John's Testimony

John’s Testimony
John’s Gospel records,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” John 1:1-4,14.
Here is something that if not completely true means the writers of the New Testament were fooled or trying to fool the world around them. If they were trying to fool the world around them then it is perhaps the biggest hoax in human history.
John here make it clear that
1/ “the Word” (Jesus) was God.”
2/ “That through him all things were made; and without him nothing was made that has been made.”
3/ “That the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
What John is saying here is God the creator of the universe and everything in it, came into the world He created. God became man.
John makes it clear he has seen the glory of Jesus first hand.
John right from the start of his writings makes it clear that he believed Jesus to be the Messiah, the Christ, the Saviour of mankind.
Not only that he asks anyone who reads his gospel and his three other letters to believe this also.
So my Question to you on this Christmas eve do you believe this?
Please think about it.

Christians Claim

Christians Claim
The apostle Paul wrote,

“For in Christ

 all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”

                                                        Colossians 2:9.

The writer of the book of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
Here we read about three important things believers in Christ Jesus believe.
1/ Christ is divine. He is the exact representation of God’s being.
2/ That is was through Christ the universe was made.
3/ Christ provides purification for sins. 
Put simply Jesus is God part of what Christians refer to as the God Head, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
If this is not true then those of us who believe in Christ Jesus are sadly misled as are billions of believers today and throughout the centuries.
Henry Ward Beecher said,
“If Christ is not divine, every impulse of the Christian world falls to a lower octave, and light and love and hope decline.”  Henry Ward Beecher.
Please think about it.

God's Way

God’s Way
In one of my previous blogs I noted how Jesus had become a political liability to the Jewish religious leadership of the day. In this portion of scripture John records Jesus as doing something that most definitely twists the religious leaders the wrong way. John writes, 
“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.  
They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!’” 
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” 
“Blessed is the King of Israel!”  
Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, 
“Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 
At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. 
Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.  
Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him.  
So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” John 12:12-19.
Up until this point Jesus had discouraged public expressions of support now however a week before he would be crucified he allowed it.
The crowds welcomed him as a prince. They placed palm branches down before him and called out “Hosanna” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”
John tells us,
“Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.  
Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him.” John 12:17,18.
John notes the reaction of the Pharisees saying,
“So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” 
Up until this point they had taken no physical action against Jesus. They had not arrested him or detained him in any way probably for two reasons.  One the crowd believed in him and they feared the wrath of the crowd. If the crowd rioted the Romans would step in and their positions would be in jeopardy. Also they had no legal grounds to arrest him.
Still however they feared what Jesus may do.
These men were blind to the fact that Jesus was not the conquering Messiah but the suffering Messiah. Even his disciples were blind to this.
After the resurrection of Jesus while he was meeting with His disciples the book of Acts records this conversation,
“So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  Acts 1:6,7.
It would have seemed to any person thinking logically with the wisdom of man that getting yourself crucified as Jesus did was not the way to conquer the world.
The apostle Paul however tells us,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
The apostle Paul when writing to the Romans said,
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8.
Jesus tells us,
“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.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.
God could have used a mighty army or bring legions of angels to force man to submit to His will but he didn’t. That would not have produced true believers. Many would have believed simply out of fear of what God could do to them.
Napoleon the late French emperor said of Jesus,
"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power.”
“I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.”
“I search in vain history to find similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel.  Neither history nor humanity, nor ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary.”Napoleon Bonaparte.
In Jesus, God reached down in Love to each person offering them eternal life with Him. The apostle Paul noting,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9.
Salvation and Eternal Life with God is free to all who would believe in Jesus. Thus the choice is yours.
Please think about it.

