Lesson 2: Born Again Jesus

OBJECTIVES cont’d Discuss the requirement for inheriting eternal life.

Students should be able to (a) reflect on the importance of faith in Christ for receiving eternal life and use supporting Scriptures to explain the connection between salvation and eternal life (John 3:3-5, Romans 10:9).

Describe behaviors of believers that show appreciation/lack of appreciation for Christ’s death and resurrection.

Students should be able to identify actions that show gratitude or indifference toward Christ’s sacrifice, highlighting how obedience, and commitment demonstrate genuine appreciation for His death and resurrection.

The table below provides key concepts that are related to rebirth, salvation, and Jesus’ role as the firstborn from the dead. However, some are not aligned with the appropriate explanation. To address this limitation, match the terms that are not aligned with their appropriate explanation using the numbers and letters assigned.

PREPARATION ACTIVITY Activity

2.1

1. LOVE 5. FORGIVENESS 3. FAITH 7. SPIRITUAL BAPTISM 9. SALVATION 2. RESURRECTION 6. SACRIFICE 4. HOLY SPIRIT 8. ETERNAL LIFE 10. NEW
2. Jesus’ act of laying down His life for humanity (John 15:13) e. The gift offered through Jesus’ death and resurrection

(Ephesians 2:8-9) c. Essential belief required for salvation and being born again (Hebrews 11:6) g. Offered to all through Jesus’ sacrifice (Colossians 1:14) i. The outward act symbolizing inward rebirth (Matthew 28:19) b. Jesus rising from the dead, symbolizing rebirth and new life (John 11:25) f. Jesus’ motivation in giving His life for His friends (John 15:13) d. The Holy Spirit enables believers to be born again (John 3:5-6) h. The description of those who are recreated in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) j. Type of life promised to those born again (John 3:16)

UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF BEING ‘BEGOTTEN FROM THE DEAD’

Colossians 1:18

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Revelation 1:5

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Acts 13:29-31

29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

30 But God raised him from the dead:

31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

The two Scriptures above indicate that Jesus is the firstborn from the dead. But what exactly does it mean to be born or begotten from the dead? To understand this, we must refer to a sermon delivered by the Apostle Paul to the people of Antioch, where he explained the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

It is interesting that Paul refers to the second Psalm to explain the plot against Jesus and His resurrection. Let us take a moment to examine what it reveals about Jesus’ experience and reflect on the cost involved. Before going further, however, here is an activity for you. Watch the recommended video clips below and identify aspects that convey the behaviors or dispositions of those who were involved in Jesus’ crucifixion that are also addressed in Psalm 2:1-3. Record your response in the table provided.

Activity

2.2a ’Pilate & Jesus’ from the Epic Motion Picture ‘Son of God’

(172) Jesus before Pilate.wmv - YouTube

Acts 13:32-33

32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. After providing a brief lesson on Jewish history, Paul confronts those in the Antioch synagogue with the reality that the rulers of Jerusalem crucified Jesus—the promised Messiah.11 After His crucifixion, His body was placed in a tomb, but three days and nights later, He rose from the dead and appeared to many.

11 Messiah - the promised deliverer of the Jewish nation prophesied in the Hebrew Bible.

Reflect: Jesus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. How does this compare with what He went through?

Activity

2b Table of the Characters Portrayed in Video on Jesus’ Crucifixion and in Psalm 2:1-3 Characters in the Video Characters Confirmed in the Psalm Behaviors of the Characters a. Jesus b. Pilate c. Religious Leaders d.

Verse 2 - The Lord, anointed

AN EXPOSITION OF PSALM 2

The depth of what Jesus endured to secure humanity’s salvation cannot be fully explored. However, Psalm 2 gives us glimpses into the reality of His journey to the cross, revealing God’s immense love for His fallen creation and the cost of their salvation. This Psalm is written prophetically, foretelling the rejection of Christ by both Jew and Gentiles. The “vain thing” they imagined refers to their plot to crucify Him. The “kings and rulers” refer to the political and religious authorities—such as Pontius Pilate and the Jewish leaders—who conspired against Jesus. This interpretation is confirmed by the Apostle Peter in his prayer recorded in Acts 4.

Psalm 2:1-3

1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,

3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.12

Acts 4:25-27

25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, 13 both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

12 The “bands” and “cords” in Psalm 2:3 refer to the divine constraints of God’s will and way. It was God’s will for Jesus to be established as the Messiah—the King and ruler of the earth. However, His teachings and appointment as King threatened to overthrow the governance of the leaders of that time. As a result, they sought to deviate from God’s plan (break the bands) by crucifying their own Messiah.

13 Peter identifies Jesus as the Anointed One, drawing from Psalm 2:2, which references the people’s rebellion against both the Lord (God) and His Anointed One—now revealed as Jesus the Christ.

