WHO WAS JESUS ANYWAY??

To say that Jesus had never existed would close the book on the issue ie;  "end of story".   However, there are over 5,000 Greek manuscripts in existence from which the New Testament has been derived and some of those date from within 30 years from when the very original ones were written.

Moreover, Jewish and Roman historians such as Josephus, Tacitus and Seutonius all make reference to Jesus, His works and His followers.  In fact, we know more about the life of Jesus than just about any other figure found in "ancient history".

If we now accept that He existed, we might then want to question whether He did, in fact, do and say those things accredited to Him.  If we take the Gospels as being written about A.D.60, then we can assume that there were enough eyewitnesses around at the time who, because of antagonism or hostility to the Christian movement, would openly contest the content of the Gospels if they thought they were anything other than the truth.  We do not find this to be the case and this argues greatly in favour of the truth of the apostles' testimony.
So who was He?

Who did Jesus say He was?  On a number of occasions, Jesus declared Himself to be the Son of God - out rightly to Peter (Mathew 16v17), and also to the Jewish chief priests just before they handed Him over to Pilate;  "Are you, then, the Son of God?", they asked.  Jesus replied, "You rightly say that I am."  (Luke 22v70) was.  Jesus gave this message for John - "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard:  that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them." (Mathew 11v4/5)
On another occasion, Jesus said, "if I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me."  (John 10v37)

NO ONE HAD EVER DONE SUCH WORKS.

The works (miracles) that Jesus did were not contested.  In fact, they were not contested.   In fact they were responsible for His death.  In the same way that Jesus performed miracles in public, so was the manner of His death.  It  was in no backstreet, but in a public place on a hill , known to all Jerusalem, and organised by the controlling, Roman ruler ship of the day.

So!  What was the point of it all?  To demonstrate unquestionably that He was the Son of God, and to leave sufficient witnesses who would convey the truth of His teachings, including the full significance of His death, to a dying world which God so loved.  His death has opened the way for us to share eternal life with Him and be brought into right relationship with God Almighty.  Jesus repeatedly urged people to believe in the Son of God and be saved.   For you to come into that wonderful salvation, I dearly urge you to pray this prayer right now:
http://www.marchef.org.uk/index.html

LORD JESUS YOU DIED FOR MY SINS AT CALVARY,
CLEANSE ME OF ALL MY SINS BY THE POWER OF YOUR BLOOD, COME INTO MY LIFE
AND HELP ME TO FOLLOW YOU FOR THE REST OF MY DAYS,AND I ASK YOU TO COME INTO MY HEART AND LIFE AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR. IN YOUR PRECIOUS NAME
AMEN.

                                   

M.Simpson www.birminghamgospeloutreach.co.uk BGO PO Box 5681 Birmingham B1 1SD TN23