We are all searching for truth, Pontius Pilate asked Jesus What is truth? Jesus' answer "I am the truth and the way." Last week we looked at Who is Jesus. We found that Jesus is God's son, God with us, the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sin. He is our Great High Priest, the ultimate prophet, our King and Perfect Savior. We found a lot of scripture for all of that. We must make a decision on Jesus.
Some people believe that Jesus never existed. They ignore the evidence. No matter what, you are accepting on faith. Christianity is not a faith that must be accepted blindly. It is good to seek truth.
Jesus made claims for Himself. He invited Andrew and John to "Come and you will see." John 1:39
Thomas (Doubting Thomas) needed evidence of Jesus' resurrection. John 20: 24-28. Thomas was so convinced of who Jesus was that he went on to travel all the way to India sharing Christ and was martyred.
Christianity, the Scripture and Jesus can stand up to the scrutiny. There is archaeological evidence, historical evidence and the ripple effect evidence; which is, that we see what Jesus did and how it changed things.
In Deuteronomy 19:15 we find the biblical model which requires multiple lines of evidence. "A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two or more witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established." Jesus understood this truth and He gave us many lines of evidence of who He was. John 5: 30-47 " In this scripture we find that Jesus gives 4 lines of evidence John the Baptist, the Father, the miracles and scripture.
1. John the Baptist
Isaiah 40: 3-5 "A voice cries: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'"
Malachi 3:1 " 'Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek and will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming' says the Lord of hosts."
John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus and bore witness of Jesus John 1:15-18. JTB said that Jesus preexisted him even though JTB was 6 months older than Jesus according to Luke. JTB says that Jesus brings grace and truth and He made the Father know. JTB points to Jesus as the authority and divinity. When JTB saw Jesus coming toward him he said "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29 JTB shares that Jesus is the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for man. He makes it even clearer in the following vs John 1: 20-34.
There is extra biblical evidence of JTB including the writings of Josephus who wrote about JTB.
2. The Father
God the Father provides evidence of who Jesus is Matthew 3: 16-17 " And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'"
This same account can be found in Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22.
3. Scriptures/Moses
In John 5:39 Jesus says "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, " The evidence of Jesus that we can find from the Scriptues
A. The ruler of Israel will come from Bethlehem Micah 5:2 recorded about 700 years before the fulfillment found in Luke 2: 4-7
B. God will call his "child" out of Egypt Hosea 11:1 recorded about 700+ years before the fulfillment found in Matt 2: 13-15
C. Israel's King would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey Zech. 9:9 recorded about 500 years before the fulfillment found in Mark 11:10
D. The Lord will come to the temple and refine it Malachi 3: 1-3 recorded about 400 years before the fulfillment found in Matt 2, Mark 11, and John 2
E. God's promise to Abraham Father of Many Nations, and bless all the families of the earth and make his descendants as numerous as the stars. Genesis 12 & 22 recorded by Moses about 1400 years ( but occurred even earlier than 1400 years) Matt 1, Acts 3:35-26, Galatians 3:16
F. The virgin will conceive and give birth to Immanuel Isaiah 7:14 recorded about 700 years before the fulfillment found in Luke 1: 26-35
You can find a lot more evidence about 113 more types and prophecies fulfilled in Christ here @ https://www.gotquestions.org/prophecies-of-Jesus.html
4. Miracles
Jesus preformed many miracles
Made the lame to walk and the blind to see. Rose people from the dead, healed the sick. He cast out demons, calmed storms. He walked on water, cleansed the leper, turned water into wine. He fed the 5000 lunch and had leftovers and the greatest miracle....the resurrection. This literally changed everything. Plenty of other messianic figures arose, but died and so did their movement.
The testimony of Gamaliel Acts 5:33-39 "When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. And he said to them, 'Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!'"
Just as Jesus said in Matt. 24:14 the Gospel will be preached to all nations and in AD 2025 we are still preaching the Gospel in 2025 at Octavia Baptist Church.
5. Historical Texts
The Biblical evidence is good evidence
Matthew and John were direct eyewitness testimonies. They were 2 witnesses .
Mark was Peter's close companion and Mark's gospel was Peter's account, another witness.
Luke was Paul's companion. He was a doctor and a great journalist/biographer. In Luke 1: 1-4 he tells us why he wrote this gospel. " Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time passed, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught."
The Bible is a collection of writings. 4 gospels/4 biographies, James and Jude were 2 more written lines of evidence, Paul and Peter's letters....2 more lines of evidence and people discount the Christian writings because they were written by Christians... By that standard all works on Caesars would be invalid because they were written by Romans. The history of Athens is unacceptable because it was written by Greeks. Ancient Egypt history is unreliable because it was recorded by ancient Egyptians. No one else is held to the same standard.
Wes Huff is an Apologist, speaker, educator and works for Apologetics Canada. He has appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast and debated Billy Carson. Link https://youtu.be/ol8bxPMpGGA?feature=shared (https://youtu.be/ol8bxPMpGGA?feature=shared)
6. Extra Biblical Corroboration
Mara was a Syrian Stoic philosopher in 73 AD . He wrote a letter talking aboyt Jews murdering their king and being sent into dispersions
Josephus mentioned JTB, Jesus and his claims, his death and his followers beliefs in his writings.
Senator Publius Cornelius Tactus was the greatest of all Roman historians. He wrote about Nero scapegoating Christians
"Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind.
Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the sins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed."
The Apostles testimony isn't like other biographies. They were crucified upside down, speared, stabbed, stoned, beheaded, tortured, burned and boiled. Their testimony is stronger because theirs was sealed by blood. Those that wrote the biographies of Jesus were willing to lay down their lives for what the believed. You have good reason to believe in Jesus. The evidence is available.
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