Discipleship Series - Book One by Calvary Chapel Elk Grove

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES BOOK ONE – Learning The Basics TABLE OF CONTENTS Intro The Gospel and Salvation The Gospel ..................................................................... 1 Salvation ........................................................................ 5 Baptism .......................................................................... 7 Memory Verses .............................................................. 8 Notes ...................................................................... 10-11 The Bible How God Communicates with Us ................................. 13 Revelation .................................................................... 13 Through Jesus Christ and His Life ................................. 14 Inspiration .............................................................. 14 Illumination ............................................................ 14 Five Reasons We Can Trust The Bible ........................... 16 The Bible and The Believer ........................................... 19 Memory Verses ............................................................ 22 Notes ...................................................................... 24-25 God the Father The Existence of God .................................................... 26 General Revelation: Creation .................................. 27 Special Revelation: The Bible .................................. 30 The Nature of God ....................................................... 31 Defining The Trinity ...................................................... 32 The Attributes of God ................................................... 34 Natural Attributes .................................................. 34 Moral Attributes ..................................................... 34 DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

BOOK ONE – Learning The Basics TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Holiness ............................................................ 34 Righteousness & Justice.................................... 34 Love.................................................................. 35 Mercy ............................................................... 35 Grace ................................................................ 35 Faithfulness ................................................. 35-36 Memory Verses ............................................................ 39 Notes .................................................................... 40-41 Jesus Christ The Diety of Christ........................................................ 43 Divine Attributes of Jesus ............................................. 45 Divine Acts Attributed to Jesus ..................................... 46 The Humanity of Jesus Christ ....................................... 46 Qualities of Jesus’ Humanity ........................................ 49 The Resurrection .......................................................... 51 The Facts ................................................................... 55 Memory Verses ............................................................ 57 Notes .............................................................. 58-59 The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit .............................................................. 60 The Person of the Holy Spirit ........................................ 62 The Diety of the Holy Spirit .......................................... 64 Divine Names of the Holy Spirit .................................... 65 The Work of the Holy Spirit .......................................... 65 The Baptism in the Holy Spirit ...................................... 68 Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit ................................ 69 Memory Verses ....................................................... 70-71 Notes .............................................................. 72-73 DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

CALVARY CHAPEL DISCIPLESHIP SERIES BOOK ONE “LEARNING the BASICS” WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF GOD! The Scriptures declare, “…as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” John 1:12 As a child of God, you are also a disciple of Christ. The word disciple means, “a learner”. This course will help you learn the basics of your faith. The Bible teaches that when a person receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they are “born again”. They are brand new Christians, spiritual babies that need to begin to grow in their faith and walk with God. The only way to make that happen is to begin to feed on the Word of God. “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that by it you may grow up” 1 Peter 2:2

It is our desire, that as a child of God you will grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is the first in a series of studies designed to help you grow in your Christian walk. In this first booklet we will cover five foundational topics that are essential to your faith: The Gospel and Salvation, The Bible, God the Father, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit. And so your journey begins! May the grace of our God be with you as you walk each day with Him— Your Family in Christ at Calvary Chapel

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES BOOK ONE

CHAPTER ONE

THE GOSPEL AND SALVATION

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

THE GOSPEL AND SALVATION Jesus said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) “I am the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…”(John 10:9) If Jesus is the only way to the Father—the only door that leads to salvation, then think of the gospel as the key that unlocks the door and allows a person to enter into Christ and find salvation. The gospel is to salvation what a key is to a lock. However we all know that a key won’t open a lock if it’s somehow gotten bent or twisted. And neither will the door of salvation be opened to a person with a gospel that has been twisted or distorted. If Satan can twist and distort the gospel he can keep the door of salvation locked to people. That is why we must begin our study with a careful examination of the gospel itself.

THE GOSPEL The word “gospel” means “good news.” The fact that God has good news for man implies that something bad had happened to us. Read Genesis 3:1-19 and describe what happened. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ When sin entered the human race what happened to our relationship with God? Isaiah 59:1-2a ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ According to Romans 3:23 how many of us are guilty of sin? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ What does Romans 6:23a say is the penalty for sin? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Is there anyone who is good enough to escape this penalty? (Read Romans 3:10-12). ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ This was the predicament man found himself in because of sin. We were separated from God and destined for hell with no hope of escape. Thank God He had a plan to rescue us. “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 “For the Son of Man has come to save those who were lost” Matthew 18:11 Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

True or False: Christ suffered and died for us because we were so good we deserved it. Romans 5:8 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ According to John 14:6 and Acts 4:12 how many other ways has God provided for people to be saved? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Is salvation something I can earn by doing good deeds? Read Ephesians 2:8-9. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Paul the Apostle tells us what the true gospel is. List the elements of the gospel. 1. ___________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________ 3. ___________________________________________________ Does the Lord require us to acknowledge the guilt of our sin and confess it to Him?

