REVELATION - Vision 1: Christ the Head of the Body. (Rev. 1 - 3)
The Apostle John was a prisoner on the island of Patmos for his belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. As he was waiting on the Lord he sees a vision of the glorified Lord. His appearance is like the sun shining in full strength.
`Then I (John) turned to see the voice that spoke to me....One like the Son of Man, ....His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.` (Rev. 1: 12 & 16)
Then John giv
REVELATION - Vision 2: Christ the Heir. (Rev. 4 - 7)
When Christ ascended He went to the Father`s throne at His right hand, `far above all.` There He intercedes and waits till His enemies become His footstool. When that happens, then Christ will be given His own throne, authority and power as the visible sovereign Lord in the third heaven.
Even though God rules overall, there had not been a visible ruler since Lucifer and his angels rebelled. Thus the glorified Jesus Christ will
CHRIST IN HIS HEAVENLY GLORY
The predominant aim of Revelation is the setting forth the splendours of the Son of Man, & to reveal His glorious person. There are four visions of the Son of Man as He is known in the heavenly realm & each vision in turn carries through to completion one aspect of the fourfold ministry of Christ which He exercised when on earth. His Kinship was expressed in Matthew, His Heirship in Mark, His Mediatorship in Luke, & His Judg
JUDE - Christ the Revelation of God`s Word.
The book of Jude gives us a summary of the sixty-four books that have gone before it. This prepares us for the final unveiling of Jesus Christ, whose name is called, `the Word of God.`
The Spirit of God uses ten of the characters, cities and one country from the Pentateuch.
`Adam....Cain...Enoch.....Sodom and Gomorrah, (Abraham & Lot)...Moses....the people out of Egypt (Israel)...the rebellion of Korah....Balaam....`
PETER - Christ`s Life within Endures Suffering & is our Strength.
Peter wrote his epistles to the believing Jews who were scattered beyond Israel. They were undergoing many persecutions and thus Peter desired to help them live a godly life among evil men.
`...though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to prai
JOHN - Christ`s Life within Reveals True Love.
These three letters were written by the aged Apostle John and addresses the family features of the children of God. These characteristics are made possible through the manifestation of Jesus, the Word of God. Human capacities require visibilities, someone to look at, speak to, go to, hear tell of divine love.
The first letter was to believers to encourage them to walk in love.
`Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of G
JAMES - Christ`s Life within, revealed in Practical Life.
The author of this epistle is James, the brother of the Lord. It was addressed to the twelve tribes of the dispersion - Christian Jews. These Jews to whom James wrote had not ceased to be Jews, although they had embraced Christ. Many had been converted on the day of Pentecost, and had carried home only a partial understanding of the believer`s life. In their enthusiasm at having found the true Messiah, they neglected the grace
HEBREWS - Christ, our Great High Priest.
The book was written, first of all, to Jewish believers, probably in Jerusalem, who were wavering in their faith. Because of the taunts and jeers of their persecutors, the Jewish believers were beginning to think they had lost everything, altar, priests, sacrifices, by accepting Christ.
The writer proves that they had lost the shadow to be given the substance, Christ. They were undervaluing their privileges in Christ, and were engaging in self-p
PHILEMON - Christ`s Life within develops Compassion.
This is a personal letter from Paul to Philemon. In the letter Paul intercedes with Philemon (who was an outstanding member of the church at Colosse), for a runaway slave by the name of Onesimus, who had stolen from his master and made his way to Rome.
In Rome he had been brought face to face with Paul, and had found Christ as his Saviour. Onesimus became endeared to the Apostle by his devoted service. But Paul knew that Onesi
1 & 2 THESSALONIANS - Christ is Manifested.
The Apostle Paul, accompanied by Timothy and Silas had spent a short time in Thessalonica and many people became believers. Paul and the others caused such a stir that they had to move on to Berea, Athens and Corinth. It was from here that Paul wrote the first letter and sent it by Timothy.
Timothy returned with a favourable report that was a great comfort to Paul, however there were some faults to be corrected. Some of the Thessa
1 & 2 TIMOTHY - Christ`s Life within gives Strength for Ministry.
Timothy, son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother, was converted by Paul on his first missionary journey, at Lystra. On the second missionary journey, he became the Apostle`s companion, and from then on was his constant helper, loving, loved and utterly trusted.
Although Timothy was only a young man Paul repeatedly sent him on important missions, as to encourage the Macedonian believers in the midst of perse
TITUS: Christ`s Life within develops Purity of Life.
This letter to Titus was written by Paul. Titus was believed to have been converted by Paul on his visit to Cyprus, in his first missionary journey. Titus later came to Paul in Ephesus and ministered comfort to him. (2 Cor. 7: 6) He also went up to Jerusalem with Paul and Barnabas to share of God`s work among the Gentiles. (Gal. 2: 1)
Later Paul and Titus went again to Cyprus to encourage the believers there. Titus stayed and
COLOSSIANS - Christ, Pre-eminent in All Things.
The Apostle Paul also wrote this letter to the believers in Colosse, while he was in prison. Epaphras, a faithful minister to the believers at Colosse, had come to tell Paul of the heresies that were creeping into the church there.
