Christ's life was a complete fulfilment of prophecy. Everything that happened occurred to save us from an eternal separation from God. Everything that happened occurred so that we may believe that Jesus was and is the true Son of God. Jesus set aside use of His full Godliness to spend a brief time with us, so brief, that had He been anyone else, many would cry that He was taken from this World too soon. But we know that Jesus was "taken" from this World to prepare our new home. Jesus was true man. But proving His Godliness could easily be seen in not only the miracles He performed, living His perfect life or prophesying in a way never seen before, but in His complete understanding and knowledge of His purpose on Earth. Jesus gave many prophecies as well of the near future. In this lesson we'll take a look at what He said and how they were fulfilled.
One example of His great knowledge comes from knowing each and everyone of His Father's children. He knew men's hearts. He knows us personally and lived His life specifically with you and me and Nathanael in mind. In John Chapter 1, Jesus comes to His believer Nathanael, "43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 48"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." 50Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.""
What's fascinating about Jesus' prophecy is that many times it seems to be focused on knowing what was in His disciples hearts at those moments. It could also be noticed that Jesus' prophecy was also centered on His mission. He had come into this world to live a life that could never be lived by anyone else and then die in their stead.
Jesus also knew the heart of another one of His disciples, Judas. John tells of Jesus giving a look into the future in chapter 12, "3Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5"Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages. " 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7"Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."" Jesus knew that greed was at the center of Judas' heart, He also wanted to use it as a teaching lesson for His followers. He knew His time among them was short. They needed to understand this too. They needed to be prepared.
We saw that Old Testament prophecy had long since told of Jesus' betrayal by one closest to him. However Jesus knew which disciple and on which night the betrayal would happen. Matthew tells us in chapter 26, "20When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me." 22They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?" 23Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." 25Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."" From there Judas would hand Him over to Jewish leaders and Romans and He would be crucified as was covered in the last lesson.
Jesus also spoke of a time when He would not be among His disciples. Matthew 16 tells us, "21From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" 23Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." 24Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 28I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.""
There's a lot for His disciples to take in there. First Jesus predicts His death, next His resurrection. Peter, instead of seeing this amazing prophecy, can only concentrate on his Savior, who he loves, death. Jesus warns His disciples that following Him will have dire consequences. How so, He foretells of each of the disciples deaths, as a result of their faith with the exception of John, who lives to write of his Revelation. Mark tells us in chapter 9 that Jesus really tried to get the point of His resurrection across to His disciples but they didn't quite get it, "30They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." 32But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it."
Jesus let everyone know of the coming miracle. Even those who fought to discredit Him, John writes in chapter 2, "18Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?" 19Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." 20The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken." We see in these verses that it took witnessing the miracle of Christ, back from the dead, to understand what Jesus had meant. Jesus could have put it in clearer terms, but He said these things so that His disciples, the creators of the Christian church, could have faith and bring us to faith with them.
But they understood Christ was to die, or more so they thought Jesus was warning them of some forth coming struggle in which they were to protect Him at all costs. Peter made it well known that he would not allow himself to live to see his Savior's demise, in fact, he even takes out his sword and cuts off the ear of one of the men who came to take away Jesus. Of course Jesus' rebukes him, but think about what that meant for a minute. More or less Peter, without anyone else, including an all powerful God in the garden with him, charged the Roman army and Jewish leaders.
Fighting is easy, anger is easy. Jesus knows this, that's why He reigned in Peter, but before He also knew that Peter while passionate, at that moment lacked the true bravery needed to be at his Lord's side. Matthew tells us in chapter 26, "31Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: " 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' 32But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." 33Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." 34"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." 35But Peter declared, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same."
Jesus earlier that night tells Peter that not only will Peter not follow Him to the cross, Peter won't even confess to knowing Him. Peter who was willing to take on an army, cannot bear the thought of facing those accusers, Romans and Temple Leaders face to face. He can't bear the thought of questioning, torture, whippings, mockery or crucifixion. Who can blame him? So what happens? We head over to Luke 22, who picks up right after Jesus' betrayal and Peter's "bravery". "54Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him." 57But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said. 58A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied. 59About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean." 60Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." 62And he went outside and wept bitterly."
These things happened so Peter could believe God's Word. So that Peter could use these experiences to write His encouraging Epistles to believers later on. So that Peter would be in awe of a Savior standing before him just two days after denying Him. So that Peter, upon his eventual death because of his belief in Christ could go forward with the strength needed because of the promise in Christ.
These things happened to save Jesus' disciples souls. These things happened to save us. We should look at the verses with the same awe as the disciples who witnessed these events years ago. Think about what it means to die for two days and come back. To feel a sense of joy that there is a living Jesus, who knows your heart, even if foolish at times, who only points you back toward Heaven. Jesus says these things because He needs us to know He is true God and that through Him we have life eternal. Don't take Jesus for granted, please think about what His miraculous birth means this Christmas. Think about what His perfect life means. Think about what His death and resurrection means. Think about what His coming again means. This Christmas, let these impossible events break your mind so that you can understand that through God all things are possible. That He is all powerful. That through Him you have life in His name.
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