REJECTION CONSPIRACY

Consider the image above, which attempts to illustrate aspects of the crucifixion and the cost of the sacrifice. Use it to briefly comment on the highlighted (bold, underlined) section of Genesis 3:15 - “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Activity

2.3

GOD’S RESPONSE TO JESUS’ SUFFERING

The enemy, unaware of God’s plan to save humanity through Christ, was still playing into God’s hand. This was part of the Mystery! God knew His purpose for Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, so He did not intervene when He was being tortured and abused by His enemies. He would be true to His plan because of His great love for humanity. His declaration about the seed of the woman and the serpent would come to pass. Psalm 2:4 reveals God’s response to the enemy’s scheme and treatment of Jesus.

Psalm 2:4

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

14 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 - 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Despite their plans to destroy Christ, God confounded His enemies by raising Him from the dead. They believed that death was final—a guaranteed way to extinguish Jesus’ influence. However, they failed to realize that He would overcome death itself, thereby solidifying His influence even more. 14 Despite their efforts, God’s sovereign plan would prevail, and their actions would ultimately lead to their own downfall.

Psalm 2:5-6

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Notice the declarations God makes following the resurrection of Christ.

1. His first declaration is delivered with great boldness in the midst of His vexation and wrath toward those who crucified Christ: “Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion.” In other words, even though they killed Him, God resurrected Him and established Him as King of kings—the King of the world.
2. The second declaration is directed at Jesus immediately after His resurrection: “Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”

15 This concept takes on even greater significance when we consider that the members of the Church have been born again. In the next course, The Truth About Salvation 3 – The Operation of Salvation, we will explore the born-again experience that every saint undergoes.

JESUS’ PREEMINENCE: THE PATTERN OF DEATH AND RESURRECTION FOR THE CHURCH

The terms born again, begotten from the dead, and born from the dead all refer to someone who has died and has been raised to life by the power of the Holy Spirit15 . These terms are applicable to Jesus, who was the first to experience being resurrected by the Holy Ghost. Reflect: In thinking about your life, have you ever wondered about the things God has said about your salvation? Explain.

Acts 13:33

God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. It is important to note that God makes this statement, not when Jesus was born in the manger at Bethlehem, but after His resurrection. This provides clarity on what it means to be begotten or born from the dead. Note too that Jesus had to be born again, because He had taken on the sins of the world in His flesh to pay the death penalty. Giving His life for others was the great act of love.

Notice the use of the word “again” in the verse above. This indicates that a person can be “raised up”or “birthed” in two ways:

1. Born of the Flesh –

The first way one is raised to life is in the womb. A natural birth occurs when a person exits the womb.

Let us not forget that Jesus is preeminent in all things, meaning He is the first to experience everything that pertains to the Church (body of born again believers).

If this is true, then just as Jesus was born again, so must every believer who is to become a member of the Body of Christ (Church). This means that, like Jesus, the Church must die and be raised to life by the power of the Holy Ghost.

In the context of this lesson, the term requirement refers to divine standards, or conditions for anyone to receive a blessing, the promise of salvation, or fulfill a covenant. A Scripture that illustrates the meaning of this concept is John 3:3.

• The Condition: Born Again
• The Promise: Seeing the Kingdom of God

REQUIREMENT FOR RECEIVING ETERNAL LIFE

2. Born of the Spirit –

The second way one is raised to life is after death, through resurrection by the Spirit of God.

John 3:6

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:3

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Being born again is a requirement for receiving eternal life through God’s salvation plan. Jesus not only outlined this concept, but also exemplified it. After bearing the sins of the world on His flesh, He died and was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit. Similarly, for an individual to be saved after living a life of sin, they must both die and be raised to life by the power of the Holy Ghost. However, unlike Jesus’ physical death and resurrection, which took three days and nights, this transformation happens in an instant. This is the essence of the born-again experience.

DID YOU KNOW? Being born again is often equated to the physical act of water baptism. This belief promotes an outward ritual and overlooks the spiritual rebirth through the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-7).

Examine the following scenario and note any misconception before responding to the characters.

Misconception:

Response to both Characters:

Activity

2.4 Hey Benzil!

Have you been baptized since you started to go to church?

Not yet Jem!

I cannot wait though as I heard that the moment you come up out of the water, you become a new creature.

In this lesson, we explored the meaning of being born-again in relation to Jesus and His preeminence in being the first of the believers to be victorious over death by His resurrection. We should be thankful to God for fulfilling His redemptive plan by disrupting the enemy’s schemes—truly, He has the Final Word! In the next course, The Truth About Salvation 4 – The Operation of Salvation, we will dive deeper into the born-again experience that every believer undergoes.

CONCLUSION

Here are some key points from this lesson that you should remember:LESSON 2

MAIN

POINTS The Concept of Begotten from the Dead: Jesus was born again of the Holy Spirit after His crucifixion, making Him God’s firstborn from the dead. This also makes Him the source of eternal life (Colossians 1:18). Natural Birth versus Spiritual Birth: To be born of the flesh from the physical womb is natural. To be born of the Holy Ghost is spiritual, which is also the resurrection from the dead.

