Expository of the Gospels

(Four Portraits of Jesus)

 

I.       Introduction

 

          A.      Who is Jesus?

 

                   1.       Just a good man?  or  Savior of the world?

                   2.       Not imaginary – History

                   3.       All prophecy – Parallel history

                             even on the cross

 

          B.      Most significant man who ever lived

 

          C.      Gospels - Most familiar off all the books

 

          D.      Will try to show how each is distinctive

 

          E.      Virtually all we know about the earthly life of Christ in the                              gospels

 

          F.      Not written until 30 yrs. after His Death

 

          G.      They are history; but not just historical reports

   

                   1.       almost nothing before age of 30

                   2.       Not much of His ministry

                   3.       Not to blame the gospel writers

                             a. only wrote what H.S. told

                             b. What is the purpose of each?

 

          H.      THEY WERE PREACHING THE GOSPEL ("Good News")

II.      MATTHEW - Concentrates on Jesus' relationship to the Jewish faith.

 

          A.      Came to fulfill the O.T.

 

                   1.       See Matt. 1:1——(esp. v.l7)

 

                   2.       See 1:23-24 - proph. "born of a virgin" - Isa. 7:14

 

                   3.       See 2:6 - place of birth - Micah 5:2

 

                   4.       See 2:15 - Jesus & family went to Egypt - Hos. 11:1

 

                   5.       See 2:16-18 - killing 2 yr. old males - Jer. 31:15

 

                   6.       See 2:23 - called a Nazarene - Jud. 13:6-7

                 

                   7.       See 3:1-3 - John the Baptist - Isa. 40:3

 

                   8.       etc. etc. many references to O.T. — Look thru –

                             OT quotes offset in italics or some other font

 

                   9.       Why? Came to save the Jews first.

            

                             a. reason to believe the message.

    

          B.      Came to judge the Jews for their unfaithfulness

 

                   1.       See 4:17 - "repent!!"

 

                   2.       Chap. 5:17-20 - PURPOSE

            

                             a. V.21 "shall not commit murder –

                                 V22. – angry w/brother

                             b. V27 "Shall not commit adultery" –

                                 V28 – not to look at woman to lust            

                             c. V33-35

                             d. V38-39

                             e. V43-44

 

                   3.       Matthew 15:1-8

          C.      No other Gospel renounces the hypocracy so forcefully

 

          D.      Jews are called to see the Messiah; then denounced for

                   their rejection of

 

          E.      Matthew shows Jesus as teacher –

                   superior to the Jewish teachers

 

                   1.       confronted the Jewish LEADERS

       

                             a.       See 16:1-4 – (Superior to Jewish leaders)            

                             b.       See 19:3 & 9

                             c.       See 22:15; 23; 34; Esp. 46

 

END OF MATTHEW

III.    MARK – GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES

–       EMPHASIZES ACTION RATHER THAN TEACHING

 

A.      He stresses how Jesus taught His disciples that the Son of Man must suffer and be rejected, and that they must be prepared to    tread the same path

         

B.      Shortest of the Gospels

 

C.      mark often explains Jewish customs – had Gentile readers in      mind -  3:17; 7:3-4; 11:19; 12:18

 

D.      Immediately begins to TEACH & HEAL

 

                   (DO AS A LIST)

                   1.       see 1:21-22 "taught as one having authority"

                   2.       see 1:23-26  cast out unclean spirits

                   3.       see 1:30-31 "healed Simon’s mother-in-law"

                   4.       see 1:32-34 "healed many with diseases; unclean spirits

                   5.       see 1:39 “preaching & casting out demons"

                   6.       see 1:40-42 "cleansed a leper"

                   7.       see 2:3-4 "healed a paralytic"

                   8.       see 3:1-3 "man w/ a withered hand"

          E.      In Matthew Jesus rejected on basis of what He taught;

                   In Mark on the basis of what He did

   

                   1.       See 3:6   After restoring man wsith withered hand

                   2.       See 3:20-23

                   3.       Again, notice the miracles Jesus performed in 3:10-19

 

          F.      Teach & work miracles

   

