Last time I was here, we answered many questions with one sermon.
• Why do I believe in God?
• Why do I believe that God created the world?
• Why do I believe the bible as we have it is the word of God?
• Why do I believe that all of the men who wrote the bible were inspired by God?
• Why do I believe that Jesus is who He claimed to be?
• Why do I believe that Jesus died on the cross for me?
And the reason why I believe all of these things is because I believe the eyewitness testimony that we have of the resurrection of Christ shows us that these things are true, and that when you truly consider the evidence, there are not any alternative theories that hold water that prove that the resurrection didn't happen.
Because the resurrection did happen, we can know for sure that the God of the bible created this world because Jesus spoke of those events. We can know that the bible we have is from God, because Jesus gave His stamp of approval of the authority of the Old Testament and of the new.
But this is not the only reason why I believe that Jesus is who He claimed to be.
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
We talked about the historical eyewitness testimony, which is a powerful form of evidence, but I believe we see in this text a form of evidence that is just as powerful of a testimony of who Jesus is that is not the eyewitness testimony. We see this testimony in verses 3-4.
"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures"
The key elements of the gospel message, along with almost every aspect of Jesus' life, was spoken of in the scriptures, in the prophecies of the Old Testament.
The prophecies that we see about a promised Messiah that would come to this earth were written about 400-1500 years before Jesus walked this earth. If He truly were the Messiah, he would have had to fulfill all of what the OT scriptures spoke about Him. The question we need to ask is: "Did He?" Did He fulfill all of the prophecies about the Messiah?
According to most scholars, there are 300-400 different prophecies about the Messiah, and even more about the kingdom that He would establish. We have a very clear "prophetic fingerprint" of what the Messiah would be like and would accomplish in His time here.
I have titled this lesson: Fingerprint Evidence of the Messiah. When we think about fingerprint evidence, we know that each person has unique ridges on their fingers. When a print is found somewhere at a crime scene, and it matches the pattern of ridges on someone's finger, investigators can conclude with scientific certainty that this person touched that object, and was at the scene of the crime.
But what does this have to do with Jesus? I believe the evidence that we have from OT prophecy does give us the "fingerprint" of the Messiah. There is only one person that could fulfill these prophecies. There is only one person that can be the Messiah. If it cannot be shown that Jesus fulfilled the prophecies, than His claims to be the Messiah were a lie, and we are wasting our time here. But if he did fulfill the prophecies, then He is who He claimed to be, and He will be the one who judges us when we leave this life.
SOME OF THE PROPHECIES
You will be thrilled to know that I will not be looking at all of the 300-400 prophecies about the Messiah. I would like to! Let us just look at about 48 of them to show us the kind of detail that was given about the Messiah, then we will ask: "Did Jesus fulfill them?"
PROPHECIES REGARDING THE MESSIAH'S BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE:
In the books of Genesis and 2 Samuel, we are given the lineage and bloodline through which the Messiah would be born. He would be a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He would descend though Jacob's son Judah, and would be born a king of the line of David.
We are told in Isaiah 7:13-14 that the Messiah would be born of a virgin
In Micah 5:2-5, the scriptures say that the Messiah would be born in the city of Bethlehem.
We are told that there would be a massacre of children (Jeremiah 31:15)
Hosea 11:1 tells us that the Messiah would be called out of Egypt.
PROPHESIES REGARDING THE WORK OF THE MESSIAH:
The Messiah would have a forerunner that comes to prepare the way before Him (Malachi 3:1, Isaiah 40:3-5)
He would be anointed by the Spirit, which will be given to Him to rest upon Him (Isaiah 11:2, 42:1, 61:1-2, Psalm 45:6-7)
He would work in the regions of Zebulun, Naphtali, and Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2)
He would have great zeal for the house of God (Psalm 69:9)
He would teach in parables (Psalm 78:2, Isaiah 6:9-10)
He would be a healer, a worker of miracles (Isaiah 35:4-6, 29:18)
He would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, coming to bring salvation to His people (Zechariah 9:9)
PROPHECIES REGARDING THE RECEPTION OF THE MESSIAH
He will be rejected by the people (Psalm 118:22-23, Isaiah 53:1-3)
Be hated for no reason (Psalm 35:19, 69:4)
Be rejected even by his own brothers (Psalm 69:8)
HE WILL BE PUT TO DEATH
He would be betrayed by a close associate for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13, Psalm 41:9, 55:12-14)
He would be accused before false witnesses (Psalm 27:12, 35:11)
He would be beaten and spit on (Isaiah 50:6)
He would be as a lamb on the way to it's execution and slaughter (Isaiah 53:7)
At the time of His death, he would thirst, be mocked and insulted by many, he would have His hands and His feet pierced, people would cast lots for His clothing. (psalm 22)
The purpose of His death would be to atone for sin (Isaiah 53:4-5, 10-11)
He would be killed alongside criminals (Isaiah 53:12)
PROPHECIES REGARDING TIME AFTER THE MESSIAH'S DEATH
Be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9)
Would defeat death by being resurrected (Psalm 16:8-11, 49:15, 86:13)
A follower will be replaced (Psalm 109:7-8)
The Kingdom of the Messiah would come about at a specific time, during the time of the Roman Empire (Daniel 2)
The Messiah would reign at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1)
His kingdom would spread even to the Gentiles (Isaiah 55:4-5; Hosea 2:23)
PROPHECIES REGARDING THE DEITY OF THE MESSIAH
He would be the son of God (Psalm 2:7)
His throne would be everlasting (2 Samuel 7:12-13; Isaiah 9:7)
Immanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14, 8:8,10)
Have eternal existence (Micah 5:2)
He would be the everlasting God (Isaiah 9:6)
So this was about 48 detailed prophecies that came all before the time of Christ. The question we must ask is: Did Jesus fulfill them all?
