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hapter #9 – The Selling Of A Savior To Sinners (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John)

2Cor 11:3 “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from ‘The Simplicity And Purity That Is in Christ’”

      The apostle John writing of Jesus states, “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (Joh 1:11,12).

      It would be totally impossible for any of us today to understand the mind and spirit of our Lord when he began his work after the imprisonment and death of John the baptizer. Have any of you ever applied for a job that you needed desperately, perhaps in a hostile environment, perhaps with a wife and children who were depending upon you for the very necessities of life? How would you “sell” yourself and convince the prospective employer that you were the right person suitable for the position. You would not beg (Jesus was no beggar), you would not condescend to violate your principles of righteousness (the devil won with Adam and Eve in the garden, but he must not, and will not, win this day when he tested Jesus) [Mat 4]), but an honest “you” would present yourself for what you really were, with all your attributes, skills and abilities. Many are the cases where resumes listed false information, more flattering to the applicant than he deserved, and often totally fabricated. Jesus could not do any of this! He was what he was, and needed to present claims with confirmed evidence. No probably’s, or maybe’s, just facts and evidence to back it up! Would you if then a Jew, fond of the Law, been convinced that Jesus was what he claimed to be?

      A long time truism in the sales business that will guarantee success is “find a need and fill it.”And so Jesus set about to sell the people on the fact that he was the promised Messiah, the very Son of God, and he came with one unselfish purpose, and that was to save those who were lost to God because of sin. (Luk 19:10; etc.) Yes, if they had been schooled in the Law and the Prophets, as the good Scribes and Lawyers should have been, and they were honest and sincere Jews, they would have recognized and acknowledged him for what he was. But, no, they were looking for a “knight in shining armor” to deliver them from the oppressive Romans, and set up another world-controlling kingdom such as was in the days of David and Solomon. But prejudice is powerful. It is harder for many to unlearn what he thinks he knows for sure than to learn what is for sure. Accept a poor common ordinary man, the son of a carpenter, for the Messiah? Not likely! Even his brothers did not believe him until after the resurrection.

      How many people were at the tomb the morning that Jesus came forth from the grave? Not a single one, not even his mother. These had been told over and over that he would arise, and exactly when. But apparently they did not believe him, or at least, did not understand. Now we say, we would have been there! Yes, hindsight is always 20/20, isn’t it. (See lesson on “Jesus’ Greatest Disappointment.”) And so we ask, would you and I have, by reason of adequate knowledge from the prophets, have believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah? (What if you were actually a brother to Jesus, would you have believed in him?)

      In this chapter we ask, “Would you and I have believed that Jesus was what God had promised to provide, the prophets had foretold of his coming, and John had given his life to prepare for us?” In later chapters we will ask similar questions about the preaching of Christ today, and the rejection by a large majority of those who heard it then and who hear it today.

The Evidences Presented

      There were four main arguments furnished to prove to sincere Jews that Jesus was Lord and Christ. These were: (1) Genuine miracles that Jesus was able to perform, (2) Perfect and accurately fulfilled prophecies that foresaw the coming of a Messiah, (3) A Resurrection from the dead for all to see, and (4) The Total Sinlessness of Jesus.

      We need to be familiar with these evidences for at least two reasons: First, they represented an adequate basis for Belief in Jesus to all sincere Jews who heard and saw Him then, and secondly, they are adequate to all believers in the Inspiration of the Scriptures. We need to use the same arguments in teaching the uninformed ones today, and especially if and when we attempt to teach those of alien religious beliefs. Was their “savior” born of a virgin? Raised from the dead? If the Scriptures are trustworthy, the deeds recorded in them must be believed!

I. First There Were Miracles

      In John 3:2 Nicodemus told Jesus, “"no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him." Was Nicodemus qualified to make this statement? He was a ruler of Israel, a teacher of the Jews. Being an intelligent man he saw the difference between legitimate marvels and wonders, and those tricks performed by charlatans who have always been with mankind. (Paul will confront a sorcerer named Barjesus [Elymas] in Paphos [Act 13])

      In John 6:14, at the feeding of the 5,000, we read, "Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world." Were these men qualified to make this statement? Did the evidence justify the conclusion?