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Psalm 32:5 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 1 John 1:9 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Is repentance necessary before we can believe the gospel and be saved? (Read Mark 1:15; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 2:38; 17:30) ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Repentance means to have “a change of mind.” It includes: 1. A genuine sorrow for our sins. 2. A turning from sin to God. 3. A desire to submit to God’s will. Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

Look at these passages and see how this relates to salvation. Ezekiel 18:30; Acts 26:19-20 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ After a person repents, what does the Scripture say is necessary for them to be saved? Acts 16:30-31 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Romans 10:9-10 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

SALVATION When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, what happens to our lives according to 2 Corinthians 5:17? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ According to John 5:24 and 1 John 5:13, can we actually know if we are saved or must we wait until we die to be sure? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

As Christians what should be our attitude toward the way we used to live? Read 1 Peter 1:13-19; 1 Peter 4:1-5 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ According to Colossians 3:1-5 and Acts 2:42, what are we to do from this point forward? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Just because salvation is free doesn’t mean it’s cheap. It cost God the Father His Son, Jesus Christ, to purchase our salvation. Cherish His gift everyday loving and thanking the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength!

BAPTISM The English word “baptize” comes from a nearly identical Greek word “baptizo” which is the language of the original New Testament writings. The simplest meaning of the word is to “soak, plunge, drench, or immerse in water.” It is used 74 times in the New Testament with this meaning. Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

In the Old Testament, the priests were taught to wash themselves before engaging in worship (Leviticus 15:11, 13). In the New Testament, if people wanted to be converted to Judaism, they went through a ceremonial washing referred to as baptism (Mark 7:4; Luke 11:38; Hebrews 9:10). The second reference to baptism concerns the work of John the Baptist. This was pre-Christian baptism. It was the outward symbol of a repentant heart (Matthew 3:6, 11; John 1:25). The most common use of the word baptism in the New Testament is Christian baptism. After Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples. In His final charge to His Church, known as “the Great Commission”, Jesus included a command to baptize new converts. This was not intended to be a necessary prerequisite for salvation, but simply to act as an outward sign, symbolizing the washing away of sin through the blood of Christ, and identifying the new believer with their Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. The early Church took this seriously. As soon as the Church was born, about 3,000 new believers were baptized (Acts 2:41). Faith in Christ always precedes water baptism. It has been said that, “Baptism signifies that the old life of sin and self is drowned, and the person is now raised to a new life in the Spirit. A life of righteousness, purity, and obedience to God.” “…you were…buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” Colossians 2:11-13 Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 Memory Verses John 3:16 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 2 Corinthians 5:17 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 1 John 1:9 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ John 14:6 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Ephesians 2:8-9 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Romans 5:8 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Romans 6:23 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

NOTES ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

NOTES ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES BOOK TWO

CHAPTER TWO THE BIBLE

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

The Bible The Bible is God’s progressive revelation of Himself to His creation. A revelation is a truth that is made known to us by God. The Bible from Genesis to Revelation is one unfolding story of God’s love and plan of salvation for lost and broken people. All that we know about God comes from the Bible, which is the only source of specific, personal revelation about God that we have. This makes the Bible unique! As Christians we believe that the Bible is inerrant, which means that these 66 books, written from 1500 BC to 96 AD by 40 different authors from every walk of life imaginable (shepherds, kings, generals, prime ministers, fishermen, doctors, etc.), writing on three continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe), in three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), is one continuous story without contradiction or errors. The Bible is the Word of God! THE BIBLE IS HOW GOD COMMUNICATES WITH US Revelation Revelation is an act of revealing or communicating divine truth. Some of the ways God has revealed divine truth to us in the past include; the visible creation, angels, dreams, visions, prophets, theophanies (appearances of God in the Old Testament), and audibly from heaven. But by far the greatest revelation was the incarnation: “God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;” Hebrews 1:1-2 Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

God has spoken to us through His Son, Jesus Christ “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” Matthew 17:5 “I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.” John 8:26 Inspiration The divine influence of God upon the writers and prophets of the Scriptures which allowed them to infallibly communicate God’s truth. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21 Illumination The ability given to man by the Holy Spirit to understand God’s truth as revealed in the Bible. “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10 Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

Revelation concerns the discovery of truth. Inspiration concerns the communication of truth. Illumination concerns the understanding of truth. Why were the Scriptures written for us? Romans 15:4 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ How can we be sure that the Bible isn’t a storybook written by men? Galatians 1:11-12; 2 Peter 1:20-21 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Isn’t it possible that some of the Scriptures are the words of men? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

Five Reasons Why We Can Trust The Bible 1. Jesus taught that the Scriptures were the Word of God. “Sanctify them by Your truth, Your word is truth.” John 17:17 2. The Bible supports its own claim of being the Word of God. “Thus says the Lord” is found over 2000 times in Scripture. 3. Undeniable and accurate prophecy. The Bible is filled with prophecies of future events (¼ of the Bible is prophecy) which God said was the greatest evidence of it being His Word. Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Isaiah 41:22-23; 46:9-11 4. The Bible’s miraculous preservation. No other book in history has been so attacked and slandered as the Bible, and yet today it remains as sound and trustworthy as ever. 5. It’s ability to change lives. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17 “Having been born again…through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” 1 Peter1:23 How will we ever be able to understand the Bible? 1 Corinthians 2:12-14

