Who Is Jesus?

Last night we talked about the 4 biggest questions that skeptics have about Jesus.

1. How do you know Jesus ever existed?
2. Did Jesus really claim to be God, and if so why should I believe him?
3. Was Jesus really born of a virgin? and aren't there legitimate objections to it that make it not true for today?
4. Did Jesus really rise from the dead?

We know that Jesus existed because of the eyewitness accounts from the people who wrote the New Testament. There were also Jewish and Roman historians who wrote about Jesus as well. All of the eyewitnesses who actually followed Jesus and believed in Him were put to death. Who in their right mind would make up a story and stick with it if they knew that the story they were telling would lead to their death. If you look at the historical facts, we know more about Jesus through the eyewitnesses than what we know about any other person from Ancient times. Its amazing that these same skeptics who refuse to believe in that Jesus ever existed, believe in stories of Pharaoh's and Kings that have never been found, but were written about thousands of years after they lived by people who didn't even know them. The account of Jesus were written with in just a few years after his death by people who knew him personally.

Jesus is the only religious leader who has ever made the claim that he was God in human flesh. Buddha, Moses, Muhammad, and Zoroaster never claimed to be a god. In all the major religions the teaching is what is all-important, not the teacher. Muhammad was a prophet for Islam who thought he was revealing the true god, and Buddha emphasized his principals, not himself. On top of teaching the truth, Jesus claimed that he was the truth. Jesus made claims that he was God. John 14:9 I am in the father and the father is in me; John 8:58 he existed before Abraham; John 5:17-18 he is equal to the father; John 1:3 he claimed that he is the creator; John 14:6 I am the way the truth and the life…; and Mark 2:5-7 he said he is able to forgive sins. Jesus friends and enemies alike, heard him claim to be God. What Jesus taught was important, but what is more imporatnt is who Jesus is. Jesus was either a lire, a lunatic, or God. I believe he is God because the Bible is full of reasons and fulfilled prophecies that prove that Jesus is God, and that he is who he says he is. Take a look at John 20:30-31.

The virgin birth has kept many people from believing in Jesus. God wanted his son to have a miraculous entry into this world. Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." The New Testament is this prophecy being fulfilled. The story of Jesus birth was recorded as a historical fact by both Matthew and Luke. Both were eyewitnesses of Jesus' life, but it was Luke who wrote the account of Jesus' birth from Mary's perspective. Jesus needed to be born of a virgin because of his sinless nature. If he was born of man then he would have been born into sin. He had to be perfect without defect so he could be the ultimate sacrifice. Because of the human race being contaminated by sin, Jesus had to have a miraculous entrance into the world through the virgin birth. Yes, God could have choosen a different way, but he didn't. God chose to use the virgin birth. Science doesn't matter here, because it was a miracle that happened. The Bible treats the virgin birth as a supernatural act of God, not some ordinary everyday occurrence.

Christianity will die if Jesus did not come back from the dead. Jesus resurrection from the dead set him apart form anyone else who has ever lived, and has proved that he is the Son of God. Luke, who was an eyewitness of Jesus' life wrote in Acts 1:3 "After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God." The Apostle Paul recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:6 that over 500 people witnessed Jesus' resurrection at one time. We know that the New Testament was written by eyewitness who knew Jesus, so that alone should be enough evidence to prove that Jesus was raised from the dead. Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:16 "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

These 4 questions are some of the biggest reasons why people don't believe in Jesus. In fact, you probably know people who have asked those questions. Hopefully we have answered these questions clearly enough that you can give the people around you the answers to them. I dare you to tell your friends who Jesus is, and if they ask any of these 4 questions then give them the answers. Then try to get them to come with you to church.

If you want to know more about who Jesus is, please read the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible, then call us at Sunset Chapel.