Sunday, July 31, 2005

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE" - 6

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
The Human Testimony

In our study so far we have considered claims made by John about Jesus in his prologue - Jn 1:1-18 Claims made by Jesus concerning Himself throughout the gospel of John in relation to God, in relation to the Messianic hope and in relation to human needs. The nature of these claims prevent Jesus from being simply a great man. He must be what He claimed to be (the Son of God) or He was either a deceiver (liar) or a deranged man (lunatic). We now begin to consider the evidence presented to sustain these claims starting with the human testimony recorded by John. Being careful to properly define and declare the value of such testimony.

First lets define and look at the testimony of human impressions made on the witnesses by their contact with Jesus" - Homer Hailey, That You Might Believe, p. 88. "The testimony of and within itself does not prove any claim made by Jesus" (ibid.). "The evidence is circumstantial and incidental, but it is worthy of a candid and fair consideration" (ibid.)

Second, in evaluating human testimony we need to look at, "The force of human testimony depends upon three things...". "First, the honesty of the witnesses". "Second, their competency". "Third, their number" -- J. W. McGarvey, Evidences Of Christianity, Book II, p. 146 2. McGarvey goes on to explain: "We ascertain whether they are honest, by considering their general character and their motives in the particular case...". "Competency is determined by considering the opportunities of the witness to obtain knowledge of that to which he testifies, and his mental capacity to observe and remember the facts.". "The requisite number varies with the degree of probability attached to the facts." -- (ibid.)

With this brief introduction to the meaning and value of human testimony, let's now take a look at the human testimony offered by John and the friends of Jesus. John the Baptist - Jn 1:29-34 "The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said: Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I told you about when I said, "Someone else will come. He is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born." I didn't know who he was. But I came to baptize you with water, so that everyone in Israel would see him. I was there and saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven. And the Spirit stayed on him. Before this I didn't know who he was. But the one who sent me to baptize with water had told me, "You will see the Spirit come down and stay on someone. Then you will know that he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit." I saw this happen, and I tell you that he is the Son of God.". As a cousin of Jesus he had been told how to identify the Messiah. He declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God, the Son of God. The early disciples - Jn 1:40-49 "One of the two men who had heard John and had gone with Jesus was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother and tell him, "We have found the Messiah!" The Hebrew word "Messiah" means the same as the Greek word "Christ." Andrew brought his brother to Jesus. And when Jesus saw him, he said, "Simon son of John, you will be called Cephas." This name oftlinecan be translated as "Peter." The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. There he met Philip, who was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. Jesus said to Philip, "Come with me." Philip then found Nathanael and said, "We have found the one that Moses and the Prophets wrote about. He is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael asked, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip answered, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said, "Here is a true descendant of our ancestor Israel. And he isn't deceitful." "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael said, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God and the King of Israel!"". Andrew declared Him to be the Messiah. Philip said He was the One of whom Moses and the prophets wrote. Nathanael confessed him to be the Son of God, King of Israel. Peter - Jn 6:67-69 "Jesus then asked his twelve disciples if they were going to leave him. Simon Peter answered, "Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life. We have faith in you, and we are sure that you are God's Holy One."". Peter believed Jesus to have the words of eternal life and declared Jesus as the Holy One of God. Martha - Jn 11:27 ""Yes, Lord!" she replied. "I believe that you are Christ, the Son of God. You are the one we hoped would come into the world.". She believed Jesus to be the Christ and believed Jesus to be the Son of God. The disciples at the last supper - Jn 16:30 "At last we know that you understand everything, and we don't have any more questions. Now we believe that you truly have come from God."". They believed that He knew all things and believed that He came from God. Thomas - Jn 20:24-28 "Although Thomas the Twin was one of the twelve disciples, he wasn't with the others when Jesus appeared to them. So they told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But Thomas said, "First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. I won't believe unless I do this!" A week later the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. Jesus came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted his disciples and said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!" Thomas replied, "You are my Lord and my God!"" . Skeptical of the other apostles' testimony Thomas was convinced by empirical evidence that Jesus was Lord and God.Such testimony did not come without a price; one must wonder what their motive was to lie (if such was the case)