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ How do the following verses describe God’s word? Matthew 24:35 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ John 17:17 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Hebrews 4:12 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Jeremiah 23:29 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 1 Peter 1:23 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

Deuteronomy 8:3 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 1 Peter 2:2 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

To whom do the Scriptures point? John 5:39; Luke 24:27 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Read Psalm 1 three times in a row. In this Psalm, the Bible teaches us that we can be very blessed (at peace, content), if we will do the following three things (complete the phrase): 1. Walk___________________________________________ ________________________________________________ 2. Stand___________________________________________ ________________________________________________ 3. Sit______________________________________________ ________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

How does this apply in real life? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Psalm 1:2 tells us that we will be blessed (happy) if we delight in and meditate on His Word. • •

Delight means “to feel great favor towards something”. God wants you to delight yourself in His Word. Meditate means “to ponder, think over, to imagine or to study”

God wants you to stop and think about what He is telling you in His Word. Do more than just read it –ponder it and ask the Lord to show you what He means. The Bible And The Believer The Bible is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12) and is able to do miraculous things in the life of the believer by being so many different things to us. The Bible is: 1. A revealer of the heart—Hebrews 4:12 It has the ability to show us the motives of our hearts. 2. A cleanser—Psalm 119:9; John 15:3 It can purify our thoughts and actions. Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

3. A strength against sin—Psalm 119:11 4. A light to guide us—Psalm 119:105,130 It lights our path in life by showing us God’s will. 5. Food for our spirit—Deuteronomy 8:3; 1 Peter 2:2 Daily feeding on the Word will help us grow strong in the faith. 6. A sword—Ephesians 6:17 It is our defensive weapon to use against Satan when he attacks us. (See Matthew 4:1-11) Psalm 19:7-9 uses six different titles for God’s Word. Finish each statement about the Word of God. The Law of the Lord is ______________________________________________________ The Testimony of the Lord is ______________________________________________________ The Statutes of the Lord are ______________________________________________________ The Commandment of the Lord is ______________________________________________________ The Fear of the Lord is ______________________________________________________ The Judgments of the Lord are ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

What does the Psalmist conclude from verses 10 and 11 about the Word of God? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ APPLICATION The Bible is God’s way to help you with all the different questions you have about life. The more you know and do, the better off you will be. “But be doers of the word, and nor hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22 1. Establish a specific time each day to be alone with God and His Word. 2. Choose a place that is quiet and secluded. 3. Have a plan: a. Begin with prayer b. Read your Bible and mark verses important to you. c. Memorize as much Scripture as you can. d. Spend time in silence. (Psalm 46:10) e. Keep a journal to write down your thoughts. f. Make it a goal to read the Bible through once a year!

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

Memory Verses 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Hebrews 4:12 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ John 5:39 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Romans 10:17 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

2 Peter 1:20-21 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Psalm 119:9-11 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES BOOK TWO CHAPTER THREE

GOD THE FATHER

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

GOD THE FATHER We live at a time when we can no longer use the word “God” and be confident that people will understand who we mean. There are many different gods being presented to the world in these last days by many different groups all claiming to know who or what God really is. Therefore it becomes more critical today than ever before that we fully understand the True and Living God Who has revealed Himself to us in the pages of Scripture. The Bible reveals God as the only infinite and eternal Being having no beginning and no end. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is the Supreme Personal Intelligence, and Righteous Ruler of His universe. He alone is life and therefore, the only source of life (John 5:26). Amazingly nowhere in the Bible does God ever make an effort to prove His existence. The Bible simply presents God to us in the very first verse of the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) God has allowed man the freedom to accept or reject Him as his God, but never to sit in judgment in regard to His existence. Apparently God did not feel it necessary to prove His existence to man since God created man intelligent enough to realize that creation must have a Creator to exist. It is utter foolishness to believe otherwise. However there are many evidences that clearly point to the existence of God. Let’s look at a few.

THE EXISTENCE OF GOD “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” Psalm 19:1-2 Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities— His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20 General Revelation: The Creation There are three arguments from creation that prove the existence of God: 1. The Cosmological Argument This argument states that everything that had a beginning had a cause (the principle of causality), the universe had a beginning, therefore the universe had a cause. That only leaves two possibilities: Either the universe came from nothing all by itself—the atheist view, or Someone created the universe—the theist view. Read Genesis 1:1-31 and write out what God made on each of the six days of creation. 1. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

4. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 5. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 6. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 2. The Teleological Argument This is the argument from design. Every design has a designer, the universe and all life demonstrates highly complex design, therefore a Designer had to have made the universe. Oxford University professor, Richard Dawkins, a leading evolutionist, admits that “every cell contains in its nucleus a digitally coded database larger than all 30 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica put together.” According to Carl Sagan, the human brain has enough genetic information that if spelled out in English would fill the library of congress—20 million volumes! And yet many still choose to deny God’s existence. 3. The Moral Argument “Every prescription has a prescriber. Every moral law has a moral lawgiver. There is a universal moral law, therefore there must be a universal law giver.” C.S.Lewis Where did morality come from, this innate sense of right and wrong, if we’re just the result of chemical processes? Chemicals can’t produce morality. Evolutionists can’t Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

explain this but Christians can. Our God is a moral God Who declared certain behaviors good and others evil according to His righteous standards. Read Romans 2:12-16 and explain in your own words what the passage is saying: ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

