JESUS IS CHRIST (According to the Scriptures)

Scripture Reading: Acts 17:1-15 | Sabbath: February 24, 2024
Memory Verse: Acts 17:2, 3
Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Acts 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Weekly Proverb: Proverbs 3:35
Proverbs 3:35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
Introduction: Jesus is Christ according to the scriptures. They speak of His healing, crucifixion, and other signs. They speak of His preexistence, His life on earth, and His future kingship. For this lesson, we will only examine His resurrection as proof that He is Christ.

1. Jesus wants us to know that He is the Messiah. What did He prophesy before He was crucified? Matthew 16:21.
Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
2. Immediately after that glorious event, the women came to the tomb. What did the angel remind them of? Did they remember? Luke 24:1-8.
Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
Luke 24:2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
Luke 24:3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
Luke 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
Luke 24:5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Luke 24:6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
Luke 24:7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
Luke 24:8 And they remembered his words,
3. The event was completely new to everyone. The prophecy was no longer future; it was now a historical fact. What did the apostles immediately start to preach? Acts 2:29-33.
Acts 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Acts 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Acts 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Acts 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
4. Did they just preach Jesus? What did they preach through Jesus? What was so controversial to the priests? Acts 4:1-4, (5-9), 10, 11.
Acts 4:1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
Acts 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Acts 4:3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
Acts 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
Acts 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
5. The priests have heard the preaching of Jesus’s resurrection. They also see the lame man walking. Were they - speechless? v 14.
Acts 4:14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
6. They saw the lame man with their eyes. How was he proof of the resurrection? The answer might take some contemplation. v 14.
Acts 4:14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
7. Paul taught weekly, in the synagogues, out of the scriptures. What did he teach from the (Old Testament) scriptures? Acts 17:1-3.
Acts 17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Acts 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
8. What effect, good or bad, did news of the resurrection have on the hearers? v 4, 5, (6-9).
Acts 17:4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
Acts 17:5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
9. The book of Acts does not say exactly which scriptures Paul preached to prove that Jesus must be raised from the dead. Is this one that he could have used? Who did use it? Psalm 16:10, Acts 2:31, 32.
Psalm 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Acts 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Acts 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
10. What does this mean if there is no resurrection? v 9c.
Psalm 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
11. We know what hell is: it is the grave. We know what corruption is: it is decay. Does this verse shout resurrection? Psalm 16:10, (Acts 13:32-35).
Psalm 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
12. “Life,” “joy,” “pleasures,” “evermore.” These words shout what type of resurrection? v 11.
Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
13. Is this the glorious Messiah that the Jews were looking for? Was this their king and deliverer? Or is this a dead man? Isaiah 53:1-9.
Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isaiah 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
14. This man is dead. How can the scriptures speak of a dead man using these words? Is he really dead? How can you explain these wonderful words describing a dead man? v 10-12.
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Conclusion: These scriptures may have been controversial before Jesus was resurrected; afterward, only to those who will not believe.