III. WHO IS JESUS?

3. Jesus: the Saviour

Read Zechariah 9:9,10; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 1:67-80; 7:18-23

For centuries the Jews had been expecting the “Messiah” or “Christ.” These are titles describing the one they were expecting to come and deliver them. Both mean “Anointed One”. By the time Jesus came, the Jews were expecting this promised deliverer to come and set them free from the oppression of Roman occupation. But the Old Testament prophecies spoke of something far deeper and broader than this.

1. Read the passage in Zechariah, which is one of the passages the Jews built their hope on. What is unusual about the way that the king comes to take his throne? Does this sound like a military conquest? (Zechariah 9:9)

2. How widespread is the king’s rule to be? (Zechariah 9:10). Does this fit with the nationalistic expectations of the Jews?

3. Read the passage in Mark. What was the reaction of the crowd when they saw Jesus riding on a colt? (Mark 11:8,9). Why do you think they were so excited?

4. Given their expectation of a warrior king, does it surprise you that this same crowd was calling for Jesus’ execution a week later? (See Mark 15:9-15).

5. Read Luke 7:18-23. John the Baptist was also expecting the Messiah, and believed that he had been preparing the way for the Messiah’s coming. Now John is in jail awaiting execution. He is beginning to doubt whether Jesus really is the Messiah (perhaps because the overthrow of the Romans had not occurred). What did he send his disciples to ask Jesus? (Luke 7:19)

6. What evidence did Jesus give that he was the Messiah? (Luke 7:21,22). What does this indicate about the sort of deliverance that Jesus was anointed to bring?

7. The passage in Luke 1 speaks about the miraculous birth of John the Baptist. His parents were unable to have a child naturally, but God performed a miracle, and told John’s father Zechariah what God’s purposes were in these miraculous events. This prophecy was to set the direction of John’s ministry. (The Zechariah in Luke is not the same man who wrote in the Old Testament; that was written 500 years earlier). Why did Zechariah praise God in the midst of these events? (Luke 1:68)

8. What was God promising to do? (Luke 1:69-75)

9. From which enemies (Luke 1:74) do you think Jesus came to rescue us? Consider your answer in light of how that salvation is to come (Luke 1:77). The name Jesus means “the Lord saves.” What did Mary and Joseph have in mind when they named the baby, Jesus? (Matthew 1:20,21)

Spend time thanking God that the Messiah did not merely come to save one ethnic group from a local military occupation at one point in history, but that his salvation extends to the deepest needs of all people throughout all history!