Christology 5

Series: Critical DoctrineTitus 2:1 You must teach

what is in accord with sound doctrine.

Doctrine JI Packer declared, “There can be no spiritual health

without doctrinal knowledge.” Martyn Lloyd-Jones wisely asserts, “We cannot have the

benefits of Christianity if we shed its doctrines.” Phillips Brooks Observed, “The truth is, no preacher

ever had any strong power that was not preaching of doctrine.”

Augustus William said, “The question is not whether a doctrine is beautiful but whether it is true. When we wish to go to a place, we do not ask whether the road leads through a pretty country, but whether it is the right road.”

Doctrine C.S. Lewis said in ‘Mere Christianity’,

“Doctrines are like maps. They are not the reality and may not be as exciting as reality, but they chart reality for us in a vital way. Just as studying a map of the shore of the Atlantic is not exciting as walking along the Atlantic coast itself, so studying the doctrine of atonement is not exactly the same as the experiencing the cross itself. But the purpose of a map is to represent, graph, and explain the reality. If you want to find your way, you need to have a reliable map, and we should consult it frequently.”

CHRISTOLOGY The Deity of Christ

The Humanity of Christ The incarnation The proofs of His humanity

The Union of Deity and Humanity of Christ

The Kenosis of Christ ???

The impeccability of Christ

The earthly life of Christ The Events of His life The Offices He occupied

The Resurrection and Ascension of Christ The fact of the Resurrection The nature of the Resurrection The significance of the

Resurrection The importance of the

Ascension

The Present Ministry of Christ

The Future Ministry of Christ

The Resurrection and Ascension of

Christ Michael Green said, “Christianity does not hold the

resurrection to be one among many tenets of belief. Without faith in the resurrection there would be no Christianity at all... Once disproved, you have disposed of Christianity.”

1Corinthians 15:12-14 “But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

The Resurrection and Ascension of

Christ Steve Kumar said, “Without the resurrection there

will not be a Christianity – Christianity stands or falls with the resurrection, and this single factor makes Christianity remarkably one of a kind.”

C.S. Lewis go so far as declaring, “If the thing happened, it was the central event in the history of the earth.”

The Ascension was an unprecedented and extraordinary event which took place before the eyes of the disciples and was their last glimpse of Christ as He was translated to glory; this witness sealed their faith and bound the disciples to Christ.

The Fact of the Resurrection

Charles Ryrie said, “The fact of the resurrection of Christ is overwhelmingly attested to in the Bible. First of all you are confronted with an empty tomb. Many explanations are offered as why it was empty, but they are all unbelievable except the one that says He arose from the dead.

False Explanations His body was stolen? Judas Iscariot was crucified and Jesus was never

harmed He survived the crucifixion

The Fact of the Resurrection

Charles Ryrie said, “All the appearances of the Lord after the resurrection are evidence that He did rise... The sheer number of witnesses to the appearance of Christ after the resurrection makes it impossible to conceive of the story being fabricated by a few.”

The appearances of Jesus are recorded in: 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20 – 21

The Nature of the Resurrection

When Christ was resurrected He was raised in His physical body. He was not raised as a ‘spirit’ or an ‘influence’.

The resurrection also does not mean that His memory lives on in the mind of His believers, much like most world religions.

His body was seen and felt by His disciples. See Thomas: John 20:24-29, or Not a Ghost and He ate: Luke 24:36-43

1John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

The Nature of the Resurrection

Although the resurrection body of Jesus Christ was able to be touched, it was unlike our body in that He could pass through closed doors (John 20:19) and could never die again (Romans 6:9).

By faith in Christ we too have the promise of this resurrection body, 1Corinthians 15:42-44 “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”

The Significance of the Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus Christ proved His claims about Himself, and verified His message and His truth claims.

The resurrection is our guarantee of eternal life, 1Corinthains 15:17-22 “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”

The Significance of the Resurrection

The resurrection is also our hope of a future resurrection of all men, some to everlasting life and many to everlasting death in hell.

John 5:28-29 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out — those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”

The resurrection is also proof to us of His coming judgments. Acts 17:31 “For he has set a day when he will judge

the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”

The Significance of the Resurrection

The resurrection also arms us with power to believe that God will work through us powerfully as we serve Him.

Ephesians 1:18-20 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,”

The Importance of the Ascension

Jesus Christ also spoke of His ascension and glorification at the right hand of the Father.

John 6:62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!

Matthew 26:64 Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

This was fulfilled and written of in (Acts 1:9-11)

The Importance of the Ascension

Charles Ryrie wrote: The significance of the ascension includes the following: It marked the conclusion of His humiliation and

limitation on earth It marked the beginning of the period of His

exaltation at the right hand of God (Eph 1:20-23) As forerunner, it made Him the anchor of our faith

(Heb 6:20) He began His present ministry of being our High

Priest and preparing a place for us (Heb 4:14-16 John 14:2)

It gave Him headship over the Church (Col 1:18 Eph 4:8)

Conclusion John 17:1-3 After Jesus said this, he looked

towards heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

This is eternal life, that we may know the only true God and Jesus Christ.

Jesus fulfilled the earthly requirements of the law and has now all authority in Heaven and earth to forgive sins and give eternal life to anyone He chooses. (Matthew 11:27)

Coming Up in Critical Doctrine

Next time we will be looking at wrapping up the final sections of our study on Christology, namely:

The Present Ministry of Christ

The Future Ministry of Christ