(Jesus Christ: A Savior for Everyone - Part 1 | Part 2)
Introduction
“These (Jesus miraculous signs) are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:31
Our Study
Is Jesus a Savior for everyone or is He only for a few select believers? Unfortunately, some people believe He is a white, western God, while the rest of the world is better served by other gods.
The Spirit-Filled Life Bible emphasizes that no one who reads [this book of Luke] should feel that he is beyond the reach of salvation. Throughout the book of Luke, Jesus is presented as the Savior of the whole world. Luke emphasizes the fact that the gospel is not only for Jews, but for all peoples--Greeks, Romans, Samaritans, and all others without regard to race or condition. It is not only for males, but also for females, including widows and prostitutes as well as the socially prominent. It is not only for free men, but also for slaves and all others rejected by society--the lowly, the poor, the helplessly weak, criminals, outcast sinners, and even the despised tax collectors.
Let’s see how Luke proves His case and who Jesus came to save.
Jesus is Savior to the Jews First
The Scripture: Luke 24:46-47
“The He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
- Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He spoke with His disciples. Where did He say that the Gospel should be preached first?_____________________________________________________
John 4:22
“You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.”
- When Jesus was talking to the Samaritan woman at the well, who did He say that salvation was for? ___________________________________________________________________________
Romans 1:16
“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
- Jesus came to His own people, the Jews, first. Paul had the revelation that salvation was for?______________________________________________
Jesus is Savior to the Gentiles
A Gentile is any race that is not of the Jewish race.
The Scripture: Luke 2:30-32
“Sovereign Lord, my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people.”
- What did Simeon prophesy when Joseph and Mary presented Jesus at the temple?
The Scripture: Luke 24:47
“Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be reached in His (Jesus) name to all nations.”
- What were some of Jesus final instructions to His disciples?
- To whom should they preach?
…To Females, Including Widows and Prostitutes as Well as the Socially Prominent
The Scripture: Luke 7:11-15
“Jesus went to a town called Naim, and His disciples and a large crowd went with Him. As He approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of the mother and she was a widow....When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, ‘Don’t cry.’ Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, ‘Young man I say to you, get up!’ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.”
- What is the setting of the story?
- Who has died?
- What did Jesus do?
The Scripture: Luke 7:36-38
“Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so He went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in the town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping. She began to wet His feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.”
- Who is the woman in this story?
- What did she do?
The Scripture: Luke 7:48, 50
“Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven....Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.’”
- What did Jesus say to her?
The Scripture: Luke 18:18, 20-23
“A certain ruler asked Him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’… ‘You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony; honor your father and mother.’ ‘All these I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said. When Jesus heard this He said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow Me.’ When he heard this, he became very sad because he was a man of great wealth.”
- Who was the young man who came to Jesus?
- What did he want?
- What did Jesus tell him?
- How did the man respond?
....To Slaves and Those Rejected By Society
The Scripture: Luke 17:11-16
In this scripture, ten lepers came to Jesus and asked Him to have mercy on them:
“When He saw them, He said, ‘Go show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went they were healed. One of them, when he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus feet and thanked Him--and he was a Samaritan.”
- What did Jesus tell the lepers to do?
- What happened?
- What happened next?
The Scripture: Mark 5:1-3
“They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to greet Him. This man lived in the tombs and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain.”
- Who met Jesus?
- What was different about him?
The Scripture: Mark 5:6-8
“When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on His knees in front of Him. He shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus Son of the Most High? Swear to God You won’t torture me.’ For Jesus had said to him, ‘Come out of this man, you evil spirit.’”
- What did the man with the evil spirit do?
- What did Jesus do?
The Scripture: Mark 5:14
“When they (the townspeople) came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.”
- What happened to the man?
There were many others touched by Jesus....
....Tax Collectors
The Scripture: Luke 19:2
“A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was very rich.”
- Who was Zacchaeus?
Zacchaeus was a short man. He wanted to see Jesus so he climbed a sycamore tree. When Jesus saw him, He said, “Zaccheus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
The Scripture: Luke 19:8-10
“Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Today, salvation has come to this house.’ Because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
- What did Zacchaeus promise?
- What did Jesus say?
- What else did Jesus say?
The Scripture: Luke 5:29-31
“Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to the disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’”
- Who came to Levi’s banquet?
- What was the Pharisee leader’s complaint?
- What was Jesus’ response?
....Condemned Criminals
Jesus was crucified with two criminals. One of them hurled insults at Him, but the other was different.
The Scripture: Luke 23:42-43
“He (one of the thieves) said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today, you will be with Me in paradise.’”
- What did the second thief say to Jesus?
- How did Jesus answer his request?
If you have not asked Jesus to become Lord of your life, you can pray this prayer now:
Lord, Jesus, I know that You came to earth that I might receive forgiveness of all sins. I ask You to forgive me now and I want You to come into my heart. Thank You for hearing my prayer, forgiving my sins, and coming into my heart. In Your Name, amen.
In the second half of this study, we will look at Jesus’ lineage and consider who He and others said He was.
The Answers
- Jerusalem
- The Jews
- Everyone
- That Jesus would be a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Israel.
- That they should preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name.
- To all nations
- A funeral procession
- The only son of a widow
- He touched the coffin and raised him from the dead
- A woman who had lived a sinful life
- Wiped His feet with her tears and expensive perfume
- “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you.”
- A ruler
- To know how to inherit eternal life
- To obey all the commandments, then sell everything and give the money to the poor.
- With sorrow
- To show themselves to the priests
- As they went they were healed.
- Only one of them, a Samaritan, returned to Jesus and thanked Him.
- A man with an evil spirit
- He was so strong that no one could bind him.
- He begged Jesus not to torture him.
- He said, “Come out of him, you evil spirit.”
- He was dressed and in his right mind.
- A rich tax collector
- To give half of his possessions to the poor and if he had cheated anyone, to repay them four times the amount
- “Today salvation has come to this house.”
- “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
- A large crowd of tax collectors and sinners
- That Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners.
- It was not the healthy who needed a doctor but the sick. He had not come to call the righteous.
- “Lord, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.”
- He told him that he would be with Him that day in paradise.
All scripture quotations in this publication are from the Holy Bible,
New International Version (unless otherwise indicated)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, New International Bible Society
Copyright © 2008 by JoAnne Sekowsky