5 Minute Lessons on the Kingdom of God
Before You Were Born I Knew You!
Jeremiah 1:5
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When I was just a young child someone asked me, "What are you going to be when you grow up?" My friends said, "I am going to be a fireman!" "I am going to be a policeman!" "I am going to be a teacher!" But I said, "I am going to preach!" And I did.
My folks were Protestants, but my uncle and aunt were Catholics. One day, my uncle asked my mother if he could take me to visit the Catholic church. I had never been in a Catholic church and being a young child, when they kneeled during the Mass, I told my uncle, "My mom told me not to get these new pants dirty." I don't remember if I kneeled or not. During the Mass a high ranking official in the Church (I don't know his title), laid his hands on me and my uncle said I was going to be used of God (and I was).
I was in Scotland and a man was carrying my luggage. Someone said to me, "Did you know that man is a prophet?" I said somewhat insincere, "I hear you are a prophet? I want you to give me a word from the Lord." He said, "If you get permission from the pastor, I will not only give you a word, but I will give everyone traveling with you on your team a word." I was shocked.
That word that the prophet (Ephesians 4:11‑12) gave me and my wife (a very specific word about 17 minutes long) has given direction and clarification to me for the last 20 years. It was a specific word of direction (Acts 11:27‑28; 16:6, 9‑10). It did not replace the Bible, nor was it on the same plane of inspiration as the Scripture, but it was God helping me along.
God gave his Son some specific words that were going to help Him as He lived his life out in this world. They were so specific that to assume that all these things just accidentally happened, would have been an accident too great for even the imagination of an evolutionist! These words are recorded in the Bible and were spoken hundreds of years before Jesus Christ actually fulfilled them when he came and lived as a man on this earth. There are hundreds of these prophecies that identified Jesus as God's Messiah. We will only look at a few.
Christ will be born of a virgin. This was prophesied 700 years before his birth.
This was fulfilled by Jesus in Matthew 1:18, 22-23.
Christ's coming was announced by a forerunner. (Isaiah 40:3 KJV)
Again, this was spoken 700 years before Jesus appeared.
This prophecy was fulfilled in John the Baptist.
The Messiah would be God manifest in the flesh. (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)
This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus' birth.
He would suffer and make atonement for sin. (Isaiah 53:5 New Century Version)
This prophecy was fulfilled as Jesus came as the Lamb of God.
Men would cast lots for His garments. (Psalm 22:18 NASB)
This prophecy was fulfilled by the soldiers that stood guard by the cross of Jesus.
Christ's words at the cross. (Psalm 22:1 NKJV)
This prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus at the cross.
With this kind of evidence, how can you not believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God?
My folks were Protestants, but my uncle and aunt were Catholics. One day, my uncle asked my mother if he could take me to visit the Catholic church. I had never been in a Catholic church and being a young child, when they kneeled during the Mass, I told my uncle, "My mom told me not to get these new pants dirty." I don't remember if I kneeled or not. During the Mass a high ranking official in the Church (I don't know his title), laid his hands on me and my uncle said I was going to be used of God (and I was).
I was in Scotland and a man was carrying my luggage. Someone said to me, "Did you know that man is a prophet?" I said somewhat insincere, "I hear you are a prophet? I want you to give me a word from the Lord." He said, "If you get permission from the pastor, I will not only give you a word, but I will give everyone traveling with you on your team a word." I was shocked.
That word that the prophet (Ephesians 4:11‑12) gave me and my wife (a very specific word about 17 minutes long) has given direction and clarification to me for the last 20 years. It was a specific word of direction (Acts 11:27‑28; 16:6, 9‑10). It did not replace the Bible, nor was it on the same plane of inspiration as the Scripture, but it was God helping me along.
God gave his Son some specific words that were going to help Him as He lived his life out in this world. They were so specific that to assume that all these things just accidentally happened, would have been an accident too great for even the imagination of an evolutionist! These words are recorded in the Bible and were spoken hundreds of years before Jesus Christ actually fulfilled them when he came and lived as a man on this earth. There are hundreds of these prophecies that identified Jesus as God's Messiah. We will only look at a few.
Christ will be born of a virgin. This was prophesied 700 years before his birth.
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14 KJV)
This was fulfilled by Jesus in Matthew 1:18, 22-23.
"18This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.
22All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet:
22All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet:
23'Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means "God is with us."'"
(Matthew 1:18, 22‑23 NLT)She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means "God is with us."'"
Christ's coming was announced by a forerunner. (Isaiah 40:3 KJV)
"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3 KJV)
Again, this was spoken 700 years before Jesus appeared.
This prophecy was fulfilled in John the Baptist.
"1In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2'Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.' 3The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,
'He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
"Prepare the way for the Lord's coming!
Clear the road for him!"'"
(Matthew 3:1‑3 NLT)"Prepare the way for the Lord's coming!
Clear the road for him!"'"
The Messiah would be God manifest in the flesh. (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)
This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus' birth.
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifested in the flesh..."
(1 Timothy 3:16 NKJV) (Also John 1:1, 14)He would suffer and make atonement for sin. (Isaiah 53:5 New Century Version)
"But he was wounded for the wrong we did;
he was crushed for the evil we did.
The punishment, which made us well, was given to him,
and we are healed because of his wounds." (Isaiah 53:5 New Century Version)
he was crushed for the evil we did.
The punishment, which made us well, was given to him,
and we are healed because of his wounds." (Isaiah 53:5 New Century Version)
This prophecy was fulfilled as Jesus came as the Lamb of God.
"29The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said:
Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 Contemporary English Version)
Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 Contemporary English Version)
Men would cast lots for His garments. (Psalm 22:18 NASB)
"18They divide my garments among them,
And for my clothing they cast lots." (Psalm 22:18 NASB)
And for my clothing they cast lots." (Psalm 22:18 NASB)
This prophecy was fulfilled by the soldiers that stood guard by the cross of Jesus.
"35When the soldiers had crucified him, they threw lots to decide who would get his clothes." (Matthew 27:35 New Century Version)
Christ's words at the cross. (Psalm 22:1 NKJV)
"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?" (Psalm 22:1 NKJV)
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?" (Psalm 22:1 NKJV)
This prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus at the cross.
"34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34 KJV)
With this kind of evidence, how can you not believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God?
"31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." (John 20:31 KJV)
Questions
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By "inspiration" we mean the supernatural control by God over the production of the Old and New Testament.True or FalseAnswer
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The Bible is God-breathed.True or FalseAnswer
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The Wonderful Journey of Good Works