Special Revelation: The Bible Special revelation is God’s revelation of Himself in Scripture. This is where God gets up close and personal with us by introducing Himself to us, telling us His name and personal information about Himself that we couldn’t learn from creation. The Bible is a miracle book, which testifies that God is, for no one but God Himself could have written it. “Infidels for eighteen hundred years have been refuting and overthrowing this Book and yet it stands today as solid as a rock. It’s circulation increases and it is more loved and cherished and read today than ever before. Infidels with all their assaults make about as much impression on this book as a man with a tack hammer would on the Pyramids of Egypt. When the French monarch proposed the persecution of the Christians in his domain, an old statesman and warrior said to Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

him, ‘Sire, the Church of God is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.’ So the hammers of infidels have been pecking away at this Book for ages, but the hammers are worn out and the anvil still endures. If this Book had not been the Book of God, men would have destroyed it long ago. Emperors and popes, kings and priests, princes and rulers have all tried their hand at it; they die and the Book still lives.” H.L.Hastings THE NATURE OF GOD If God exists, then the next question is “What is He like?” In John 4:24 how does Jesus describe God? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ According to these three Scriptures who is God? Romans 1:7 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Hebrews 1:8 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Acts 5:3-4 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

The Bible clearly teaches that though there is only one true God, He is revealed or manifested in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is independent of each other, but never do they act independently. In the very first verse of the Bible we see the Triune God (Trinity) presented, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 The word God is “Elohim” in the Hebrew. Elohim is a plural noun, but the verb “created” is singular in the Hebrew. This is grammatically incorrect, but is God’s way of communicating to us His tri-unity (three in one). Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God is one LORD” In this verse we are told that God is one. However, when we examine the Hebrew word “echad” translated here as “one” we discover an interesting meaning. The Hebrew word “echad” comes from a Hebrew root “achad” which means, “to unify” or “collect together”. The word literally means a “united one” or “compound unity”. The LORD our God is one (united one—Trinity) LORD! Defining the Trinity We must properly define what is meant by the Trinity. The Orthodox definition of the Triune God is as follows: One God revealed in three separate Persons. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Some common misconceptions of the Trinity are as follows: 1. That there is one God and three Gods—incorrect. 2. That there is one God and one person with three names— incorrect.

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

3. That there is one God who became three separate persons—incorrect. 4. That there are three gods in one family (otherwise known as Tritheism)—incorrect. 5. That God is sometimes revealed in the Father, sometimes in the Son, and sometimes in the Spirit (otherwise known as Modalism)—incorrect. When we say that God is Triune, we mean that God is revealed as existing eternally as three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three Persons make up the One God. This is a foundational belief of Christianity. Other Scriptures that support the Trinity: • • • • • • •

Genesis 1:26 Genesis 3:22 Genesis 11:7 Isaiah 6:8 Matthew 3:16 Matthew 28:19 2 Corinthians 13:14

A good way to try and understand how three distinct and different Persons could be the same God is by looking at water:

No matter what form it is in, it’s still the same substance! Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD Natural Attributes 1. Eternal God had no beginning and will have no end. (see Psalms 9:7; Psalms 90:2; and Psalms 102:24-27) 2. Omniscience (all knowledge) God cannot learn anything; He already has total knowledge of everything. (see Psalms 139:1-4,11-12; 145:5; Matthew 6:7-8; 10:29-30) 3. Omnipotence (all power) (see Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 40:28; Jeremiah 32:27; Matthew 19:26; and Colossians 1:16-17) 4. Omnipresence (present everywhere) (see Psalms 139:7-10; and Jeremiah 23:23-24) 5. Immutable (unchanging) God’s character and nature will always remain the same. His love is forever, His forgiveness is forever, and His salvation and promises are forever. (see Psalms 102:25-27; and James 1:17) Moral Attributes 1. Holiness Moral and ethical wholeness or perfection; freedom from moral evil. Holiness is one of the essential elements of God’s nature required of His people. The word holy denotes that which is “sanctified” or “set apart” for God. (see Psalms 96:9; Psalms 111:9; and Exodus 15:11) 2. Righteousness and Justice The words “righteous” and “just” are the same word in the Hebrew and the Greek. Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

