FREE SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS – Please feel free to copy and use.
Did Jesus Really Claim That He Was God?
Jesus is called by many titles: The Messiah. The Christ. The Son of God. The Savior. But was He God? Was He just a good man? A Philosopher? An Amazing Teacher? Here is the questions that He asks all of us at some point in our lives: “But who do YOU say that I am?”
1. If you had a friend who had never knew nothing about Jesus, who would you say that He is?
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What does the Bible Say?
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
1. What does this verse say about “the Word”? _______________________________________
2. How do we know that this verse is talking about Jesus? ______________________________
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3. Do you think Jesus would agree with what was written in this verse?
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Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
4. What title in this verse stands out for today’s study? ________________________________
What did the disciples say?
The Disciples were able to see Jesus, speak and travel with Him and witness His miracles firsthand. They listened to Him teach from the Old Testament to confirm who He was to the people – the long awaited Messiah.
Mathew 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
5. What title did Peter give to Jesus? ___________________________________________
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6. Does this necessarily mean that He was God? ______________________________________
What did His Enemies Say?
John 10:24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
In Jewish Culture, the Pharisees understood that anyone who claimed to be “the Christ” or “the Son of God” was God Himself, based on the prophecies we read earlier.
7. What did Jesus say that got the Pharisees so mad? ________________________________
8. Why were they so upset by this? _______________________________________________
The Timing of the Presentation of the Messiah
Jesus as being fully God and fully man at the same time had to live of perfect, sinless obedience to God the Father. He was demonstrating, in His temporarily lowered state, what living a perfect life as a human would be like. In doing this, He became the perfect sacrifice to pay for the sins of all people. And part of this was fulfilling all of the Old Testament Prophecies about the Messiah. The Old Testament predicted an exact day when the Messiah would present Himself to the nation in the city of Jerusalem:
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
When Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, He boldly proclaimed His role as Messiah:
Luke 19: 5 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. 36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. 37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; 38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
9. What were people doing when Jesus rode into Jerusalem? _____________________________
From here on Jesus no longer veiled who He was. The prophecy was fulfilled at the exact moment on the exact day prophesied over 500 years earlier. And when Jesus was questioned, He left no questions:
Mark 14:60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
10. What did Jesus say to indicate who He was? ____________________________________
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11. What did the High priest think of Jesus’ statement? _________________________________
Doubting Thomas
The Disciple Thomas did not believe the stories of Jesus’ resurrection 3 days after His death. In fact he said that unless he saw the holes in Jesus hands himself and touched them, he’d never believe that their beloved leader really raised up from the grave. And soon he got his chance:
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
12. What did Thomas call Jesus? ________________________________________________
13. Did Jesus correct Him? _____________________________________________________
Jesus’ Final Words
Now that He was resurrected and had fulfilled the Messianic Prophecies, Jesus spoke openly of who He was. When He saw His disciples for the first time after His resurrection this is what He said:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth
14. How much power does Jesus have? __________________________________
15. Who is the only all-powerful being in the universe? _________________________
