(Power point and outline available)
Begin message by inviting children to platform:
Have on hand a bucket full of rocks and stones. Read scripture passage and direct children to spread palms and join in the shouting of the crowds in v. 38.
After saying these things, Jesus headed straight up to Jerusalem. When he got near Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: “Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you’ll find a colt tethered, one that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says anything, asks, ‘What are you doing?’ say, ‘His Master needs him.’”
The two left and found it just as he said. As they were untying the colt, its owners said, “What are you doing untying the colt?”
They said, “His Master needs him.”
They brought the colt to Jesus. Then, throwing their coats on its back, they helped Jesus get on. As he rode, the people gave him a grand welcome, throwing their coats on the street.
Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed:
“Blessed he who comes,
the king in God’s name!
All’s well in heaven!
Glory in the high places!”
Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, get your disciples under control!”
But he said, “If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise.” Lk. 19:28-40 (TMNT)
At v. 40, address children: You are probably wondering why I have this bucket of rocks with me this morning. Well, we may have a "rock concert" this morning. I see some of you smiling, don’t you believe that these rocks could sing.
The week before Jesus was crucified, he rode into the city of Jerusalem on a small donkey. His followers were lining the streets and they were praising Jesus and saying, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" They were creating quite a stir and some of the religious leaders asked Jesus to keep his followers quiet. Jesus answered them and said, “If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise.” (Lk 19:40)
Do you think these stones could shout praise? If the God who created them told them to they could. They could shout the praises of the God who created them. One might tell how David used one of them to slay a giant. Another might tell how Elijah had used stones to build an altar to God. Still another might tell how God had used them to build a temple. Yes, these stones could shout out loud, but we will not let them. We will burst into song, and bless the Lord.
We came here this morning to praise our God, we didn’t come to hear a "rock concert."
Sing: “Shout to the Lord”
Have you ever purchased an original work of art and gotten home only to discover the back reads: “made in Taiwan”? You’ve been had.
What if you bought you’re dearest one a beautiful diamond and later get it appraised and find out it’s a fake—that it’s cubic zirconium. You’ll certainly experience some friction in your relationship in that case.
Or you buy a shiny used car that loses its transmission the next day.
Or maybe you buy some antiques and----well I went to the Antiques Roadshow recently. Have you ever seen that show? Here’s what happened.
(Do a parody of the Antiques Roadshow: Someone brings items to appraiser who is a fake—s/he miscalculates values, drops items, overall is incompetent. Consumer finally gets upset and shouts to appraiser, “You’re a fake.” To which appraiser storms off stage stating, “I am the greatest---you’re a fake.)
I have always sensed there was something strange about the original Palm Sunday celebration in Jerusalem. A huge question mark looms in the background. There is a glaring discontinuity about the whole event. Think about it...A crowd estimated to be between 100,000 and 200,000 lines the roadsides to cheer an itinerant preacher from Nazareth named Jesus; yet they are not really sure why they are cheering. They are not even sure who Jesus is. What if a ticker-tape parade were held down New York’s Fifth Avenue for an unidentified celebrity...and a half-million people showed up?! That is about what happened on the first Palm Sunday in Jerusalem.
The city of Jerusalem was bursting at the seams with religious pilgrims there for the annual Passover Festival. It has been estimated that some 2.5 million people were in or around Jerusalem. The crowds were enthusiastic but, as the politicians would say, Jesus’ support was broad but shallow. The big money, the power structure hated him. Many in the crowds were not really yelling "Hurrah for Jesus." They were using his parade as a way of saying, "Down with Rome!"
In a frenzy, people begin stripping palm branches off the trees and then started laying them in the pathway as Jesus rode by.
Palm branches were to the Jews of that day what the stars and stripes of our flag means to us today.
Just like we would wave our flag in the festive occasion of the fourth of July, the Jews waved their "flag" (palm branches) shouting "hosanna" because they wanted Jesus to be their political leader instead of a spiritual savior.
But it doesn’t end there. Don’t forget that there were others in the crowd that day that were also seeing it from a totally different perspective. Out of confusion these people shouted the question, “who is this?” “who is this man?”
Was it because these individuals did not know who jesus was? No! They knew it was jesus because they heard about all his teachings and miracles.
What’s so special about him! Who is this? I ask you – who is this jesus? Jesus asked “whom do men say that i am?” Jesus asked again, “but whom do you say that i am?” What is your answer?