Righteousness is the expression of God’s holiness. He is holy which is demonstrated by His right dealings with man. (see Psalm 11:7; 2 Timothy 4:8; and Revelation 16:4-7) 3. Love Love is not only one of God’s attributes; it is also an essential part of His nature. “God is love”, the Bible declares (1 John 4:8,16). He is the personification of perfect love. Such love surpasses our powers of understanding (Ephesians 3:19). God’s love is: everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3); free (Hosea 14:4); sacrificial (John 3:16); and endures to the end (John 13:1). (also see John 3:16-17; 1 John 3:1; and 1 John 4:9-10) 4. Mercy The aspect of God’s love that causes Him to help the miserable. Those who are miserable may be so either because of breaking God’s law or because of circumstances beyond their control. Either way, Scripture declares “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.” (see Psalm 86:5; Psalm 51:1 and Isaiah 55:7) 5. Grace Favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that same person deserves. Grace is one of the key attributes of God. The Lord God is, “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.” (Exodus 34:6) Therefore, grace is almost always associated with mercy, love, compassion, and patience as the source of help and deliverance from distress. 6. Faithfulness Faithfulness comes from a word meaning “ a stay or support”. A faithful person is one you can safely lean upon. God is Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

completely trustworthy. We can rely on Him. (see Psalm 119:89-90; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; and 1 John 1:9) How are we to respond to God in the light of all that He is? (See Psalm 95:6) ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ 1 Chronicles 28:9 ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ 1 Thessalonians 4:1 ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Hebrews 11:6 ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Psalm 46:10 ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

Romans 12:1-2 ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” If we want to draw near to God, what should we do? Ephesians 4:22-24 ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Philippians 4:8-9 ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ DIGGING FURTHER According to John 3:16 how did the Father show His great love for us? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

What does Paul the Apostle tell us happened in our life when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior? Galatians 4:6-7 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Who are we to direct our prayers to? Luke 11:1-4; John 16:23 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ As a loving Father, why does God chasten His children? Deuteronomy 8:5-6 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Proverbs 3:11-12 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ According to Ephesians 1:3 what has the Father given to His children? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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MEMORY VERSES Isaiah 41:10 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Jeremiah 32:27 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 1 Chronicles 28:9 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Romans 12:1-2 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Deuteronomy 6:4 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Philippians 4:8-9 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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DISCIPLESHIP SERIES

BOOK TWO

CHAPTER FOUR

JESUS CHRIST

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JESUS CHRIST Christianity differs from all other religious systems in that every religion or religious system apart from Christianity is based upon human effort and good works to reach God. Christianity, however, is God reaching down to save man through the work of Jesus Christ. The heart and soul of Christianity is Christ. Jesus Christ never claimed to be just another teacher pointing mankind to God. He claimed to be God in human form. He also made claims about Himself that no other credible religious teacher in history has made. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” John 11:25-26 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 What separates Jesus Christ from all the other religious leaders and teachers throughout history? They were mere men claiming to have a way to God, where Jesus claimed to be God, the only way to the Father and heaven. You can remove Buddha from Buddhism, Mohammed from Islamism, Confucius from Confucianism and nothing would change, because those religions aren’t built on their leaders. It is built on their teachings; not on them personally. But remove Jesus Christ from Christianity and it ceases to exist. Because Christianity is inextricably linked to and built upon the Person and work of Jesus Christ!

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse.” C.S. Lewis “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” Matthew 22:42 If Jesus Christ was just the son of a man and not the Son of God, He would have been born a sinner like every other descendant of Adam and therefore could not have died for sinners. In John’s gospel, he uses “The Word” as a title for Jesus Christ. In John 1:1-3 what does it say about “the Word”? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Isaiah 9:6 predicts the birth of Messiah. What shall His name be called? ______________________________________________________ Isaiah 7:14 says that His name would also be called “Immanuel”. According to Matthew 1:23 what does Immanuel mean? ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

In Hebrews 1:8 God the Father is addressing the Son. What does the Father address Jesus as? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Did Jesus, Himself ever claim to be God? (see John 10:30-33 ) ______________________________________________________ In John 8:58 Jesus called Himself “I AM”. According to Exodus 3:13-14 whose name is that? ______________________________________________________ Did the Apostles believe Jesus to be God? (see John 20:28; Romans 9:5; 2 Peter 1:1) ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Divine Attributes Ascribed To Jesus 1. Omnipotence (all powerful) a. Power over death—Luke 7:14-15; 8:54-55; John 11:43-44 b. Power over disease—Luke 4:39-40; Matthew 9:1-8 c. Power over demons—Luke 4:31-36; 9:1 d. Power over nature—Matthew 8:24-27 e. Power to create—Matthew 14:13-21; John 2:1-11 Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

2. Omniscience (all knowing) a. Knows all things—John 16:30; 21:17 b. Knows history of individuals—John 16:19 c. Knows secret thoughts—Luke 5:22; John 2:24-25 3. Omnipresence (present everywhere) a. Present where His disciples gather—Matthew 18:20 b. Present wherever His disciples go—Matthew 28:20 4. Eternal (without beginning or end) –Micah 5:2; John 1:1-2; Revelation 11:15 5. Immutable (unchanging) –Hebrews 13:8 Divine Acts Ascribed To Jesus • • • • • •

Creation—John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:10 Preservation of the creation—Colossians 1:7; Hebrews 1:10 Forgiveness of sins—Mark 2:5-10 Raising the dead—John 5:28-29; John 11:38-44 Judgment—John 5:22; 2 Timothy 4:1 Giver of Eternal Life—John 10:28; John 17:2

