YOUTH STS LESSON 140 THE DEITY OF CHRIST

TEXT: John 5:1-47   

MEMORY VERSE: “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:18).

 

“After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem” (John 5:1). From our text, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, went to the Passover feast in Jerusalem. This was a mark of obedience to the Father’s instruction (Deuteronomy 16:16, 17). In His usual way, He seized the opportunity to share the gospel with the multitudes and He healed the impotent man of thirty-eight years sickness. Every Christian youth should count it a privilege to appear before the Lord for worship and service. Jesus is our Saviour and Healer. Simple faith in His word will give you healing and health. After the healing of the impotent man on the Sabbath day, the Pharisees persecuted Him for doing good work. It was on this occasion that Christ asserted His authority as the Messiah and showed that He came from God to save the sinful world. He reproved the Jews for their stubbornness, hatred for God, pride and disobedience to their own Law. Christ’s example on this occasion should be a challenge to the youths. It should spur them to showing mercies and care to the needy without the fear of opposition or persecution.

 

Question 1: What do you understand by the deity of Christ?

Christ, the supernatural being (God), came from heaven to live on earth as man (1 Timothy 3:16).

 

THE POWER TO HEAL BY CHRIST (John 5:1-18; Deuteronomy 28:15,27,28; Psalms 107:17; 119:67; James 5:13-16; Matthew 8:16, 17; 1 Peter 2:24; Luke 4:18, 19; 5:17; Psalm 107:19,20)

“In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water” (John 5:3).

 

Question 2: What are the causes of poor health and Sickness?

The major cause of sickness is sin. Sin attracts God’s judgment which can affect the physical body, the mind and the soul (Genesis 2:16, 17; 3:17). Bible record shows various sins that bring sicknesses and diseases to the human race. Miriam was leprous as a result of wrong use of the tongue (Numbers 12:1,2,9,10); David’s son was sick and died because of his immoral act with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:15); Asa was diseased in his feet because of anger and oppression (2 Chronicles 16:9-12); Jehoram was smote with an incurable disease because he did not walk in the ways of the Lord (2 Chronicles 21:18,19) and Uzziah was leprous due to pride and anger (2 Chronicles 27:16-21). Today, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is very much with us and medical science is yet to find the cure for it. Many youths have been sent to their untimely grave because they lived carelessly in sin. Aside the above, Satan also brings sicknesses and diseases upon people (Matthew 17:14-18; Luke 13:11-17; Job 2:1-8). Also, sicknesses can come come as a result of poor hygiene (Deuteronomy 23:14), poor feeding habit, lack of proper rest and sleep (1 Samuel 30:11-13). “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). The sick people at the pool of Bethesda were helpless. It took the intervention of an angel who “went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water” to bring limited healing to the sick. The healing was limited because only one person could be healed at a time while the multitudes I waited for their turn. This shows the limitation of angels in performing miracles of healing for those who are sick (Daniel 10:10-13). However, the ministry of angels is still necessary today (Daniel 6:22; Luke 22:43,44; Hebrews 1:13,14). “And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?” (John 5:5,6). By divine knowledge Christ knew that the man had been sick for thirty-eight years. The Lord then asked him if he would be made whole.

 

Question 3: What are the necessary conditions for receiving healing?

 

To receive healing, there must be repentance from sin and self examination (2 Chronicles 7:14), faith in God (Mark 5:34), obedience to the word of God (Exodus 15:26), prayer in the name of Jesus (John 14:12,13), positive confession of the word of God (Mark 11:22,23; Psalm 118:17), standing on the promises of God (Psalm 91:1-16) and claiming of healing through Jesus’ blood (1 Peter 2:24). However, this does not mean we should not seek medical attention from qualified hospitals and personnel when the need arises. To enjoy permanent healing and health from God the Father, we should live a life free from evil and sin. As soon as Jesus saw the man that was healed in the temple, He “said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:14). Christ’s message to all is “go, and sin no more” (John 8:11). A holy walk with God is the best preservative and surest security against the attacks of diseases, sicknesses and Satan. The decision to live a healthy or sickly life is entirely ours and depends on what we do with our lives. Furthermore, we should observe adequate rest and sleep to ensure we regain our strength (Isaiah 30:15). Observation of some physical exercise is also necessary (1 Timothy 4:8). Taking a balanced diet and maintaining good hygienic conditions promote good health. It is necessary to inform your parents of any sickness in your body early to avoid complications. Let your faith and trust be in the Lord always.

 

THE PERSONALITY OF CHRIST (John 5:19-30; 3:27-36; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10, 11, 20; Matthew 11:27; Proverbs 8:22-31; 11:21-27)

 

The uncommon healing power of Christ on the impotent man revealed Him as the Son of God who possessed same power as God, the Father. Christ declared to the Jews “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). This reveals His eternal intimacy, unity and co-existence with the Father (Proverbs 8:22-31). Christ does all things in agreement with the Father thus expressing His perfection as He does nothing against His Father’s will and nature. The Father and the Son have such subsisting relationship as the first and the second in the Godhead existed from dateless eternity. Jesus is God; He is one with the Father. He appeared in human nature and humble state so as to atone for the sins of man. This is the evidence of Christ’s Deity.