Who is this man riding on the colt?
Notice this truth:
POPULAR IDEAS ABOUT JESUS ARE MYTHS
The crowds on the first Palm Sunday thought he was just a prophet and nothing more. On another occasion Jesus asked his disciples who people were saying he was. They replied, "John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets." people then and now have a hard time getting a fix on who Jesus is..
Some people today have tried to domesticated and tame Jesus. They have turned him into something resembling TV’s Mr. Rogers with long hair, a sweet Jesus, meek and mild, who wouldn’t hurt a flea.
When Hollywood tries to present Jesus, they usually create someone who appears to be stepping out of a stained glass window, a kind of Prozac Jesus who speaks in monotone, never smiles, and looks like a ghost. In reality, Jesus was utterly exuberant and frighteningly courageous. He went to parties, laughed heartily, and hugged people easily.
Some people have tried to make Jesus the champion of their group’s political agenda. Ever notice that the news media often use the terms "evangelical" and "religious right" almost interchangeably? The fact is that you can find evangelicals on the right and left and in the middle of the American political spectrum. Then it appears at times that some mainline Protestant churches leaders have exactly the same agenda as the left-wing of the Democratic Party.
The most common misidentification of Jesus is to regard him as nothing more than an enlightened teacher and powerful moral example. A prominent seminary professor put it this way: "Jesus is nothing more than an elder brother, a companion, a trailblazer, one among many siblings who shows us how to live in oneness with the Divine Source."
The great British teacher C.S. Lewis was right when he said that "Jesus either was and is who he said he was, the Son of God, or else a madman or worse." The crowds have usually been wrong about who Jesus is---in the past and today.
So if you are having questions today about who Jesus is I want to invite you for the next few minutes to travel down the road of history form the past to the current time to explore the major highlights of Jesus’ life. He wins the world, one heart at a time. He will never be elected by a popular majority. No dictator will ever install him as Lord of all. Each of us in the privacy of our own hearts and souls must decide who he is. And that’s why I want to share this with you on this Plam Sunday 2002.
WHO IS JESUS?
THE PREVIEW:
The Old Testament (the part of the Bible written before Jesus’ birth) was completed in 450BC, hundreds of years before Jesus was born. The prophecies were made in astonishing detail by many people throughout these books.
For instance, the Old Testament indicated Jesus would be betrayed by someone he trusted, "Even my close friend whom I trusted, he who has shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Psalm 41:9). The New Testament, which records Jesus’ life and resurrection, reveals that one of the 12 people Jesus chose to be part of his inner circle betrayed him, "Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them" (Mark 14:10).
More than 300 prophecies like this were made in the Old Testament and then fulfilled through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. The chances of one person fulfilling a mere 8 of these prophecies are 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. For one person to fulfill 48 of these prophecies, the number becomes staggering--1 chance in 10 to the 157th power (1 with 157 zeros after it). Add to that the 250 other prophecies and it becomes impossible for any other person except Jesus to ever fit that particular sequence of time and events.
I have provided for you on your outline a table that compares OT prophecies about Jesus to their fulfillment in the NT. I encourage you to look at that and do more reading about these events during this Holy Week.
(Refer to outline)
JESUS’ CLAIMS:
Jesus could only have been one of four things: a legend, a liar, a lunatic--or Lord and God. There is so much historical and archeological evidence to support his existence that every reputable historian agrees he was not just a legend. If he were a liar, why would he die for his claim, when he could easily have avoided such a cruel death with a few choice words? And, if he were a lunatic, how did he engage in intelligent debates with his opponents or handle the stress of his betrayal and crucifixion while continuing to show a deep love for his antagonists? He said he was Lord and God. The evidence supports that claim.
Here are some of the key claims Jesus made about himself.
He claimed to live a sinless life
Jesus could look at a crowd of people angry at his claims to share God’s nature and ask, "Which of you can point to anything wrong in my life?" Even more amazing is that none of them could give a reply! No human being has ever lived a sinless life, except for Jesus.
John 8:28-29 "So Jesus said, ’When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.’"
John 8:46-47 "Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
He claimed to be the ONLY way to God
Not one of several ways, but the one and only way. Not to teach the way, but to be the way to God. Nobody has ever made claims like that before and backed them, but Jesus did through his love, balanced life, and miracles.
John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me."
