Ncl teaching Outlines pg. Table of Contents

1. TRUSTING JESUS AS SAVIOR

This class will answer the questions:

1. 
   What does it mean to have faith in God
   
2. 
   How is my salvation satisfied in Jesus Christ?
   
3. 
   How can appropriate the salvation that he offers?
   

1. 
   The Problem
   

What is the problem of the human race?

Separation from God.

Why do we have this problem?

Because of SIN; rebellion; desiring to be like God
A. God’s Holiness
God is absolutely holy. He is without sin and cannot tolerate it in his presence. Consequently, we are separated from God because of his holiness and because of our sin. If we were to force our way into God’s presence, we would be vaporized, because his holiness could not coexist with our unholiness. See Exod. 15:11; Lev. 11:44; Is. 55;8,9
B. God’s Justice
Because God is just, he must condemn wickedness. Thus, we all stand condemned before him. Read Deut. 32:4; Ps. 98:9; Eph. 2:1-3

C. God’s Love
Out of his love God made a way to redeem us from his wrath, so that we would not be destroyed. Let’s look at Jn. 3:16 and Eph. 2:4,5

II. The Solutions: Works and Grace

1. 
   Works: The Human Solution
   

1. 
   With this strategy, we try to make it up to God. We attempt to rectify the infinite offense we have committed against him. But the results are spelled out in two specific scriptural passages:
   

a. Rom. 3:23 Aiming for the bull’s eye, but missing the target entirely

b. Is. 64:6 Clothing ourselves in good deeds, which appear to God as filthy rags.

2. 
   With yet another ploy, we try to ” rank righteousness” by creating a hierarchy of greatness; i.e., placing people like Ghandi or Mother Teresa on “ the top rung”; In reality, however, their relative righteousness means nothing.
   

3. 
   Then there is the issue of self-reliance. (Use the story of the two swimmers.)
   

Two guys decide to swim from California to Hawaii. The younger of the two swims hard and fast but tires and drowns five miles off shore. The older man paces himself and passes the younger guy, but tires before he reaches his goal and drowns as well. Even though the older man performed better, he still didn’t reach Hawaii (God’s righteousness, so to speak)

2. 
   Grace: God’s Solution
   

• 
  We must surrender our efforts and accept what Jesus has done for us.
  
• 
  We must make a 180 degree turn; i.e., repent
  
• 
  We are made alive through Christ who did the work we could not do. (See Eph. 2: 4-5)
  
• 
  We are removed from death unto life by Jesus’ work. (Rom. 3:23-24)
  
• 
  We are recipients of Jesus’ act of propitiation, that is, appeasement. He mollified God’s wrath and satisfied his justice by paying our sin debt. Jesus suffered death in our place.
  

2. 
   With Christ’s payment of our sin debt through his sacrificial death, God’s mandate for holiness has been satisfied. We are now clothed in Jesus’ righteousness, so we can stand before God...CLEAN in his holiness.
   

2. YIELDING TO JESUS CHRIST AS LORD

Introduction
What does it mean to be a Christian? Unfortunately, many people base their understanding on misinformation and personal opinion. Rather than get caught in a morass of relativism and what people think the scriptures say, we should look to Jesus "the author and perfecter of faith."
One of the popular ways of viewing Christianity today is as fire insurance. "I've got my `one way ticket' in my back pocket. I'll pull it out when I need it."
Jesus asks each one of us today, "Who do you say that I am?" Our response is crucial to knowing God and to finding peace and purpose in this life. Being a Christian means much more than personal salvation. It means placing Jesus as Lord on the throne of one’s life, thereby requiring the de-throning of ego and its interests. A bit later in this lesson we shall see that we are called not only to salvation, but to discipleship as well.
Jesus declares his purpose and his mission in Mark 8: 27-31.. Here we see some examples even in Jesus' day of how people wanted to make Him something He was not. Note how the disciples struggle to understand the revelation they are receiving.
I. Made Up (and Closed) Minds

A. Pharisees - Mark 8:11-13

1. They had seen Jesus Christ cure the deaf, cast out demons, raise the dead, heal long standing physical maladies, and miraculously feed over 9000 people on two separate occasions! What more could they need?
2. How could they ask for a sign, since their minds already were made up?
a. Preconceived notions about how Messiah would operate

b. Preconceived notions about Jesus Christ

B. People today - Have all kinds of preconceptions about Jesus and refuse to give him a “fair hearing” as the scriptures are unfolded.
II. Wrong Kind of Leaven - Mark 8:14-21
-Leaven would be added to bread to make it rise. What's being added into your life?
A. Pharisees – Religious Leaven
1. Works. They expected Messiah to come in great religious power and restore the Old Testament system to its Mosaic glory and to persuade everyone to live legalistically
2. Self-enlightment. Today religious leaven is often in the guise of the latest spiritual technique to boost self-esteem.
B. Herod(ians) – Political Leaven
1. They looked for Messiah to establish a Davidic monarchy again. They looked for power to overthrow the Romans.
2. Many people over the centuries have tried to make Jesus Christ the revolutionary, the political liberator.
C. Disciples – Materialistic Leaven
1. By being so consumed with their stomachs they were missing the great revelation before them.
2. People often tell Jesus, "Look, I'll follow you just as soon as I get a few things straightened out. Just let me get some financial security in place and then I'll hear you, Jesus, on all those radical discipleship things you have to say."
III. Jesus’ Supernatural “Eye Opening” (Mark 8:22-26)
A. Interesting isn't it, after seeing all this spiritual blindness Jesus' next miracle is one of opening not only eyes, but the mind to understanding.
B. Jesus here declares that he is the one to open our eyes. Have you ever talked with someone about the Bible and they have real trouble understanding you? But when they give their lives to Jesus, suddenly they are able to understand things much more clearly. Because Jesus has touched us, we can understand.

