Jesus Christ (The Son of God, Lord of Hosts, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, The redeemer, The Savior, Born of God through virgin Birth (Son of Man), Scripture suggests the Existence of the Son from the creation of man-  all the way through eternity)

God's only son.  God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son to be sacrificed for the sins of man.  The Redeemer.  The Savior.

Jesus spoke in parables, and to demonstrate the cost God suffered by giving His only son, we have the parable of the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price.

Mathew 13:44 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

47"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, 48which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, 50and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

The treasure in the field is God knowing those that would be saved in the world.  God gave the best that He had, His son, so that He may buy back those souls that were stolen.  The cost was paid by the flesh and blood of Jesus.

The pearl of great price is the soul that is saved at the cost of His son.  The bible tells us there is a great celebration in heaven over the repentance of just one soul.  Each soul is priceless to God, as what was paid for this soul was priceless to God.

The parable of the dragnet shows how all in this world, whether or not they are aware of the net around them, will eventually face the end of the age.

From the beginning man fell from the grace of God.  The story of Adam and Eve shows this:  They were given everything that they required, and were given only one restriction.  They, falling prey to the evil one, were tempted and sinned.  In that day, man fell from the grace of God.  God who is righteous and pure, could only withstand the presence of sin in man if it were atoned for or cleansed.  To this day, sin separates man from God.  The early Israelites were able to be with God, near His presence through a very ritualized method of sacrifice of flesh and blood for their sins.  This worked in the early history of the Israelites, until the people wandered from God and learned to love their rituals more than God.  Those who had a good heart were held back by the corruption that grew within the church of that day.  The temple's outer courts were filled with corrupt religious workers who inspected the animals that were sacrificed in those days.  The animals were to be with out blemish. The inspectors always found some, and then sold different animals to them for the sacrifice, at a profit.

God ended this, and created a new covenant with man.  By sending His son Jesus, who being without sin or blemish, was sacrificed on the cross for all the sins of man, ending for all time the hold on man that was created in the garden with Adam and Eve.

Jesus was born of the virgin birth of Mary.  He lived a life of service to the Father.  He gave us the direct spoken word of God, being a part of God himself.  He is the only manifestation of God as man throughout man's history.  Jesus claimed to be God.  Jesus stated that those who had Him had the Father.  Those who knew Him knew the Father.  Those who heard and saw Him, heard and saw the Father.

Jesus gave us direct teachings of God that have survived through the ages and are timeless and are preserved.  Those directly taught by Jesus were given insight into the hidden meaning of His words both by Jesus Himself and also later by the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is "the Helper" that Jesus foretold would come to help us.  

From these New Testament teachings and the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, we are now able to go back into the ancient books of the bible, some that are estimated to have been written up to 5000 years before the time of Christ (BC), and pull out the hidden meaning of events that where foretold (prophesied).  Take for example one of some 300 predictions of Christ in the Old Testament (the old books of the Israelites before the life of Jesus Christ).  In the example below we hear the words of Jesus Christ and even get greater detail of the terror He experienced on the cross as He was nailed to it and hung upright to die on it.

Psalm 22

1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? 2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. 3But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. 5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. 7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 "He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!" 9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. 10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. 11 Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. 13 They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion 14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. 18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. 19 But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! 20 Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. 21Save Me from the lion’s mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me.22 I will declare Your name to My brethren In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. 23 You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard 25 My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. 26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever! 27 All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. 28 For the kingdom is the LORD’S, And He rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive.30 A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, 31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.

Even the events of the wagering for His garments was foretold, but more importantly in verse 29 we are told that those who worship (accept him) will be prosperous and eat; also All who die will come and bow down before Him, to acknowledge God's gift, even those who choose to reject Him during their life on earth.

Jesus foretold to His disciples (followers) of His impending death.  Stating that His flesh and blood would be given up for the remission of sins for all.

Jesus displayed the powers of God through the healing of the sick and diseased, turning water into wine, walking on water, multiplying fish and bread to feed thousands, casting out of demons, willingly going to the death on the cross and then rising from the dead on the third day and displaying himself to hundreds and finally ascending into heaven before their eyes.

Jesus stated that He is the shepherd and we the people of His flock come to the Father only through Him.  He is the only door and any who enter or leave must first pass by Him. 

Jesus said He is the bridegroom, and we, His people, are the bride, and at the end of this age He will come for us to gather us to the wedding feast of the Lamb. 

Jesus says He stands at the heart of every man and knocks, and for everyone who hears Him knock and opens the door.  He will be faithful to come in and sup (share in a meal) with you.

Jesus is God's gift to man and He requires all of mankind to acknowledge this gift.  And for every one that accepts Jesus into His heart and acknowledges that he is a sinner and repents and turns from his sin and asks Jesus to enter in:  This person will be saved.  His sins, no matter how grave will be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Once saved, you will become a new creature, freed from the bondage of the sin in your life.  Given peace, love and new life,  more abundantly in this world, and after death in this world, life eternally for your soul in the direct presence of God  forever.

Go to next lesson of Beginners: Holy Spirit

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