Matthew 11:27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
He claimed to have shared the glory of God in Heaven
Jesus claimed to have pre-existed the people he spoke with. The apostle John--who shared bread with Jesus--wrote that Jesus was with God in the very beginning, and that "all things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being." (John 1:1-5)
John 17:5 "And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."
He claimed to be able to forgive sins
One of the reasons that the Jewish leaders were so angry with Jesus was his continual practice of forgiving people’s sins. The religious leaders understood clearly that since sins were rebellion against God Himself, only God could forgive sins.
Luke 5:20-21 "When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ’Friend, your sins are forgiven.’ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ’Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’"
Luke 7:48-49 "Then Jesus said to her, ’Your sins are forgiven.’ The other guests began to say among themselves, ’Who is this who even forgives sins?’"
He claimed to be a Heavenly king
Luke 22:69 "But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."
Luke 23:1-3 "Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, ’We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.’ So Pilate asked Jesus, ’Are you the king of the Jews?’ ’Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied."
John 18:36-37 "Jesus said, ’My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.’ ’You are a king, then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ’You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’"
He claimed to be able to give everlasting life
He didn’t just tell people how they could find everlasting life, or deepen their own life experience. He actually claimed to give life himself.
John 6:40 "For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:47 "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life."
John 10:28-30 "I give [my followers] 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 11:25 "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...’"
He claimed that he would die and come back to life
John 10:17 "Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
John 12:32-33 "’But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.’ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die."
John 16:16 "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me."
Luke 18:31-33 "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ’We are going up into Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.’"
He claimed that he would return again to judge the world
Matthew 24:27-30 "So as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man... At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory."
Matthew 25:31-32 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep and the goats."
Mark 14:61-62 "Again the high priest asked him, ’Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’ ’I am,’ said Jesus. ’And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’"
THE MUSCLE:
Many people have claimed to be God, but only one man in history demonstrated through his actions that he had a supernatural power source. The power Jesus displayed shook the nation of Israel to its core.
He healed the lame and the blind, controlled the movement of fish, and calmed storms. Not only did Jesus heal hundreds of people from sickness and disease, but on several occassions he raised people from physical death!
A detailed look at the miracles of Jesus
Changes water to wine
In his first recorded miracle, which took place at Cana in the Galilee area, Jesus changes water at a wedding into wine after the host’s wine ran out unexpectedly.
John 2:6-11
Cures the official’s son
In the second recorded miracle, Jesus heals the son of a royal official at Capernaum.
Matthew 4:12
Mark 1:14
Luke 4:14
John 4:43-54
Heals the paralytic at the pool
At the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, Jesus heals a man who had been unable to walk for 38 years.
John 5:1-9
Reverses the draught of fish
After a fruitless night of fishing on the Sea of Galilee, Peter receives a command from Jesus to lower his nets again. This time so many fish are caught that Peter’s nets begin to break.
Luke 5:4-9
Heals the demonized in the Synagogue at Capernaum
Mark 1:23-28
Luke 4:33-37
Heals Peter’s mother-in-law and many sick
Matthew 8:14-15
Mark 1:29-31
Luke 4:38-39
Heals the leper
Matthew 8:2-4
Mark 1:40-42
Luke 5:12-13
Heals the paralytic
Matthew 9:2-8
Mark 2:2-12
Luke 5:18-26
Heals the centurion’s servant
Matthew 8:5-13
Luke 7:2-10
Raises the widow’s son back to life
Luke 7:12-16
Heals the blind, mute demoniac
Matthew 12:22
Luke 11:14
Calms the storm
Jesus calms a storm on the Sea of Galilee with a wave of his hand--a storm of such an intensity that it terrifies his crew of experienced sailors.
Matthew 8:24-27
Mark 4:37-41
Luke 8:23-25
Heals the demonized man at Gerasa
Matthew 8:28-34
Mark 5:1-20
Luke 8:26-39
Heals the woman who touched him
A simple touch of Jesus’ garment was enough to heal this woman.
Matthew 9:20-22
Mark 5:25-34
Luke 8:43-48
Raises Jairus’s dead daughter back to life
Jesus demonstrates that he has the power to raise the dead back to life.
Matthew 9:18-19,23-26
Mark 5:22-24,35-43
Luke 8:41-42,49-56
Feeds crowd of five thousand
In one of the most spectacular miracles, Jesus feeds a massive crowd of 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two small fish. And there is enough food left over at the end to fill 12 baskets!
