Solomon, a young ruler with power was known to be the wisest ruler than any other king before him. He had built great projects, “…building big homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect water to irrigate my many flourishing grove…” he had many slaves, huge herds and flocks, and he collected large sums of gold and silver. All in all, Solomon had power but in that power he found no satisfaction. In Solomon’s mind, he thought of himself has the greatest, most powerful and the wisest ruler than anyone before him in Jerusalem. In Ecclesiastes 2:10 he says, “Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure.” Solomon did whatever he wanted because he wanted to because he wanted to find the meaning of true satisfaction. His faith in God lacked in dependency for Him to be Solomon’s complete satisfaction. He looks for his life to have meaning through the eyes of the world, but he finds nothing besides always trying to find meaning. Solomon looks for something to bring him joy and complete satisfaction but in the end, he finds the only thing that is satisfying is his relationship with His Father. His relationship with the Father is the only thing that will bring meaning, value, and purpose into Solomon’s life. I grew up in a Christian home my whole life. As a child, my parents were fairly new Christians and we went to Sunday morning services and Awana every week. I remember how I used to use going to church two or three times a week as a foot-hold for me being forgiven for my sins and being on God’s “good side.” What did “God’s good side” mean? When I went to church, I saw this as my “good deed”, the one thing I needed to do for the week to continue my relationship with God. Did I really think I understood my relationship with God? No, but I did know that I was able to communicate with Him through prayer. I didn’t know much about my faith and I when I first “accepted Christ into my heart”… I didn’t understand it as an 8 year old. I think it took me until the summer going into my senior year to really understand why I want to live my life for Christ. Middle school was the beginning of my times of seeking “real satisfaction” wherever and from whoever I could. I remember being at church in the 7th grade and hearing my youth leader talk about “nothing of this world is satisfying.” I thought to myself, “Sure it is. I mean, look at my friends… they are popular, they have boyfriends, they can wear whatever they want, however much make-up as they want, they can see whatever movies they want, they can go to the dances, don’t care about what the teachers think, go shopping all the time and buy whatever they want.” I would kill myself by comparing my family to theirs, my parents to theirs, my clothes, my hair, my appearance, my money I had, my friends, I compared everything I had to others…. And whatever I had, whatever friends I had, they were never good enough and I would never be good enough. As a teenager in middle school, my life revolved around others and how I can make myself like them. I struggled a lot with friends and “reaching the popular crowd” even if that meant me being the “butt” of everyone’s joke, constantly being told “to be like this or like that.” When people saw things in me they didn’t like, I took almost as if they liked me… like wow, they DO pay attention to me. But really, they just wanted to break me down and make me feel lower than dirt. They did a great job of that ALL throughout middle school. I thought that satisfaction could be lived through others, but I quickly saw this idea diminish in my mind after 2 years of going home crying everyday because “there was no one who liked me.” Middle school was the beginning of my “satisfaction seeking” for life. Then unfortunately high school rolled around pretty quick. I got less involved in church and more involved with softball and what else could satisfy me. As a fifteen year old, what could be satisfying? Oh yeah, that’s right. Possibly having a boyfriend or even having a guy interested in you. So that’s what it became for me. Who do I hang out with? Is there any guy who is hot and interested in me? And how do I get them interested? For me, that led to me finally hanging out with guys, lying quite a bit, getting “in-shape” quick, and dressing to impress. It was ALL about me. At one point during my freshman and sophomore year of high school, I had become obsessed with losing weight and toning up my body. I would play softball 2 hours a day (practice), then I would run around my town for about an hour or 30 minutes, and then I would take a trip after dinner and go to the gym for an hour or two. There were even times when I would skip meals and work out more- doing sit ups and pushups in my room, just to look all the other girls that all the other guys were interested in. I found myself being friends with those I felt prettier than so that they would compliment me and I would believe them. My head was so caught up on how I could satisfy myself with satisfying the eyes of others. Softball became the same way for me. It was a way I got out of church on Sundays when I had tournaments. I kept busy as much as I could with that. My mindset on softball was, “God has given me this gift to play softball. He has given me this opportunity to play and be a ‘light’ to those on my team who don’t attend church.” I was pulling everyone’s leg. I took pride in how well I played softball. I was prideful about the position I played, where I would bat in the line-up, how well the girls on the team liked me. This is where I thought I fit in. I remember thinking at one point, “Wow, the gift God has given me. I am so using this to glorify Him.” I would be so self-righteous thinking how great and “pure” I am because I wasn’t joining in on the conversations about the sexual immorality in their lives and what happened the other night. I thought I was a light, but I only proved myself to be a candle with no wick. I had the foundation but I didn’t have the will to seek that satisfaction of His truly in my life. For me, life was so much more satisfying pleasing others. My life was so much more exciting when a guy was interested in me and “wanted” me. My life was so much more desirable when people would think so highly of me. But what I noticed was once something began to diminish, fade out, or when it wasn’t satisfying, I would have to find something or do something that would satisfy that craving, that want, or that desire. Why? Because ALL of this was temporary. Nothing was fully satisfying. Nothing completely filled me. I lived below my circumstances thinking that satisfaction only comes from being hot, popular, wanted and desired. The summer going into my Junior year, I had seen a picture of my life… beginning to want to be at more parties, maybe thinking of experimenting with some things (because what I was doing just wasn’t satisfying enough), becoming more and more desirable that led to more and more of me letting go of my morals. This picture scared me. It scared me because I knew this wasn’t the foundation I truly knew. I knew that from here, my life would only go downhill. I had seen how “double-faced” I was when I was with my “church” and when I was away from church. I saw this candle with no flame and I could never really figure out why I was just never content… why something was ALWAYS wrong, why I could never get away from drama and the desire to be wanted more and more. Life had become unsatisfying. It had become unsatisfying for a long time, but I would cover it up with things temporarily. But by then, there was nothing to cover it. I wanted to find REAL satisfaction. By then, I figured out that I needed to re-commit my life to Christ. Giving up those desires and gaining His! But that wasn’t as easy as it sounded and I am still finding satisfaction in Him. Being here at NTBI has taught me so much about God, His character, His love, His Son, and my purpose through the Word. By learning God’s character it has taught me His sovereignty and control over my life. He has authority over ALL creation and I am a part of that creation. I am made in the image of my Creator. If I am made in the image of my Creator, than why do I partake in things that are only rejecting that I am a part of His creation? He has given me grace. He has sent His Son down to earth as a man to fulfill the purpose of giving the gift of grace. He loves me with this unconditional and sacrificial love, a love that no one else can beat or love. He brings me full satisfaction through knowing that when I was “adopted” He gave me value. For me that was huge. I tried so hard to find value in others wanting others to make me feel valuable. With all this said, He has given me a purpose. My purpose is to bear the image of Christ, glorifying Him with every action and thought I have and to spread the Gospel to the ends of the Earth discipling one another in the Word. When I committed my life to Him, I died with Jesus on the Christ announcing that my old life is dead and my new life is to be lived, not for myself but for Christ. Realizing what Christ has done for me on the cross has changed my worldview tremendously. My whole life I worked for someone to value me, but Jesus doesn’t ask me to work for my value but to live my life for me. That takes away the burden of not being valuable, not feeling worthy enough, not being good enough, and not being able to live up to His works. He is TRUE satisfaction. Like Solomon says, “Everything is meaningless- like chasing the wind.” I couldn’t agree with him anymore.

