Lesson 1 - That Ye Might Believe That Jesus Is The Christ

Purpose
To encourage class members to strengthen their testimonies of Jesus Christ by studying the New Testament.

Attention Activity

What accounts or teachings in the New Testament have particularly
inspired or helped you?

The purpose of this year’s study of the New Testament is to help class members strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ and become better acquainted with his life and mission.

I. Main Purpose of Scriptures
• Testify of Christ
• Receive Eternal Life
II. President Monson Counsels Us How to Study
• See also Elder Christopherson Quote
• Read 1 Tim 3:16
III. Overview of New Testament
• 27 Books
• Gospels (record of Savior’s life, mission and teachings – Matthew & John contemporaries
-- Mark & Luke – came later, companions to Paul
• Acts (ministry of apostles following death and resurrection of Savior
--Peter – among the Jews
--Paul - among the Gentiles
• Epistles (letters of Paul and other Church leaders written to edify the Saints)
• Lord’s Revelation to Apostle John while on the Isle of Patmos
• New Testament – Greek word Covenant (Covenant of Savior with us pertaining to the Atonement)
• Compiled in middle of 4th Century
• Widely circulated on parchment during end of 1st Century
• Roman Emperor Diocletian (AD 303) ordered writings to be burned
• First Christian Emperor – Constantine ordered that new copies be made
• Not long after that, current Old and New Testaments
IV. Purpose of the Book
• John 20:31 – Testimony
• Luke 1:1-3 – History
• Fabulous Testimonies
--D&C 76:22
--Matt 28:6
V. How Did the Savior Teach
• Apperception – process of understanding something perceive in terms of previous experience
• Means I we have something difficult, begin with the experience of the students with things they already know
• Formula - _________is like ____________
• Matthew 5 gives greatest examples
--simplest way to learn something about a subject is to ask Questions
• Savior Quotes Old Testament Often
• Luke 2:46 – shows power of Joseph Smith Translation

From His early childhood until He began His public ministry, the only story we have of Him is in a teaching role in the temple at age 12, demonstrating an unusual command of wisdom and knowledge: “After three days [Joseph and Mary] found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors [or teachers], both hearing them, and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46). The Joseph Smith Translation clarifies this verse and indicates that the teachers were listening to Jesus and asking Him questions.

• Resisting Evil & Temptation – “It is written”
• Referred to Old Testament Prophets often
To give testimony of and reverence to Old Testament prophets, the Savior referred to Noah (spelled “Noe” in the New Testament; see Matthew 24:37–38); Abraham (see Luke 16:22–31; John 8:56–58); Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (see Matthew 8:11); Moses (see John 5:46); David (see Luke 6:3); Elijah (spelled “Elias” in the New Testament; see Luke 4:25–26); and Isaiah (spelled “Esaias” in the New Testament; see Luke 4:16–21; John 1:23). He also honored and supported His contemporary, John the Baptist (see Matthew 11:7–11).

In the Sermon on the Mount, the Savior made important connections to Old Testament prophets and their teachings concerning Him. This is illustrated by the close correlations between phrases from the Beatitudes (see Matthew 5:3–11) and from Isaiah 61:1–3.2

1. Isaiah and John the Baptist prophesy of the Savior’s mission.
Read Isaiah 61:1–3 and Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 3:4–11. (The Joseph Smith Translation of Luke 3:4–11 is found on pages 805–6 in the appendix of the LDS edition of the King James Bible.)
What aspects of the Savior’s mission are described in Isaiah 61:1–2?
a. “Preach good tidings unto the meek” (verse 1).
b. “Bind up the brokenhearted” (verse 1).
c. “Proclaim liberty to the captives” (verse 1).
d. “Comfort all that mourn” (verse 2).

How has Jesus fulfilled these prophecies?
Jesus quoted this passage at the beginning of his
ministry to declare that he was the Messiah (Luke 4:16–21).
Explain that John the Baptist prophesied of the Savior’s mission just
before Jesus began his mortal ministry.
How did John the Baptist describe the Savior’s mission?
(See Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 3:4–9.)

