Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem

Jim Leffel
Daniel 9

Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem contained two main ironies: 1) he came on a donkey; and 2) his victory speech was a lament. Leffel breaks down how his unconventional arrival fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, especially the Daniel 9 prophecy.

Calling Disciples

Scott Risley
Luke 6:12-16

Peter, John, and James become followers of Christ after a large catch of fish. After praying throughout the night, Jesus calls the twelve disciples.

A Typical Work Day for Jesus

Scott Risley
Luke 4:14-44

Jesus' authority and miraculous power draws growing attention during his early ministry. His identity as the Chosen Son of God is confirmed in three accounts: his claim to be the promised Messiah within the synagogue; as he frees a man of demonic possession; and finally, when he heals Simon Peter's sick mother-in-law.

Jesus' First Teachings

Dennis McCallum
Isaiah 61:1-2

Jesus' first declaration that He is the fulfillment of ancient messianic prophecies and His teaching is followed by miraculous acts of healing and exorcism, challenging the naturalist to consider the existence of the supernatural. Supernatural claims in the Bible are compared to those of other world religions, showing Biblical miracles to be astoundingly unique, indicating that Jesus' miracles are symbolic of his deity. Skeptics are invited to approach God with a desire to be convinced of the supernatural, and with an expectation that the same God who created the universe will answer by bringing the miraculous into their own lives.

Jesus is the Christ

Mike Sullivan
Isaiah 53:11

John makes the claim that Jesus is the Christ, which means that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied about in the Old Testament and that He is God, man, Lord, and Savior. This claim is supported by various lines of evidence including Christ's baptism, his death, and the Holy Spirit. Those who examine the evidence for Jesus must reach a conclusion for themselves about his claims, and those who accept that he is God have the privilege of serving him for the rest of their lives.

How We Know Jesus Is Real

Dennis McCallum
Matthew 1:1-13

An analysis of the genealogy of Jesus and a harmonization of the seeming difficulty of tracing his family line through the parallel genealogies in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. These separate genealogies are shown to be the separate family lines of Mary and Joseph, qualifying Jesus to be both of the family of priests and the family of kings. The historical and biblical comparison is shown to be not only astounding and accurate but indicative of Jesus' identity as the true Messiah.

Jesus' Early Life

Conrad Hilario
Philippians 2:5-7

Jesus, the Messiah, finally appears in history. He's born into very humble conditions, revealing to us his true nature. He came as a human to break us free from the chains of the law, to identify with humans (enabling him to be their perfect substitute), and to die on the cross. There were many reactions to Jesus' arrival: people at the inn ignored him, Herod was a pseudo-seeker, Simeon and Anna were genuine seekers, and the shepherds/wise men were ready to trust Christ.

The King Arrives!

Dennis McCallum
Matthew 2:1-12

An introduction of Jesus to the world and an analysis of the surrounding historical detail and circumstances during the birth of Christ. King Herod, who was aware of Jesus' birth, commanded a group of Magi to tell him where the Messiah was so he could go and worship Him, though his plan was to kill Him. This is compared to pseudo-seeking the truth about God, defined as stating that one is seeking the truth but in practice ignoring the evidence that is presented. The Magi, who were not Jews at all, came to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, demonstrating God's power to work through any means to reach real seekers of the truth about Jesus.

John the Baptist

Dennis McCallum
John 1:19-23

An analysis of the biblical and prophetic case for both John the Baptist and Jesus' mission. John the Baptist came ?in the spirit and power of Elijah? and prepared the way for the Lord, preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins. The scriptural case for John the Baptist being the Old Testament Elijah himself is analyzed and compared to the expectations of the time surrounding the second comings of Jesus and Elijah. The complex case for why the fulfillment of these prophecies was not clear until they occurred in history demonstrates the intricacy and brilliance of God's plan.