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Christ’s Death Foretold
Read Isaiah 53:1-6
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 (v.6).
Isaiah portrays for us one of the most graphic, and yet most beautiful, scenes in holy writ. Where would we be had Christ not suffered humiliation and death for our sins? He became the spotless and perfect Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29).
When Christ was here on earth, He also likened the multitudes to scattered sheep having no shepherd. Revealing His compassion through His sacrificial death, He became our Good Shepherd – thus providing meaning and direction to our lives.
Because sheep naturally tend to stray, they become lost and defenseless. This makes them vulnerable prey. Just so, humanity is without Christ. God, the Father, willed that His Son become our substitute – to be sin for us, who knew no sin (II Cor. 5:21). Certainly, we can join with John the Beloved, BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us… (I Jn 3:1a). (Shirley Gordon)
Man of sorrows, what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah! What a Saviour! - Philip P. Bliss
How can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
This devotional is the Monday, March 7, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
Christ's Death Explained
Lesson 2 - March 13, 2016
Focus Text: John 12:20-36
Central Truth: Christ willingly gave His life for our sake.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to explain why Christ had to die in order that we might live.
Lesson Outline:
- The Principle Behind Christ's Death (John 12:20-26)
- The Purpose of Christ's Death (John 12:27-32)
- The Problem of Christ's Death (John 12:33-36)
Prayer: Lesson 1 – The Forgiving Savior
Heavenly Father, As we begin this new quarter of studies on Your Son, help our teachers today to impress upon their classes how importantly You value forgiveness. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
What motivates God?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Randy Bland asks the question, "What motivates God?" Why does God love us so much? He then writes:
Yet, for love to be real, there must always be the possibility of pain and rejection. God made Himself vulnerable in order to live in loving community with other beings, and He was rejected, first by many of the angels, and then by humanity. He continues to feel the pain of rejection up to this very moment. Most of us would run from that level of pain, but God embraced the pain through love and found a way to win many people back to Himself. That way, of course, is the cross.
Discussion: What motivates us? How does this compare to what motivates God?
Source: Jesus, The Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 7.
Do you have a predisposition for forgiveness?
In "God's Word for Today", David Woods writes the following discussion question:
What does it say to you that Jesus was known for His forgiving spirit while the religious leaders were known for condemnation? Is our church known for its willingness to forgive or its tendency to condemn?
He follows this up by saying:
Our passion obviously is to live holy before God. But what does it say when our church is known for strict, even judgmental, attitudes, rather than a caring love for others? Did Jesus, while He was on earth, have a reputation for holiness or for loving the sinner?
Discussion: Are we more like Jesus or more like the religious leaders in regards to forgiveness? What is our predisposition?
Source: Jesus, the Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 5.
The Forgiving Savior
Lesson 1 - March 6, 2016
Focus Text: Matthew 9:1-7; John 8:1-11
Central Truth: Christ’s character is marked by His forgiving love.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list at least two ways Christ’s forgiving love should change our lives.
Lesson Outline:
- Jesus' Power for Forgiveness (Matthew 9:1-7)
- Jesus' Predisposition for Forgiveness (John 8:1-5)
- Jesus' Perspective on Forgiveness (John 8:6-9)
- Jesus' Purpose in Forgiveness (John 8:10-11)