Knowing Jesus, Part 1: The Work of Christ on Your Behalf

The Scriptures tell us that, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24). 

I. MAN’S NEED FOR THE WORK OF CHRIST

A. ACCORDING TO ROMANS 3:10–12, OF WHAT SIX THINGS IS EVERY MAN GUILTY? 

“As it is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.’” 

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Romans 3:23 sums up the problem, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Man is sinful and therefore separated from Almighty God, therefore he cannot know or experience God’s love and plan for his life. 

B. TO WHAT IS MAN A SLAVE? 

“Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.’” ( John 8:34) 

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C. WHAT IS THE END RESULT OF SIN ? 

“Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” ( James 1:15) 

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D. BECAUSE WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS, WHOM DID WE FOLLOW AND WHAT KIND OF CHILDREN WERE WE? 

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” (Ephesians 2:1–3) 

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E. WHOSE WRATH WILL THE “SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE” EXPERIENCE? 

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:6) 

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Will God tolerate sin? 

“Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of Law, to perform them.” (Galatians 3:10) 

God’s mercy always, eventually gives way to His holiness, and demands conformity to His righteousness. Man is therefore faced with: 

Sin 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) 

Having God as his enemy 

“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ( James 4:4) 

Subjection to the power of Satan 

“We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19) 

Being helpless to save himself 

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6) 

Facing death 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in 

Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) 

Eternal separation from God 

“These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:9) 

 

II. THE COST OF CHRIST’S WORK

A. READ PHILIPPIANS 2:7–8 

“But emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” 

1. What are three things Christ did when He came to earth (verse 7)? 

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2. In what way did Jesus humble Himself (verse 8)? 

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B. WHAT HAPPENED TO JESUS ON EARTH ACCORDING TO ISAIAH 53:3? 

“He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” 

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C. FORGIVENESS OF SINS REQUIRES WHAT? 

“And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22) 

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D. WHAT PRICE DID CHRIST PAY TO REDEEM US? 

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” (1 Peter 1:18–19) 

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E. WHAT DID JESUS CRY OUT ON THE CROSS? WHY? 

“About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Matthew 27:46) 

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F. WHAT DID GOD DO TO JESUS ON THE CROSS? 

“All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.” (Isaiah 53:6) 

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III. THE PROVISIONS OF CHRIST’S WORK 

Jesus Christ came to earth to pay the price for sin. That price was His own life, which He gave voluntarily. 

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep… For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.” ( John 10:11, 17–18) 

His sacrifice was the only way to take away sin for all time. 

“…And not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12) 

Describe what Jesus’ death accomplished: 

A. 1 PETER 3:18 

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.” 

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B. ROMANS 5:10 

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” 

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C. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 

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D. GALATIANS 1:4 

“Who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” 

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E. EPHESIANS 1:7 

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” 

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F. ROMANS 6:6–7 

“Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.” 

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JESUS CHRIST
The answer to all man’s problems concerning salvation 

Christ’s work on the cross and resurrection are the only solution to man’s problems. That is why Peter could proclaim of Jesus Christ: 

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) 

Refer to your answers in section one of this lesson and note how Christ is the answer to each of man’s problems. 

 

IV. THE MOTIVE FOR CHRIST’S WORK

A. WHY DID GOD SAVE MEN? 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” ( John 3:16) 

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) 

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B. WHAT ATTRIBUTE OF GOD IS DEMONSTRATED IN HIS SALVATION OF MEN? 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) 

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C. WHY DOES THE AUTHOR CALL HIS MERCY GREAT? 

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6–8) 

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V. THE RESOLUTION AND CONTINUATION OF CHRIST’S WORK 

Christ’s death on Calvary finished His redemptive work for man ( John 19:30). But salvation’s story does not end there. The grave could not hold Christ; He lives and continues the work He began for us. 

A. HOW WAS CHRIST DECLARED TO BE THE SON OF GOD? 

“Who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 1:4) 

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B. AFTER CHRIST MADE PURIFICATION OF SINS HOW WAS HE EXALTED? 

“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3) 

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C. WE EXPERIENCE (SPIRITUAL) DEATH THROUGH ADAM’S SIN. WHAT BENEFIT DO WE GAIN THROUGH CHRIST’S RESURRECTION? 

“For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21–22)? 

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The First Fruits 

The Bible refers to Christ’s resurrection as “the first fruits.” That is an Old Testament term that speaks of the “first fruits” of the harvest that were set apart for the Lord. When used in the New Testament, “first fruits” implies a pledge of more harvest to follow. Therefore, Christ’s resurrection holds the promise of resurrection for others also. 

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20–22) 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) 

 

D. NOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN DRAWN TO GOD THROUGH CHRIST, WHAT IS JESUS ABLE TO DO? 

“Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25) 

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E. WHAT ROLE DOES CHRIST HAVE EXCLUSIVELY TO HIMSELF? 

“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (Timothy 2:5) 

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F. WHEN JESUS WAS GOING TO LEAVE, WHAT DID HE PROMISE HE WOULD DO? 

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” ( John 14:3) 

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VI. APPLICATION 

When some people are confronted with the reality of who Christ is, they realize they have made a terrible error in what they believe or how they lived. They are deeply convicted in their hearts in the same way as the men in Jerusalem were when their eyes were opened to the truth: 

“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37) 

Is the Lord convicting you of unbelief? As you learn more about who Jesus is and His plan for your salvation are you interested to learn more? Do you have questions that need answers? The Members Bible studies here in the capital are here to help. 

God bless you this week in the Capitol. cm