Now let’s look at some of the testimony offered by the masses. Nicodemus - Jn 3:1-2 "There was a man named Nicodemus who was a Pharisee and a Jewish leader. One night he went to Jesus and said, "Sir, we know that God has sent you to teach us. You could not work these miracles, unless God were with you."". Nicodemus was an official of the Sanhedrin council - cf. Jn 7:50-51 "Nicodemus was there at the time. He was a member of the council, and was the same one who had earlier come to see Jesus. He said, "Our Law doesn't let us condemn people before we hear what they have to say. We cannot judge them before we know what they have done."". He confessed Jesus to be a teacher from God. The Samaritans - Jn 4:19 "The woman said, "Sir, I can see that you are a prophet." , 42 "They told the woman, "We no longer have faith in Jesus just because of what you told us. We have heard him ourselves, and we are certain that he is the Savior of the world!"" . The woman at the well confessed Him to be a prophet. The villagers were convinced that He was the Christ, the savior of the world. n The multitude (offering a divided opinion). "He is a good man" vs. "He leads the multitude away" - Jn 7:12 "The crowds even got into an argument about him. Some were saying, "Jesus is a good man," while others were saying, "He is lying to everyone."". "The Prophet" or "the Christ" vs. doubt concerning Him - Jn 7:40-43 "When the crowd heard Jesus say this, some of them said, "He must be the Prophet!" Others said, "He is the Messiah!" Others even said, "Can the Messiah come from Galilee? The Scriptures say that the Messiah will come from the family of King David. Doesn't this mean that he will be born in David's hometown of Bethlehem?" The people started taking sides against each other because of Jesus.". "The King of Israel" vs. "Crucify Him!" - cf. Jn 12:12-13 "The next day a large crowd was in Jerusalem for Passover. When they heard that Jesus was coming for the festival, they took palm branches and went out to greet him. They shouted, "Hooray! God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the King of Israel!""; 19:15 ""Kill him! Kill him!" they yelled. "Nail him to a cross!" "So you want me to nail your king to a cross?" Pilate asked. The chief priests replied, "The Emperor is our king!"". The Jews (also divided) - Jn 10:19-21 "The people took sides because of what Jesus had told them. Many of them said, "He has a demon in him! He is crazy! Why listen to him?" But others said, "How could anyone with a demon in him say these things? No one like that could give sight to a blind person!"". "He has a demon and is mad!". "Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?". The man born blind - Jn 9:17 "they asked the man, "What do you say about this one who healed your eyes?" "He is a prophet!" the man told them." , 25 "The man replied, "I don't know if he is a sinner or not. All I know is that I used to be blind, but now I can see!"". "He is a prophet". "One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." Pilate - Jn 18:38 "Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" Pilate went back out and said, "I don't find this man guilty of anything!"; 19:4 "Once again Pilate went out. This time he said, "I will have Jesus brought out to you again. Then you can see for yourselves that I have not found him guilty."", 6 "When the chief priests and the temple police saw him, they yelled, "Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!" Pilate told them, "You take him and nail him to a cross! I don't find him guilty of anything."". The Roman governor who interrogated Jesus stated three times: "I find no fault in Him." The testimony of these human witnesses varies, but is seems that the closer one got to Jesus, the more convinced they became that He was who He claimed to be.

Finally let’s look at the testimony of His enemies. The officers, sent to arrest Him - Jn 7:45-46 "When the temple police returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, they were asked, "Why didn't you bring Jesus here?" They answered, "No one has ever spoken like that man!"". Sent by the chief priests and Pharisees to arrest Jesus they were so moved by Jesus, they could not arrest Him ("No man ever spoke like this Man!"). The Pharisees - Jn 11:47-48 "Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, "What should we do? This man is working a lot of miracles. If we don't stop him now, everyone will put their faith in him. Then the Romans will come and destroy our temple and our nation."". They acknowledged that Jesus worked many signs and was aware of His great influence. They may have tried to deny who He claimed to be, but they did not try to deny what He did.

I will close our lesson with some thoughts concerning the human testimony recorded by John. For one seeking to produce faith in Jesus, John demonstrates remarkable objectivity. He does not gloss over the fact that many did not believe in Jesus. He presents a fair representation of the human testimony concerning Jesus. Some believed in Jesus, others did not; but note carefully, those who knew Him best, believed in Him. Those who were ignorant of the facts, were quick to deny Him. Even His enemies could not deny the force of His teachings and the power of His miracles. They could only try to attribute His power to the devil. As a last resort, they felt they had to kill Him. What about us today? What will we do with Jesus? Will we make the effort to learn more about Him? Will we be like many who were quick to draw conclusions before they had all the facts? Jesus made a powerful impression upon those who saw and heard Him. Those who knew Him best were even more impressed. Hopefully, their testimony will encourage us to consider what further testimony John presents in His gospel about Jesus, the Son of God.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

That You May Believe - 5

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
Jesus' Claims In Relation To Human Needs

We have considered claims made by Jesus in relation to God,and in relation to the Messianic hope. These claims indeed, are great and awesome claims! Jesus made claims that were not only great, but relate to basic personal needs common to all. In this study we shall consider these claims to human needs and the claims Jesus made in relation to them.