Jesus Forgives Sin

Jesus forgives sin
“Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” 
At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” 
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?  
Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”  
And the man got up and went home.  
When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.” Matthew 9:2-8.
Here we have an incident in which Jesus heals and forgives sin. Sin is something the religious leaders of his day and today agree that only God can do.
The healing part could not be denied the man was healed and God received the Glory.
The forgiveness of sins however rubbed the religious leaders the wrong way. As I said, only God can forgive sins. Thus Jesus was saying in effect He is God.
This is something people who claim Jesus is not God incarnate can’t explain to me. Why would Jesus and his followers claim Jesus could forgive sin?
If the fledgling Church was to succeed why would Jesus and later his apostles be so bold as to say Jesus is God. The writer of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
Jesus provided purification for sins. This is a fundamental belief of all Christians. There is no middle ground. To be a Christian you must believe that Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. That He can and does forgive sins.
The apostle John writes,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.  
I know for many this can be a stumbling block even the apostle Paul wrote,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
The thing is God does not do things the way we mortals do things.
Let’s face it God could have come down from heaven with hundreds of angels and said, “see I am real. I want you to worship me.” and I’m sure the majority if not all mankind would worship Him some because they genuinely loved him others however out of fear of what he would or could do to them. 
God however does not want people to worship him and serve him out of fear. Instead He wants each individual to make up their own mind about him. He asks for faith. The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.
Faith defined by the writer of Hebrews as,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

 and certain of what we do not see.”  

Hebrews 11:1.

God wants men and women of faith because God knows someone who has true faith in anything are the true followers willing to even die for their cause.
Please think about it.

Christian Belief 101

Christian belief 101
Christians believe the word written by the Apostle Paul who said,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for,“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 
                                                                                                                                Romans 10:9-13.
The God we serve is not just the God of the Jews.
The way I see it God chose the Jews in times past to show himself to the world. But God did not stop there. God want’s all men everywhere to know him on a personal level. That is why He sent Jesus into the world to point the world to Him.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father’” ? 
Hebrews 1:1-5.
Jesus came to earth to reconcile man to God. God realized man could not live a life holy enough to stand before Him.
God in giving man a freewill knew man might choose not to believe in Him that is the right of all who are truly free.
God seen that many have turned away from Him, even the Jews who have had the prophets and their forefathers to witness to them. Thus He entered the world in the form of His One and Only Son Jesus.
Through Jesus he pointed man to Himself.
Jesus speaking of Himself said,
“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.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. 
                                                                                                                              John 3:16-18.
The apostle John makes it clear,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” 
                          John 1:12,13.
Still it take faith in God to save ones soul. To spend an eternity with God. The writer of Hebrews said,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”                                                                                                                                                Hebrews 11:6.
The writer defining faith as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                                                        Hebrews 11:1.
Faith in something we cannot see is perhaps the hardest thing for someone to do. Perhaps that is why God wants things that way, because those who are sure of what they hope for, certain of what they do not see, are true followers.
Please think about it.

Lazarus Rising

Lazarus Rising
The Gospel of John records,
“On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.  
Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.  
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  
But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” 
And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.”  
When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.  
Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.  
When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.  
“Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 
Jesus wept. 
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 
But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” 
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.  
“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  
I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” 
                                                                                                   John 11:17-44
Here is the story of Lazarus as recorded by the apostle John. Like all the gospels John’s was written within living memory of the events.
Like all the miracles Jesus performed if not true and proven to be a lie would be detrimental to the cause of the fledgling Christian movement.
Especially something like raising a man from the dead. This is an incredible claim at any time. Yet early Christians and Christians to this day believed this.
So Christians then and now are either believing a lie that has lasted centuries or the truth. It’s the same for not only the story of Lazarus but all that is said in the New Testament.
Within the New Testament there are if you think about it incredible statements made about Jesus. Foremost Jesus claim to be the Son of God the Saviour of mankind, God incarnate.
Jesus said,
“I and the Father are one.” 
                                    John 10:30.
He also said,
 “...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
                                                                                                                                                 John 14:6.  
To claim to be equal to God under Jewish law at the time was a serious crime punishable by death,
When Jesus was on trial before Pilate the Jews reminded the Roman governor of that law. John’s gospel records,
“The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” 
                                     John 19:7
Jesus knew all about the law yet up to his dying breath he never wavered in His claim to be God. Luke’s Gospel records Jesus while on the cross as calling out to God the Father asking forgiveness for those who are crucifying him. Luke records,
“ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
                                                                                                                         Luke 23:34a
C. S. Lewis points out,
“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” 
                               C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Within the story of Lazarus lies a question that I believe all people must answer. When speaking to Martha the sister of Lazarus,
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” 
This is a question you must answer. This is a question that everyone who hears about Jesus must answer.
Who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it

Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus

The apostle Paul states,
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,” 
                                                                                           Colossians 2:9
A lot of debate as to who Jesus really is has happened over the centuries the Bible however makes things very clear. As quoted above the apostle Paul says,
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,” 
                                                                                            Colossians 2:9
The gospel of John records.
“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.  
The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  
I and the Father are one.” 
                                  John 10:22-30 
In Chapter eleven of John he records this conversation between Martha and Jesus,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,” 
John 11:25,26
Martha had to decide just who Jesus is. This is what people must decide today. Is Jesus the Son of God. The Christ who came into the world. OR is he a charlatan who pulled off the greatest lie in history?
C. S. Lewis said of Jesus,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” 
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
         Who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it.

