Lesson 3 – The Tender Heart of God

/ /

1. HOW DOES GOD FEEL TOWARD US?

Ephesians 2:4,5 — Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.

2 Peter 3:9 — He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

1 John 4:16 — God is love.

God Loves us and wants all to be saved.

2. WHAT DID GOD DO BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR US?

John 3:16 — For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:9 — This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

Because of his love, God sent his own Son into the world to save us.

3. HOW DID GOD SEND HIS SON?

Isaiah 7:14 — The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (God with us).

Luke 1:30-32, 34,35 — But the angel said to her, “…you will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High…” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy  Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Read the whole story in Luke 1:26-36.)

Luke 2:7 — And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (The whole story is recorded in Luke 2:1-20.)

God’s Son became a human being as the child of a virgin named Mary.

4. WHO THEN IS JESUS CHRIST?

Luke 2:11 — Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Romans 9:5 — From them [the fathers of the Jewish race] is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all.

Jesus is true Man and true God in one Person.

Luke 1:31 — You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.

Jesus became true Man as the child of the virgin Mary.

John 1:1 — In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ] and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

As true God Jesus had no beginning.

5. WHAT DID JESUS DO DURING HIS LIFE ON EARTH?

Romans 3:23 — For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Galatians 4:4,5 — But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law.

Hebrews 4:15 — one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin.

Jesus obeyed God’s law perfectly for us, because we couldn’t do it ourselves.

Matthew 11:5 — The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

With divine power Jesus preached the good news of salvation, and with the same power he relieved the sufferings of others.

SUMMARY: In spite of our repulsive sinfulness, God still loved us. He did not want to see us punished for our sins. Therefore, God sent his own son, Jesus Christ, to save us. Jesus had no human father. His mother was a virgin. His Father was God. Therefore Jesus was, and still is, true man and true God. As God’s Son, Jesus could do what no other person could do. He lived without breaking God’s laws. When he was thirty years old, he introduced himself to the world by performing supernatural acts of mercy, and by inviting people to trust in him for the salvation of their souls. God loved us so much that he sent us his own dear Son, the only one who could save us from our sins.

 

QUICKIE QUIZ (T or F)

  1. ___ God loves all good people.
  2. ___ God wants the wicked to be punished.
  3. ___ We know God’s love best from the way he answers our prayers.
  4. ___ The name Immanuel means “God with us.”
  5. ___ Jesus was the Son of God and the son of Joseph and Mary.
  6. ___ The virgin birth proves that Jesus was sinless.
  7. ___ Jesus grew up like any other child.
  8. ___ Jesus healed the sick to show that we should help the sick.
  9. ___ Jesus saved us by living a sinless life.
  10. ___ Jesus is true God and true Man in one Person.

 

WHERE DOES THE BIBLE SAY

  1. that God wants everyone to be saved?

    2 Peter 3:9 — He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

  2. that God loves even sinners?

    Ephesians 2:4,5 — Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.

  3. that the baby Jesus was the Savior?

    Luke 2:11 — Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

  4. that Jesus had no human father?

    Luke 1:30-32, 34,35 — But the angel said to her, “…you will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High…” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy  Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

  5. that Jesus was God's Son?

    Luke 1:30-32, 34,35 — But the angel said to her, “…you will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High…” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy  Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

For more information you can watch this lesson presented as a Bible study HERE.  Please click HERE to find the complete series of Bible studies.

Previous Lesson – #2 How We Became Guilty and Damned

Next Lesson – #4 The Price of Our Salvation