One basic need of man is to have fellowship with God. Concerning this need many may deny they have this need. Yet a simple look at the history of mankind reveals otherwise. Every civilization bears record of man's search for God. While concepts of God may vary, man is united in the need to know God. Paul explained that this "need" is innate with man. Ac 17: 24-28 "This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands. He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be. God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. "We are his children," just as some of your poets have said.". God created man with an inner desire to seek the Lord. Though often suppressed, this desire prompts one to "grope for Him". Those who deny this need go through life never finding full satisfaction. Like Solomon in his search for meaning, they explore material things (riches, fame, drugs, sex, etc.). If permitted enough time to exhaust their search, like Solomon they often conclude as did he: "All is vanity and grasping for wind" Ecc 1:12-14 "I said these things when I lived in Jerusalem as king of Israel. With all my wisdom I tried to understand everything that happens here on earth. And God has made this so hard for us humans to do. I have seen it all, and everything is just as senseless as chasing the wind." It is only when we come to have fellowship with God that life can be complete. Material things alone do not satisfy this longing. Solomon concluded that man's purpose is to fear God and keep His commandments - Ecc 12:13-14 "Everything you were taught can be put into a few words: Respect and obey God! This is what life is all about. God will judge everything we do, even what is done in secret, whether good or bad.". Jesus said that "man does not live by bread alone" - Mt 4:4 "Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: 'No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.' ""

Jesus claims to fulfill this need as being the complete revelation of God - Jn 14:7-9 "If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him." Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need." Jesus replied: Philip, I have been with you for a long time. Don't you know who I am? If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. How can you ask me to show you the Father?" . Jesus claims to fulfill this need by providing only avenue for fellowship with Him - Jn 14:6 ""I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father."

Closely aligned with this need to know God and have fellowship with Him is the need for salvation from sin. Concerning this need, again, many may deny this need. But the sins of mankind are obvious - cf. 2 Ti 3:1-4 "You can be certain that in the last days there will be some very hard times. People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud, stuck-up, rude, and disobedient to their parents. They will also be ungrateful, godless, heartless, and hateful. Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity. These people will hate everything that is good. They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure.". The problem lies within man himself/herself - Mk 7:21-23 "Out of your heart come evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, pride, and foolishness. All of these come from your heart, and they are what make you unfit to worship God." . Thus man cannot save himself. He is therefore in need of salvation from the consequences of sin, the guilt of sin, and the power of sin. Fulfilling this need directly affects our being able to satisfy the need to have fellowship with God - Isa 59:1-2 "The LORD hasn't lost his powerful strength; he can still hear and answer prayers. Your sins are the roadblock between you and your God. That's why he doesn't answer your prayers or let you see his face.". Our sins separate us from God. Our sins prevent us from being heard by God. Jesus claims to provide the solution. He offers to set one free from sin - Jn 8:30-36 "After Jesus said this, many of the people put their faith in him. Jesus told the people who had faith in him, "If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered, "We are Abraham's children! We have never been anyone's slaves. How can you say we will be set free?" Jesus replied: I tell you for certain that anyone who sins is a slave of sin! And slaves don't stay in the family forever, though the Son will always remain in the family. If the Son gives you freedom, you are free!". Free from the guilt of sin. Free from the slavery of sin. This He does in two ways. Through His death on the cross, which deals with the guilt of sin - Jn 3:14-18 "And the Son of Man must be lifted up, just as that metal snake was lifted up by Moses in the desert. Then everyone who has faith in the Son of Man will have eternal life. God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them! No one who has faith in God's Son will be condemned. But everyone who doesn't have faith in him has already been condemned for not having faith in God's only Son." . Through the sending of the Spirit, which addresses the power of sin - Jn 7:37-39 "On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, "If you are thirsty, come to me and drink! Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say." Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit, who would be given to everyone that had faith in him. The Spirit had not yet been given to anyone, since Jesus had not yet been given his full glory."; also in Ro 8:11-13 "Yet God raised Jesus to life! God's Spirit now lives in you, and he will raise you to life by his Spirit. My dear friends, we must not live to satisfy our desires. If you do, you will die. But you will live, if by the help of God's Spirit you say "No" to your desires."

In addition to claiming to provide the way to fellowship with God and salvation from sin, we see that Jesus also claims to fulfill the need for guidance in life. Concerning this need that man has such a need is clearly taught in the Scriptures. It is not in man to direct his steps - Jer 10:23 "O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." (ASV). What seems right to man can lead to death - Pro 16:25 "Sometimes what seems right is really a road to death.". Evidence is seen in societies which forget God. Moral chaos is often the result - e.g., Ro 1:28-32 "Since these people refused even to think about God, he let their useless minds rule over them. That's why they do all sorts of indecent things. They are evil, wicked, and greedy, as well as mean in every possible way. They want what others have, and they murder, argue, cheat, and are hard to get along with. They gossip, say cruel things about others, and hate God. They are proud, conceited, and boastful, always thinking up new ways to do evil. These people don't respect their parents. They are stupid, unreliable, and don't have any love or pity for others. They know God has said that anyone who acts this way deserves to die. But they keep on doing evil things, and they even encourage others to do them.". Where chaos in societies (and individual lives) does not exist, it is only because such are guided by God-given principles of justice and righteousness, established previously when people did seek God for guidance. Jesus claims to provide this guidance. He offers Himself as "the light of the world" - Jn 8:12 "Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, "I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won't be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life."". He offers Himself as "the good Shepherd" - Jn 10:11 "I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep.". He claims to be "the king" - Jn 18:37 ""So you are a king," Pilate replied. "You are saying that I am a king," Jesus told him. "I was born into this world to tell about the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth knows my voice."" As our king, shepherd, and light, Jesus claims to guide us safely through a dark and difficult world.

He also claims to fulfill the need for spiritual sustenance. Concerning this need man is both a physical and spiritual being. We have seen that a purely materialistic world does not truly satisfy. The spiritual side of man must also be fulfilled. Jesus claims to provide siritual sustenance. He offers "the water of life" - Jn 4:13-14 "Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again. But no one who drinks the water I give will ever be thirsty again. The water I give is like a flowing fountain that gives eternal life."". He claims to be "the bread of life" - Jn 6:35 "Jesus replied: I am the bread that gives life! No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who has faith in me will ever be thirsty." He offers "fullness of joy" - Jn 15:11 "I have told you this to make you as completely happy as I am" . He offers "peace". A peace the world cannot give - Jn 14:27 "I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn't like the peace that this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid.". A peace that overcomes tribulation - Jn 16:33 "I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world.". He offers "abundant life" - Jn 10:10 "A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest."

Finally, we note how Jesus claimed to fulfill The need for immortality. Concerning this need history records mankind's search and longing for immortality (e.g., the pyramids). Today, we express this need through our desire to prolong life along with our fear of death and dying. Jesus claims to offer immortality by claiming to one day raise the dead - Jn 5:26-29 "The Father has the power to give life, and he has given that same power to the Son. And he has given his Son the right to judge everyone, because he is the Son of Man. Don't be surprised! The time will come when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Man, and they will come out of their graves. Everyone who has done good things will rise to life, but everyone who has done evil things will rise and be condemned.". By claiming to be "the resurrection and the life" - Jn 11:25-26 "Jesus then said, "I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die. And everyone who lives because of faith in me will never really die. Do you believe this?""

We have now considered the claims of Jesus in relation to deity, in relation to the Messianic hope snd in relation to human needs. Whoever would make claims like these cannot be "just" a good man. He is either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord! Which do you think Jesus is? Our next three lessons shall review the evidence John presents in his gospel designed to produce faith in Jesus as Lord.

Sunday, July 17, 2005

That You May Believe - 4

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
Jesus' Claims In Relation To The Messianic Hope

Who was Jesus? What did He claim to be? In our previous study, we noticed how Jesus claimed that He came from God, that He alone has seen God, that He knows God, that He reveals God, and that He is equal to God. These claims all pertain to His relation to God. Jesus also made claims in relation to the Messianic hope. A hope cherished by many Jews at that time. A hope Jesus claimed to have fulfilled - cf. Jn 4:25-26 "The woman said, "I know that the Messiah will come. He is the one we call Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." "I am that one," Jesus told her, "and I am speaking to you now."". In this lesson our purpose is to look closer at the Old Testament concept of the Messiah and notice how Jesus claimed to the fulfillment of the Messianic hope.

In the Old Testament we find promises concerning the coming of a Messiah. Let's consider the Old Testament concept of the Messiah. The term "Messiah" defined in the Hebrew language, means "anointed one" The Greek counterpart to "Messiah" is "Christ. In the Old Testament, it is used as an adjective in regards to the priests ("the anointed priest") who were anointed with oil when consecrated - cf. Lev 4:3; 8:12. A noun in regards to kings ("the LORD's anointed") who likewise were anointed with oil - cf. 1 Sam 24:6; 2 Sam 2:4

The Messianic concept development began with Moses. He said God would raise up a prophet - cf. Deu 18:15,17-19. In Jesus' day, people were anticipating a prophet - cf. Jn 1:19-21 "The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and temple helpers to ask John who he was. He told them plainly, "I am not the Messiah." Then when they asked him if he were Elijah, he said, "No, I am not!" And when they asked if he were the Prophet, he also said "No!". The Messianic concept continued with David who spoke of "the anointed one" as God and an everlasting king - Psa 45:6-7 "You are God, and you will rule forever as king. Your royal power brings about justice. You love justice and hate evil. And so, your God chose you and made you happier than any of your friends.". He spoke of One who would be both king and priest - Psa 110:1-4 "The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at my right side, until I make your enemies into a footstool for you." The LORD will let your power reach out from Zion, and you will rule over your enemies. Your glorious power will be seen on the day you begin to rule. You will wear the sacred robes and shine like the morning sun in all of your strength. The LORD has made a promise that will never be broken: "You will be a priest forever, just like Melchizedek."" . It was expounded upon by the prophets. Isaiah spoke of One who would be Mighty God, and a king forever - Isa 9:6-7 "A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace. His power will never end; peace will last forever. He will rule David's kingdom and make it grow strong. He will always rule with honesty and justice. The LORD All-Powerful will make certain that all of this is done.". Micah wrote of One who would be a preexistent king and shepherd - Mic 5:2-4 "Bethlehem Ephrath, you are one of the smallest towns in the nation of Judah. But the LORD will choose one of your people to rule the nation-- someone whose family goes back to ancient times. The LORD will abandon Israel only until this ruler is born, and the rest of his family returns to Israel. Like a shepherd taking care of his sheep, this ruler will lead and care for his people by the power and glorious name of the LORD his God. His people will live securely, and the whole earth will know his true greatness,". Jeremiah foretold of One who would be a king and savior - Jer 23:5-6 "Someday I will appoint an honest king from the family of David, a king who will be wise and rule with justice. As long as he is king, Israel will have peace, and Judah will be safe. The name of this king will be "The LORD Gives Justice."". Zechariah told of One who be a priest on His throne - Zec 6:12 "Tell him that I, the LORD All-Powerful, say, "Someone will reach out from here like a branch and build a temple for me. I will name him 'Branch,' and he will rule with royal honors. A priest will stand beside his throne, and the two of them will be good friends." With great expectation, the people of Jesus' day were looking for the coming of this "Messiah" (cf. Jn 4:25). As revealed in Jn 4:26, Jesus did not hesitate to claim to be the Messiah.

Jesus claimed to be a "Prophet", a spokesman for the Father - Jn 8:26 "There is a lot more I could say to condemn you. But the one who sent me is truthful, and I tell the people of this world only what I have heard from him."", 28 "Jesus went on to say, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know who I am. You will also know that I don't do anything on my own. I say only what my Father taught me." . One who speaks only the things of the Father - Jn 12:49-50 "I don't speak on my own. I say only what the Father who sent me has told me to say. I know that his commands will bring eternal life. That is why I tell you exactly what the Father has told me." Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by Moses He claimed to "God"as examined in our previous lesson. For example, recall Jn 5:18 "Now the leaders wanted to kill Jesus for two reasons. First, he had broken the law of the Sabbath. But even worse, he had said that God was his Father, which made him equal with God."; 10:33 "They answered, "We are not stoning you because of any good thing you did. We are stoning you because you did a terrible thing. You are just a man, and here you are claiming to be God!"". Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by David and Isaiah He claimed to be "King". When questioned by Pilate - Jn 18:37 ""So you are a king," Pilate replied. "You are saying that I am a king," Jesus told him. "I was born into this world to tell about the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth knows my voice."" . Whose kingdom was not of this world - Jn 18:36 "Jesus answered, "My kingdom doesn't belong to this world. If it did, my followers would have fought to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. No, my kingdom doesn't belong to this world."" Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by David, Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah He claimed to be the "shepherd". The good shepherd who gives His life for His sheep - Jn 10:11 "I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep." . The good shepherd who knows His sheep - Jn 10:14 "I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me." . Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by Micah He claimed to be the "Savior" in one of His last public speeches - Jn 12:44-47 "In a loud voice Jesus said: Everyone who has faith in me also has faith in the one who sent me. And everyone who has seen me has seen the one who sent me. I am the light that has come into the world. No one who has faith in me will stay in the dark. I am not the one who will judge those who refuse to obey my teachings. I came to save the people of this world, not to be their judge." Also recorded in the other gospels - Mt 18:11; Lk 9:56; 19:10 Fulfilling the anticipation sparked by Jeremiah He claimed to function as a "priest" in saying that one must go through Him to go to the Father - Jn 14:6 ""I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father." Also later taught by His disciples - cf. He 4:14-16

In this way Jesus claimed to fulfill the Messianic expectations. Later we shall consider the evidence John presents to sustain such claims. They were claims that certainly prompted the people to wonder - cf. Jn 7:26. But a closing thought for those of us who profess Jesus to be the Messiah: Do we demonstrate by our lives that we really believe Jesus is our Messiah? As our Prophet...to whom we are to listen as God's spokesman and obey? As our God...to whom we are to humbly submit and reverently worship? As our King...to whom we grant absolute authority and rule in our lives? As our Shepherd...in whom we place our complete trust and find our greatest source of comfort? As our Savior...in whom we depend for the salvation of our souls? As our Priest...through whom we approach our Heavenly Father in prayer? Unless we allow Jesus to be all these things in our lives, can we really say that we believe Him to be the Christ, the Messiah, God's anointed one?

Sunday, July 10, 2005

That You May Believe - 3

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
Jesus' Claims In Relation To God

In John's prologue (Jn 1:1-18), we noted the claims he made regarding Jesus; that in relation to Deity, Jesus is the essence of God. In relation to the physical world, Jesus is the creator. In relation to the moral world, Jesus is the life and the light. To darkness, Jesus is the challenger and the victor. In relation to Humanity, Jesus is the creator and the benefactor. In relation to the Father, Jesus is the revelation of the Father. In relation to Grace and truth, Jesus is the fulness. At this point in our study, we begin a closer look at claims made by Jesus Himself. In particular, His claims regarding His relationship to God which should help us appreciate John's claim: "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." - Jn 1:18

First we note that on at least two occasions Jesus claimed He came from God.. After feeding the five thousand He claimed to be "the bread of life" sent from the Father - Jn 6:32-35 "Jesus then told them, "I tell you for certain that Moses wasn't the one who gave you bread from heaven. My Father is the one who gives you the true bread from heaven. And the bread that God gives is the one who came down from heaven to give life to the world." The people said, "Lord, give us this bread and don't ever stop!" Jesus replied: I am the bread that gives life! No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who has faith in me will ever be thirsty." His claim is stated more clearly in - Jn 6:38 "I didn't come from heaven to do what I want! I came to do what the Father wants me to do. He sent me," In connection with this claim those who heard Him had problems with this claim - Jn 6:41-42 "The people started grumbling because Jesus had said he was the bread that had come down from heaven. They were asking each other, "Isn't he Jesus, the son of Joseph? Don't we know his father and mother? How can he say that he has come down from heaven?"' He said people must accept Him as "the bread sent from heaven" - Jn 6:57-58 "The living Father sent me, and I have life because of him. Now everyone who eats my flesh will live because of me. The bread that comes down from heaven isn't like what your ancestors ate. They died, but whoever eats this bread will live forever." Many found this hard to accept - cf. Jn 6:60 "Many of Jesus' disciples heard him and said, "This is too hard for anyone to understand."", 66 "Because of what Jesus said, many of his disciples turned their backs on him and stopped following him." In the temple, at the Feast of Tabernacles again He claims to have come from God - Jn 7:28-29 "As Jesus was teaching in the temple, he shouted, "Do you really think you know me and where I came from? I didn't come on my own! The one who sent me is truthful, and you don't know him. But I know the one who sent me, because I came from him."' Some to try to seize Him - Jn 7:30-32 "Some of the people wanted to arrest Jesus right then. But no one even laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. A lot of people in the crowd put their faith in him and said, "When the Messiah comes, he surely won't perform more miracles than this man has done!" When the Pharisees heard the crowd arguing about Jesus, they got together with the chief priests and sent some temple police to arrest him." Yet He continued to speak this way of Himself - Jn 8:23 "Jesus answered, "You are from below, but I am from above. You belong to this world, but I don't.", 42 "Jesus answered: If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and only from him. He sent me. I did not come on my own." If such a claim was difficult for some to accept then, imagine their difficulty as Jesus made another claim in relation to God.

He alone has seen the Father - cf. Jn 6:46 The same claim stated by John in Jn 1:18. What about references to those who saw God? For example, when the Lord appeared to,. Abraham - Gen 17:1, Isaac and Jacob - cf. Exo 6:3, Moses - cf. Num 12:8; Deu 34:10. Such "visions" of God explained the same Scriptures declared that one could not see God and live - cf. Exo 33:17-23. What they saw were representations of God. For example the Angel of His presence (whom some think was Jesus in pre-incarnate form) - cf. Exo 13:21; 14:19 2) The burning bush, the pillar of fire, cloud of smoke, bright glory, etc. Jesus' claim to have seen God is very unique, that He alone has seen God as He truly is! Closely connected to this claim is another one.

Jesus claimed that "He knows God" The Greek words for "know" are ginosko - "knowing which is the result of discernment and which may be enlarged" oida - "implies absolute knowledge: the knowledge of intuition and of satisfied conviction". Jesus used both to describe His knowledge of God. "I know (ginosko) the Father" - Jn 10:14-15 "I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep." Knowledge which comes through experience by which we also can know the Father "I know (oida) Him" - Jn 7:29 "But I know the one who sent me, because I came from him." This is absolute knowledge which comes from having been with the Father, and having seen Him. This knowledge of God only Jesus can rightly claim to possess - cf. Jn 8:55 "even though you don't really know him. If I said I didn't know him, I would be a liar, just like all of you. But I know him, and I do what he says."

Having claimed to come from God, that He alone has seen God and truly knows God, we should not be surprised to note Jesus also claimed that reveals God in that He offers a complete revelation of God. As Jesus claimed on at least two separate occasions to the Pharisees in - Jn 12:44-45 "In a loud voice Jesus said: Everyone who has faith in me also has faith in the one who sent me. And everyone who has seen me has seen the one who sent me." And to His disciples in - Jn 14:7-10 "If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him." Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need." Jesus replied: Philip, I have been with you for a long time. Don't you know who I am? If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. How can you ask me to show you the Father? Don't you believe that I am one with the Father and that the Father is one with me? What I say isn't said on my own. The Father who lives in me does these things." The implication of this claim means to reject Jesus is to reject the only full revelation of God made known to man! Thus to reject Jesus is to reject God! - cf. Jn 15:23 "Everyone who hates me also hates my Father."
Finally, we note the claim that caused great irritation among the Jews that He is equal to God. This claim irritated His Jewish brethren so much they tried to kill Him - e.g., Jn 5:16-18 "They started making a lot of trouble for Jesus because he did things like this on the Sabbath. But Jesus said, "My Father has never stopped working, and that is why I keep on working." Now the leaders wanted to kill Jesus for two reasons. First, he had broken the law of the Sabbath. But even worse, he had said that God was his Father, which made him equal with God." They viewed it as blasphemy - cf. Jn 10:30-33 "and I am one with the Father. Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones in order to kill Jesus. But he said, "I have shown you many good things that my Father sent me to do. Which one are you going to stone me for?" They answered, "We are not stoning you because of any good thing you did. We are stoning you because you did a terrible thing. You are just a man, and here you are claiming to be God!"' Jesus even took upon Himself God’s special name, the Name revealed to Moses at the burning bush - cf. Exo 3: 13-14 "Moses answered, "I will tell the people of Israel that the God their ancestors worshiped has sent me to them. But what should I say, if they ask me your name?" God said to Moses: I am the eternal God. So tell them that the LORD, whose name is "I Am," has sent you. This is my name forever, and it is the name that people must use from now on." Calling Himself the "I AM" - cf. Jn 8:56-59 "Your father Abraham was really glad to see me." "You are not even fifty years old!" they said. "How could you have seen Abraham?" Jesus answered, "I tell you for certain that even before Abraham was, I was, and I am." The people picked up stones to kill Jesus, but he hid and left the temple." Teaching others that it was necessary to believe in Him as such - Jn 8:24 "That is why I said you will die with your sins unforgiven. If you don't have faith in me for who I am, you will die, and your sins will not be forgiven."

In relation to God, Jesus therefore claimed He came from God, that He alone has seen God, that He knows God. He reveals God and He is equal to God. Certainly these are claims difficult to accept from someone who was simply "a great man." Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or everything He claimed to be in the fullest revelation of God made known to man, and the only way to God - cf. Jn 14:6 ""I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father." Before we consider the evidence John presents in his gospel to substantiate such claims, we want to look at even more claims made by Jesus in our next study...

Sunday, July 03, 2005

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE" - 2

"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
Introduction And Prologue

In our last lesson John describes Jesus’ relation to the physical world, John (and others) proclaim Jesus to be "the Creator". What an amazing claim! We left off with Jesus being present at the creation and John’s amazing claim. But the claims regarding Jesus continue.

In the relation of Jesus to the moral world Jesus is the giver of life. "in Him was life". In the moral or spiritual realm, Jesus came to offer life - cf. Jn 10:10 "A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest." Jesus is the source of light, "and the life was the light of men". As the giver of life, He is the source of "light" to men in a morally dark world - cf. Jn 8:12 "Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, "I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won't be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life." In relation to the moral world, then, John proclaims Jesus to be "the life and the light". The impact of Jesus on the moral world is described even further.

In relation to Jesus to darkness, Jesus challenges moral darkness, "the light shines in the darkness". As true spiritual light, Jesus came to challenge the moral darkness in this world. Jesus was victorious over darkness, "the darkness did not comprehend it". That is, the darkness could not overpower the light. By believing in Jesus, those in darkness were able to escape - cf. Jn 12:46 "I am the light that has come into the world. No one who has faith in me will stay in the dark." Thus Jesus is the "true Light" who gives light to all - Jn 1:9 "The true light that shines on everyone was coming into the world." So in relation to darkness, John makes the claim that Jesus is "the challenger and victor".

Next, he describes the relationship of Jesus to humanity(10-13) Jesus was the creator, "world was made through Him". Here the "world" refers to humankind. Jesus was the benefactor. Who was "in the world...the world did not know Him". "He came to His own" - that is, to His own nation, people (Israel). "His own did not receive Him" - rejected by His nation, even members of His own family were skeptical (until after the resurrection) - cf. Jn 7:5; Mk 3:21; Ac 1:14. "But as many as received Him". I.e., "to those who believe in His name". "To them He gave the right to become children of God". They were blessed to be "born...of God" - cf. Jn 3:5-7 "Jesus answered: I tell you for certain that before you can get into God's kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit. Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God. Don't be surprised when I say that you must be born from above." Therefore in relation to humanity, Jesus is presented as "the creator and benefactor".

John then reveals the relation of Jesus to the father, Jesus became flesh. As the Word, Jesus "became flesh". He "dwelt among us". John and others "beheld His glory". He was "the only begotten of the Father". Jesus alone has seen and can reveal the Father. No one has seen God at any time - cf. Exo 33:20; Jn 6:46; 1 Jn 4:12. But "He has declared Him" - cf. Jn 14:9; Mt 11:27. In relation to the Father, Jesus is the ultimate "revelation" one can have of God in this life!
Finally, John makes mention of the relation of Jesus to grace and truth (14,16-17). Jesus was its fullness, "full of grace and truth" . Because His "glory as of the only begotten of the Father". Jesus gave its fullness, "of His fulness we have all received, and grace for grace". "Pleroma" (fullness) - "that which is completed, i.e., the complement, the full tale, the entire number or quantity, the plentitude, the perfection" - Lightfoot. In Jesus, then, is the fullness of God's grace and truth for mankind - cf. Jn 14:6 ""I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father."; Co 1:19-22 "God himself was pleased to live fully in his Son. And God was pleased for him to make peace by sacrificing his blood on the cross, so that all beings in heaven and on earth would be brought back to God. You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent."

Such are the claims made by John in the prologue of his gospel. In relation to deity, Jesus is the essence of God. In relation to the physical world, Jesus is the creator. In relation to the moral world, Jesus is the life and light. In relation to darkness, Jesus is challenger and victor. In relation to humanity, Jesus is creator and benefactor. In relation to the Father, Jesus is revelation. In relation to grace and truth, Jesus is fulness. In our next three lessons, we shall consider the claims made by Jesus Himself, involving His relation to God. His relation to the Messianic hope. His relation to human needs. Then, in three lessons we shall consider the evidence presented by John in his gospel intended to support these claims. Finally, a lesson to note why many did not believe in Jesus even when He lived among them In view of the magnitude of these claims, do we dare ignore them? If they are true, then we must believe on Him if we are to truly find eternal life...!

God Bless,
Jim Newsted
Shamrock, Tx
The town that turns green for a week every year

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Even though you can't see the air, It doesn't stop you from breathing
Even though you can't see God, It doesn't stop you from believing
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