1. The Old Testament helps us to understand the New Testament.
   1. It helps us understand the life and work of Jesus and his purpose.
      1. “For without the OT, Jesus quickly loses reality and either becomes a stained-glass window figure – colorful but static and undemanding, or a tailor’s dummy that can be twisted and dressed to suit the current fashion.”
      2. Some preliminary questions. How do you understand Jesus’ nature? How do you understand God’s nature?

• Why is Jesus’ life important?
  1. Jesus had a human birth and genealogy (Gal. 4:4-5)
  2. Jesus had a human body that experienced growth (Luke 2:40, 52) as well as physical susceptibilities like hunger (Matt. 4:2), thirst (John 19:28), tiredness (John 4:6), and death (Luke 23:46) (1 John 1:1-3)
  3. Jesus had a human mind that, according to the will of the Father, had limitations in knowledge (Mark 13:32). His human mind grew and increased in wisdom (Luke 2:52), and he even learned obedience (Heb. 5:8-9)
  4. Jesus experienced human temptation (Heb. 4:15; cf. Luke 4:1-2), yet never succumbed to sin (John 8:29, 46; 15:10; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5)
  5. Jesus practiced spiritual disciplines. He regularly prayed with passion (Mark 14:36; Luke 10:21; Heb. 5:7), worshiped at services in the synagogue (Luke 4:16), read and memorized Scripture (Matt. 4:4-10), practiced the discipline of solitude (Mark 1:35; 6:46), observed the Sabbath (Luke 4:16), obeyed OT ceremonial laws (John 8:29, 46; 15:10; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15), and received the fullness of the Spirit (Luke 3:22; 4:1). These religious activities were done earnestly (Heb. 5:7) and habitually (Luke 4:16) as the means of a truly human spiritual growth process. Given Jesus’ divine nature, the normality of most of his earthly life is staggering. (Matt. 13:54-57)

1. What was the work of Jesus?
   1. To fulfil the promises of the OT
   2. To show us how to live
   3. The Atonement
2. What is his purpose?
   1. Luke 19:10
   2. 20:28
   3. 1 Tim. 1:15