      In John 7:31, at the feast of tabernacles many of the people said, "When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?" Did the evidence justify the conclusion?

      And in John 9:16, after Jesus healed the blind man, he was accused of being a sinner "because he keepeth not the Sabbath day." Others say, "How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?" Did the evidence justify the conclusion?

      What is the answer to these questions? Can a sinner do miracles such as those done by Jesus of Nazareth? Would Christ when he comes do more than this man? Could any man, as Nicodemus said, do these things except God be with Him? The answer to all the questions implies one obvious answer: this man had to be extraordinary, because he did extraordinary things. Truly he was the Son of God!

      And so, later when Peter stands before a huge company of Jews on Pentecost he can remind them, “Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know” In other words, Peter can say to them that they know all of what he is now claiming to have been done by Jesus is true. They saw it. He did not perform his marvelous works in secret places, and have others report them, as it is with many “faith healers” today, and capitalize on all the rumors and gossip. They saw it; they knew it to be true. Today the so-called miracle workers will claim to have performed marvelous works in city “A” but report it in city “B,” where there is no one to confirm it. This is dishonest and corrupt, and is done constantly by false teachers today. (One man testified that he had been a part of the Oral Roberts healing claims program for 25 years and HAD NEVER SEEN A PERSON HEALED! A good public relations program, he said, but no healings!

     A. What About Miracles? Can you perform real miracles today? Can anyone? Do the faith healers and media merchandisers of religion perform real miracles? Either they can or they can't; which is it? And if your answer is "Yes," how can it be proven?

      It is interesting that after his resurrection Jesus appeared to his apostles a number of times. John records in Chapter 20,

19 “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. . . . 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them,

Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

      Note: Why do the so-called miracle workers claim miracles today? Think! To prove that God was with the one performing the miracle? That this one is approved of God? Think, brethren, think! They want you to believe that God is in some way identifying with them. They are to be believed in whatever they say. They are to be followed. They are to be supported. You must not doubt God!

      One of the most wicked tools used by false teachers to gain acceptance and favors from innocent and ignorant souls is that of claiming that God has spoken to them (the pretender) and told them that the victim-to-be would grant them favors, and this person must not disobey God!. Case after case of false doctrines, theft, sexual misconduct, etc. have been exposed through the years, and still it is used by the religious charlatans today.

      What would be the purpose of miracles today? Does the Word of God depend for its authority and power today upon God empowering the teacher (preacher)? Has not the Word of God already been confirmed by those, and to those, who have bothered to study the evidences? Think!

      Hebrews is written to Christians who were being tempted to deny and reject their faith in Jesus because of various trials, mostly persecutions. The writer urges them to resist these temptations and keep going onward.

"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?" (Heb. 2:1-4)

      Does God need to confirm his Word again today? Ever again? With signs and wonders and with divers miracles? With gifts of the Holy Spirit? Apparently many sectarian preachers think so. And many claim that they have received this power!

      There is a humorous incident recorded in Acts, Chapter 19. Paul was in Ephesus, taught the 12 who had been baptized by John and baptized them in the name of Jesus:

11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Another not-t0o-humorous incident occurred in Starr, Texas, back in the 40's (as I recall), where a “faith-healer’s” wife was to be raised from the dead at the evening service. But, she was raised prematurely when a well known “gospel” preacher stuck a hat pin into her hip before the service. The “faith-healer” demanded that the man be arrested, but the sheriff chose to “run the faith-healer out of town” for deception.

     B. We Can Teach About Miracles: The word “miracle” is another of those religious words that has been prostituted by many, sometimes innocently and ignorantly, and often deliberately. No, we cannot perform miracles, and so we have no personal experiences to report to suggest that God deals differently with those of us who claim to be His children than with those in the world. But, after we have shown evidences that the Scriptures are inspired – note that this comes first – we can use the miracles of Jesus and the apostles to confirm Jesus’ divinity. There is a way of course that we can appeal to miracles, even today. No, we haven't seen them. No, we can't perform them. But, we still can appeal to them. After establishing the integrity of the Scriptures, we can use the record of them! This record is given to us from the greatest historians that ever lived, inspired men. Luke was not inspired, but he did his research well. In writing his account of the Life of Jesus he states:

“Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed” (Luk 1:1-4).

