet-king, and reverted back to using proconsuls. Two of these are mentioned in Acts 23-27 = Felix and Festus.

5.     Birth

     - Born of a virgin (Genealogy)

     - Shepherds and manger in Bethlehem

     - Circumcision and naming (8^th day)

     - Redemption of firstborn and purification of the mother (1 month old. Num. 18:15-16; Lev. 12:1-4, 8) Simeon and Anna meet Jesus and speak (Lk. 2:25-38)

     - Visit of the Magi in a house in the city of Bethlehem (Mt. 2:11; also Herod’s edict about children 2 years old and younger means that this was likely at the time Jesus was around 1 year old)

     - Flight to Egypt

     - Return to Nazareth

     - Education

     - At age 12, he was attending feasts in Jerusalem

Discussion = Why is not much written about Jesus’ boyhood? What things about Christ have stood out to you and taught you something about yourselves?

Funfacts + Verses from Joshua

I took a break from reading books for now, as I am trying to finish up my Bible reading for this year. (A bit behind - I'm supposed to finish in April! and I still have 8 books to go). Anyhow, since I am not sharing any book reviews or teaching notes - I thought I would just share some fun facts and good verses from the final few books I am reading. Today's book was Joshua =
- A portion of land was given to 5 sisters in Joshua 17- What's funny about it is some of the names = One is named "Hoglah"; and one is named "Noah" - I didn't know Noah could be a girl's name.
- Caleb was 85 years old when he went and kicked some butt in Joshua 14 - he said he was just as strong as an 85 year old as he had been at age 40. He took the most difficult land with the largest people (giants) living in it.
- "Be very careful to love the Lord your God." Joshua 23:11
- "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
- The reason the "Valley of Achor" is called the "Valley of Achor" is because that is where Achan was killed. (Joshua 7)
- "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." - Joshua 24:15
- When the "Commander of the Lord's Army" shows up in chapter 5; Joshua says - "Who are you for? Are you for us, or for our enemies?" and the "Commander" just answers, "No. But I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come." I think it's kind of funny that he answers those questions with "No." Some people believe this character to be the pre-incarnate Jesus.
- "And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them." Joshua 8:34-35 This is interesting for several reasons - it talks about the Pentatuch as already having been written (by Moses, by the way). Also, he shared everything with everyone - even children. That's a pretty cool picture.
- Joshua warned that Jericho should never be rebuilt - and if it was, that the person who rebuilt it would lose his children. This warning/prophecy came true in 1 Kings, when a builder lost his children during the re-construction of the city. It's not clear if they died of natural causes or were sacrificed in an unbiblical ritual.
- Reading this today made me want to tell the story of Jericho and Ai to my kids.
- "One man puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as He promised you." Joshua 23:10

Some verses about Heaven

1. The Landscape of Heaven
-Rev. 21:2, 21:9-21 There will be a new Jerusalem
-Rev. 21:25 The gates of the new Jerusalem will never be shut
-Rev. 22:1 There will be a river with the water of life
-Rev. 22:2 There will be a tree of life with different fruits, and
healing leaves
-Lk. 21:33 God’s Word will be there
-Heb. 9:24 The OT forms are copies of heavenly things
-2 Cor. 12:2 It is unspeakable

2. Old things will pass away
-Rev. 21:1 The first heaven and earth will pass away
-Rev. 21:1 There will no longer be any sea
-Rev. 21:4 There will no longer be any death, mourning, crying,
or pain
-Rev. 21:4 The old order of things will pass away
-Rev. 21:5 God will make everything new!
-Rev. 21:22 There will no longer be any temple, because God
will dwell among us
-Rev. 21:23 There will no longer be any sun or moon, because
God will be our light
-Rev. 21:25 There will no longer be any night or fears
-Rev. 21:27 There will no longer be any impurity, shame, or
deceit
-Rev. 22:3 There will no longer be any curse
-Heb. 12:26-29 Shakable created things will be shaken away,
but we receive an unshakable kingdom
-Mt. 22:29-30 There will no longer be institutions like marriage
-Rm.8:20-22 The creation will be liberated from all corruption
-1 Cor. 13:8-12 Partial knowledge and dim seeing will be done
away with; we will fully know and be fully known

3. We will be with God
-Rev. 21:3 God will live with us
-1 Cor. 15:24-28 Everything will be subject to God
-Rev. 22:3 We will serve the enthroned God
-Rev. 22:4 We will see God
-Rev. 22:4 God’s name will be on our foreheads
-Rev. 3:21 We will sit with God
-2 Thess. 2:16 God will give us eternal comfort

4. We will be with others
-Rev. 21:24 The nations will live there – diversity
-Rev. 21:24 The kings will live there in splendor
-Rev. 22:5 We will reign in heaven
-Mt. 8:11 We will spend time with ancient heroes like Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob
-Isa. 60:18-22 Even the smallest and loneliest person will be
part of a mighty clan and nation in heaven
-1 Cor. 6:3 We will judge angels – interacting and settling
disputes or questions

5. We will be rewarded
-Rev. 22:12 We will be rewarded in heaven
-1 Pet. 1:4 Our inheritance in haven will never perish, spoil, or
fade
-1 Pet. 1:7 Our faith result in praise, glory, and honor
-Mt. 18:1-4 The humble will be great in heaven
-Lk. 18:18 Sacrifices that we make in this life for God will be
paid back many-fold in heaven
-Jn. 6:27 Work we do for God endures into heaven

6. Our salvation will be realized and experienced
-Rev. 21:4 God will wipe away every tear
-Rev. 21:6 We will drink from the water of life and quench our
thirst
-Isa. 60:18-22 All of us will be righteous
-1 Pet. 1:5, 9 Our salvation will be revealed
-1 Cor. 15:35-58 We will have new bodies full of splendor and
power
-2 Cor. 5:1-4 We groan, naked, awaiting our heavenly clothes
-Rev. 2:17 We will be given hidden manna
-Rev. 2:17 God will give us a secret name written on a white
stone
-Rev. 2:28 We will receive “the morning star”?
-Rev. 3:5 We will be clothed in white
-Rm. 8:23-25 We will realize and experience our adoption as
sons and daughters of God
-Rm. 8:23-25 Our bodies will be redeemed
-1 Cor. 13:8-12 We will know fully and be fully known
-Titus 2:13-14 We will be purified and redeemed from every evil
deed
-1 Pet. 1:13 Grace will be revealed
-Rm. 5:21 Grace will reign, just as sin reigns now

7. Promises about Heaven
-JN 6:40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
If we put our faith in Christ, God will raise us up and give
us eternal life
-Jn. 10:26-28 Once we have a relationship with God, we will
never perish and nothing can snatch us out of God’s hand
-Titus 1:2 God promises eternal life from ages ago, and God
cannot lie

REV 22:6-7 “And he said to me, “ These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.
“And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.””

REV 22:17 “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.”