THE HUMANITY OF JESUS CHRIST “For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted”. Hebrews 2:17-18 The Bible not only teaches that Jesus was 100% God, but that He was also 100% man. Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

From the following verses, what can we learn about His humanity? Galatians 4:4 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Luke 2:40 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Matthew 8:24 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Matthew 21:18 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ John 11:35 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

Hebrews 4:15 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Luke 22:44 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 1 Corinthians 15:3 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Why was it necessary that Jesus Christ become a man? Romans 15:8-9 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ John 14:7-9 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

Hebrews 9:26 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Hebrews 2:14-15 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 1 Peter 2:21 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Qualities of Jesus’ Humanity 1. Must be born of a woman—Matthew 1:18-2:12; Luke 1:30-38; 2:1-20; Galatians 4:4 2. Subject to the laws of human development a. He grew—Luke 2:40 b. He increased in wisdom—Luke 2:40, 52 3. Possess the essential elements of human nature a. Body—Matthew 26:12; Luke 24:39; John 2:21 b. Soul—Matthew 26:38; John 12:27; Acts 2:27, 31 c. Spirit—Mark 2:8; 8:12; John 13:21 Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

4. Subject to human physical limitations a. Became weary—John 4:6 b. Slept—Matthew 8:24 c. Hungered—Matthew 4:2 d. Suffered physical agony—Luke 22:44 e. Died—1 Corinthians 15:3 5. Subject to temptation—Hebrews 2:18; 4:15 According to Hebrews 9:24-26 and 1 Peter3:18, why did Jesus have to die? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Did Jesus Christ know He was going to die, or did it come as a surprise to Him? (see Matthew 16:21) ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Did Jesus go to the cross willingly? (see John 10:17-18) ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ According to Hebrews 10:12-14 and Romans 4:2-5, can anything be added to Christ’s death which will make it more acceptable to God? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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What were some of the activities of Jesus’ public ministry? Matthew 4:23 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ What characterized Jesus’ life and leadership? Luke 22:25-27 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single greatest event in the history of the world, and the cornerstone of the Christian faith. The resurrection was the central message of all Apostolic preaching in the Book of Acts, and is the very bedrock upon which the gospel is built. It is so foundational to Christianity, that anyone who denies it cannot be a true Christian. “If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ have perished! And if we have hope in Christ only for this life, we are the most miserable people in the world. But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again.” 1 Corinthians 15:17-20 The Resurrection--Fact or Fiction? 1. The resurrection was either the greatest historical hoax in history- or the greatest historical fact! Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

2. The reliability of Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection. 3. Almost all other religions are based on what you believe or what you adhere to, Christianity is based solely on the identity of Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead. 4. Dr. Simon Greenleaf of Harvard University, a very verbal skeptic of Christianity, had written a set of books called The Laws of Legal Evidence. He was challenged by his students to apply these books to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He accepted the offer, and in the process he became a Christian. Greenleaf subsequently concluded, “The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the best established events of history, according to the laws of legal evidence administered in the courts of justice.” 5. Oxford University professors, Lord Littleton and Benjamin Gilbert West, set out to deliver the fatal blow to Christianity and destroy to once and for all. The two main issues they needed to dispute were: • •

The conversation of Saul of Tarsus to Paul the Apostle; and The resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Lord Littleton chose the conversation of Paul, while Mr. West chose the resurrection. Both took a leave of absence from the University, and went their separate ways to do their research and study. When the two returned, they were going to write a book to refute Christianity. However, both professors independently had reached the exact opposite conclusion that they had set out to prove, and had given their lives to Christ. They went on to write a book called “Observations Of The History And The Evidence For The Resurrection”. Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

Dr. West had printed on a flyer for the book, “Reject not, until you have examined the evidence!” What was it that these and many other men found that made such a profound difference? 6. Precautions Taken at the Tomb (Documented from the Four Gospels and extra biblical secular sources) a. The body was placed in a new tomb hewn of a solid rock. (John 19:41, Luke 23:53; Mark 15:46; Matt. 27:60). b. The entrance was only 4 ½ ‘ to 5’ tall causing both Peter and John to stoop over when entering. (John 20:5, Luke 24:12) c. The body was prepared according to the burial customs of the Jews. Over 100 lbs. of aromatic spices were used with the linen in preparing the body. (John 19:39-40) d. An extremely large stone was rolled against the entrance. According to the type of stone and the size of the entrance, the stone would have weighed approximately 1 ½ to 2 tons and would have taken over 20 men to move it. (Mark 16:4) e. A guard unit was placed at the tomb. (Matthew 27:65-66) This guard unit was a 4 to 16-man unit, which had training equivalent to today’s Green Berets. Documented in “The Military Institute of The Romans.” f. A seal was placed on the tomb. (Matthew 27:66) The seal probably consisted of rawhide and clay or wax, which represented the authority of the Roman Empire. These precautions, which are documented in history and the Bible, prove to the absolute care and reliability of what took place almost 2,000 years ago. Every textbook written contains a date referring to it. (2001 A.D. – Anno Domini – “In the year of our Lord.”) Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

