Lesson Four: WITNESSES OF CHRIST AS THE MESSIAH
Memory Text: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'” (John 3:3, NKJV)
SABBATH: Jesus provided people with powerful scriptural evidence to back up the claims about Himself, among which states that whoever believes in Him has everlasting life. In addition to this, the various miracles that Jesus carried out invite people from all walks of life to bear witness to who Jesus is. The book of John also points to the witness of God the Father is. (READ John 6:47)
SUNDAY: As much as the Jews then expected a priestly Messiah and a royal Messiah, John the Baptist did not claim any of these but rather claimed a witness to the one true Messiah. John claimed to baptise with water, but Jesus, the One who baptises with the Spirit. Jesus as One above him, Jesus as the One who existed before him and as the Son of God. (READ John 1:19-23, Isaiah 40:1-5, John 1:23)
MONDAY: The Jews looked for a Messiah who would deliver them from Rome, but the book of John testifies that Jesus came to fulfil the Old Testament promises about Himself, which include His self-sacrifice on behalf of the world, as a Redeemer and to renew the relationship between God and His people. The book of John also points to the witness of God, the Father and to scripture, all giving evidence of Jesus’ identity. (READ: John 1:29-37, Genesis 3:15, Mark 10:45, Romans 5:6, 1 Peter 2:24)
TUESDAY: The two disciples of John the Baptist, John and Andrew, having listened to the proclamation of Jesus as the Lamb of God, immediately followed Jesus Christ because they recognised that Jesus was greater than John the Baptist and that He was the fulfilment of his message. Andrew then witnesses to his brother Simon about Jesus, whom Jesus names Cephas, and the three become the first disciples of Jesus (READ John 1:35-39,41)
WEDNESDAY: Philip, upon an encounter with Jesus, witnesses to Nathanael about Jesus of Nazareth as the One who Moses and the prophets prophesied about. With prejudice against Nazareth, Philip brings him to Jesus. Jesus having prior knowledge about Nathanael leads him to acknowledge Jesus truly as the Son of God. (READ John 1:43-51)
THURSDAY: Nicodemus, a respected teacher and wealthy member of the Sanhedrin, approaches Jesus in the night. He viewed the signs as proof that God sent Jesus, but he didn’t believe that Jesus was the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophesies regarding the Messiah. This doubt made Jesus tell him that he must be born again. Despite the questions, Nicodemus grows to follow Jesus publicly.
(READ John 3:1-21, John 19:39)
FRIDAY: Nicodemus searched the scriptures in order to receive life for the soul, and he began to see the kingdom of heaven as he submitted himself to the leading of the Holy Spirit. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man should be lifted up and everyone who has been deceived and bitten by the serpent will look and live. (READ The Desire of Ages pp 167-177)
CAPTIONS:
SUNDAY: The testimony of John the Baptist
MONDAY: The Lamb of God
TUESDAY: The two disciples of John
WEDNESDAY: Philip and Nathanael
THURSDAY: The witness of Nicodemus
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus. How successful would you judge his ministry to have been, at least from a human perspective? Also, as you think about your answer, ask, too, the important question: how do you define “success” in spiritual things?
- Later on, John the Baptist expressed some sincere doubts(Matthew 11:2,3, Luke 7:19). What caused his questions, and what can we learn from them about how to be firm in our faith?