These heresies had broken out among the younger believers, misleading them and calling for the worship of angels and a strict observance of Jewish ceremonies. This heresy was a mixture of Jewish, Greek a
PHILIPPIANS - Christ, Name above All Names.
The Apostle Paul is a prisoner in Rome but has just received a visitor, Epaphroditus. He has come from Philippi with a gift for Paul from the believers there.
It was to the Philippians that of all his converts, that Paul looked back with most loving affection and confidence, for from them alone he would accept things to relieve his personal needs.
While Epaphroditus was with Paul he was attacked by an illness which brought him to
GALATIANS - Christ is our Justification.
During the Apostle Paul`s second missionary journey, he was delayed in Galatia by sickness. Though ill, this tireless servant of the Lord could not remain silent, but kept preaching God`s word. His theme was Christ crucified. (Gal. 3: 1)
It was at this time that many people became believers in Galatia. (Gal 1: 6) They were scattered over a rural district and the people were country folk. Teachers of the law followed after Paul moved on. They tau
EPHESIANS - Christ : God`s Eternal Purpose.
In this letter to the believers at Ephesus, we read of the greatest revelation of truth that God has given to man. It is the mystery that has been hidden before the foundation of the world.
`(God) having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both of which are in hea
1 & 2 CORINTHIANS - Christ is our Sanctification.
The Apostle Paul writes to the disciples that came to the Lord when he was in Corinth. He had stayed there for over a year, working as a tentmaker, with the help of Aquila and his wife, Pricilla. (Acts 18) The Jews opposed Paul so he then went to the Gentiles. They received him and learnt much of God`s word.
`And he (Paul) continued there (Corinth) a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.` (Acts 18: 11)
ROMANS - Christ is our Salvation.
The Apostle Paul writes this letter to the believers at Rome.
`Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.....to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints;...`(Rom. 1 & 7)
In his letter, Paul sets forth that Christ is the power of God unto salvation. He shows that all mankind have sinned and are guilty before God - zealous Jews, proud Greeks, boastful Romans and a multitude of
ACTS - LORD OF ALL.
When the Lord ascended to the right hand of the Father He sent His Holy Spirit to give salvation to every race and bring together an entirely new group - the Body of Christ. Thus under the Lord`s sovereign administration in the power of the Spirit, each race receives salvation.
Ham - Ethiopian eunuch, (Acts 8: 26 - 40)
Shem - Paul of Tarsus (Acts 9: 1 -31)
Japheth - Cornelius the Roman centurion. (Acts 10:24 - 48)
From Shem, Ham
CHRIST IN HIS BODY
After the Lord ascended to the right hand of the Father, He sent the Holy Spirit to bring together a whole new group of people - the Body of Christ. This revelation was not known previously and Satan definitely would not have killed Jesus if he had known of this.
This new group would be made up of people from Israel and the Gentiles, (nations). They would be joined together by the Holy Spirit and built up on the truth of Christ, His character and His purpo
Luke - to the Greeks, revealing Jesus as a Man and Priest.
The writer of this aspect of Jesus is a doctor, Dr. Luke. He was an educated man and a keen observer. He wrote this account by the Holy Spirit revealing Jesus as the perfect Man to the Greeks. The Greeks possessed a wider culture, loved beauty and philosophy. Luke being a Greek himself, would be well fitted for presenting Jesus as the ideal of perfect manliness.
In Luke`s account we see God manifest in the flesh. Luke d
John - to the believers, revealing Jesus as the Son of God - Deity
We`ve seen the Lord`s authority in Matthew`s account; are amazed at His humbleness shown as a Servant, in Mark; then appreciate His compassion for the many hurting in Luke. Finally in John`s picture of the Lord we stand in awe in the knowledge that He is actually God come in the flesh.
`In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God....And the Wo
Mark - to the Romans, revealing Jesus as the Son of God, the Heir.
This account of Jesus was written to Roman readers. The Roman was different from the Jew. His genius was his strong common sense. His religion must be practical. He would have no interest in tracing beliefs back into the past. Legal genealogies and fulfilments of prophecy would leave him cold.
He might say, “I know nothing of your scriptures, and care nothing for your peculiar notions: but I should be glad to hear a pla
CHRIST`S EARTHLY MINISTRY
The four books, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John reveal four different aspects of our Lord`s ministry and character - King, Heir, a Man, and Deity. Each writer was given by the Holy Spirit the specific emphasis, to reveal Jesus, to the Jews, the Romans, the Greeks and to the believer.
JESUS IS KING, HEIR, A MAN, & DEITY.
Prior to His coming to earth the Lord Jesus Christ, was King in the realms above. He was King of glory, King of heaven and Kin
Matthew - to the Jews, revealing Jesus is their King.
Matthew`s aspect of Jesus was to specifically show the Jews that Jesus was their long - awaited King. He revealed Jesus as the Son of David by His genealogy and that His life fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. Matthew quotes from the Old Testament many times, and says that this event or that, took place that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of Jesus, by the prophets. We read of Jesus` authority and power.
All t
