SMD CIRCUIT PASTORS MEETING o Jesus affirmed: (John 10:30, NIV).

(3) He was sinless, as only God can be.

(WHO IS JESUS)
o Jesus challenged His enemies: (John 8:46).
Start the SG with these questions: o Peter testified: (1 Peter 2:21, 22).
1. What are you thankful for today/this week? o Paul stated: (2 Corinthians 5:21).
2. What is challenging you? (4) He forgives sin, as only God can.
Lead an opening prayer for the group. o The Scribes said: (Mark 2:7).
o Jesus said: (Matthew 9:6; John 8:11.)
CATCH: o Peter wrote: (1 Peter 2:24).
Who do you think is the most important person in the (5) He performed miraculous works.
World’s history? o He healed the sick: (Matthew 8:9-13; Luke 4:31-44; 5:12-15)
If someone asked you who Jesus is and why He is important o He fed the hungry: John 6; Mark 8, etc.
to Christians, what would you say? o He raised the dead: Luke 7:11-18; John 11:1-46.
COMPREHEND: (HEBREWS 1:1-14)
II. Jesus Christ Became Man:
READ THE PASSAGE “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us...full of grace and
RETELL THE PASSAGE truth” (John 1:14; Philippians 2:7, 8.)
CONTEMPLATE: (1) His miraculous birth was prophesied before His coming: (Isaiah 7:14).
(Read the questions and let them share their answers) (2) The prophecy was fulfilled to the letter. (Luke 1:30, 31, KJV).
1. What does this passage teach us about God or Jesus? (3) Jesus demonstrated human characteristics: He became tired (John 4:6).
He thirsted (John 19:28), He ate food (Luke 24:40-43), He showed feelings
2. What does this passage teach us about people? (Mark 6:34), He wept (John 11:35), He knew temptation (Hebrews 4:15),
CARRY: and He died (John 19:30).
The predominant theme of the Scriptures is the Person and the work of Jesus Christ Accomplished the Works of His Father:
Jesus Christ. He is God. He became a human being, died by crucifixion, and (1) He died on the Cross. This is the fundamental theme of the Gospel.
was buried. He rose again from the dead. He is the only, all-sufficient Savior o The fact of His death— (John 12:27). (Isaiah 53:3-8).
of the world. He will come again to this earth. Removing this from the o The meaning of His death. (a) It was a ransom for sin (Matthew
Scriptures robs them of all coherent meaning and continuity. 20:28; Romans 3:24; 1 Peter 1:18). (b) It was to pay the penalty for sin
I. Jesus Christ is God: (Romans 3:24; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). Man is the object of God’s wrath because
Deity is the only explanation for all that He was and all that He did. of rebellion and sin, but God took the initiative in satisfying His wrath by
sending His own Son to Calvary. (c) It is a reconciliation. The enmity
(1) He was pre-existent with the Father. “The same was in the beginning between us and God has ended (Romans 5:10), and we are restored to God
with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything (2 Corinthians 5:18, 19). (d) It is a substitution: He died in our place (1 Peter
made that was made” (John 1:2, 3, KJV). 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21). (e) In summary, the matter of sin has been
(2) He is the Son of God. completely dealt with (1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 9:26; Hebrews 10:12).
o His enemies admitted:(John 5:18).
o Peter confessed: (John 6:69).
(2) He was resurrected from the dead:
o The reality of the Resurrection (John 20:1-10; 1 Corinthians 15:4).
o The credibility of the Resurrection: (a) Jesus predicted it: Matthew
CONSIDER:
13:39-41; Luke 24:1-7. (b) The tomb was empty: John 20:11-13. (c) Many
witnesses saw Him alive: the women (Luke 23:55, 56); Mary Magdalene
(John 20:1, 2, 11-18); Peter and the other disciples (John 20:3-9, 19, 20, 24- Which claim that Jesus made about Himself is most
31; 21:1-14). surprising to you?
The Results of His Work: Why do you think that the identity of Jesus is such a
(1) He ascended to His Father (Luke 24:49-53; Acts 1:6-11).
contentious issue?
If we accept that Jesus is who He says He is, what
(2) He is our eternal Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 1 John 2:1.
changes would it require us to make in our lives?
(3) He is our Savior: “Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his
Why do you think God made sure the writers of the Bible
people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, KJV). “Him hath God exalted with his
were so specific about the details of Jesus’ life?
right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and
forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31, KJV).
o He is the only Savior. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is What should you do this week in response to this passage?
no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Use “I will …”)
(Acts 4:12, NIV).
o He is a complete Savior. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to Ask for their prayer request and end your sharing by
the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make praying for each other.
intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25, KJV).
o He is a personal Savior. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth
the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto Reference:
righteousness: and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Zm6USuVOzZKZoMLhUzSMGt2Hz1La6Ow0