Luke gives us the accurate-to-the-last-detail history of the life of Jesus. The only Gentile to write in the New Covenant Scriptures, he also gives us a remarkable history in Acts of many acts of the apostles during their lifetime. And, Luke’s history is accepted by reputable historians today. As for example:

Will Durant, a former professor of Philosophy and History at Columbia University, was accepted as a competent and quotable historian. In his "Story Of Civilization, in the chapter Caesar And Christ, he states all the above and more as fact. H. G. Wells, in "The Outline Of History, states all these things as fact. These men are accepted the world over as competent and qualified historians. Now where did they get their information? Well, of course, from Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts.

      Brethren, our task as teachers is to learn where the power lies, and it lies in the apostolic testimony of the life, death, burial, and the resurrection of our Lord. Studying the evidences, we can easily believe – if we are honest and want to know the truth – that Jesus of Nazareth must be Lord and Christ. He is the Saviour. We have not witnessed a miracle. We can not perform a miracle. But we have at our disposal many recorded miracles from a reputable source that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Christ and Son of God. This is where our power lies, and we must use it.

      Some one asked, "I've got a friend that I want to convert, but he just refuses to believe the Bible accounts of the miracles. Does he have to believe all that the Bible says about Jesus?" My answer is a big YES! This, by my judgment, is the power of God unto salvation. There is no other way. Otherwise Jesus becomes just a good man and a good teacher of good moral principles, who tried to create a new religious system. The Jews apparently believe that is all Jesus was , and still wait for the Messiah to come. By believing the account furnished to us, that was left us by the Apostles after being confirmed by signs, wonders, miracles; by this and nothing else can one be convinced that Jesus is what he claimed to be -- the Christ and Son of God. This is all the power we have. It is the only power we have. That's why Paul said that he was not ashamed of it -- the Gospel -- for it -- the Gospel -- is the power of God unto salvation!

      C. Would Miracles Today Convince Every Sinner? Even if we could perform miracles, or testify that we have seen a miracle, would all hearers of this testimony become believers? Not likely! John records,

“But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, he hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; but they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them" (John 12:37-40).

Their prejudiced hearts made believing impossible. Only God really understands the connection between the intellect and the spirit of a man. I will only suggest that my experience has been that there has to be a honest willingness to consider evidence, and many people both then and today simply do not have this honesty, although they may say, or even believe, that they do. We read that if “any many will do the will of God he will be able to discern between false and true claims. (Study John 7:17) There must be a love of the truth, or miracles can not make the difference. (Note also the example of the rich man in Luke 16, and those who sought a sign in Matthew 12.)

II. What About Fulfilled Prophesy

      Secondly, an argument that inspired apostles used to prove to the Jews that Jesus was indeed the Christ and Son of God was fulfilled prophesy. To the ones who genuinely believe the Scriptures, they will find over 50 references to Jesus being the Messiah in the Old Covenant Scriptures. Among the most famous is recorded in Isaiah 53 and Psalms 22. But all of these are predictions are fulfilled in Jesus, and only Jesus! There are many interesting things, such as when He would be born, where He would be born, as the son of a virgin girl, and on and on. I am told that the odds that any man could fulfill all these prophesies perfectly would be incalculable. But Jesus did, because the prophecies are inspired of God!

       But someone might say that there are still prophecies concerning the Messiah that was to come that are yet to be fulfilled. This is simply not true. In Luke 24 we find Jesus appearing to his disciples. They saw him, and handled him, and knew from this that he was in reality the resurrected Lord. He ate with them and taught them with these words:

"These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me ."

He continued to show that his death and resurrection, and the preaching of repentance and remission were a part of prophecy and was now coming to pass. When would all this be fulfilled?

      In Luke 21 we read of Jesus talking with his disciples concerning the destruction of the majestic temple. His disciples ask when these things will come about. Jesus enumerates a number of things that will precede this day and then describes the actual destruction.