This paper had to be written under 2,000 words- think, how could you sum of the life, purpose, and ministry of Christ in 2,000 words…? I don’t know how I did… but I did. Check it out.

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1.      Introduction: The intent of this paper is to provide a doctrinal summary of Jesus Christ.

2.      Pre- Incarnation:

a.      Christ’s Eternality and Pre-existence: Christ is the “first born” referred to in Colossians 1:15, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy” (Col. 1:18) speaks of how Jesus was the first be raised in resurrection of life.

b.      Christ’s Deity: Christ’s deity is proved by Him being called God (Yaweh, Elohim, and Son of God), possessing God’s attributes (omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, immutability, and eternity) and does things only God can do (creation, preservation, forgiveness, judgment, resurrection from the dead, and receive worship).  “Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him (John 12:41).”

c.       Pre-incarnate Ministry: Christ is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, “”This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself…(Is. 44:24).” At times in the Old Testament God would manifest Himself as an angel to minister mercy and deliverance, bring divine revelation, or execute judgment.

3.      Incarnation: (500-600 WORDS)

a.      What does it mean? The incarnation is God becoming a Man. This meant that God would share the experiences that belong to human beings. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 3, 14)…”

b.      Why the incarnation? “Although a number of reasons for the incarnation may be found- the theme of redemption seems to be the most prominent.”[1]He became Man to fulfill prophecy, inherit the throne of David, manifest God to man, to be the faithful High Priest, to understand what it is like to be a man, deliver from death, manifest perfect humanity, and become the Kinsman Redeemer.“For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).”

c.       What did Christ empty Himself of? “There are certain prerogatives (rights and privileges) that come with being God. Yet Christ (though He is God) did not cling to His rights, but rather He laid them aside for the sake of others.”[2] In Phillipians 2:5-7 it says, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”

d.      Explain hypostatic union and why it matters. Hypostatic union is the uniting of two things that remain distinct. “The single person of the incarnate Christ retained the total complex of divine attributes and possessed all the complex of human attributes essential to a perfect human being.”[3] Hebrew 1:3 says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

e.      Prove Christ’s humanity from the scriptures. Jesus was man, He confessed Himself as a man, died a man, and possessed the human body (“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men [Luke 2:52].”), soul and spirit (“Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me [Matt. 26:38].’”). He experienced human traits: weariness, hunger and  thirst (“…Jesus said, “I am thirsty [John 19:28].’”). “He experienced love and compassion (Matt. 9:36). He wept (John 11:35). He was tested (Heb. 4:15).”[4]