IV. The Pivot Point - Mark 8:27-38

A. A Previous Confession – Jn. 1:25-30

-Here John the Baptist declares that Jesus is the Messiah. There is a hint of a declaration of Divinity (Vs. 30) but the emphasis is that Jesus is Savior - "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (This was our study last week. See unit #1)

B. The Confession
1. Vs.. 27-28 – Various ideas about Jesus
2. Vs.. 29a - Question comes again to those who have spent time with Him, listened to Him
3. Vs.. 29b - The confession. In Matt. 16 we know Peter added, "the Son of the Living God." There is a realization of Jesus' Divinity and His right to Lordship in their lives.
4. Vs.. 30 - Note: Jesus Christ did not deny this. In fact, he expresses the title of "Son of Man" to them (verse 31). This indicates that he is even greater than their concepts of Messiah becauseh e has come to identify with the whole human race and to suffer, die, and rise for the race. In this way, our Lord served us. However, he knew that they didn't fully understand all the implications of Messiahship (as evidenced in following passages).
5. Vs.. 31 - Though spoken of in the Old Testament, this would have been staggering stuff to the disciples. This is the first time Jesus Christ has told them of His death and resurrection.

6. 
   Vs.. 32 - Peter can't deal with this talk of Messiahship.
   

7. Vs.. 33 - Jesus Christ didn't fall for Satan's temptations in the wilderness and won't fall for any shortcuts to his calling now.

C. Discipleship - Mark 8:34-38
1. Vs. 34 - Since there is a cost to Messiahship there will also be one to Messiah's followers. That cost is giving up man's interests and "setting his mind on God's interests."
2. Vs. 35-38 - Three Concerns to Cast Off

> Cast off concern for your own self-preservation (35)

> Cast off concern for worldly profit (36-37)

> Cast off concern for what others will think about you (38)

3. Without a clear understanding of the Messiah, you cannot understand the call of discipleship.
4. In review:

a. Jesus claimed Messiahship;

2. 
   He clearly identified that He was the Son of Man, the Savior of the world, and that His saving work would involve suffering, dying, and rising from the dead.
   
3. 
   His disciples had to be prepared to give their all to him.
   
4. 
   Jesus made some striking claims about himself and about what it meant to be his follower:
   

V. Jesus' Example of Obedience – Jn. 8:28

This exemplifies Jesus' declaring that his desire is only to do the Father's will. He sets for us an example of giving our lives to God's purposes. He wanted to do the Father's works only. That should be our attitude as well.
VI. Jesus' Example of Prayer (Matt. 6:9-10)
Jesus teaches us to ask that God's will would be done in our lives. Our prayers should always reflect the desire to do His will.
VII. Jesus’ Admonition that Obedience Follows Love (Jn 14:15)
Doing God's will is not a burden, but a joy that expresses our love for Him.
VIII. Paul’s Declaration of Our New Life in Following Christ ( 2 Co 5:14-15)

We now live for Jesus. He is the reason for our existence and we choose to follow Him.

IX. An Old Testament Illustration (Joshua 5:13-15)
A. Vs. 13 - Joshua asks, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"
B. Vs. 14 - The man (likely the pre-incarnate Son) answered, "Neither!"
1. Wrong question, Joshua! The question is not, "Is God on our side? Or Is He blessing what we are doing?" Rather, the question should be, "Are we on God's side? Are we blessing what God is doing?"
2. Even though Joshua was God's man, and even though he had been told to take the land, the was tempted to take the land in his own way by his own strength. God stopped him, humbled him, and then gave him a particular battle plan to take Jericho.
3. This is a picture of how our lines should be. Sometimes we lose touch with the Lordship of Christ in our lives because we've gone on automatic pilot. We need to trust in Him moment by moment. That’s what Paul means by praying without ceasing.
4. In Matt. 7:21-23, Jesus makes clear that being religious and using the right language isn't enough. He must know us. We can do something in His name, but if He hasn't told us to do it, it is nothing (Jn 15:4, 5).

Conclusion

Ph. 3:4-8 To live is Christ. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ means not only accepting His salvation but becoming a follower as well… going where he goes, doing what he shows us to do, dying to self and living for Him.
Questions:

1. What are the benefits of living under the reign of Christ as Lord?

2. What do you think of these challenging passages?

-Lk 9:57-58 - following Jesus means abandoning your comforts

-Lk 9:59-60 - following Jesus means making Him your first priority.
-Lk 9:61-62 - following Jesus means being faithful to what He has called you to do.
-Lk 14:26 – The love of Jesus should make all other loves in our life seem like hate in comparison.
3. Have people share examples of how God brought them out of self-sufficiency and under His Lordship.
4. Suggest meditating on Jn. 15 in quiet time.

Teacher's Notes:

1. Depending on your class, you may skip the development of Jesus' claims to Messiahship and concentrate more on what it means to have Him as Lord.
2. The material here could easily be rearranged or re-emphasized depending on the constituency of your class.
THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE

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