Scripture Snapshots:
Who is Jesus?
Series 1 Lesson 7
Just imagine that you are at the park playing basketball with your friends. A very short second grade boy comes strutting up, dribbling a basketball. He’s wearing an NBA jersey of a famous player and expensive sneakers. He walks right up to your group and announces that he can slam dunk a basketball and that he rarely misses a shot from half court. BIG talk!
After you all get done laughing, he just stares at you. He says that he’s not joking and that what he said was true. What would you say? Prove it, right? He would then have to dunk the ball and make the shot. If he couldn’t do either, you wouldn’t be surprised, and you would know that he couldn’t back up his claim.
When Jesus was on earth, He made a very big claim. He said that He was God. We know this because the Bible says that there were several times that the religious leaders heard Jesus say that He was equal with God. They didn’t believe Him, and they picked up stones to try and kill Him. When they couldn’t kill Jesus that way, they sentenced Him to death on the cross for His blasphemy against God. Let’s take a closer look at what else the Bible says ….
The Bible says …
Excitement must have been high in heaven. Jesus, God’s Son was preparing to leave His throne in Heaven and become a man on Earth. Just like now, good news needs to be shared. So, God first sent the angel Gabriel to a godly priest named Zacharias. The angel told Zacharias that he would have a son, even though he and his wife Elizabeth were very old. This son would be the prophet who would prepare the way for the promised Messiah. His name was John … he was later nicknamed John the Baptist. He was also the earthly cousin of Jesus.
As we saw in Scripture Snapshot lesson #2, God gave us a book like no other book. The Bible claims to be God’s Word (more than 2500 times). The Bible was written over a period of 1600 years by 40 different authors from all walks of life … shepherds and fishermen to prophets and kings. The Bible teaches you and I all we need to know about God’s holiness, authority, and power. It also shows us God’s mercy, grace, and love. The Bible is God’s Truth and shows us how to be free (John 8:32). ALL of these teachings work together to support the ONE central theme found throughout ALL of the pages of the Bible … God loves you and sent His Son to be your Savior from sin. (John 3:16-17 & I John 4:10)
Remember, sin is anything you think, say, or do that displeases God. Sin keeps you from having a right relationship with God. BUT also remember the good news … when you ask Him for forgiveness and receive Jesus as your Savior, your fellowship with God is restored. This means that you can talk to God about anything you want to talk with Him about … and you can do that whenever you want to talk to Him! You can now live a life with His guidance, peace, and joy. It also means that one day in the future you will live with Him forever in Heaven. God loves people and His desire is that ALL people accept His forgiveness and have this right relationship with Him through Jesus.
Jesus is God
Jesus left Heaven and became a man so that He could die for your sins. For 33 years He lived a perfect life here on Earth and showed us what God is like. He could do this because not only was Jesus a real man, but He was also still fully God. He lived a life with many hardships just as you and I do, so He understands our struggles. He knows how you feel, and He cares very much about what happens to you.
The Bible teaches that Jesus is God. Genesis 1:1 says that GOD created the heaven and the earth. Yet in John 1:3 and in Colossians 1:16 it says that JESUS made all things. This isn’t a mistake or a contradiction. This is the Bible telling us that Jesus is God.
Jesus himself claimed to be God and He proved it by the things He did and said while He was here on earth:
One day four men brought their sick friend to the house where Jesus was. It was very crowded. They couldn’t get anywhere near Jesus. So, they climbed to the roof and lowered their sick friend through the roof so that Jesus could heal him. The first thing that Jesus said to the sick man was, “Your sins be forgiven you.” Only God can forgive sins (Isaiah 43:25) and the Jewish leaders in the room knew that. They understood in their hearts that Jesus was claiming to do something that only God could do. Jesus knew what they were thinking (also only something that God could do) and to prove He could forgive sins, Jesus also physically healed the man. The sick man, who couldn’t walk before this, got up and carried his mat out the door fully healed because Jesus is God. (Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12 & Luke 5:17-26)
Another time Jesus and the disciples were out in a fishing boat when a terrible storm came up and threatened to drown them all. Jesus calmed the storm by saying, “Peace, be still”. The storm instantly stopped. The weather and water obeyed Him because Jesus is God. (Matthew 8:23-27 & Mark 4:35-41)
At other separate times, a blind man and a leper all bowed to Jesus after He healed them. Jesus said that we are to only worship God, but He didn’t stop them from bowing to Him. This wasn’t hypocrisy or a power trip. Jesus accepted their worship because Jesus is God. (John 9:1-38 & Luke 17:11-19)
The Bible tells us about the many times that Jesus brought people back from the dead. One time he brought a 12-year-old girl back to life. Another time he brought back the only son of a widow who had just died. And another time He raised His close friend Lazarus back from the dead after He had been dead and buried for 4 days. Jesus claimed that He could give life. No ordinary man could claim that and back it up, but Jesus did. He proved it because Jesus is God. (Matthew 9:18,23-25; Luke 7:11-15 & John 11:28-44)
When Jesus was arrested, the High Priest boldly asked Him, “Are you the Son of God?” Jesus answered “Yes” and then Jesus said that one day the High Priest would see Jesus on His throne in heaven. Jesus was saying that Jesus is God. The High Priest and religious council clearly understood what Jesus said and they condemned Him to death for claiming to be God.
During the middle of the 1800’s there was a famous French artist named Paul Gustave Dore. Not everyone knew him, of course, but he made many amazing drawings.
One day he was traveling to another country when he realized that he did not have his passport. He had really important business to do, but he would need to cross the border. As he approached the guard, he explained his situation and exactly who he was. He was a well-known artist traveling on business. Well the guard didn’t know him, so without a passport he refused to let Dore across the line.
Gustave kept trying, arguing with the guard, but to no avail. Finally, the guard went to get his supervisor. He must have been a wise man because he brought a piece of paper and a pencil. He said, “If you really are a famous artist then draw a picture of those peasants working in that field.”
Gustave kept trying, arguing with the guard, but to no avail. Finally, the guard went to get his supervisor. He must have been a wise man because he brought a piece of paper and a pencil. He said, “If you really are a famous artist then draw a picture of those peasants working in that field.”
Jesus proved that He is God by everything He did and said. The most powerful thing He did was to freely die on the cross for your sins, allow Himself to be put in a tomb, and then He came back to life on the 3rd day. This showed His power over sin and death. He offers eternal life to all who will put their trust in Him. He is the ONLY way to Heaven … you can’t get there without personal faith in Him (John 14:6 & Ephesians 2:8-9) ONLY He can do this because Jesus is God!
The evidence is there.
Do you believe that Jesus is God just as He said? Just as the Bible says?
Do you Trust Him as your Savior?