This question is of great importance. The Bible says Jesus is our cornerstone (Eph 2:20) and our hope. 1Ti 1:1 What we think about the Christ goes along in determining the destiny of our souls. Jn 8:24 The skeptic that denies Christ must answer this question just as the follower of Christ. What if Jesus is all that he claimed to be? That was and is disturbing to people. It can strike fear in your heart knowing we will be judged by his very words. Jn 12:48
The Pharisees answered this question with "The son of David." This is a half truth, but a half truth is a whole lie! He was the son of David according to the flesh. Rom 1:3 His mother was flesh, therefore, he was the son of man. That is how he was made flesh and dwelt among us. Jn 1:14 His dual nature, human and divine, qualified him as mediator and redeemer. 1Ti 2:5,6 As the son of man, Christ experienced all that we do. He was tempted by Satan (Mt 4:1-11), experienced hunger (Mt 4:2) and thirst (Jn 19:28), suffered agony (Lk 22:44), and felt the need for prayer (Mt 26:36) as much as person.
The other half to the answer that the Pharisees left out was that Jesus also is the only begotten son of God. Jesus asked them if the Messiah was to have human nature only after their response in verses 43-46. Jesus makes the argument that if he existed before David existed, isn't he MORE than the son of David. There was never a time that Jesus didn't exist. Jn 1:1-3 That is the whole truth! The proof of Jesus being more than the son of David is in his name, Emmanuel. Mt 1:23
Some people ask, "If Jesus was the son of God, why didn't he just say it?" I always teach that we are to look at the fruits people produce and not what they say they are. I have adopted the saying, "We are not to judge, but we are to be fruit inspectors." I preached a message that asked if witnesses would stand up in your life that will say you are a Christian by the way you live. Did anyone stand up and say that Jesus was the son of God? Well, God himself claimed him in Mt 3:16,17. His disciples made that claim in Mt 14:33. Men possessed with devils made that claim as well in Mt 8:29. The soldiers claimed he was the son of God in Mt 27:54. Even Satan claimed it in Mt 4:3. If all these witnesses in Jesus' life claiming he was the son of God wasn't enough, Jesus did claim to be the son of God. Look at what is said in Mt 27:43.
Those are the witnesses from his life, but what about the fruit he produced? Does the fruit he produced say he is the son of God? No doubt, his teachings pointed to his divinity. Mt 7:29 His authoritative teachings separated him from man.The miracles he performed screamed out loud he was the son of God. Jn 3:2 Even death was no match for Jesus, the son of God. Jn 11:43,44 You cannot deny all that he had done. Many try to say these reports of Jesus' fruits are hearsay, but John said different in 1Jn 1:1. People have seen, heard, and touched Jesus. Most of the men who wrote about Jesus died for their faith in him. People do not die for hearsay!
I ask you again, what do you think about the Christ? Today, tell someone about the Christ that came to be mankind's mediator and redeemer. Share the Love God has for us and it is displayed in God sending His son, Jesus. Tell others that Jesus is the son of God and the only way to the Father. Jn 14:6 Jesus is our Lord and Savior, to him be the "glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." Rev 1:6
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
We must hear the Word of God: Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4
We must believe or have faith: Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31
We must repent of our sins: Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30
We must confess Christ before others: Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37
We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38
We must be faithful: Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22
No comments:
Post a Comment