 Tuesdays: 7:00 pm  By Pastor Saji Mathew

 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

 Origin and Meaning of the New Testament  Divine Preparation for the NT  Preparation through the Jewish Nation  Preparation through the Greek Language

 Preparation through the Romans  The religious World at the time of the New Testament  Composition and Arrangement of the N.T.  Order of the Books of the New Testament  The collection of the Books of the New Testament.

ScribesJewish Experts at the interpretation of Scripture RabbisJewish teachers who passed on the scribes’ PhariseesA strict Jewish religious party who understood Scripture as literal, but sought to interpret it using oral Traditions SadduceesWealthy, upper-class descendants of the Jewish high priestly line who rejected the Old Testament except for the five books of Moses. HerodiansA political party of King Herod’s supporters ZealotsA fiercely patriotic group of Jews determined to over throw Roman rule.

Like the Old Testament, the New Testament is not one book, but a collection of 27 individual books that reflect a wide range of themes, literary forms, and purposes.

 The first five books in the New Testament are called Historical Books.  Matthew to John are called Gospels. They are a historical account of the life and times of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, whose birth, life, death, and resurrection were prophesied throughout the Old Testament.

 Acts provides a factual report of the period from Christ’s final words to His followers and His ascension into heaven to the travels and trials of the apostle Paul. Acts describes some of the key events in the spread of the “good news” from Judea to the far reaches of the Roman Empire.

 Theme: The Kingdom of God  Date: A. D. 60  Author: Matthew (Levi)  Setting: Palestine

 It has been 400 years since Malachi give his last words of prophecy. The world scene has changed. Control of the Land of Israel has passed from Med0-Persia to Greece and now to Rome. Greek is still the official trade language of the people, and it is the language in which the New Testament is written.

 Matthew, whose Jewish name is Levi, is a tax collector until Jesus calls him to become one of the 12 disciples. Now, more than 20 years since Jesus’ return to heaven (in Acts 1:9), the good news of Jesus has traveled the and breadth of the Roman World. The Jewish Christians are starting to be persecuted, and Matthew wants to strengthen their faith and provide them with a useful tool for evangelizing to the Jewish communities dispersed throughout the Roman World.

 He presents Jesus of Nazareth as Israel’s promised Messiah and rightful King. With the King comes His Kingdom—Kingdom of heaven—which will be occupied by those who acknowledge and obey this King.

 Jesus shows you the Word of God is your best defense against the eneymies of your soul.  Jesus did not merely preach abstract religious ideas, but a new way of living.  Jesus is coming again!

 1-4 Birth and Preparation of the King  5-8 Sermon on the Mount  7-20 Kingdom of God Proclaimed...Rejected  Final Clashes with the Religious Leaders  Death and Resurrection of Jesus, the King.

 Theme: The Suffering Servant  Date written: A.D. 60  Author: John Mark  Setting: Rome

 Other References of Mark  Acts 12:12, 1peter 5:13, Acts 13:13, Acts 15:36- 41,  Col. 4:10, Philemon 24  2 Timothy 4:11 - He useful to me for ministry.

 Mark (his Roman Name) and John (his Jewish name) was not an eyewitness of the life of Jesus. But he is a close companion of the apostle Peter, who passed on the details of his association with Jesus to John Mark. Whereas Matthew wrote the gospel to a Jewish audience, Mark seems to target Roman believers.

 Mark uses Latin, the Language of the Romans, for certain expressions as he writes his Gospel in Greek. Mark describes time according to the Roman system, carefully explains Jewish customs and omits the traditional Jewish genealogies as found in Matthew.

 Mark presents Jesus as the suffering servant. He focuses more on Jesus’ deeds than His teachings. He demonstrates the humanity of Christ and describes His human emotions, His limitations as a human, ultimately His physical death.

 Opposition to your beliefs should not keep you from continuing to carry on the work God has called you to do.  Follow Christ’s call and seek a life of self- denial and personal sacrifice.  Jesus came to serve, and you should desire to follow His example.

 The message of Mark’s gospel is captured in a single verse: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (10:45). Chapter by chapter, the book unfolds the dual focus of Christ’s life: Service and Sacrifice.

 To Serve  T0 Sacrifice.

 Theme: The Perfect Man  Date Written: A.D  Author: Luke, the beloved physician  Where Written: Rome

 Luke wanted to create an accurate, chronological, and comprehensive account of the unique life of Jesus the Christ to strengthen the faith of Gentile believers and stimulate saving faith among nonbelievers.

 It is evident from the opening lines of this Gospel that it is addressed to a man named Theophilus. Its purpose is to give an accurate historical account of the unique life of Jesus. Luke, a doctor and the only Gentile (non-jew) author of the New Testament books, is writing to strengthen the faith of Gentiles, especially Greek believers.

 He also desires to stimulate unbelieving Greeks to consider the claims that Jesus Christ is the perfect Man—the Son of Man— who came in sacrificial service to seek and to save sinful men.

 The humanity and compassion of Jesus are repeatedly stressed in Luke’s gospel. Luke gives the most complete account of Christ’s ancestry, birth, and development. He is the ideal Son of Man who identified with the sorrow and plight of sinful men in order to carry our sorrows and offer us the priceless gift of salvation. Jesus alone fulfills the greek ideal of human perfection.

