Who is Jesus?
Series: Searching for the Truth of Easter
Mark 14:60-65
March 6, 2005
Introduction
One of the biggest scams that seems to be taking place in our society lately is identity theft. People get access to some of your personal information and they cause major havok. With just the smallest bit of information another person can steal part of who you are and literally cause a great deal of harm to you without ever meeting you, knowing you or even caring to know you.
I believe that there is another identity theft crisis in our nation today but it doesn’t effect you or does it? In our nation today there are people who are working to steal the identity of Jesus. They don’t say that Jesus didn’t exist or that He is just a myth but what they are trying to do is change who He is and what He has said. They are saying that Jesus can not be the only way to God.
The New York Times writer Thomas Freidman, said the following: “It is urgent that the different religions ‘reinterpret’ their traditions to embrace modernity and pluralism and to create space for secularism and alternate faiths.”
What is being said essentially is that we need to give up the idea that Jesus is the only way to God. So let me ask you the question what happens to our beliefs if Jesus is removed? What would our lives be like without a Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life?
• Without Jesus there is no more purpose for the Bible
• Without Jesus there is no more forgiveness
• Without Jesus there is no more hope of salvation
• Without Jesus there is no restoration of our relationship with God
• Without Jesus there can be no heaven, which means Hell is our destiny
Without Jesus we no longer have a genuine faith. When Jesus is changed or removed we no longer have a basis for the core of most sacred and cherished principles. Dare I say it without Jesus we have nothing. All of this begs a question that we desperately need to answer in light of all these attempts to steal the identity of Jesus: who is Jesus? What makes Him so special? What makes Him so different?
Who does Jesus say that He is? This morning I want to examine one of the passages just before the crucifixion of Jesus to see what He said about Himself and to see how He understood Himself. Open your bibles with me to Mark 14:60-65
60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" 62 "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." 63 The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. 64 "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him.
Jesus communicates three clear understandings about who He was with the Sanhedrin that night and I believe His statements help us to understand Him more.
I. Jesus is the Son of Man
Three Basic facts about the title
1.) This was the most popular title that Jesus used for Himself.
2.) Nowhere in the gospels does anyone else use this title to describe Jesus
3.) The early church and the book of Acts did not openly use this title to describe Jesus. The only reference, outside of the gospels, in the New Testament where it is used is in Stephens statements just before he dies.
Jesus uses the term Son of Man over 65 times in the gospels because it was His favorite title. What is the significance of this?
As the Son of Man Jesus is...
The Person of God in human understanding - Jesus is God brought into our existence
MT 1:22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us."
The Perfection of God in human flesh - Jesus came to redeem that which was fallen
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16
The Pattern of God in human conduct - Jesus sets the standard for living
JN 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The Promise of God in human life - Jesus will one day return to us
13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
II. Jesus is the Son of God
Basic Facts
1. This title is more than Jesus being the promised Messiah, this is a term of His divinity.
2. Jesus rarely uses this term to describe Himself. Instead He uses Son of Man or just uses the word Son, which gives the same meaning
This title is not one that Jesus gave to Himself but rather others gave it to Him.
Spiritual Understanding
• Before His birth - Gabriel to Mary - The Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God
• Baptism - God the Father: This is my Son
• Temptation - Satan: “If you are the Son of God
• Casting our demons - Demons: “What do you want with us Son of God?”
There was a clear understanding that Jesus was the Son of God from the spiritual beings that are described in the New Testament. This give weight to the fact that this is more than some title given to Jesus but is part of who He is
Human Understanding
• Confession - Peter: ”You are the Christ, son of the living God”
• Crucifixion - Centurion: “Surely he was the son of God”
The understanding again is clear that the display of power in the life of Jesus gave clear testimony to the fact that he was God’s son.
When Jesus is put on trial He is asked if He is the Son of God. The high priest here uses the term blessed one but the meaning is God and the question is clear. This also gives us the reason that Jesus did not use this title more often because it becomes one of the chief political reasons He is crucified.
The New Testament cannot be more clear in it’s content or its meaning. Jesus is the divine Son of God. This is a title that is given to Him not because He is the Messiah or because He is Jewish. It is given to Him because He is indeed divine.
III. Jesus is God Almighty - I am
When Jesus is questioned by the Sanhedrin that night, the high priest asks Him a direct question and demands an answer. Jesus gives the response I am. I think in order to understand the impact of these words we need to look at the other statements that Jesus made about Himself with these words.
The use of I am
• Messiah
• It is I - walking on the water during the storm
• Bread of life
• Light of the world
• Gate for the sheep
• Good shepherd
• Resurrection and the life
• Way, truth and the life
• True vine
• Alpha and Omega
• First and the last
Jesus uses the same term for I am in all of these statements about Himself. These words are not simply just a statement of this is who I am but rather there is a deep theological connection here with God.
When Moses asks God for His name what was God’s response? I AM THAT I AM. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament the word there is eimi, which means to be. In each of these cases Jesus uses the exact same word. Jesus is doing more than just revealing an aspect of His character with each of the statements, he is making a claim to being God Almighty.
Jesus can say that he is the way, the truth and the life because He is God. Jesus can say that He is bread of life because he is God. Jesus can say that He is the Alpha and Omega because he is God.
Two choices with Jesus
1. His claims were false and He was not god
2. His claims were true and He is God
If the claims of Jesus are false than He either a liar or a lunatic. If he knowingly mislead people, taught them things He knew not to be true, He is nothing more than a liar of the worst kind.
If the claims of Jesus are false and He believed them to be true than He must be a lunatic. It would take someone of great mental imbalance to do the things that Jesus did and say the things that Jesus said.
If the claims of Jesus are true than he truly is God and he is Lord. This reality forces us to make a decision. Either we accept Him or we reject Him. The choice is yours.
Who is this Jesus?
He is the the Son of David, the Son of man and the Son of God. Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, God almighty, the Great I Am and the great Amen.
Do you know Him?
Bread of life, the resurrection and the life, way the truth and the life, Prince of peace, wonderful counselor, Immanuel - God with us, the righteous one, the Lamb of God, the lion of Judah, the light of the world, the living water, living stone and the living word of God
Do you know Him?
The Savior of the world, the suffering servant, One who died and rose again, one who was and is and is to come, he is the eternal image of God , Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ and the anointed one of God. Jesus is the king of kings and Lord of Lords.
Do you know Him?