Matthew 14:15-21
Mark 6:35-44
Luke 9:12-17
John 6:5-14
Walks on the lake and stills the storm
Jesus is seen walking on the surface of the Sea of Galilee! One of his disciples, caught in a moment of pure faith, begins walking on the water towards Jesus. Moments later he starts to doubt, plunges down into the water, and is pulled to safety by Jesus.
Matthew 14:22-33
Mark 6:45-52
John 6:16-21
Heals the Canaanite woman’s daughter
Matthew 15:22-28
Mark 7:25-30
Heals deaf and mute man
Mark 7:32-37
Feeds four thousand
In another miraculous example of God’s power, Jesus takes compassion on a large, famished crowd of followers who hadn’t eaten in roughly three days. He feeds them with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Seven baskets of food are left over after everyone is full.
Matthew 15:32-38
Mark 8:1-9
He himself was raised from the dead three days after his crucifixion, just as he had predicted. Was his resurrection a real event, or a myth? Take a look at the facts and make your own informed decision.
A fact-based analysis of the resurrection of Jesus
The resurrection is central to the Christian faith. If Jesus was not raised from the dead, then Christian beliefs don’t amount to much, since Jesus himself said that he would be raised from the dead on the third day. On the other hand, if Jesus did rise from the dead, all his claims are true and we can know for sure that there is life after death.
A large volume of evidence exists to support the resurrection claims. In fact, there is more legal-historic evidence (the kind used in courtrooms) for the resurrection than there is for Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo. There are several reasons why those who have studied the resurrection are convinced beyond a doubt that it is true.
Jesus himself foretold his death and resurrection, and these events came about exactly as he had predicted.
John 2:19-21 "Jesus answered them, ’Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’ The Jews replied, ’It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ But the temple he had spoken of was his body."
John 10:17 "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again."
John 16:16-23 "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.’ Some of his disciples said to one another, ’What does he mean by saying, ’In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ’Because I am going to the Father’?’ They kept asking, ’What does he mean by ’a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.’ Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, ’Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ’In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy..."
Matthew 12:40 "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Matthew 16:21 "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."
Luke 18:31-33 "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ’We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again."
The event is well-documented by numerous reliable, historical sources.
Historians such as Josephus (c.37-110 AD), Ignatius (c.50-115 AD), Justin Martyr (c.100-165 AD) and Tertullian (c.160-220 AD) were convinced of the authenticity of the resurrection. Their writings validate the accounts of the Gospel writers, who, according to leading biblical scholarship, recorded the event as soon as 37 AD and no later than 64 AD.
In addition, other first and second century historians including Cornelius Tacitus, Suetonius, Plinius Secundus, and Lucian of Samosata acknowledged the impact this incredible event had on the people of the time.
The resurrection is the only plausible explanation for the empty grave.
Roman soldiers closely guarded the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Moreover, the grave’s entrance was sealed by an enormous boulder. The Roman guard, which was usually composed of 16 members, would have made it impossible for the disciples--who, by the way, were cowering in fear for their own lives--to steal the body. If, as some have claimed, Jesus was not dead, but only weakened, the guards and the stone would have stopped his escape. After being beaten and flagellated, hung on a cross for six hours, pierced by the spear of his executioners to ascertain his death, and wrapped, as was the custom, in 100 pounds of linen and spices, Jesus would have been in no shape to roll a two-ton stone uphill, outwit 16 Roman soldiers and then appear radiantly to his disciples.
The Jewish leaders of the day could easily have refuted all claims of the resurrection by simply producing a body, but they were unable to do so because there was no body.
There are numerous eyewitnesses to the resurrection.
After he rose from the dead, Jesus appeared at least ten times to those who had known him and to as many as 500 people at one time. These appearances were not hallucinations; Jesus ate and talked with his followers and they touched his resurrected body.
Luke 24:36-39 "While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ’Peace be with you.’ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, ’Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’"
John 20:26-29 "A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ’Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ’Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ’My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ’Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’"
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."
The resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the beginning of the Christian movement.
The Christian church was born in the very city where Jesus was publicly killed and buried. The belief in a resurrected Jesus had to be authentic to take root in Jerusalem and grow to encompass the whole world. The Christian church is now the largest institution that exists or has ever existed in the history of humanity. Clearly, this would have been impossible if the resurrection was a story.