The Way to Heaven

The Way to Heaven
The gospel of Luke records,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” 
                                                                                                                      Luke 23:39-43.
The above is the account of the crucifixion of Jesus. These are probably the last words the two criminals at least spoke on this earth.
In their conversation with Jesus we see the choice all people everywhere must make.
The one criminal wanted Jesus to prove he was the Christ by getting them down from the cross.
He like many others both then and now wanted some sign from Jesus.
Jesus had given signs. He’d done numerous miracles. He’d even said He and God were one. The gospel of John records.
“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter,  and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.  
The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me,  but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  
I and the Father are one.” 
                                  John 10:22-30.
Yet still people did not believe Him.
The other Criminal however did believe in Jesus. He demonstrates to the world how one receives eternal life saying,
“We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
                                                                                                  Luke 23:41,42.
This man believed by faith Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ. He confessed that he was a sinner being punished justly for his deeds. He then simply asked Jesus to remember him when he came into His kingdom.
To which Jesus said,
“Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” 
                                                                                                                                Luke 23:43.
 We Christians believe that first and foremost you must believe that Jesus is the Son of God. God in the flesh.
Then we believe we must confess our sin to him directly.
The apostle John wrote,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 
1John 1:9-10.
The apostle John also tells us,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.’ 
                   John 1:12,13.
Salvation and eternal life with God is a free gift from God.. The apostle Paul saying,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” 
                                                                  Ephesians 2:8,9.
All we have to do as individuals is go to God in prayer. Confess our sins to God, and believe by faith Jesus is the one and Only Son of God.
The writer of Hebrews stating,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.’”
                                                                                                        Hebrews 11:6.
Please think about it.

A Christian

A Christian
Piliny the Younger Roman governor of Bithynia in Asia minor writing to Emperor Trajan wrote,
"They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food--but food of an ordinary and innocent kind..." 
Note that Piliny states that the Christians sung hymns to Christ as to a God. Those early Christians recognized Christ was God.
 Piliny also noted Christians bound themselves by an oath to tell the truth and be honest in all their dealings.
Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God, God incarnate. This is the most basic belief of all Christians. You cannot be a Christian without believing Jesus is God.
Jesus said,
“I and the Father are one”
                                    John 10:30.
Christians have settled in their own hearts and minds who Jesus is. Jesus said,
“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.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. 
                                                                                                                                   John 3:16-18.
Christians believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of mankind.
They believe the words of the apostle John who said,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” 
                   John 1:12,13.
Christians, true Christians follow the teachings of Jesus who when asked,
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 
                                                                                   Matthew 22:36-40.
This same Jesus went one step further saying,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  
     Matthew 5:43-46
Christians are to show love that goes beyond that of those in the world.
A true Christian will put no restrictions on love. The Apostle Paul writing,

“Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,

 it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil

 but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  

                                                                                                                   1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Please think about it.

On Jesus

On Jesus

At this writing Christmas eve not that far away. And the eternal question is who do you believe Jesus to be?
The gospel of John records this,
“The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  
I and the Father are one.” 
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 
                                                                                                            John 10:24-32.
C. S. Lewis said,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” 
                                                                                   C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
What Lewis is saying is reflected in the above account from John 10:24-32. The people were going to stone Jesus because he claimed to be one with God. This was something punishable by death at the time. Only an insane man would say such a thing and Jesus was not insane.
I believe each and every person on this earth needs to make a decision as to who they think Jesus is. Jesus is recorded as saying this to a woman called Martha. He said,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” 
           John 11:25-27
This is the question we all must answer one way or the other. There is no middle ground.
The reward for believing in Jesus is an eternity with God. The apostle John writing,
Yet to all who received him,(Jesus) to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God." 
                                      John 1:12,13.
Please think about it.