The Cost of Jesus’ Rebirth: Jesus endured intense suffering, rejection, and ultimately death, willingly paying the cost for humanity’s salvation. Explore God’s Response to Jesus’ Crucifixion: Despite the opposition Jesus faced, God’s plan of salvation triumphed through the resurrection, as shown, for example, in Psalm 2. He was vexed by how Jesus was treated and confounded the plan of the enemy by resurrecting Jesus from the dead. God’s love for Christ and humanity caused His purpose to prevail over the enemy’s attempts to ultimately destroy Christ.

The Requirement for Inheriting Eternal Life: Being born again of the Holy Spirit means spiritual rebirth that forms a new creature, like Jesus, the Son of God. Through faith in Jesus, and the new birth in Him, believers inherit eternal life and the power to live as Christ.

Appreciating Christ Death and Resurrection: Actions, such as obedience, thankfulness, and commitment reflect a true appreciation for Jesus’ sacrifice, while indifference to Christ and the absence of these dispositions may reveal a lack of gratitude for His death and resurrection.

The self-evaluation serves as a tool for you to examine how you have been applying that which is taught in the lesson for your own life and/or to further probe your knowledge of the lesson. Please answer honestly and thoroughly.

SELF-EVALUATION

1. How does understanding Jesus as the “firstborn from the dead” deepen your appreciation of the new life He offers to believers?
2. Reflecting on the suffering and rejection Jesus endured for salvation, how does this impact your response to His sacrifice?
3. In what ways does knowing that God’s purpose prevailed through Jesus’ resurrection strengthen your faith in His plans despite opposition?
4. What actions in your own life reflect gratitude for Christ’s death and resurrection?
5. How, if applicable, could you express more fully, your appreciation of this lesson?

EXTENDED STUDY & LEARNING RESOURCES

Task 1 – Use The Bible Teacher App to identify at least three accounts in the Scripture of Jesus’ resurrection. For each account, record the following: (a) the situation (b) the witnesses (c) reaction of the witnesses or those who heard the report.

SCRIPTURES SITUATIONS REACTIONS WITNESSES

Scripture 1

Task 2 - Use Jonah 1:17 - 2:10 and Matthew 12:40, to help compare Jonah’s time in the whale’s belly with Jesus’ resurrection and the born-again experience that believers today testify about. Use notes from your comparison to guide you in completing the diagram below to show similarities and differences identified.

Suggested Learning Resources: The Bible Teacher App JESUS JONAH TODAY’S BELIEVERS

CHRIST DIED, ROSE, & REVIVED

OVERVIEW

Welcome to Lesson 3 on the profound journey of Jesus from His death to resurrection and the revival of His body. This focus goes beyond the surface of the resurrection story as it enables us to explore the spiritual depths of what occurred after Jesus breathed His last breath on the cross, His descent into hell, God’s powerful intervention to rescue Him, and the way He rose and revived His physical body.

By studying each stage of this journey, we should understand the overwhelming power of His resurrection, and the hope it brings to us today. This lesson should also deepen your appreciation of the victory we have in Christ when we are born again.

OBJECTIVES

Explain how Jesus became sin and what happened when His soul went to hell to pay the penalty for sin. Students should be able to describe what happened to Jesus’ body and soul when He took on humanity’s sins and when He went to hell as a consequence.

Explain how and why God saved Jesus from hell and death. Students should be able to use supporting Scriptures to show how God’s Spirit destroyed the chains of death and raised Jesus from the dead, because He deserved to live and be the source of eternal life.

Illustrate the components of the born-again experience using the account of Jesus’ soul in hell and how He rose and revived His body.

Students should be able to identify the phases of the born-again experience and use suitable diagrams to show the reuniting of Jesus’ soul and spirit with His sanctified body.

During this lesson, you should be able to:

JESUS, THE SEED THAT WAS PLANTED

OVERVIEW

This lesson explores the profound imagery of Jesus as the Seed in God’s redemptive plan, highlighting how His death and resurrection act as the foundation for the Church and the growth of His life within believers.

Each theme will illustrate how Jesus, as the planted seed, brings transformation, multiplication, and eternal life, culminating in the Church’s formation and spiritual revival. This lesson encourages students to understand and embrace the transformative power of Christ’s sacrifice, considering their role in carrying forward His fruitful mission.

OBJECTIVES

Explore how Jesus as the “planted seed” represents the components and certainty of God’s redemptive plan. Students should be able to identify characteristics of a seed that symbolically describe Christ, based on Scripture and use these to compare Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection to a planted seed.

Explore the hidden substance within Christ as the fruitful seed. Students should be able to (a) Explain the concept of hidden substance based on Psalm 139:14 -16 and Ephesians 1: 4-11. (b) Relate the birth of the Church to the reproduction and multiplication of the life of Christ, showing His fruitfulness (John 12: 24).

Examine the spiritual operation by which the Church emerged from the Seed of Christ planted in the grave. Students should be able to explain spiritual operation and analyze the stages of Christ’s resurrection and the Church’s formation in hell.

During this lesson, you should be able to: