Today plenty of people know about Jesus and over a third of the world’s population claim to be His followers. Jesus has been called the most influential person in history. Yet Jesus was a man who was born in great poverty and for most of his life He was largely unknown. He worked as a carpenter. He didn't go to college. He never visited a big city. He never travelled far. He never married or had a family. He never wrote a book or a song. He never led an army or a political party. He was only thirty-three when public opinion turned against Him and His friends deserted Him. He was totally innocent, but was turned over to violent and vicious people and was put to death by the most brutal form of crucifixion. He was not expected to live again. Yet He did and the world has never been the same since.
In this preach we are going to look at the great claim that Jesus is far more than being a very good man or even a great religious leader or prophet. Rather we are going to focus on what makes Jesus different from anyone else and that in fact, Jesus is God in human form.
The message of the gospel is that we sinful humans could not get close to a holy God, so He came to us. God came into our world and lived in a body just like we do. He had a body that needed rest. He had emotions like us. He cared deeply and wept at the grave of a friend. He underwent great human suffering and really died like all humans die. Yet in and through everything He was both fully human and fully divine. The Bible declares that Jesus is God's Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. He is the Son of Man, who was born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life. He kept close to His father in heaven and always sought to do His will. He ministered in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. And when He died, He was also raised to life by the power of God.
Some may respond, ‘well that’s all very for Christians to say that but actually surely Jesus is just one among many great people and that all roads lead to God.’ Well of course all roads don’t lead to the same destination. Some roads lead to dead ends. Other roads may look fine but if you travel far along them you may be headed for disaster.
Others say that all religions are the same but clearly that is also not true. For example, the use of images figures prominently in Hinduism, while Judaism prohibits making any image of God. In Buddhism there is no possibility of forgiveness and hope of supernatural help. But both are promised to Christians.
So we really should all look carefully to find out: what’s so special about Jesus?
1. Jesus claimed to be God (John 10:30; John 14:9; John 5:23; John 8:58; Exodus 3:14-15; Mark 14:61-62; John 1:1; John 1:14; Colossians 2:9-10)
a. Jesus said 'I am the bread of life' (John 6:35)
b. Jesus said 'I am the light of the world' (John 8:12)
c. Jesus said 'I am the resurrection and the life' (John 11:25)
2. Jesus acted with the authority of God
a. He taught with authority (Matthew 7:28-29)
b. He forgave sins (Luke 5:20; Mark 2:5-11)
c. He showed His authority over demons (Luke 4:41; Mark 1:23-27)
d. He showed His authority over sickness (Matthew 15:30-31)
e. He showed His authority over nature (John 6:19; Luke 8:23-25)
f. He rose from the dead (Acts 3:15)
3. Jesus made the way for us to become children of God (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 10:19-22)
Apply
Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Jesus claimed to be God and was consistently clear in declaring who He was (John 10:30, 14:9, 5:23, 8:58). Specifically, Jesus said: 'I am the bread of life (John 6:35); 'I am the light of the world' (John 8.12); and 'I am the resurrection and the life' (John 11:25). Jesus boldly claimed He was the Promised Messiah that countless prophecies had spoken of (Mark 14:61-62). This is why the Jewish leaders ‘were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God’ (John 5:18). Jesus's disciples also came to the same revelation that He was God (John 1:1,14). The apostle Paul understood that when you see Jesus you are seeing God (Colossians 2:9-10). So do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, or do you conclude, as CS Lewis put it, that He was a mad man or a very bad man? You have to choose.
Do you recognise all the ways Jesus acted with the authority of God? It was not only Jesus's amazing teaching, such as the Sermon on the Mount, but also that He taught with total authority (Matt. 7:28-29). Jesus acted with the authority of God because He forgave sins (Luke 5:20; Mark 2:5-11). Jesus showed His authority over demons (Luke 4:41; Mark 1:23-27) and His authority over sickness. The gospels are full of Jesus performing miracles to heal all kinds of sickness (e.g. Matthew 15:30-31). Jesus showed His authority over nature, walking on water and calming storms (John 6:19; Luke 8:23-25). And supremely we see God’s authority in Jesus when He rose from the dead (Acts 3:15).
Have you experienced what it is to become a child of God? Jesus stated clearly that He is the only way to God (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus died to pay the price of our sins because there is nothing that we can do on our own to be right with God. No amount of good works, important as they are, and no amount of religious practice can open the door of heaven for us to know a holy God as our Father and friend. We can only come to God on the basis of being made clean by the pure blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19-22). Today you can pray that you will see who Jesus really is and come to know Him as your personal Saviour, friend and Lord of your life.
