Series: Tough Questions; Life-Changing Answers. Week 1: Is Jesus Christ Really the Son of God?
On the day after Jesus’ death, it looked as if whatever small mark He left on the world would rapidly disappear. Instead, His impact on human history has been unparalleled. On the day when Alexander the Great or Caesar Augustus or Napoleon or Socrates or Mohammed died, their reputations were immense. When Jesus died, His tiny failed movement appeared clearly at an end. And yet … Jesus’ influence has swept over history.
Jesus is extraordinarily unique. Unfortunately, many people are confused about what makes Jesus special.
- Some people think He is special simply because He was a great teacher.
- Others think He is special because He has lots of followers.
- There are some who think Jesus is unique because He is a miracle worker.
For Jesus to be completely unique, He needs to possess attributes that no one else can rightly claim. For Jesus to stand out, there must be aspects of His life that make Him stand alone.
- Jesus is God. There have been plenty of people down through history who have claimed to be God, but only one person made a compelling argument for His case. He performed miracles—healed people, walked on water, and even raise the dead to life. But further evidence of Jesus’ divinity was His life.
There were Old Testament prophecies that pointed to Jesus as God. Even some of His many enemies became His followers and claimed He was God (Paul). Paul, a former persecutor of Jesus said this: Colossians 1:15-20.
Jesus literally shows what God looks like. In fact, Jesus didn’t just show us what God looks like; He revealed God in His entirety. The God of the universe was please to be known as Jesus.
That’s because Jesus is the only one who is God.
God = Creator. So, if Jesus = God, it must also be true that Jesus = Creator. Jesus, the God who created all things actually took on the form of His creation. Jesus became a man to show mankind who God is and what He is like.
John described it this way: John 1:14. Why did He do it? Why did God choose to take on flesh with all its weaknesses? So He could die.
- Jesus Died to Save Sinners
Jesus died on the cross to forgive people of their sins against God. Quite literally, Jesus was born to die. Colossians 1:19-20.
Jesus’ main objective on Earth was to reconcile sinners with God—that is, to restore the relationship between sinful humans and God. Unfortunately, our sins actually separate us from God. God’s holiness and our sin demands death.
Only the blood of Jesus can lift the curse of sin on us. Jesus’ death was the most significant in history, because He chose to die for sinners.
- Jesus Came Back to Life
After Jesus died the horrifying, He was hastily buried in a tomb. Three days after Jesus was resurrected—He rose from the dead.
To say that the resurrection of Jesus is crucial to the Christian faith is a major understatement. In fact, Paul placed the Resurrection at the very center of our faith: 1 Corinthians 15:17-19. Paul said that if the resurrection of Jesus isn’t true, if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then Christians are the most misguided and disappointed people in the world.
If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, it would make Him a liar, because He actually predicted that He would be killed and raised three days later. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, it would mean that the grave is the end and there is no life after death. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, we would have no hope.
But Jesus did rise from the dead. Paul affirmed this truth in his very next line: 1 Corinthians 15:20-22.
The resurrection of Jesus is the part of Christianity that requires the most faith.
There are lots of reasons for believing that the Resurrection is a historical fact: there were eyewitnesses; the opposition’s version of the story has lots and lots of holes in it; and the disciples’ lives were completely changed by the fact that Jesus overcame the grave. Those men who walked with Jesus and believed in His resurrection lost their lives for talking about it. If they’d thought that the Resurrection was a hoax, surely they would have lost their nerve when confronted with death; no one is willing to die for a lie.
The bottom line is simple: If the Resurrection isn’t true, then Jesus was the biggest joke ever to walk the earth. If the Resurrection isn’t true, then Jesus was a fool, and so is every single one of His followers.
But make no mistake, if the Resurrection is true, then everything Jesus said must be taken seriously. Including what He said will happen in the future.
- Jesus Will Return to Judge the Entire World
If Jesus is who He said He is, then His return is an absolute certainty.
(1) Jesus is going to personally return in the same way He went to heaven the first time.
(2) Jesus will return with “power and great glory”. Of course, there’s a reason why Jesus is coming back with such power and authority.
It’s because (3) Jesus is going to judge every single person who has ever lived.
(4) Jesus is coming back to establish His eternal kingdom. Every King has a kingdom.
Three Life-Changing Realities About Jesus Christ
Reality #1 – Jesus Christ is the Word, the Way, and the Unique Son of God—John 3:16
Reality #2 – Jesus Christ is the Risen Redeemer—the Resurrection, and Life—1 Corinthians 15:3-7
Reality #3 – Jesus Christ is the Almighty Deliverer Who Provides Eternal Victory—1 Corinthians 15:56-58
TRUTH – Jesus Christ is the Author of Hope, the One and Only Risen Savior