The resurrection is the only logical explanation for the transformed lives of the disciples.
They deserted and even denied Jesus before his public trial; after his death they were discouraged and fearful. They did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead. Yet, after his resurrection and their experience at Pentecost, these same discouraged, disappointed men and women were transformed by the mighty power of the risen Christ. In his name, they turned the world upside down. Many lost their lives for their faith; others were terribly persecuted. Their courageous behavior does not make sense apart from their conviction that Jesus Christ was truly raised from the dead--a fact worth dying for.
Throughout the centuries, most great scholars who have considered the proofs of the resurrection have believed, and still believe, that Jesus is alive.
After examining the evidence for the resurrection given by the Gospel writers, the late Simon Greenleaf, an authority on legal issues at Harvard Law School, concluded: "It was therefore impossible that they could have persisted in affirming the truths they have narrated, had not Jesus actually risen from the dead, and had they not known this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact." Mr. Greenleaf was a Jewish professor who became a believer in Jesus the Messiah after studying the facts for himself.
After you have weighed the evidence, what are your conclusions?
In a sociology of religion class at the University of Virginia, the professor asked the students to tell about their religious background and commitments. One young woman named Barb said she was a Christian. The professor asked, "What tradition of the Christian faith do you identify with? The northern European or English pietism or another?" The student was obviously struggling for an answer. Finally she said, "Sir, I don’t know how to answer that question. I just know I love Jesus." Which leads me to my next discussion point.
THE IMPACT
Throughout history, the influence Jesus had on the lives of people has never been surpassed. No other great leader has inspired so many positive changes in the lives of his followers. People who encounter the risen Christ are totally transformed. Their outlook on life is altered forever. To uphold their faith, they do not hesitate to face hardship, persecution and even death. Many consecrate their lives to serving others, disregarding their own needs and desires.
First Century Christians
Following Jesus’ crucifixion, his disciples were devastated. They had forsaken him in the Garden of Gethsemane to save their own skins. But after they met the resurrected Christ, they were radically changed. Suddenly, they were willing to give their lives to tell Jesus’ story to the world. Many were tortured and killed because they proclaimed Jesus was alive.
Skeptics and enemies were also transformed. Jesus’ younger brother, James, didn’t think Jesus was anybody special. But after his resurrected brother appeared to him, James not only believed Jesus was Lord but became the leader of the Jerusalem church and died a martyr in 62 AD.
Saul of Tarsus was the chief persecutor of early Christians. He dragged people to prison. When they did not recant their faith, he was a party to their execution. But he had a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ on his way to Damascus and he was transformed from Saul, the enemy of Christianity, to Paul, the main propagator of its message. He left his position of prestige in Jewish society, to become a travelling missionary who experienced incredible suffering in order to share the love of Christ throughout the Roman empire.
Roman governor Plinius Secundus wrote in his Epistles X96 that Christians were people who loved the truth at any cost. Although he was ordered to torture and execute them for refusing to curse Jesus, he was continually amazed and impressed with their firm commitments "not to do any wicked deeds, never to commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word, not to deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up." For centuries, true Christians around the world have stood as shining examples of the standards of truth and love established by Jesus of Nazareth.
Historian Philip Schaff described the overwhelming influence which Jesus had on subsequent history and culture of the world. "This Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science...he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times."
Modern Day Christianity
The power of Christ knows no boundary of time or space. In our own age, many skeptics have been convinced just as thoroughly their first-century counterparts. For example, Lew Wallace, a famous general and literary genius, was a known atheist. For two years, Wallace studied in the leading libraries of Europe and America, seeking information that would forever destroy Christianity. While writing the second chapter of a book outlining his arguments, he suddenly found himself on his knees crying out to Jesus, "My Lord and my God."
When confronted by solid indisputable evidence, he could no longer deny that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Later, Lew Wallace wrote the book Ben Hur, one of the greatest English novels ever written concerning the time of Christ.
Similarly, the late C.S. Lewis, professor at Oxford University in England, was an agnostic who denied the deity of Christ for years. But he, too, in intellectual honesty, submitted to Jesus as his God and Savior after studying the overwhelming evidence for his deity. Over the years, he wrote many books to uphold the ideals of Christianity, including Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters.