“There was a great earthquake, an angel of the Lord rolled away the stone, and the guards shook with fear and became like dead men”. Matthew 28:2-4 7. A false theory immediately developed as recorded in Matthew 28:11-15, that the guard had fallen asleep and the disciples had stolen the body. However, in order to even believe this theory, there are certain documented facts that must be dealt with. a. The breaking of Romans Seal – usually punishable by upside down crucifixion. The disciples were cowards, hiding in their homes. The breaking of a Roman Seal was feared by all. b. The stone was removed from the entrance of the tomb. Taken away, as if carried (John 20:1). Rolled away, indicating distance (Luke 24:2). Rolled away (Mark 16:4). c. Rolled back (Matthew 28:2). d. Other documents state that the stone was uphill from the tomb. If the disciples had stolen the body, would they roll the stone a distance from the tomb and uphill? e. The guard unit: If a guard ever fell asleep, he was always executed by being burned alive, along with any other guards that were on duty with him. No way would they ever have fallen asleep! f. The tomb wasn’t completely empty – the linen grave clothes were right where the body was laid, as though the body had passed right through them. (Luke 24:12, John 20:5-7) All but four of the major world religions are based on philosophical and ethical principles. Of the four that are based on personalities, only Christianity claims an empty tomb due to the resurrection of its founder.

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

• • •

Abraham, the father of Judaism died about 1900 B.C. but no resurrection was ever claimed for him. The original accounts of Buddha’s life and death never ascribe to him any resurrection from the dead. Mohammed died on June 8, 632 A.D. at the age of 61 in Medina. Every year his tomb is visited by thousands of devout Muslims, but never did they ever claim that Mohammed rose from the dead.

Only the tomb of Jesus Christ is empty, because only Jesus is risen, as was first proclaimed by the angels that first resurrection Sunday morning—“Why do you seek the living among the dead, He is not here, He is risen!” (Luke 24:5-6) 8. Three supposed theories to refute the resurrection a. The disciples stole the body – ridiculous, as proved above. b. The women went to the wrong tomb – also ridiculous. This would mean that John and Peter also went to the wrong tomb, as well as the Jews, and the Romans! c. Jesus didn’t really die – this theory claims that He merely passed out from loss of blood, and due to the dampness of the tomb, was revived. THE FACTS • • • • • • •

Jesus endured 6 trials—three Roman, and three Jewish. He was beaten almost beyond description. He was so weak, He couldn’t even carry his own cross. Spikes were driven through His hands and feet. He was speared in the side causing blood and water to flow out, which is a sign of death recognized by physicians. Four professional executioners examined the body and signed His death certificate. He was wrapped in over 100 lbs. of linen and spices.

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

• • •

He was placed in the tomb and a 1 ½ to 2-ton stone was rolled against the entrance and sealed it. As was customary, there was a four to 16 man guard unit placed on duty there. It would have taken a greater miracle than the resurrection for Jesus to have lived through His torture and crucifixion, unwrapped Himself, from 100 lbs. of cloth, pushed the 4000 lb. sealed stone away from the door from the inside of the tomb, snuck past a 4 to 16 man Green Beret type guard unit, and went about His visiting!!! JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE!

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MEMORY VERSES Colossians 1:15-16 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ John 1:1-3, 14 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ John 11:25-26 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Isaiah 7:14 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Isaiah 9:6 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Philippians 2:5-7 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

NOTES ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES

BOOK TWO CHAPTER FIVE

THE HOLY SPIRIT

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THE HOLY SPIRIT It is extremely important that the new believer, from the very start, understand that the Holy Spirit is God. He is equal to the Father and the Son. Don’t ever think of the Holy Spirit as an impersonal “force” or “power”. He is God the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. The Bible speaks of Him being distinct from the Father and the Son but God nonetheless. In the Genesis account of creation, He is seen actively engaged in the work of creation, along with the Father and the Son. In the Old Testament, He came upon men to empower them for service; but when they were disobedient, He departed from them. When David sinned against the Lord, he prayed, “Don’t take Your Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:11) In the New Testament, after Pentecost, we see the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer, never to leave him, filling and empowering him for service. A Scriptural understanding of the Holy Spirit will make you a more dynamic Christian servant! “If you removed the Holy Spirit from the work of the early church, ninety percent of what they were doing would have come to a stop. If you remove the Holy Spirit from the work of the church today, ten percent of what’s being done would come to a stop.” A.W. Tozer Read Acts 1:9-11. Where is Jesus now? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

What did the two angels promise? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ What did Jesus promise His disciples that the Father would do for them until His return? John 14:16, 26 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ What can be said of a person who genuinely acknowledges that Jesus is his Lord? 1 Corinthians 3:16 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT The Holy Spirit doesn’t have a body like we have, but that doesn’t mean that He is not a person. The Bible ascribes to Him all of the characteristics of a living, thinking, feeling person. Personal pronouns are always used in the Scriptures to refer to the Holy Spirit. (see John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-8, 13-15) Read the following verses and write down what each one says about the personal abilities and attributes of the Holy Spirit. (Example- Ephesians 4:30—He can be grieved.) Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

