Who Is Jesus Christ?

What's wrong with this picture? It was a nice nativity scene, nearly life size. There was a stable with Mary, Joseph, a manger with baby laying in it. An angel hovered above them. But something about it was terribly wrong…it was in front of "The Church of Jesus Christ - Latter Day Saints." They had the wrong baby in the manger! Their baby was a created spirit being, in fact the spirit brother of Lucifer. But they call him "Jesus!"

Main Thought: Jesus is the Christ, God in flesh and blood, the promised Savior from God sent to us to take away our sins and give us eternal life. This truth must be appropriated personally by each person in order to gain forgiveness of sin and assurance of heaven.

People's opinion regarding "Who is Jesus?" are varied revealing a lack of understanding or acceptance of the truth about Him.

The acid test for every person is who you believe Jesus to be.

Peter's confession then should be our confession today as believers.

With this revelation of Jesus as LORD and Savior, one must respond by receiving Him personally.

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets" (Matthew 16:13-14, NKJV).

1. People's opinion regarding "Who is Jesus?" are varied, revealing a lack of understanding or acceptance of the truth about Him.

Could Jesus have really been all the things people attribute to Him? Truth, in order to be truth, demands a consistent answer -- everyone cannot have contradictory views and all be truth. Some people thought Jesus was the reincarnate John the Baptist. John had been beheaded by the Roman governor because of John's testimony to the truth. Could Jesus have been reincarnated? -- the Bible says that "…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Heb. 9:27, NIV). Some thought Jesus was Elijah resurrected from the dead. The teachers of the Law taught the people that Elijah himself MUST precede Christ.

But Jesus revealed in chapter 11 that John The Baptist fulfilled this role to God's satisfaction: "For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear" (Matt. 11:13-15, NIV). This concurs with the angel's announcement to Zechariah, John the Baptist's father, was this: "And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17, NIV). The point is that many were willing for Jesus to be the resurrected Elijah but not the LORD Christ Himself.

Others thought Jesus was a prophet, a great teacher. No true prophet of God ever claimed to be YHWH, the great "I AM" who revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. God clearly stated: "You are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me" (Isa. 43:10, NIV). Only Jesus ever demonstrated:

The POWER of God

The PERSON of God

The IDENTITY of God

A young man once lamented that he was unable to gain any converts to his new religion. A Christian told him, "Well, if you tell us you're going to die, but be raised to life, and then do it -- maybe you'll be able to win some people over!" Jesus predicted His death as a sacrifice for our sins, He died, and was raised to life proving His claim to absolute deity. The Savior from God had to be God Himself as shown in the prophet Isaiah's next verse: "I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no Savior" (Isa. 43:11, NIV).

"But what about you?" [Jesus] asked. "Who do you say I am?" (Mat 16:15 NIV)

2. The acid test for every person is who you believe Jesus to be.

When Jesus confronted demon-possessed people, the demons acknowledged His deity:

"What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?" (Matt. 8:29, NIV)

"Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 'What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!'" (Mark 1:23-24, NIV)

"Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, 'You are the Son of God'" (Mark 3:11, NIV).

Consider a person who disagrees considerably with the political views of the President of the United States. Though he certainly believes ABOUT Bill Clinton -- that he is the President -- he does not believe IN Bill Clinton as President. This is where the demons (fallen angels) stood: they knew who He was but did not trust in Him as LORD of all.

Some consider themselves to be a Christian -- a follower of Christ -- because they go to church. But think about it: Does going into a garage make you a car? A Christian is one who has been transformed on the inside by the forgiveness his sins and new life found in the LORD Jesus Christ. Reconciliation is offered to every person. But forgiveness and eternal life are your possession only if you accept the LORD Jesus as your Savior from sin. At that point, His death for your sins provides you complete reconciliation with God.

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."(Mat 16:16 NIV)

3. Peter's confession then should be our confession today as believers.

Peter's confession was bold and absolute. There was no "might be", "also are", "could be", "probably are" type statements. Peter said "You ARE the Christ." Jude 3 urges us to contend earnestly for this faith once for all entrusted to the saints, that is the believers or Christians.Can we be sure? Can we be as bold in our faith as was Peter?