4.      Significance of the Major Events in the Life of Christ: (400 WORDS)

a.      Baptism: “Jesus is the bridge between the Law and the New Covenant.  All righteousness that would end the Law, Jesus was compelled to observe on the side of his flesh from the seed of David.  God chose water baptism to be the transfer point from the Law dispensation over into Grace Dispensation, from dead in sins and trespasses unto life, from darkness to light, and from an unholy to a sanctified condition… The baptism of Jesus sets forth the mighty revelation of the bridegroom preparing himself for his bride-wife. As the head of the Church, he must be first partaker of that righteousness that the bride-wife would join in participation (“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John [Matt. 3:13].”)

b.      Temptation: Took place right after His baptism. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness and was “driven” by the Spirit. Satan tested Christ three times and passed each one. “The test was a test of Christ’s humanity.”[5] In all three temptations, Christ sets forth perfect humanity. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin (Heb. 4:15).”

c.       Transfiguration: “Greek word is “metamorpho”… word is a verb that means to change into another form… to change the outside to match the inside…the transfiguration of Jesus Christ was a unique display of His divine character and a glimpse of the glory…visible sign in the presence of reliable witnesses of the reality of the power of God and the glory, which is Christ Jesus.” Matthew 17:2-3 says, “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.”

5.      Death and Resurrection of Christ (400)

a.      What is the significance of Christ’s death? Christ’s death was satisfying to the Father, propitiation- “taking a personal object from wrath or anger.”[6] Propitiation was accomplished by the death of Christ (“… and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2).” Apart from man, “Christ alone has accomplished this to God’s eternal satisfaction.”[7] Now that God’s wrath is satisfied, “He can now meet a sinful man without judgment, and sinful man can meet this holy God without dread or fear.”[8]

b.      Discuss the significance of Christ’s resurrection. “If Christ did not rise from the dead then He was a liar, for He predicted the He would (“…and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” [Matt. 20:19].”). The Resurrection authenticates our Lord as a True Prophet… If Christ did not rise from the dead then, of course, He would not be alive to do all His post-resurrection ministries (“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me [Gal. 2:20].”). His ministry would have ended at His death… there would be no living Person to indwell and empower us… The Gospel is based on two essential facts: a Savior died and He lives. The burial proves the reality of His death. (“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification [Romans 4:25].”) Without the Resurrection there is no Gospel.”

c.       For who did Christ die? Christ died as the substitute for man, referred to as a “vicarious death (authorized or accepted as a substitute).” He became sin on our behalf, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21).” With sin in between God and man, it bring hostility. “Because of Christ’s death, mankind has been reconciled as far as God is concerned. His desire is for men to be reconciled unto Him’ the cause of enmity has been dealt with in full.”[9]

6.      The Present and Future Ministry of Christ (200-300)

a.      Briefly explain the present session of Christ: The Lord is positioned at the right hand of the Father and He is to be the Head over the Church, which is His body. “This involves a number of specific ministries… He formed the body by sending the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost to baptize believers into the body (“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink [1 Cor. 12:13].”)… He cares for His body in a number of ways- He sanctifies…nourishing and cherishing His body… bring to maturity …Our ascended Lord also gives gifts to the body (1 Cor. 12:5)… also empowers the body. On His part of the ministry involves discipline and encouragement.”[10]

b.      Briefly explain the future ministry of Christ as King: “Christ will one day raise the dead. He will also Judge the saved and the unsaved. He will come again to earth and rule the world in the millennium.”[11] Those that Jesus raises from the dead, “…will be called to eternal life and others to condemnation.”[12]Not all judgment will happen at the same time, but Christ will judge everyone. “He will reward all people… believers… heaven, though with a varying number of rewards. All will receive some praise from God… Unbelievers… will be rewarded for their deeds by being cast into the lake of fire. He will rule this world… rule the nations of this world as a benevolent dictator… He will show Himself to be King of kings and Lord of lords in the same area where man’s rebellion against God took place.” In Revelation 11:15 it says, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,  and he will reign forever and ever.”

7.      Conclusion: In conclusion, I see that Jesus Christ is Creator and Sustainer. He was existed as long as God is existed because He is God. Chapter one of John reflects who Jesus is and His pre-existence and who He became in the flesh.  He became man so that He could be the substitution for man’s sin. Because of the cross, are relationship is based on grace and not on performance. He forgives us and is merciful. Because of Christ, I am saved. I have eternal life and hope comes from Christ when He comes back to reign on earth.

[1] Keen, Scot. Christology Notes (Pg. 16).

[2] Keen, Scot. Christology Notes (Pg. 18)

[3] Ryrie, Charles. Basic Theology (Pg.288)

[4] Ryrie, Charles. Basic Theology (Pg.287)

[5] Keen, Scot. Christology Notes (Pg. 24)

[6] Butler, Trent. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (pg. 533)

[7] Keen, Scot. Christology Notes (Pg. 33)

[8] Keen, Scot. Christology Notes (Pg. 33)

[9] Keen, Scot. Christology Notes (Pg. 33)

[10] Ryrie, Charles. Basic Theology (Pg.314)

[11] Keen, Scot. Christology Notes (Pg. 40)

[12] Ryrie, Charles. Basic Theology (Pg.315)