Many other men and women in our century have dedicated their lives to spreading the Christian message, often braving torture and death. For example, one of Romania’s most widely known Christian leader, Richard Wurmbrand, spent 14 years in prison and was repeatedly tortured for running the underground church under Communist rule. Even after international pressure secured his release from Romania, he continued to receive death threats from the Communist regime. But these attempts at intimidation did not silence him. He kept publicly spreading the good news of Christ.
Similarly, in Korea, Joon Gon Kim, a well-known Christian leader, witnessed his wife and father slaughtered before his eyes by Communist sympathizers from his own village. He himself was beaten senseless and left for dead. He survived the beating and asked God to give him love for the souls of his enemies. He eventually led 30 Communists to believe in Christ, including the person responsible for the death of his family members.
Not only does the love of Christ impel Christians to face persecution and death but also to work to make the world a better place. Mother Theresa was an outstanding example of a life poured in the service of Christ. Of her well-known ministry among the poor, she said: "Our work is only the expression of the love we have for God."
Like her, many others have given their lives to serve the destitute and the outcast, either in their homeland or abroad. William and Katherine Booth, founders of the Salvation Army, believed that ministering to the poor was like ministering to Christ himself. The movement they launched enlisted the tireless efforts of enthusiastic people who wanted to make a difference in the world around them.
Two of the most interesting books I read last year were The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith, written by Lee Strobel. He is now teaching pastor at Sasddleback Church but many years ago he was a die hard athetist. In these books he talks about his journey from atheism to Christianity and builds a case for belief and faith ion Christ based on his experience and background as an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune. Strobel says of his faith experience: “It’s not an overnight deal. But as I opened my life to His work in my life and I endeavor to follow Him and His teaching, my character began to change, my values began to change, my outlook, my worldview, my philosophy, my priorities, my relationships, my marriage, my parenting, my life began to change for the good. This was the happiness that I had been seeking. “
All of these Christian men and women have found fulfillment and joy in following the teachings of Jesus. They were transformed when they met Christ and yielded their lives to him. Each of them has made a positive impact on the world. And many have been willing to die for their faith.
But maybe you’re still skeptical. That’s OK. I love people who are searching seeking—with their doubts and questions.
You might be thinking this stuff is not convincing evidence for me.. There have been crackpots throughout history who have been willing to die for their faith. Lots of folks. A recent example not long ago, is each terrorist on those planes on September 11 who killed themselves and a whole bunch of innocent people. Why each one do that? He was willing to die for his faith. He was willing to do that because he sincerely believed with all his heart that if he died that way, he would instantly go to paradise to be with his god. He believed it to the core of his being and he was willing to die for it. So you may, Don’t try to tell me that the fact that the disciples were willing to die for their faith means anything.
But, you’re missing the point. There’s a huge difference between what the terrorists did and what the disciples did. Listen to the distinction because to me it’s very powerful evidence. People will die for their religious beliefs if they’re convinced that their beliefs are true. Right? The reason that terrorists are willing to do it, they’re convinced that their beliefs are true. But, people will not die for their religious beliefs if they know their beliefs are false. Who would knowingly and willingly die for a lie? No one.
Here’s the point: That terrorists may have believed if they died that way they would instantly go to heaven, but they don’t know it for a fact. Each terroirst--He just has a strong belief. It’s different with the disciples. The disciples were in a unique position in history to know for a fact whether or not Jesus really returned from the dead as the ultimate authentication of His claim to being God. They talked with the resurrected Jesus, they ate with Him, they touched Him. They knew it wasn’t a trick or an hallucination. They knew it was true. And knowing the truth, they were willing to die for it.
Do you see the difference? It’s a huge difference. They didn’t just believe it. They knew whether it was true or not and they were willing to be tortured to death for it. I’ve looked throughout history I could not find one example of anyone who knowingly and willingly allowed themselves to be tortured to death for a lie. It’s powerful evidence for me that these disciples were telling the truth about what they witnessed
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Is Jesus still interested in us?
What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Christ, and in what way does it impact our lives? And how does someone go about making that kind of commitment?
Those are good questions, and typical of someone who understands the significance of Jesus. Here is some information to help answer these and other questions you may have about Jesus.
Because of Jesus’ resurrection, his followers do not honor a dead founder
They have a vital, personal relationship with him. Jesus Christ lives today and faithfully enriches the lives of all those who trust and obey him. Throughout the centuries, multitudes have acknowledged the worthiness of Jesus Christ, including many who have greatly influenced the world. French physicist and philosopher Blaise Pascal spoke of people’s need for Jesus when he said, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, which only God can fill through his Son Jesus Christ."