We can look at the miracles and in particular that Jesus opened the eyes of the blind. This miracle was reserved by God for Christ alone -- no prophet ever opened the eyes of a blind man. Quite convincing also is the claim by His family members and friends that He was without sin in His life -- those who knew him best. Anyone who thinks he is perfect should just ask his spouse or his brother or sister -- try it today. Go home and ask your close relative, "Am I perfect?" After they stop laughing, or crying as the case may be, you'll have lots to talk about… Even on its own, the prophetic fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth should be enough to convince anyone. It can be viewed as an ever narrowing set of circles creating a target that cannot be missed:

Born of the seed of woman (Gen. 3:15)

Born of the family line of Abraham (Gen. 12:3)

Born of the family line of Isaac (Gen. 17:16)

Born of the family line of Jacob (Num. 24:17)

Born of the family line of Judah (Gen. 49:10)

Born of the family line of Jesse (Isa. 11:1)

Born of the family line of David (Isa. 16:5)

Born in a small, insignificant little village called Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2)

Arriving in Jerusalem while the Temple is standing (Mal. 3:1) obviously prior to 70 A.D.

Arriving in Jerusalem 173,880 days (A.D. 33) from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem in 444 B.C. (Dan. 9:25)

Born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14)

One can quickly see that these eleven prophecies were not imprecise or unclear. They were also not subject to fulfillment by the Messiah's own choosing -- one cannot choose when to be born, where to be born, or to whom. When one considers the odds of one man fulfilling just eleven of these prophecies -- the number is one in one quadrillion, a number with a hundred zeroes in it -- it boggles the mind that the life of Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled over three hundred such prophecies perfectly.

What is more amazing -- that God became man or the implication of it? Our Creator God gave us His word that He would deal with sin and evil. He predicted the time of His coming and through the prophetic word recorded in the Bible, we have a reliable record of the prophecy and its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. We can be sure that Jesus is the Christ, Son of the Living God, Savior of the world. Our faith rests not in idle speculation or opinion, but in the factual record of the incarnation of God Himself.

Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven" (Mat 16:17 NIV).

4. With this revelation of Jesus as LORD and Savior, one must respond by receiving Him personally.

When Jesus speaks, we can listen with absolute assurance that He is the Creator to whom all are accountable. When the Bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16, NIV), we can trust in the LORD Jesus with absolute assurance of forgiveness and eternal life. Our faith rests firmly on the life and work of Jesus Christ in perfect fulfillment of all the prophecy about Him.

Though the evidence, viewed with objectivity, is overwhelming, it still requires personal receptivity. One must be open to what God is trying to tell them -- one must exercise personal faith in Jesus Christ. Mental assent is important as is the heart or emotional assent -- but faith reaches beyond the capacity of human intellect and ability. Jesus is revealed by God to an individual on a spiritual level -- one who desires to know God will be led to Jesus Christ. Though we desire to DO something for God to gain His approval and reconciliation, all God has permitted is that we accept His salvation as His gift, believing that the LORD Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the grave.

Sin separates you from God but Jesus Christ reconciles you to God. Reconciliation requires the forgiveness of your sins -- provided only through the death of Jesus Christ for YOUR sins -- and the surrender of your life to Him who died for you. Your reconciliation is possible only if YOU accept Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Reflect on YOUR life: Conclusion - Every spiritual blessing awaits the individual who puts faith and trust in the LORD Jesus Christ. Jesus asks that question of YOU right now -- Who do YOU say that I AM? The Bible says,

Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.
(2 Cor. 6:2, NIV)

Do not delay for the consequences are eternal:

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?
Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
(Mat 16:26 NIV)

Commit to Him right now -- affirming that He is God in the flesh, the LORD Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, the Savior of YOUR soul!

Our Creator God loves you and wants you to know Him! If you would like to contact this ministry for further information or questions, please send your e-mail to:
Email: ministryrequest1@WordTruth.Com
Web Site: WordTruth.Com

Copyright 1999, Randy Lariscy.