For example, a choice, based on evidence, between (Jesus ...



►►Is Jesus God?

Open 7 The Lord in Zion Reigneth

RR 699

Close 474 Take the Name of Jesus With You.

Today, I may be presenting what may seem like a no-brainer to you. Our topic is this: "Is Jesus God."

Now how many of you believe that Jesus is God?

How many of you have really sat down and studied it out for yourself?

►►For example, as we look at the evidence, classical logic demands that either Jesus is Divine and the Son of God, or he was not.

One author wrote, "As we look at the claims of Jesus, we must come to the conclusion that this man we are talking about either was (and is) just what He said, or else he was a lunatic, or something worse.

"Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God. God has landed on this enemy-occupied world in human form."

This may seem very logical to our thinking, but we live in a world that is using a new way of thinking. And this thought process is not logical.

►►Today other options may be synthesized such as “Jesus can be God for some but not for others because truth is personal” or “I believe Jesus is God based on my feelings, intuition and emotions but cannot support this belief by any form of logic or reason based on evidence”.

This new way of looking at “truth” permeates the civilized world and may be the most crucial problem facing Christianity in this century. Philosophy, art, music, the general culture and, to some extent, Christian theology have embraced a type of truth that is more emotional than factual. Actually, many today are perceiving reality only in terms of how they feel about things.

We see this all around in our culture. Laws mean nothing to many. Only how they feel about them. And those feelings are accepted as reality.

I could cite you many examples, but the most disturbing is the fact that in our nation the rule of law, equal for everyone, has become the prosecution of those we don't agree with, and the acceptance of the same act by those with whom I do agree. If that does not stop, there will never be justice in our nation again. But I digress, though later on we will point back to this.

In other words, truth is how I understand something, how I feel about it, and it does not necessarily have any basis in absolute truth.

And this kind of thinking is being applied to theology as well.

And what topic can be more theological than the nature of Jesus Christ. Is he man? Is he God? Is he both? Can we even know?

Today we have two parts. The first one is the descriptions of Jesus in the NT, and the second, the question, "If Jesus is the son of God what does that mean to my life and lifestyle?"

►►I want to begin with the words of Jesus in describing himself.

Matthew 16:13 (KJV)

13  When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

Matthew 27:43 (NKJV)

43  He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.' "

Mark 14:62 (KJV)

62  And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Luke 22:27 (KJV)

27  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serves? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serves.

John 6:35 (NKJV)

35  And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

John 6:37-40 (NKJV)

37  All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

►►John 5:26-40 (NKJV)

26  For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

27  and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

38  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

39  This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

40  And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

John 6:51 (NKJV)

51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

John 8:12-18 (NKJV)

12  Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

13  The Pharisees therefore said to Him, "You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true."

14  Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.

15  You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

16  And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.

17  It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.

18  I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me."

John 8:58 (NKJV)

58  Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." (Burning Bush)

►►John 4:25-26 (KJV)

25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

John 9:5 (NKJV)

5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

John 10:9-11 (NKJV)

9  I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

10  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

John 11:24-26 (NKJV)

24  Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

25  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

26  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

►►John 13:12-13 (NKJV)

12  So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?

13  You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.

John 14:10-11 (NKJV)

10  Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

11  Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

John 15:5 (NKJV)

5  I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

John 17:16 (NKJV)

16  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

John 18:37 (NKJV)

37  Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

►►What did his enemies say about Jesus?

Matthew 22:16 (NKJV)

16  And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.

Mark 1:24 (NKJV)

24  saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!"

Mark 3:11 (NKJV)

11  And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."

Mark 15:39 (NKJV)

39  So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"

John 7:46 (NKJV)

46  The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"

►►What did his friends and followers say about Jesus?

Mark 8:29 (NKJV)

29  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."

Matthew 14:33 (NKJV)

33  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."

Matthew 16:16 (NKJV)

16  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Mark 1:11 (NKJV)

11  Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Luke 23:39-40 (NKJV)

39  Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."

40  But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

John 1:49 (NKJV)

49  Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

John 3:2 (NKJV)

2  This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

John 4:19 (NKJV)

19  The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

►►John 6:69 (NKJV)

69  Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

John 11:27 (NKJV)

27  She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

Matthew 28:7 (KJV)

7  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

John 9:30-33 (KJV)

30  The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

31  Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

32  Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

33  If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

Acts 2:32-33 (NKJV)

32  This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.

33  Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

►►Acts 10:36-43 (NKJV)

36  The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--

37  that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:

38  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

39  And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.

40  Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,

41  not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

42  And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.

43  To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."

Ephesians 2:13-15 (KJV)

13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

►►What is the practical application of who Jesus is? If Jesus is God, and you believe that, then you will have to make a choice. Are your actions going to follow your professed beliefs?

►►Luke 12:49-51 (KJV)

49  I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

50  But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

51  Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

►►Mark 8:34-35 (KJV)

34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

►►Luke 14:26-27 (KJV)

26  If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

►►John 8:33-36 (NKJV)

34  Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

35  And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.

36  Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

►►Luke 16:16-18 (KJV)

16  The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it.

17  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

18  Whosoever puts away his wife, and marries another, commits adultery: and whosoever marries her that is put away from her husband commits adultery.

►►Matthew 4:17 (KJV)

17  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

►►Matthew 5:15 (KJV)

16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

We could go on. The gentle Jesus, meek and mild, is not exactly that. He is also God. He is also Judge. He is also mediator. We must not forget for Jesus to be merciful, he must also be just. While he forgives sin, he will not grab it from us. We must let it go.

►►Bottom line is this: If you really believe that Jesus is God, then your life will reflect that. People will see the results of that belief, and will be encouraged to know that for themselves.

If you say that you believe that Jesus is divine, that belief will be shown in actions. If you say that you are a follower of Christ, and act like the Devil, then there is some contradiction there.

If you say you are a follower of Christ and do not take his teachings seriously, then maybe there is a problem. If you say that you believe in the Sabbath rest in Christ, and don't follow through with actions, maybe there is a problem. If you say that you follow Jesus and do not show love to others as he taught, then maybe there is a problem.

I close with a quote from Martin Luther.

"If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God, except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point." –Martin Luther

►►Mark 15:12 (NKJV)

12  Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"

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