List responses:

a. “Take away the sins of the world” (verse 5).
b. “Bring salvation unto the heathen nations” (verse 5).
c. “Gather together those who are lost” (verse 5).
d. “Make possible the preaching of the gospel unto the Gentiles” (verse 6).
e. “Be a light unto all who sit in darkness” (verse 7).
f. “Bring to pass the resurrection from the dead” (verse 7).
g. “Administer justice unto all” (verse 9).
h. “Convince all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds” (verse 9).

How has Jesus fulfilled these prophecies?

How do you feel as you think about the things that Jesus has done
for us?

What would our lives be like if Jesus had not done these things for
us?

2. The Apostle John testifies that Jesus Christ is “the true Light.”

Read John 1:1–14; 20:31. (Use the Joseph Smith Translation of John 1:1–14 if it is available. It is found on pages 807–8 in the appendix of the LDS edition of the King James Bible.)
What can we learn about Jesus Christ from John 1:1–3, 14? (See the
list below. Note that “the Word” in John 1:1, 14 refers to the Savior.)
a. He “was in the beginning” with God the Father (John 1:1–2). Note that the Savior’s mission began in the premortal world, long before he was born in Bethlehem.
b. He is God (John 1:1). Explain that when we speak of God, we usually refer to Heavenly Father. However, “the personage known as Jehovah in Old Testament times … is the Son, known as Jesus Christ, … who is also a God. Jesus works under the direction of the Father. … Many of the things that the scripture says were done by God were actually done by … Jesus” (Bible Dictionary, “God,” 681).
c. Through him the gospel was preached in the premortal world (Joseph Smith Translation, John 1:1).
d. He made all things (John 1:3).
e. He is the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh (John 1:14; see also 1 Nephi 11:14–21). This doctrine is discussed in lesson 2.

The Apostle John said that “in [Jesus] was life” (John 1:4). He also
testified that Jesus is “the true Light, which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world” (John 1:9). How has the Savior given you life
and light? (Refer to John 8:12; 1 Corinthians 15:20–22; Moroni
7:15–18, 41; D&C 88:6–14; and Bible Dictionary, “Light of Christ,”725.)
What was John’s purpose in writing his testimony? (See John 20:31.)
What does it mean to “believe that Jesus is the Christ”? (Explain that
Christ is a Greek word meaning anointed. When we have a
testimony that Jesus is the Christ, we know that he is the Son of
God and was anointed and foreordained to be our Savior.) How
might studying the New Testament in Sunday School this year help
strengthen your testimony that Jesus is the Christ?
What can we do individually and as a class to be guided by the Spirit
as we study the New Testament?
(See James 1:5–6; D&C 50:17–22; 88:118.)
How can the words in John 1:10–14 apply to us, even though we
were not on the earth during the Savior’s mortal ministry? Elder
Thomas S. Monson taught:
“We need not visit the Holy Land to feel
him close to us. We need not walk by the shores of Galilee or
among the Judean hills to walk where Jesus walked.
“In a very real
sense, all can walk where Jesus walked when, with his words on our
lips, his spirit in our hearts, and his teachings in our lives, we
journey through mortality” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1974, 70; or
Ensign, May 1974, 48).
Conclusion
Testify of Jesus Christ and express feelings about learning of him through studying the New Testament.
Your testimonies of the Savior will increase as they seek the Spirit’s guidance in their study of the New Testament and as you participate in class discussions. Use the New Testament Class Member Study Guide as they study the scriptures in preparation for each class.
1. Overview of the New Testament
Turn to the Contents page of the Bible and review the names of the 27 books in the New Testament. The New Testament can be divided into four parts:
a. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), which are a record and witness of Jesus Christ’s life, mission, and teachings.
b. The book of Acts, which is an account of the ministry of the Apostles after Jesus’ death and Resurrection. This book focuses on Peter’s work among the Jews and Paul’s work among the Gentiles.
c. The epistles (letters) of Paul and other Church leaders, written to instruct and edify the Saints of their time.
d. The Lord’s revelation to the Apostle John on the isle of Patmos.
2. “He … was sent to bear witness of that Light” (John 1:8)
Who is the man mentioned in these verses? (John the Baptist.) What was his mission? (See John 1:8.) How can we, like John, “bear witness of that Light”?