 

Question 4: Is Christ equal with God? Support your answer with scriptural evidences?

 

The book of John Chapter one reveals the Deity of Christ, His creative power, Pre-incarnate and Pre-existence form in heaven before coming to redeem man. He testified in our text of His equality with God, the Father.

Firstly, He is equal with God in power and works. Christ is equal with the Father in works of creation, re-creation, redemption, and preservation of all living things. The Trinity works together with equal power as partners.

Secondly, He is equal with God in raising and quickening the dead. He has the power to quicken the body and the soul like He raised Lazarus and others (John 11:43,44; 7:11-15; Mark 5:35-42). The power to raise the dead is one of the attributes of divinity possessed by Christ. Christ is the quickening Spirit and can quicken any man.

Thirdly, Christ is equal with the Father in judgment of the world. Indeed, the Father judges no man but has committed all judgment into the hand of the Son, and He shall judge all to the glory of the Father (John 5:22; 12:48; Acts 17:31).

Fourthly, the Father seeks that the Son should be honoured equally as Himself. (John 5:23). It is evident in the Bible that Christ Jesus is both worthy of honour and worship (Hebrews 1:6).

 

Question 5: How can Christian youths honour the Son of God?

 

To honour is to hold in reverence, high esteem, accord praises, pay homage. Youths honour Christ when they give him the first place in their hearts; when they no longer yield their bodies to sins; when their actions and words are regulated by His words. They honour Him when they give Him the right obedience and worship due to Him, regard Him as the possessor of wisdom, goodness, power, and eternity.

Christ testifies that He is equal with God over death and eternal destiny of man. As the appointed Judge of all, He knows the secret things and searches the hearts of men; so, He knows the motive behind their actions. There are many proven witnesses of Christ’s Deity and authority. Jesus was introduced in the book of Revelation as the “Faithful and True Witness” (Revelation 3:14). He personally testified to His Deity. But by the law of the Jews, He needed the testimonies of two or three witnesses to prove His messiahship. This was not because He was not a true witness nor had no accurate witness, but to conform to the legality of the law. His first witness is that of God the Father. He declared Him as His Beloved Son (Matthew 3:17; 17:5). Jesus told the Jews that if they truly hear God’s voice and have His words abiding in them, they would have known that He Is the Messiah. The Jews read and recited the Scriptures, but did not keep them in their hearts. Conclusively, Christ was the truth personified, the “Faithful Witness” and “Amen”, whose records are true (John 8:13, 14) and appealed to the testimonies of the Father (John 8:18; 12:28-30), John the Baptist (John 1:7,33), His own testimony (John 5:36), and the Scriptures (John 5:46, 47). Believers should also learn to present proofs to clear doubt, especially before the unbelievers, when the truth they affirm is disbelieved.

 

PERSISTENT UNBELIEF CONDEMNED BY CHRIST (John 5:40-47; John 1:11, 12; Revelation 21:8)

 

During Christ’s earthly ministry, the Jews saw many wonders, yet they did not believe in Him. Testimonies abound in Scriptures regarding Christ’s authority (Mark 1:27), quickening power (Mark 2:12), Deity and Divinity (John 3:2), equality with God (Mark 10:17, 18). Despite these clear facts, they still did not believe in Him. Rather, they chose to follow the Jewish leaders who for envy refused to confess Jesus as the Messiah. Many Christian youths today only seek to please their friends, colleagues, parents and worldly models in their schools and communities. Obviously, “No man can serve two Masters” (Matthew 6:24). Our churches today are filled with many who profess Christ but do not have a personal encounter with Him. They often despise the way of salvation. Great danger awaits such professing youths who refuse to repent by confessing and forsaking their sins. Jesus enjoined believers to abide in Him, and His word In them to avoid backsliding. John the Baptist attested to the Messiahship of Jesus. He presented Jesus as the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). If the Jews had truly searched the Scriptures, they would have discovered that Jesus was the Messiah through the writings of Moses and the prophets (Luke 24:27, 44). Youths need to search the Scriptures like the youths of old such as Joseph, Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack, Abednego, the Berean Christians, Timothy, etc.

 

Question 6: How often should youths read the Bible?

 

The Church has designed a simple way of reading the Bible for the youths (like the Higher Everyday and Daily Bible Reading at the end of every Youths Search the Scriptures outline) so as to ensure they do not neglect to feed on the word of God and grow thereby. A youth can only be strong and do exploits by diligently reading and obeying the word of God regularly to discover God, His unfailing power and promises. A good number of youths who would have been Christians today failed, because of worldly honour and the praise of men. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his own soul” (Matthew 16:26).