"And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled" (Luke 21:20-22).

All things written in the prophets about Him did come to pass. And even his prophesy concerning the end of Judaism as such, the end of the temple, the end of the Jewish religion as a national religion, prove beyond doubt that He was inspired. Records were destroyed, the temple smashed. Because of the destruction of records no Jew on earth since then could prove his right to priesthood, the heart and soul of Judaism. Today all of God’s people are priests, with Christ our High Priest. All prophesies concerning the promises of God to all people, to all nations, to all creatures has come to pass at this time. Christianity is universal. No longer does Jerusalem hold any importance in a man's salvation. No longer is worship a matter of place, but of spirit, for God is a Spirit and those that worship him will worship "in spirit and in truth." (See John 4.)

III. What About Jesus’ Resurrection From The Grave?

      The third argument that the Apostles used to prove that Jesus was indeed what He claimed to be was His resurrection from the grave. Matthew 16 is one of the great chapters in the Old Covenant Scriptures pointing to the New. Here Jesus asks, "Who do men say that I am?" We recall Peter's answer, "Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God." Now immediately after this we read:

MAT 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

      From the parallel passages in the other accounts of the Gospel (Mar 8; Luke 9) we read essentially the same thing, but -- Mark adds in 8:32 -- And he spake that saying openly.

Matthew and Mark record Peter's objection.

MAT 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. (See Mar 8:32-34)

Sometime later Matthew in Chapter 17 tells us:

MAT 17:22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: 23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

      They understood enough to be made sorry -- exceeding sorry. But Mark records this reference and adds the factor of understanding:

MAR 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. 32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

      Some few weeks before His crucifixion He actually gives his disciples, in a private meeting, a timetable. Matthew records:

MAT 20:17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,

MAT 20:19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

      Mark and Luke both record this reference and add a fact or two:

MAR 10:32 “. . . and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid.”

But we also note:

“And he took again -- note again -- the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, 33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: 34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

      Luke records in 18:31 the announcement by Jesus, but also injects the matter of understanding:

LUK 18:31 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. 34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

      The test of a true prophet was laid down centuries before by Moses:

De 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Did the apostles at this time believe Jesus? Would you or I? But after his trial, condemnation and resurrection, did they believe Him? A foolish question indeed at that point in time. And after Pentecost, Peter could shout out the words of Moses, Act 3:23 “And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”

Some Objections Answered

      But still, some might say, "Well, he only mentioned that he was going to be resurrected a few times, and these were obscure. They were not even clear to his disciples.”

      Answer! Some of us have been confronted at times with objections by those we were trying to teach, or even concerning some of our own convictions, and we tend to rationalize, “it is only mentioned one time, or a time or two, or a few times.”

      How do we answer this for ourselves, and in teaching others? How many times must a truth, or a command, be mentioned, for it to be authoritative; for it to be binding! For it to count! We can always go back to Adam and Eve in the garden, or Moses concerning striking the rock instead of speaking to the rock to get water, or Naaman at the river Jordan to get rid of his leprosy, or Nadab and Abihu in offering their “strange fire,” or the commands given to the Apostles.

      But note, these teachings about his resurrection had been understood even by his enemies. Should they not have been remembered even more so by his disciples? The Jewish leaders had apparently understood them. Let's look further:

      After Jesus had been crucified; after he had been taken down from the cross; after he had been prepared for burial; and after he had already been put into that tomb, on the next day that followed the day of preparation, the chief priest and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilot, saying,

"Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again" (MAT 27:63).

      Now these were not disciples, they were enemies. Now this shows that Jesus did not just whisper this news about his resurrection to a few friends, but he spoke it openly. We don't know exactly how they learned, but they obviously had heard. They did not believe it, but they remembered it. So it was common knowledge -- even among the unbelievers -- that he had said that not only was he going to be crucified, but after three days he was coming back. They not only knew about it, but even knew the timetable. And they were so concerned about it, that the disciples might come back and steal the body and claim that he had arisen. Why then did his disciples not believe it. My judgment is that his beloved apostles did not want to believe that he would be crucified, and therefore did not take seriously his promise of resurrection.