(Romans 10:9, 10, KJV).

The Consummation of His Work:
(1) He shall return again to this earth (Acts 1:11; Hebrews 10:37; John 14:3).
(2) Believers in Christ shall be bodily resurrected to begin a new, undying life
(1 Thessalonians 4:17-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58).
(3) He will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords over His new creation (2
Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 22:3-5).

SMD CIRCUIT PASTORS MEETING
(THE PROMSIED MESSIAH AND MIRACULOUS BIRTH)
Start the SG with these questions:
1. What are you thankful for today/this week?
2. What is challenging you?
Lead an opening prayer for the group.
CATCH:
From what you know about Jesus, what was unique about His birth?
How does God know what will happen and can tell us about it ahead
of time?
COMPREHEND: (ISAIAH 9:5-7)
READ THE PASSAGE
RETELL THE PASSAGE
CONTEMPLATE:
(Read the questions and let them share their answers)
1. What does this passage teach us about God or Jesus?
2. What does this passage teach us about people?
CARRY:
A Unique Birth:
Jesus – who was born to be a King – did not have a birth fit for a king,
but rather for a peasant. Yet, angels foretold and celebrated His birth
and powerful people travelled a great distance to honor Him. From the
details of Jesus’ birth we can learn why He came and why He was
unique:
 He was born to be the Son of God, the Savior, and the King. It was
known who He would be before He was born.
 He came to save people from their sins and to show them the way
to God, not to gain worldly power and riches. He was a King whose
throne is not on earth, but rather in heaven and in the hearts of those
who believe in Him.
 Earthly authorities did not recognize Him, but those who honored
God in their heart recognized the significance of His birth and
worshipped Him.
 The Fulfilment of Prophecy: The writings of the Law and the
Prophets in the Old Testament contain hundreds of prophecies about
the coming Messiah. Each prophecy gives a specific detail about who
this person would be, where and how He would live, and what He
would achieve. In the days of Jesus, and since then, others have
claimed to be the Messiah, but only Jesus fits every prophecy and
fulfils every promise perfectly. This demonstrates that Jesus is God’s
chosen servant, the Messiah, God Himself who came to save us.
The Anointed One: To the Jewish people who read the Old
Testament scriptures, the prophecies about the Messiah were very
important. The Messiah means ‘the anointed one’. The offices of
prophet, priest and king were each initiated by the anointing (rubbing)
of oil on the forehead. This set them apart for their special job. The
Messiah was a figure who would come to rule the united people of
God in an era of peace.
Why Jesus Came:
o Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).
o Jesus came to call us to repentance (Mark 2:17).
o Jesus came to find and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
o Jesus came to serve (Matthew 20:28).
o Jesus came to be a King and show us the Truth (John 18:37).
o Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10).
o Jesus came to judge those who reject Him (John 9:39).
o Jesus came to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:38).
o Jesus came into the world because the Father sent Him (John 20:21).
o Jesus came into the world to rescue us from our sin (John 3:16-18).
CONSIDER:
Why was God so specific in His prophecies about the
Messiah and the purpose of His coming?
Even with this detailed information, why were there people
who did not receive Him as Messiah?
What surprised you about Jesus’ birth? Why do you think God
determined that Jesus would be born in a humiliating situation rather
than an honorable one?
Why is it important to note that Jesus’ coming was prophesied long
ago? How could this information be helpful when you are talking to
people of other faiths and worldviews about who Jesus is?
What should you do this week in response to this passage?
(Use “I will …”)
Ask for their prayer request and end your sharing by
praying for each other.
Reference: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12erwI7CN-rLVmUJS904fgRmopk-h61Dq
SMD CIRCUIT PASTORS MEETING
(THE MIRACLES OF JESUS)
Start the SG with these questions:
1. What are you thankful for today/this week?
2. What is challenging you?
Ask for someone to lead an opening prayer for the group.
CATCH:
Is miracle still possible today? Explain your answer.
Have you experienced a miracle in your life – something that
was supernatural that you attribute to the work of God?
COMPREHEND: (John 2:1-11)
READ THE PASSAGE
RETELL THE PASSAGE/STORY
CONTEMPLATE:
(Read the questions and let them share their answers)
1. What does this passage teach us about God or Jesus?
2. What does this passage teach us about people?
CARRY:
What is a Miracle?
Hebrews 2:2-4 tells us that these miracles, signs and wonders accompanied
the Gospel message to prove that the message was true. The extraordinary
and unexplainable actions of Jesus fall into three categories:
- Miracles are acts of a supernatural being that defy the laws of nature.
- Wonders are unusual events done to draw attention and inspire awe.
- Signs are significant events with a purpose to instruct or convict.
The actions of Jesus were accomplished by the power of God (as Jesus
Himself is God) and were sometimes either a wonder or a sign. Their
purpose was never to entertain a crowd or to make Jesus look more
powerful; they served a different purpose.
Why did Jesus Perform Miracles?
- To Demonstrate His Compassion: Jesus had a heart full of
compassion, concern and love for the individual people He met every
day.
- To Demonstrate His Power and Authority: Of all the things Jesus did
and said, His healing ministry drew the largest crowds. It demonstrated
that Jesus was, in fact, God.
- To Demonstrate His Message: One of the reasons Jesus came was to
announce the Kingdom of God, and to proclaim that salvation was
possible only through Him.
What did Jesus’ Miracles Demonstrate:
Jesus revealed the heart of God through His miracles –His desires and
His love for us. Each miracle revealed Jesus’ power and increased the
faith of those who observed.
- Power over the natural world: No physical force could stop Jesus. His
miracles over the natural world showed His power as God, the creator
of the world.(Ex. Jesus calms the storm, walk on water, withers of fig
tree)
- Power over illness & death: Jesus had compassion on those who
were sick, the suffering, and for the relatives of those who died.
- Power to meet our every need: Jesus proved that God was able to
take care of every need through any means He desired.
The Meaning behind the Miracles: Jesus demonstrated His compassion,
His power and His message through miracles in order to gain the attention
of people so they would listen to His message. Jesus provided these signs
and wonders so that people would believe who He was, and the power of
God who sent Him.
CONSIDER:
Of all the miracles discussed in this lesson, which one would have
seemed the most amazing to you if you had witnessed it?
What did Jesus require of people for whom He performed miracles? Did
they have to pay Him in any way (actions or money), or was their belief
sufficient?
What miracles do want to see in your life and family today?
What should you do this week in response to this passage?
(Use “I will …”)
Ask for their prayer request and end your sharing by
praying for each other.
Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PZ0bBX5-GaXGArjuT0_uOjjBV_Fed7Qs

LESSON 2

INTRODUCTION

This lesson is part of a Disciple Essentials module titled Who is Jesus? This
series of seven lessons introduces the person and work of Jesus from a
Christian perspective, considering His identity, work, teachings and death.
Because Jesus is central to the Christian faith and religion, it is vital for the
disciple to know Jesus, and for those exploring Christianity to know what
makes Jesus Christ unique, and worthy of our discipleship and devotion. You
may have participants from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds
who have differing ideas about who Jesus is and what He taught. This series
will be an excellent foundation for their future studies in discipleship.
Essentials for Christian Living: Leader’s Guide © 2014 Trans World Radio Canada.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a
publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Trans World Radio Canada by visiting www.discipleshipessentials.org.