 The Magnificat of Mary – 1:46-55  The Benedictus of Zacharias – 1:67-79  The Gloria in Excelsis of the heavenly host (2:14)  The Nunc Dimittis of Simeon – (2:28-32)

 Key Verses:  Luke 1: 3-4  Luke 19: 10  Key Chapter  Chapter 15

 Jesus shows compassion for the hurting and the lost, and so should you.  Jesus Speaks about the attitudes and actions that should characterize your daily life— forgiveness, faithfulness, thankfulness and commitment.  Jesus shows a deep interest in people and their needs. He is not interested in their status, their race, or their gender. You too should develop the same kind of interest in the needs of others, regardless of who or what they are.

 The Introduction of the Son of Man ( 1: 1 to 4:13)  The Ministry of the Son of Man (4:14 – 9:50)  The Rejection of the Son of Man (9:51 – 19:27)  The Crucifixion and Resurrection of the son of Man (19:28-24:53).

 Theme: The Son of God  Date Written: A.D  Author: John, the disciple whom Jesus loved  Setting: Palestine

 It has now been 50 years since John witnessed the earthly life of Jesus. A lot has happened. The Christian faith has flourished and spread throughout the known world. But with growth has come great persecution by the Roman government. All Christ’s apostles have died or been martyred except for John.

 Now an old man, John provides a supplement to what has already been written about Jesus in the first three gospel accounts. His account of Jesus presents the most powerful and direct case for the deity and humanity of the incarnate Son of God. Taken together with the accounts by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, a reader will have a complete portrait of Jesus, the God-Man. In Jesus, a perfect humanity and deity are fused, making Him the only possible sacrifice for the sins of mankind.

 The Gospel of John is a gospel apart, Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the synoptic gospels because, despite their individual emphases, they describe many of the same events in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. John draws mainly upon events and discourses not found in the other gospels to prove to his readers that Jesus is God in the flesh, the eternal Word come to earth, born to die as God’s sacrifice for human sin.

 John gives a precise statement of his purpose in writing: “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).  In fact, he uses the term “believe” about 100 times to get the message across.

 The predominant theme of this gospel is the dual response of faith and unbelief in the person of Jesus Christ. Those who place their faith in the Son of God have eternal life, but those who reject Him are under the condemnation of God (3:36; 5:24-29; 10:27- 29)– this is the basic issue.  See these verses: Chapter 1: 11-12; and Chapter 3:19

 John’s gospel is topical, not primarily chronological, and it revolves around seven miracles and seven “I am” statement of Christ.

 Jesus nicknamed John and his brother James, “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17). Their father was a zebedee, and their mother, Salome, served Jesus in Galilee and was present at His crucifixion (see Mark 15:40-41).  He was among the 12 men who were selected to be apostles (Luke 6:12-16).  “Pillar of the Church” – Gal 2:9.  (Acts 3:1, 4:13, 8:14 and Rev. 19)He went to Ephesus and later exiled by Romans for a time to the island of Patmos (Rev. 1:9).

 I am the bread of Life - John 6:35, 48  I am the light of the World – John 8:12, 9:5  I am the door – John 10:7, 9  I am the good shepherd - John 10: 11, 14  I am the resurrection and life – John 11:25  I am the way, the truth, and the life- John 14:6  I am the true vine – John 15:1, 5.

 1. Turning water to wine – John 2:1-11  2. Healing the Nobleman’s son – John 4:46-54  3. Healing the cripple at Bethesda – John 5: 1-9  4. Feeding 5000 with five loaves and two fish – John 6:1-14  5. Walking on water - John 6:15-21  6. Restoration sight to blind man – John 9:1-41  7. Raising Lazarus from the dead - John 11:1-44  8. Giving the disciples a large catch of fish – John 21:1-14.

 It is only by having a relationship with Jesus that you will experience God.  You become a child of God by receiving Jesus  Jesus can forgive even your most heinous sins  Though you fail at times, Jesus extends His forgiveness to you and is willing to take you back.  Restoration turns uselessness into usefulness.

 The Incarnation of the Son of God (1:1-18)  The Presentation of the Son of God (1:19 – 4:54)  The Opposition to the Son of God (5:1 – 12:50)  The preparation of the Disciples by the Son of God (13:1 – 17:26).  The Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Son of God (18:1 – 21:25).

 Theme: The Spread of the Gospel  Date Written: A.D  Author: Luke, a Greek physician  Setting: Jerusalem to Rome

 Acts is Luke’s account of the growth of the early Church. As a sequel to his account of the life of Jesus returned to heaven. He once again addresses his writing to a Greek named Theophilus.

 In spite of severe opposition and persecution, the fearless church experiences explosive growth. Acts 1:8 provides an outline for the following Luke’s 30 year record of the growth of the church, which begins in Jerusalem, spreads to Samaria, extends to the world.

 Acts is the historical link between the Gospels and the Epistles. Because of Luke’s strong emphasis on the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the book should really be regards as the Acts of the Spirit of Christ working in through the apostles. As a missionary himself, Luke’s interest in the progressive spread of the gospel is obviously reflected in this apostolic history.

THE THREE JOURNEYSDURATIONAREA OF FOCUS ACTS 13:2 – 14:28One YearCyprus, Galatia ACTS 15:35 – 18:22Two YearsCorinth ACTS 18:23 – 21:16Four YearsEphesus

 Jesus has commissioned you to be His witness.  The Holy Spirit empowers you to carry out that witness.  All ministries are important in the church, even “serving tables” in your church.  You are to faithfully witness of the resurrection and leave the results to God.  As you witness, you will usually receive one of two responses to the gospel—acceptance or rejection!

 Witness in Jerusalem (1:1 – 8:4)  Witness in Judea and Samaria (8:5 – 12:25)  Witness to the Uttermost part of the World (chapter ).