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Scripture: Rom. 1:20; John 8:44; 1 John 3:8; Matt. 16:26; Luke 12:20; 16:19-31
I. There is a God.
II. There is a devil:
Give examples of people being possessed by demons, speaking for demons, and performing demonic works. All of these have the devil as their source and sin as their consequence.
III. There is the spirit of man:
А. Prove the existence of the human spirit by the human conscience. Although the conscience cannot be seen, everyone feels the effect of its working and has to recognize its existence. The conscience is the main part of the spirit.
B. Prove the existence of the human spirit by life. The difference between a dead person and a living one is life, and life is simply the spirit (Luke 8:55).
IV. There is man’s soul:
А. Show that there is a soul by using the illustration of love. Although it cannot be seen, love no doubt exists and is one of the functions of the soul.
B. The death of a man also proves the existence of the soul. A man’s death is simply the departure of his soul from his body. Although the body is still present, the man is said to have departed, meaning that the soul has left the body.
C. Use the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 to further substantiate that there is man’s soul. While in Hades the rich man was able to recall things that had happened during his earthly life. Although his body was buried, it was his soul that was remembering his life on earth.
Scripture: John 1:1; 10:30; 14:9
I. Jesus said that He is God:
If you want to know who a man is, you have to ask him. Throughout history no philosopher, religious leader, or sage has dared to claim to be God. Only Jesus said that He is God.
II. His deeds prove that He is God:
He performed miracles and spoke words of wisdom and life.
III. His disciples professed that He is God.
IV. The Bible says that He is God.
V. The experience of the believers throughout the centuries confirms that He is God.
VI. The power of His salvation proves that He is God.
VII. The prayer of the believers bears witness that He is God.
Scripture: John 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16; 2:5
I. The necessity of Jesus becoming a man:
А. Being God Himself, He could not come near to man and contact man unless He were to become a man.
B. Without becoming a man, He could not sympathize with man since He had not passed through man’s experience.
C. Without becoming a man, He could not bear the sins of man.
II. The plausibility of Jesus becoming a man:
А. If He could create man out of nothing, much more He could be conceived through a virgin.
B. Since He established the law of human reproduction, He can establish another law of reproduction.
C. Even science itself confirms this possibility.
III. The fact of Jesus becoming a man:
Using the Bible for this section, show that He was conceived of a virgin, that He was born in a manger, and that the glad tidings of His birth were announced by the angels. Develop this with other related facts.
Scripture: 1 Pet. 2:24; Isa. 53:5-6, 12
I. The purpose of His becoming a man was to bear the sins of man:
А. His death on the cross was for the redemption of man from sins.
B. His blood was shed for many, for the remission of sins.
II. How can He bear the sins of those who are not yet born?
А. Although man is limited by time, God is not under the same limitation. For example, some people make preparations for their descendants even before the latter are born. Consider how the railway was laid long before you were born. When you want to travel by train, you do not have to ask that the tracks be laid again.
B. God is not limited by time, because He is eternal. Look at the circle in the figure. Where is the beginning and where is the end? As in a circle there is neither beginning nor ending, so also in God’s provision the cross is timeless, taking care of your sins before they were even committed in time.
III. How can the blood of Jesus cleanse our sins?
А. It is not the physical applying of some blood on your body that cleanses you.
B. His blood is a symbol. It is a symbol of God’s righteous demand being fulfilled.
Scripture: 1 Cor. 15:36-38; John 12:24; Acts 2:32; 3:15; 5:30; 1 Cor. 15:14, 17
I. Jesus resurrected from the dead:
А. Not only spiritually but also physically and psychologically.
B. His tomb was empty.
C. After His resurrection He asked His disciples to touch His side, proving that He was risen physically.
II. In His resurrection He is the divine life-seed:
If a seed with life concealed within it can sprout after being buried in the ground, how much more can Jesus, being God, with the divine life inside Him, sprout forth again to bear fruit.
III. The Lord’s saving power proves His resurrection:
А. Give examples and tell stories of the present and real saving power of the Lord Jesus.
B. The gospel of the Lord is a gospel of power.
C. Power proves that He is living.
D. All the founders of the different religions lay dead in their tombs — only Jesus resurrected.
IV. The power of answered prayer proves the Lord’s resurrection:
А. Today whenever a man calls on the name of the Lord, his prayer is answered.
B. This experience of prayer being answered is a proof of the resurrection of Jesus.
Scripture: Acts 1:9-11; 2:33; 5:31
I. Being resurrected, Jesus lives in the universe, in the heavens.
II. The witnesses of His ascension:
А. His disciples saw His ascension.
B. The angels also saw it and bore witness to it.
C. His ascension happened in time and space.
D. It was not a figment of man’s imagination or an abstraction but an accomplished historical fact.
III. The authority of His name proves Jesus’ ascension:
А. The Bible says that when He ascended, He received a name which is above every name.
B. Whenever man calls on that name, the authority in it is manifested, and prayers are answered.
IV. Today the whole world recognizes Jesus:
This is also a proof of His ascension. The whole world uses His birth as the basis of its calendar. When a person’s birth date is recognized as the basis of a people’s calendar, to the same person does that people belong. Thus, the whole world unconsciously recognizes Him as the Lord of all.
Scripture: Matt. 16:27; Acts 1:11; 1 Thes. 4:16-17; 2 Thes. 1:7-10; Phil. 3:20-21
I. Jesus Himself said that He will come again.
II. In His ascension the angels mentioned that He will come again.
III. All His disciples said that He will come again.
IV. His coming is with signs:
А. The Bible says that the greatest of the signs are the restoration of the nation of Israel and the increase of tribulations.
B. Even the astronomers and the geologists tell us that the tribulations on the earth are increasing.
C. Since the signs preceding His coming are being fulfilled, His coming will definitely come to pass.
V. His coming is for two things:
А. He will rapture those who believe in Him.
B. He will judge the unbelieving ones.
VI. How will He regard you at His coming?
Develop this point.
