CRS Tough Topics

• Lamb of God


  Jesus
• Jesus' baptism

  1. Jesus came to John to be baptized

  2. John recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God

  3. John did not know Jesus

  4. John baptized with water so Jesus would be revealed

  5. Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove and remained on Him
• Significance of Jesus as the Lamb of God


  • Predicts the death of Jesus on the cross
  • Replaces the yearly lamb used in Israel for the cleansing of sin
  • Signifies Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God
• Jesus as the Door and the Good Shepherd

  In the Gospel of John, Jesus taught that he is the Good Shepherd, and that the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep
• Anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs by another way, is a thief
• Jesus as the door

  Anyone that enters through him at any time will be saved
• Jesus as the Good Shepherd

  1. The gatekeeper opens the door for him

  2. The sheep hears his voice and follows him

  3. The sheep will not follow a stranger, as they do not know his voice
• Jesus as the Good Shepherd


  He will not flee at the sight of a wolf, as a hireling would
• Jesus as the Good Shepherd


  He cares for the sheep, for they belong to him
• The thief or wolf who came before him

  Came to destroy, but he came to give life, and to give life abundantly
• Jesus as the door

  He is the only way to salvation
• Jesus as the Good Shepherd


  He made the supreme sacrifice by dying on the cross
• Differences between a hireling and a Good Shepherd

  • A hireling has selfish intentions, but the Good Shepherd has intention of giving life, spiritual life in abundance to the flock
  • A hireling runs away when he sees the wolf approaching, but the good Shepherd lays down his life for the flock
  • A hireling stays as long as he is paid, but the Good Shepherd does not abandon his sheep because of non-payment of his salaries or allowances
  • A hireling does not care for the sheep unlike the good Shepherd who takes good care of them
• Jesus as the Light of the World. Jesus describes himself as the Light of the World in three instances. 1. His encounter with Nicodemus. 2. His encounter with the woman caught in adultery. 3. His encounter with the man born blind. The disciples asked if the man's blindness was a result of his parents' sins. Jesus said no, but that he was blind so that the work of God might be manifested in him.
• Jesus as the true vine

  Jesus says he is the true vine, his father is the vinedresser, and the Christians are the branches
• Bearing fruit

  1. Any branch that does not bear fruit, his father cuts it off

  2. Any branch that bears fruit, his father prunes it, for it to bear more fruit
• Abiding in the vine

  A branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine
• Christians abide in Jesus

  They will be fruitful
• Christians do not bear fruit

  They will be cut out and burned
• Branches produce fruit

  God is glorified
• As the Father loves Jesus


  So Jesus loves us
• Significance of Jesus as the true vine

  • God wants us to always be fruitful
  • Close fellowship with God makes fruitfulness possible
  • Unfruitfulness displeases God
• What happens to Christians who do not bear fruit

  They will be cast out and burnt
• Paul's teaching on Jesus' resurrection


  Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians who doubted that the person could resurrect from the dead. He stated that since Christ died and was resurrected, his followers would also resurrect on the last day.
• Christ's resurrection


  • It was according to the Scriptures
  • It was witnessed by Cephas, the Apostles, and more than 500 brethren
  • It was also witnessed by Paul, the least of the Apostles, and unfit to be called an Apostle because he used to persecute the Church
• Some unbelievers would deny the resurrection of Christ


  There was evidence to prove it
• If there is no resurrection of the dead


  Then Christ has not risen
• If Christ has not risen

  The preaching of the gospel would be in vain, and their faith would also be in vain
• If Christ was not raised from the dead

  There would be no hope for those who died in Christ. They would have died in vain and they would be the most miserable
• Christ has been raised from the dead and he is the first to have ever resurrected
• Death first came through the first man, Adam


  Life after death has come through Jesus Christ
• Jesus' victory over death has dealt an eternal blow on death
• Significance of Jesus' resurrection to Christians


  • The resurrection frees Christians from the curse of law and sin
  • By raising Jesus from the dead, God has shown the world that Jesus is the Son
  • Jesus' resurrection means that Christians should also resurrect on the last day
• Parousia


  Second coming of Christ
• What happens to those who are asleep

  1. They will resurrect

  2. They will rise first before those who are alive
• Those who are alive during the second coming

  Will not have any advantage over those who have died
• Second coming of Christ

  1. Jesus will descend from heaven

  2. With the cry of command

  3. With the archangels' call

  4. With the sound of the trumpet
• The dead in Christ will rise first
• Those who are alive will follow them to meet with Christ in the clouds
• The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night