IV. What About His Sinless Life?

    An unbelieving scholar, who was accustomed to showing his contempt for God by spelling the name with a small "g", once suggested that he could say something in disparagement of the exalted character of Jesus, but that he did not wish to say it. To this a believer asked, "Why hesitate? To do that is to forget that, after all, truth is sacred.  To lie and deceive in any form can in the end work nothing but evil." It was suspected that the reason for this hesitancy was that if Jesus could be proved to be frail and stained like the rest of us, the glory of the whole world would be diminished.

     A. Most Important Doctrine: The sinlessness of Jesus is one of the absolutely indispensable foundations of the faith that saves the soul. To those who would destroy this foundation, we ask, "What do you give us in place of what you have taken away?" Any person who deprives humanity of any object of trust is morally bound to tell what they have to place in its stead. And to this challenge the search is silent.

      Was our Lord without sin, as He claimed, as His apostles testified, as His disciples believed then (and we believe today)? The living evidence was before them then, and the certified Record is before us today. What does it say? To the believer, when the sinlessness of Christ is acknowledged, the realm of the miraculous has been established. Furthermore, no one will hold for long to the belief in the sinlessness of Christ without being compelled to recognize the rest of our Lord's claims. The sinlessness of Christ may not within itself prove Divinity, but it will prove credibility, and those who accept the Son of God cannot lightly consider the meanings and the importance of His other claims.

      There are many who admit that Christ was much better than most people, but deny that He was sinless. They know that to affirm sinlessness is to accept the miraculous, and this they refuse to do. One scholar says that Christ's perfection – so called – was similar to that of Paul or any other truly devoted man. But this one thing is sure: to admit sinfulness – to any degree – is to destroy the New Covenant plan of redemption, for, it is certain, a sinner cannot save sinners! The Gospel for mankind is not merely a recovery of man from his moral weakness, but a deliverance of man from the guilt of sin. Once admit that Christ was guilty of any sin, and Christianity as a religion of redemption is helpless. Think about it!

      It is regretful that many people today seem to want to accept the belief that Christ was only a good man, far above the ordinary level of humanity, and admirable in much (if not all) of his teachings, but yet not a perfect one. This school of thinkers holds that what the human race needs principally is moral teaching, and that by teaching the world morality, as exampled by Jesus, the world may be redeemed, so far as it can be redeemed, and, so far as it needs to be redeemed.

      But, is this position tenable? Is it possible to allow that Jesus was a good man if His claims of Divinity and perfection are denied? We believe that it is not possible; we are compelled to conclude that, in view of his exalted claims about Himself, if Christ is not worthy of the worship of men, He is not worthy of even their respect.

Credibility In Question?

      The question of the sinlessness of Jesus is a question so important to disciples that it cannot be left to self-acclaimed experts. It is a matter that the simplest Christian must answer for himself, for, as we have stated, the character of one claiming to be Divine is in question. For example, when Christ read from the roll of Isaiah in the Synagogue of Nazareth, and added: "This day is the Scripture fulfilled in your ears," can we honor Him if He was merely an ordinary Jew? When, at the close of the Sermon on the Mount, He said that men would call Him Lord, Lord, and that they would say they had done wonders in His name, and He would reply, "I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity," was He not claiming to be the Master and the Judge of souls?

      When He invaded the sacred ties that bind humanity together and helps greatly to make life worth living, and said, "If a man come unto Me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children, he cannot be My disciple," can we respect Him if He is speaking as a mere man – as a sinful human being? If He is not Divine; if He was indeed not sinless, would these statements not be most arrogant? When Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God," did not Jesus bless Peter’s testimony, and tell him that flesh and blood had not revealed that secret? When He said that if any one should offend one of the little ones who believed in Him, it were better he were drowned in the sea, we ask, who was speaking? Was it just a good man, or was it the very Son of God? When He assigned for Himself the position of Judge of all the sinful, entitled to say to the impenitent, "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire," is He speaking as a mere man? As just another sinful human being? If He is, it is impossible not to say that He is but uttering "great swelling words of vanity," and by reason of that vanity is lower than the meek and humble saints of God.

