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Infallible Proof of the Resurrection (Easter)
Lesson 4 - March 28, 2016
Central Truth: The resurrection is the heart of the Christian faith.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to give at least three proofs of the resurrection of Christ.
Lesson Outline:
- Assurance for Disciples (John 20:19-23)
- Assurance for a Doubter (John 20:24-29)
- Assurance for All Believers (John 20:30, 31)
Prayer – Lesson 3, The Son of God on Trial
Heavenly Father,
Please bless our teachers and students today as they study about Christ suffering patiently as our Substitute. Help us to learn to suffer patiently as well for His sake. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Why Jesus' Trial by the Sanhedrin Illegal?
In "Word Focus" Darrell Grim writes:
The Sanhedrin was the ruling body of the Jews. It consisted of seventy-one members including scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and elders. The high priest was the presiding officer. Certain regulations were set forth to cover such events as a trial. There was to be a quorum of twenty-three. Criminal cases were all to be tried in the daytime and must be completed during the daytime. A trial could only be finished on the day it was begun if the verdict was “not guilty.” Otherwise, a night had to pass before a guilty verdict could be pronounced. No decision of this body was valid unless they met in their own meeting hall in the Temple precincts. All evidence had to be sworn to by at least two witnesses who were examined separately and had no contact with each other. A false witness was punishable by death. In every trial the evidence for the innocence of the accused was to be put before the court before any evidence of his guilt. In their rush to eliminate Jesus, the Sanhedrin completely disregarded its own rules.
Discussion: What happens to a society when its courts no longer uphold justice?
Source: Jesus, Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 16.
What is the doctrine of expiation?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Randy Bland writes:
The doctrine of expiation says that believers can further be cleansed from the stain of sin.
This doctrine goes back to the time when God gave the law to Moses. Once a year on the Day of Atonement the Israelites were to sacrifice two goats to the Lord. The first goat was to be killed as a sin offering for the people. This sacrifice of propitiation was offered to satisfy God’s wrath. The second goat was treated very differently. The high priest was to lay his hands upon the head of the goat and confess all of the sins and iniquities of the people, thus transferring them from the people to the goat. This scapegoat was then banished from camp and set to wander in the wilderness, forever cut off from the people. He was a sacrifice of expiation that cleansed the people by carrying away their sins.
Jesus was our Scapegoat, taking away our sins so that we could be cleansed from the stain of sin.
Source: Jesus, Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 20.
03: Teaching is Not Dominating
If you have taught much at all, and especially if you have invited students to dialogue with you or each other during the lesson, you most likely have discovered that certain people like to dominate the discussion. What you may have overlooked, however, is your own potential to be overbearing. Sometimes we want to avoid certain people from hijacking the conversation. Sometimes, we are intent on making a certain point. Sometimes, we just want everyone else to listen to us. The end effect, though, is a stifled discussion and lack of reflective thought.
There will be certain points that you need to press home to the students. There will be those who will take over the conversation if you are not careful. This requires extra preparation. Who can you plan to call on to give an extra voice, so one or a few don't take over? How can you teach that essential point by asking questions, rather than just giving the answer?
Devotional: The Messiah's Reproach
“Reproach hath broken my heart: and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.” (Psalm 69:20)
The appropriate title for the picture painted in this verse is “Alone”. We can only identify with being alone in a human sense. We do not have the capacity to feel as our blessed Savior felt. He obviously enjoyed the friendship and fellowship of his disciples, and especially “the twelve”. He had even a closer relationship with the inner circle of Peter, James and John. Yet when he was facing the reality of his crucifixion in the Garden of Gethsemane, and needed their support, they fell asleep.
When he was being led away after his arrest, “... All the disciples forsook Him and fled”. (Matthew 26:56)
We sometime refer to the Passion of Jesus. The Latin word “passio” originally meant to endure suffering. This is an appropriate term when we try to imagine the agony and pain that Jesus suffered during those sham trials and the brutal beatings. As we well know a cruel crown of thorns was forced upon His head, and His hands and feet were nailed to the cross of crucifixion.
We should keep in mind that He suffered all of this for the sins of the world. Because He bore our sins, just before His death He cried, “...My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
“Alone, Alone, He bore it all alone;
He gave Himself to save His own,
He suffered, bled and died alone.” ---Ben H. Price
Jesus died the death of a sinner.
This devotional is the Monday, March 14, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.