You can know Christ Personally!
I love the story of a little four-year-old girl who was at her pediatrician’s office for a check-up. Trying to get down on her level, the doctor said, as he looked into her ears, "Do you think I’II find Big Bird in here? The little girl said nothing. Next, the doctor looked down her throat. He asked, "Will I find the Cookie Monster down there?" She said nothing.
Then the doctor listened to her heart and asked, "Do you think I’II hear Barney in here?" "No," she said. "Jesus is in my heart; Barney is on my underpants."
Because of God’s deep love for you, he has already made all the necessary arrangements. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can enjoy a personal relationship. Jesus made it possible to bridge the chasm which separates us from God..
So what do you do with it? The first step is Believe. Some of you don’t believe it yet. You’re still a skeptic. I didn’t convince you that Jesus is the Son of God. That’s ok. It’s all right. As long as you make it a front burner issue in your life to check it out yourself. Investigate. The Bible says in Hebrews “God rewards those who sincerely seek Him.” You have an opportunity here. I’d like to refer you to the Campus Crusade website—“Who Is Jesus?”—an interactive web page—which is where I researched a great deal of what I have shared with you today. Don’t take my word for it. Do the work yourself. I am confident if you seek you will find.
Then finally I want to talk about those who do believe. Maybe you’ve believed for 20 years but your life hasn’t changed. Or maybe you believed today for the first time. You’ve listened to what I’ve said. You’ve said, “It’s resonated in me as true. I know it’s true. I agree with it.” The Bible says believing by itself is not enough. You must receive. It’s Believe plus Receive. Receive Jesus Christ as the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life. Accept His free gift of forgiveness and eternity with Him.
I’m going to end with a prayer. You can repeat this prayer in the quietness of your heart. God will hear you and He will respond by adopting you at that moment into His family forever.
I’m going to end with a prayer. You can repeat this prayer in the quietness of your heart. God will hear you and He will respond by adopting you at that moment into His family forever.
Prayer:
Repeat these words in your spirit and God will hear, “Lord Jesus, I know that it’s true that I have fallen short of how You want me to live. I know that. I know I’ve done things I should not have done. And I am truly sorry for that. Today I acknowledge, Lord Jesus, and I believe that You are God and that right now I receive Your free gift of forgiveness. Thank You for paying the death penalty that I deserve so that I can have eternal life. Please, lead my life and help me to live as You want me to live. Lord Jesus, from this moment on, I am Yours.”
And now, Father, for those who have prayed that prayer, I thank You that You have answered it. Already You have adopted them as Your son or your daughter. I pray that You would deepen their faith. I pray that You would grow them up in their faith. I hope that they revel in their faith. For those who are seekers who are still going to check it out, I pray that You would open their eyes to their need for You. Open their eyes to the truth about You. Draw them into Your kingdom. And for those of us who have been following You for a long time, we are so grateful. We are so grateful that You love people like us, that Your Son would die that we might have eternal community with You. We pray that You would use us to communicate Your message of truth and love and grace, forgiveness and mercy to those we encounter. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen
Here are some different ways to describe Jesus for people of faith.
To the artist He is the One Altogether Lovely.
To the architect He is the Chief Cornerstone.
To the astronomer He is the Sun of Righteousness.
To the baker He is the Living Bread.
To the banker He is the Hidden Treasure.
To the biologist He is the Life.
To the carpenter He is the Sure Foundation.
To the doctor He is the Great Physician.
To the educator He is the Great Teacher.
To the farmer He is the Sower and Lord of the Harvest.
To the florist He is the Lily of the Valley.
To the geologist He is the Rock of Ages.
To the horticulturist He is the True Vine.
To the judge He is the Righteous One.
To the juror He is the True Witness.
To the jeweller He is the Pearl of Great Price.
To the editor He is the Good Tidings of Great Joy.
To the oculist He is the Light of the Eyes.
To the philosopher He is Wisdom.
To the Printer He is the True Type.
To the servant He is the Good Master.
To the student He is the Incarnate Truth.
To the toiler He is the Giver of Rest.
To the Sinner He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
To the Christian, He is the Son of the Living God, the Savior, the Redeemer and Lord!