      No, He claimed to be a King, and said that He would give his faithful followers a Kingdom. By what right did He claim not only the Throne, but the power to ordain the Throne to His faithful followers? We need not labor this point. It is so plain that we defy any reader of the Gospels to go through one of them seriously without seeing that to admit any sinfulness in Christ is not simply to determine a fault in His character, but it is to admit a character so vain and self-deluded that He must be considered no more than an average moral human.

      No, Jesus was sinless, or He was the grand deceiver of the world. "He is a good man," say some who do not allow His sinlessness; but they can never answer the charge, "Yes, but He deceives the people." Admit His sinlessness, and all the rest goes with it! We hear Him, and believe Him, and obey Him, and know Him to be fit to be our Redeemer and our Lord. The powerful confidence with which He speaks demands our mind's acceptance and fills our hearts with peace.

      And, if it be objected that He – even with His sinlessness – did little for the intellectual, economic or artistic progress of the world, we reply simply that He did not come to this world to be the architect or scientific tutor of this world's human progress. His name was called Jesus because He was to save His people from their sins, and He has been and is today ready, willing and able to save – able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by Him. And yet, art and science and philosophy have received life and prosperity because of Him. No doubt about this; with the Son of God all things rise. He was God among men; strong among the weak, standing tall among the fallen, steadfast among the vacillating and unstable, clean and pure among the defiled, and living among the dead, one being well giving his life for the sick.

      We conclude that Jesus of Nazareth lived a sinless life, and all His claims to be Saviour, Christ and Lord are thereby vindicated.

Conclusion

      If one will study the sermons preached by the apostles and others recorded in the Book of Acts, it is seen that these four evidences are repeated again and again to convince the Jews that Jesus was indeed the Christ and Son of God.

He performed miracles, which no ordinary man had done, or could do.

He fulfilled Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Messiah (Christ), which no other man had done or could do.

He arose from the dead, which no ordinary man had done or could do.

He lived a life of sinlessness, a claim that no other person in all history would or could claim!

The inevitable conclusion is that Jesus was no ordinary man! He was the Christ and Son of God.

      Preachers, teachers, evangelists, elders, parents; what about us today? What evidences should be used in our teachings today to convince anyone that he ought to believe in Jesus? Should not the same evidences be used as that the sacred historians used? If not, why not! The recorded histories of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the only basis of proof that we have today that can convince and will convince an intelligent, inquiring seeker that Jesus of Nazareth is the one and only authorized of God man to save and rule the world. As He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me" (Joh 14:6). And on another occasion in the Treasury of the Temple, before many people and some Pharisees, “. . . I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. . . . I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (Joh 8:21,24).

      Furthermore, for we who are followers of Christ, we must return again and again to the evidences to re-affirm our faith in Him should we ever wonder or waver. We must know these evidences in order to teach them. Faith must never be taken for granted, or anything that is vital to our salvation only "assumed" to be true.

We hear talk today about having to take "a leap of faith," which is just another way of saying, "even if we cannot prove it, we ought to accept it as if we believe." Thank Goodness we can prove it. We must never become like the little schoolboy who, when asked, "what is faith," said, "Believing something is true when we know it ain't."

      The more we are made aware that Jesus must be the Christ, the more we will honor and obey Him in everything. Jesus once asked of those who by the mouth confessed him as Lord, "Why call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? " (Luke 6:46). Is it possible for us to indicate a superficial faith in Jesus and yet, deep in our heart, doubt the reality of His authenticity? If so, a continued study of the evidences will affirm and re-affirm the absolute -- beyond doubt -- Lordship and Sonship of Jesus.

Note:

I enthusiastically recommend a “Harmony of the Gospels” by Burton and Stevens, now out of print, but available. Also the “Four-Fold Gospel by McGarvey is excellent. By a brother in Christ, the content is superior to most commentaries on the four accounts of the Life of Christ. Outlines of the Burton and Stevens Harmony are available upon request, as well as scores of other sermons and lessons on “The Life Of Christ.”

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