                   1.       See 4:1 (teaching)…..(36-39)  "calmed the sea"

                   2.       See chap. 5:   

                             a. unclean spirits; Legion; cast into swine

                             b. Woman who touched His garment

                             c. raises a child from the dead

 

          G.      Impact of 6:1-4  "where did this man get these things?"

 

          H.      Jesus to Suffer; ---disciples, too!!

   

                   1.       See 8:31-38

                   2.       Chap. 9:11-13; 31; 35; 43———

                   3.       See 10:26-31; 34; 44-45

                   4.       See Parable of Chap. 12:1-11

 

END OF MARK

  IV.   LUKE – EMPHASIS ON SPIRITUAL OVER PHYSICAL

          Stresses the blessings of salvation brought by Jesus

          He emphesizes the signs of the coming of the Messiah

          He especially brings out the grace of God

 

          A.      blessings of salvation

          

                   1.       10:25-37 - A Test question; the GOOD SAMARITAN

                         

          B.      Emphesizes the Signs of the coming of the Messiah

          

                   1.       Chaps. 1 & 2

      

 

          C. .    The grace of God

         

                   1.       See 5:17-26

                   2.       See 5:29-32

                   3.       See 8:5-18 "Parable of the Sower"

                   4.       Chap. 9:12-17 "fed multitudes -w/ 5 loaves .& 2 fish”

                   5.       Chap. 10:30-37 "good Samaritan"

                                       Chap. 10:38-42, "Mary & Martha"

                   6.       Chap. 15:4-7 lost sheep

                             Chap. 15:8-10 "the lost coin"

                             Chap. 15:11-32 "Prodigal Son"

 

END OF LUKE

 

V.      JOHN - reveals Jesus as the One sent by God the Father into the world          to be its Savior

       

          JOHN goes deepest into the things God has revealed and brings out     the eternal significance of the one who is “God in the flesh”

 

          A.      John l...."In the beginning...'

       

          B.      John 1:19-34 John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Messiah

       

          C.      John 3 - Nicodemus - be "born again"

       

          D.      Chap. 4:1-42, Samaritan woman at the well

 

          E.      5:18-47 The claims of Jesus

 

                   The Jews were right. Jesus was making Himself God's equal                          (18)  though this did not mean setting himself up as an                                 independent authority (19).  In this passage alone He claims to                          have:

 

                   1.       knowledge of God's plan (20)                

                   2.       God's authorization for all he says and does (19,30)

                   3.       power to give eternal life (21,24,40)

                   4.       the right and authority to judge all men, living and dead                                  (25-29).                   

                  

          F.      A man who makes these claims must be mad, bad, or God.

 

          G.      What support can he gjve them?

 

                   1.       the word God spoke at his baptism  (37)                  

                   2.       the testimonial given by John the Baptist (33-35)

                   3.       the evidence of his own miracles (36)

                   4.       the words of Old Testament Scripture (39).

 

          H.      6:1-21 Fed 5,000 on 5 loaves & 2 fishes; walks on the sea

 

          I.       6:22-59 – The crowd tracks Jesus down; Christ, the “bread of                       life.”  (see v. 32-33; 35)

 

          J.       7:53-8:11 The woman guilty of adultery

 

                   The lawyers were trying to trap Jesus.  They intended to push him either  into contradicting the Mosaic law, or  into falling foul of the Roman authorities, who did not allow Jews to carry out a death sentence. But Jesus did neither----nor did he condemn, or condone, the woman's conduct. He gave her a second chance.

 

          K.      8:12-59 Jesus, the light of the world

 

          L.      9 - The blind man sees; the sighted shut their eyes

 

                   Jesus really is the light of the world. This sixth sign makes that plain. It also gives us some insight into the problem of human suffering.

 

          M.     10:1-21 Jesus, the good shepherd

 

          N.      LAZARUS RETURNS FROM THE DEAD;

                   JESUS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

 

          O.      Jesus reassures his disciples;  'I am the way, and the truth, and

                   the life'

 

          P.      15-16 Jesus, the true vine; the promise of the Holy Spirit

 

            Q.        Jesus' prayer; for himself and for his followers