Jesus is

Jesus is

Flavius Josephus,(37AD-100AD) a Jewish historian, who became a Pharisee at 19, later commander, of the Jewish forces in Galilee. Who was captured by Romans and attached to their headquarters. Wrote this about Jesus,
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first, did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from him are not extinct at this day.”
Does Jesus exist? Yes he does. There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus exists, but then I’m a Christian.
I know there are Atheist that claim he didn’t. There are people out there that dismiss out of hand all the historical evidence of Jesus both inside the Bible and outside.
That being said from all that I’ve read from credible historians the majority of Christian and Atheist historians both believe Jesus existed.
It, I believe is easy to say Jesus didn’t exist and say that the historical evidence is flawed. It’s much harder to believe he existed because once you admit he existed then you have to admit that what the bible says about him has to have some merit.
I believe Jesus existed not only because of the evidence inside the Bible but outside also.
I also believe the fastest way to turn people away from something is to make outrageous claims that if not true would turn people away and thus become counter productive to the movement one is starting.
Jesus made what to man’s way of thinking could be considered outrageous.
John in his gospel records this incident,
The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me,  but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  
I and the Father are one.” 
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 
                                                                                              John 10:24-32  
Notice Jesus says “I and the Father are one”
That’s quite a statement considering in Jewish culture of the time making oneself equivalent to God was considered a heresy and punishable by death. As seen by the fact the Jews were going to stone him.
  John also record an other incident this time with the apostle Philip,
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 
                            John 14:8-11
C.S. Lewis wrote of Jesus,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” 
                                                                                         C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
In the end the choice to believe Jesus is all he said his or to reject him comes down to an act of informed faith.
You can read the evidence that Jesus existed from sources outside the bible. You can read what Jesus said about himself and what the disciples believed about him from the Bible.
Then you must make your decision.
Please think about it.

Your Choice

Your Choice
To my mind as a Christian there is no more important matter in life to consider than who you the individual thinks Jesus is.
The book of John records Jesus speaking to Martha,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
             John 11:25,-27
The question is do you believe.
Below are a few quotes from the New Testament regarding Jesus. I put them here for you to consider.
The Apostle John records in his gospel,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” 
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” 
                                                                                                     John 1:1-4,14
Jesus said,
“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.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. 
                                                                                                            John 3:16-18
The apostle John records while Jesus was at Solomon’s Colonnade,
“The Jews gathered around him,(Jesus) saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  
I and the Father are one.”
                     John10: 34-30.
Jesus speaking to one of his disciples is recorded as saying,
....“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 
                                                                                                                                                 John 14:6
The above quotes show three important claims Jesus and His disciples made.
One Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh.
Two, Jesus is God. He was in the beginning when the universe was made and the universe was made by Him.
Thirdly, Jesus is the way to heaven. He makes it clear that He is the resurrection and the life. That no one can come to the Father except through Him.
These claims for their day were radical. Claiming to be God or even the Son of God was under Jewish law at the time a crime punishable by death.
C. S. Lewis states,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” 
                                                                                       C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
Lewis also made the following statement I leave with you.
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
                                                                 C. S. Lewis.
The decision is yours to make.
Please think about i

A question for the ages

A question for the ages

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 
                                                                                                                               John 11:25,26
A question for the ages. Do you believe Jesus is the resurrection and the life. The writer of Hebrews did he wrote,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father’” ? 
Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son” ? 
And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 
Hebrews 1:3-6.
I believe the most important question anyone anywhere in the world must ask themselves is, Who is Jesus?”
There are groups around claiming to be Christian yet deny the deity of Christ. They claim he is an angel or a prophet not the Son of God by whom the world was created.
John’s Gospel records,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.”
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” 
                                                                                   John 1:1-4, 12-14.
John makes it clear Jesus is God incarnate. That Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus said,
“I and the Father are one.”
                                   John 10:30.
This was an incredible statement for his time, because if he wasn’t one with the father why would he make such a statement. It was a claim that was punishable by death. Jesus would have had to be insane to make such a statement.
In order to be a true Christian by my way of believing you have to believe Jesus is the Son of God. That He is God incarnate. That he is the Saviour of the world.
You cannot believe less and be a Christian.
Please think about it.