One point I would like to make prior to showing that Jesus fulfilled all these prophecies is:
The mathematical probability that all of these prophesies would be fulfilled in one man is astronomical! What are the chances that all of these prophecies could be fulfilled in one man?
Statistician Peter Stoner reports that the probability of just eight of these prophecies about one person being fulfilled by chance is 1 in 10^17 (Idem, 106-107) That number has 17 zeros! He also reports that the probability of 48 prophecies being fulfilled by chance in one man is 1x10^157 (Idem, 109). 157 zeros!
According to Emile Borel ( a French mathematician), once one goes past one chance in 10^50, the probabilities are so small that it is impossible to think that they will ever occur (Ankerberg et. al., op. cit., 21).
If someone did fulfill all of the prophecies, it is a scientific/mathematical fact that they are the Messiah. If Jesus truly did fulfill the prophesies, it cannot be denied that He is who he claims to be.
So did Jesus fulfill these prophecies? the answer is YES! The fingerprint matches exactly! Jesus fulfilled them all!
PROPHECIES REGARDING THE MESSIAH'S BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE:
We see in the genealogies of Jesus, that He is indeed of the lineage that the Messiah was prophesied to be. He was a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He did descend though Jacob's son Judah, and was born a king of the line of David. The wise men even came looking for the one who was born King of the Jews.
He was born of a virgin according to the historical testimony.
He was born in the city of Bethlehem as prophesied.
Herod upon hearing of the birth of the King, tried to kill him, putting to death all of the children 2 years old and younger.
But the Lord appeared to Joseph and Mary, sending them to Egypt, where God called them to return to fulfill Hosea 11:1.
PROPHESIES REGARDING THE WORK OF THE MESSIAH:
Jesus had a forerunner to prepare the way for Him, John the Baptist, fulfilling Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3-5.
He was anointed with the Spirit of God at His baptism. He taught and worked in the regions of Zebulun, Naphtali, and Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2).
He had great zeal for the house of God, cleansing the temple at least on 2 occasions (Psalm 69:9).
He taught many times in parables (Psalm 78:2, Isaiah 6:9-10).
He performed many miracles. Healing the sick, making the deaf hear, the blind see, the mute speak (Isaiah 35:4-6, 29:18).
He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey for the purpose of bringing salvation to His people (Zechariah 9:9)
PROPHECIES REGARDING THE RECEPTION OF THE MESSIAH
He was rejected by the people (Psalm 118:22-23, Isaiah 53:1-3)
He was hated for no reason (Psalm 35:19, 69:4)
He was rejected, even by his own brothers (Psalm 69:8)
He was put to death
He was betrayed by a close associate for 30 pieces of silver, Judas Iscariot (Zechariah 11:12-13, Psalm 41:9, 55:12-14)
He was accused by false witnesses at His trial (Psalm 27:12, 35:11)
He was beaten and spat upon (Isaiah 50:6)
He was as a lamb on the way to it's execution and slaughter (Isaiah 53:7)
At the time of His death, he did thirst, he was mocked and insulted by many, he did have His hands and His feet pierced on the cross, and the soldiers cast lots for His clothing. (psalm 22)
The purpose of His death was to atone for sin (Isaiah 53:4-5, 10-11)
He was killed alongside 2 criminals (Isaiah 53:12)
PROPHECIES REGARDING TIME AFTER THE MESSIAH'S DEATH
He was buried in the tomb of a rich man, Joseph of Arimathea (Isaiah 53:9)
He did defeat death by being resurrected, being seen by hundreds of witnesses (Psalm 16:8-11, 49:15, 86:13)
His follower who betrayed Him committed suicide, and was replaced by another (Psalm 109:7-8)
the Kingdom of the Messiah (the church) began at this time, during the time of the Roman Empire (Daniel 2)
Jesus ascended into heaven to reign at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1)
His kingdom spread even to the Gentiles, including you and me (Isaiah 55:4-5; Hosea 2:23)
THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL
How disciples were made of Jews (those who at first rejected Jesus) in the preaching of the gospel. Proved Jesus was the Messiah from OT prophecy
Examples in acts:
• Acts 2
• Acts 3
• Acts 8:32-33 The Ethiopian Eunuch
• Acts 13:17-41 Paul in Antioch of Pasidia
• Acts 17:1-3, 10-12 Thessalonica and Barea
The evidence of the scriptures was enough to persuade many people to call Jesus Lord! I believe the evidence should lead us to do the same!
But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish--the very works that I do--bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me… 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life (John 5:36, 38-40).”
Do you want to have forgiveness of your sins and eternal life? You must come to Jesus and Jesus alone for it! The scriptures and the eyewitness testimony should be more than enough to prove the fact that you should be calling Jesus your Lord and giving your life fully to Him. Will you do so? Or will you ignore the evidence? This is the only way you can still have questions as to whether or not Jesus is who He claims to be and whether or not His claims are true.
So do not allow your supposed questions allow you from seeking the truth and examining the evidence, and do not allow your desire to sin and to live your own way stop you from calling Jesus Lord today! If you choose not to, there will be a day when all call Him Lord as everyone will stand before His throne in judgment. What will your decision be?