John 16:13 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Acts 7:51 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Hebrews 10:29 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 1 Thessalonians 5:19 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Romans 8:26-27 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Acts 5:3 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Matthew 12:31-32 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

Acts 9:31 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT The Holy Spirit is not only a Person, He is God, the third Person of the Trinity. In Acts 5:3-4 how does Peter refer to the Holy Spirit? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ What do the following verses tell us about the divine abilities and attributes of the Holy Spirit? Job 33:4 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Psalm 139:7-10 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Luke 1:35 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

1 Corinthians 2:10-11 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Hebrews 9:14 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Divine Names Ascribed to the Holy Spirit 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

The Holy Spirit—Luke 11:13 The Spirit of God—Genesis1:2 The Spirit of Life—Romans 8:2 The Spirit of Truth—John 14:17 The Spirit of Grace—Hebrews 10:29

THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT What kind of work is the Holy Spirit doing in the world today? John 16:7-8 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

From the following verses, what can be learned about the work of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life? Romans 8:16 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Romans 8:26 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ John 14:26 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ John 16:13 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ What are some of the results of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the life of a believer? 2 Timothy 1:7 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ As we walk with the Lord in our Christian lives, we will begin to grow spiritually. What kind of spiritual fruit will the Spirit bring forth in our lives?

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

Galatians 5:22-23 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Does God the Father desire His children to bear fruit in their lives? John 15:8, 16 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ In Ephesians 5:18, what does it command us as believers to do and not to do? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Being filled with the Spirit means to be controlled by the Spirit in our everyday lives. According to Galatians 5:16-21 what are we commanded to do as Spirit-filled Christians? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT Jesus, in speaking of the Holy Spirit said, “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17 The Holy Spirit dwells “with” unbelievers drawing them to Christ. When they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit, then comes “in” them, which speaks of their salvation. They are now born-again believers in Christ and as Jesus promised, the Spirit will never leave them. (John 14:16) Then in Acts 1:8 we read, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The Holy Spirit coming “upon” a believer is referred to as the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” in the New Testament. This is often a separate and subsequent work of the Spirit in a believer’s life apart from salvation. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an empowering for service, where the Spirit gives you the ability to be a witness for Jesus Christ. The Apostles walked with Jesus for 3½ years. They knew the message of the gospel intellectually, and yet Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem until they received the power to preach the gospel, which He said would be given to them when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. The word “power” in Acts 1:8 is a word in the Greek that we get our English word “dynamic” from. If you are lacking the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit in your life, ask your heavenly Father to Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

give it to you. Jesus said, “…how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:13 Then and only then will you be ready to serve Jesus Christ and tell others about Him! The Following New Testament Terms All Refer To This Event • • • • • • • • •

To be baptized in the Holy Spirit—Matthew 3:11-12; Acts 1:5; 11:16. Being filled with the Holy Spirit—Acts 2:4; 9:17; Ephesians 5:18 The Holy Spirit falling on someone—Acts 8:16; 10:44; 11:15 The Holy Spirit coming upon the believer—Acts 1:8; 19:6 Receiving the Holy Spirit—Acts 8:15-17; 10:47; 19:2 Receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit—Acts 2:38 The Holy Spirit being poured out on the believer—Acts 2:16-18; 10:45 God giving the Holy Spirit—John 7:39; Acts 5:32; 8:18; 15:8 The Promise Of The Father and The Endowment (endue) Of Power— Luke 24:49; John 14:26; Acts 1:4-5, 8

BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT In Matthew 12:31-32 Jesus spoke to the Pharisees concerning blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that this sin is unforgivable and will therefore lead to eternal separation from God. Just what is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and can a Christian ever commit it? Firstly, it’s important that we realize that Jesus was speaking to unbelievers in this passage, and not to believers. Secondly, it is also very important that we understand just what the Holy Spirit’s ministry is here upon the earth. In John 15:26; and John 16:13-15, Jesus declared that the ministry of the Holy Spirit upon the earth would be to testify of Jesus and draw people Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES – BOOK ONE

to Him to be saved. This is the Spiritâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ministry. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would therefore be the rejection of the work or ministry of the Spirit, or more specifically, the rejection of Jesus Christ. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can only be committed by unbelievers. Those who constantly refuse to accept Jesus as their Savior, even though the Spirit continues to testify of Him in their hearts. These people, at some point, harden their hearts so much that it then becomes impossible for them to believe and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. At this point they have committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and their eternal destruction is sealed. Refusing to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is the only unforgivable sin that a person can commit. MEMORY VERSES Psalm 139:7-10 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Romans 8:26 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

John 14:26 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Galatians 5:16 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 2 Timothy 1:7 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Galatians 5:22-23 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE

Have questions? Interested in the next Book in our Discipleship Series? Feel free to contact us via our website at: www.ccelkgrove.org Or call the church office at: (847) 895-3545

Calvary Chapel Elk Grove - DISCIPLESHIP SERIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BOOK ONE