Who is He?

"Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary." ~ John Lennon

"Many people entertain the idea that Christianity, like almost any other religion, is basically a system of beliefs-you know, a set of doctrines or a code of behavior, a philosophy, an ideology. But that's a myth. Christianity is not at all like Buddhism or Islam or Confucianism. The founders of those religions said (in effect), 'Here is what I teach. Believe my teachings. Follow my philosophy.' Jesus said, 'Follow me'(Matthew 9:9). Leaders of the world's religions said, 'What do you think about what I teach?' Jesus said, 'Who do you say I am?'(Luke 9:20)” ~ Josh McDowell

One of the common misconceptions is that Jesus Christ was/is just a good moral teacher. The view is often held that He never claimed deity or that His words are simply pleasant suggestions and quaint ideas. Yet three of the gospels in the New Testament record where God Himself called Jesus His "beloved Son". On these occasions God stated that He was "well pleased" with His Son, and also told those with Him to "hear him" or listen up, (Luke 9:35 and Mark 9:7).

John Lennon stated that the disciples of Jesus were thick and ordinary, and at times the Bible bears this out. While they may have exhibited this trait Peter acknowledged in Matthew 16:13-17 who Jesus was and is; "Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." This knowledge and the resurrection of Jesus Christ caused Peter and his fellow disciples to literally change the world, and Christianity shows no signs of vanishing from the scene.

What did Jesus say about Himself? In John 12:44-50 He states; "And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

Whether you are religious or not you likely know or have heard John 3:16, but have you ever read the verses that follow? "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, to have the same authority of God and God claimed Him as His one and only Son.

Author, speaker and Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias penned these words about Jesus. This was first published on his blog "A Slice of Infinity" on May 15,2000

"One of the recurring elements in the Bible, especially in encounters involving Jesus, is the element of surprise. That surprise is not only contained in what Jesus said, but more often it is to whom He said the words that brings the surprise.

Consider Jesus' claim in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." These words of Jesus certainly establish what we would call exclusivity. Jesus is saying here, "I am the only way to God. There is no other religious practice or guru or prophet that can lead you to God." Now no doubt, such a claim provokes a strong response and perhaps you yourself find it difficult to believe. But friend, let us be honest here: Every major religion in the world claims exclusivity and has a point of exclusion. And truth by definition is exclusive. Everything cannot be true. If everything is true, then nothing is false.

But back to this element of surprise. Yes, Jesus did say that no one could come to God except through him alone. But have you ever noticed to whom Jesus said these words? He said them to Thomas, the apostle whose name, even after two millennia, is synonymous with doubt. Thomas was the last to believe in the resurrection of Jesus because he did not want to trust such a magnificent claim secondhand. He needed to see and feel before he would bend his knee to the Christ he knew had been crucified. Ironically, Thomas went on to preach the gospel in India, my homeland, a land of over 330 million deities and innumerable "ways to God." Ultimately he gave his life for the exclusive claims of Christ.

Another example of the Gospel's apparent irony is found in Jesus' question to his disciple Peter, "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus patiently waited for Peter's response—"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"—knowing later that three times Peter would eventually deny knowing Jesus. Yet, Peter recovered from that painful moment and spent the rest of his life striving for the gospel and in the end, he himself was crucified upside down.

What surprises us in these instances is Jesus' ability to understand our weaknesses and to touch our hearts and minds where each of us needs it most. You see, He knew of Thomas' doubt before it was spoken. He knew of Peter's denial before the act. And He knows you and me and can still surprise us today wherever we are and meet us in our weakness."


Today's Slice: Ironic Surprise by Ravi Zacharias

The Gospel of John has a primary focus; to firmly establish the deity of Jesus Christ and His divine Sonship. Verse after verse unequivocally point to His authority and exclusivity. Read it for yourself and determine just who is this Jesus.

"Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” ~ John 14:5-7