The Believability of Jesus Focusing the Conversation on Jesus Christ Pastor Cary Schmidt Wednesday Growth Group April 30, 2014 HeBRews 1:1 9 1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. introduction
The Progression of Humanity s Worldview Ancient world world encounter. Modern world world viewing. Post-modern world world making. 1. How did Jesus? Did Jesus see Himself as different? If not, then we are imposing theology upon Jesus. Textual Evidence: (Writers of the gospels were eyewitnesses to the life and events of Jesus) Matthew s gospel was in circulation during the time of eyewitnesses. (Prior to AD 70) Many ancient historians and critical scholars today believe that the Gospel of Mark was written as early as AD 50 54. Luke is considered to have been composed around AD 58 60. (Luke offers 53 geographic locations that are proven to be accurate.) Jesus Self-Understanding: Jesus clearly accepted the major tenants of the Jewish faith, but obviously saw Himself as much more. He saw Himself as a prophet (Mark 12:1 11, Matthew 11:20 24, Luke 10:13 15). He assumed and performed priestly duties, declaring people clean (Mark 1:41, Luke 7:22 and Mark 2:5, Luke 7:47).
He referred to Himself as the son of man (Daniel 7, one coming to establish God s Kingdom). He claimed to be the Messiah (Mark 8:29 30). He understood Himself to be the Son of God (Mark 14:61 62). He claimed to be the way, truth, and life (John 14:6). He forgives sin, accepts worship, performs mind-blowing miracles, and challenges His accusers to find any fault in Him (John 8:46). 2. How others? Friendly Witnesses Gospel of John written between AD 80 90. John the Baptist testified of Jesus authenticity. Ignatius, church leader at Antioch, died in the Colosseum in AD 110, repeatedly referred to Jesus as God. Polycarp, AD 69 155, bishop of Smyrna: Now may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the High Priest himself, the [Son of] God Jesus Christ, build you up in faith. Irenaeus, AD 125 200, disciple of Polycarp: For with him were always present the Word and Wisdom, the Son and the Spirit, by whom and in whom, freely and spontaneously, He made all things, to whom also He speaks saying, Let us make man after our image and likeness.
Justin Martyr, AD 110 166, great Christian early church apologist: Our Christ conversed with Moses under the appearance of fire from a bush. [He refers to Christ as the] Angel and Apostle, who is also God, yea the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the I AM that I AM. Hostile Witnesses Cornelius Tacitus, AD 56 120, Roman historian (hated Christians): Christians derived their name from a man called Christ, who during the reign of Emperor Tiberius had been executed by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate. The deadly superstition, thus checked for the moment, broke out afresh not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but also in the City of Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world meet and become popular. Pliny the Younger, AD 61 113, Roman administrator in Turkey, writing to Emperor Trajan about Christians in AD 110: The sum total of their guilt or error was no more than the following. They had met regularly before dawn on a determined day, and sung antiphonally a hymn to Christ as to a god. They also took an oath not for any crime, but to keep from theft, robbery and adultery, and not to break any promise. Lucian, AD 115 200, Greek satirist, referring to the founder of Christianity:...the one whom they still worship today, the man in Palestine who was crucified because he brought this new form of initiation into the world... Moreover, that first lawgiver of theirs persuaded them that they are all brothers the moment they transgress and deny the Greek gods and begin worshipping that crucified sophist and living by his laws.
Celsus, Greek intellectual who wrote a book around AD 175, called True Doctrine in which he heaps ridicule on Christianity. (Early Christian apologist, Origen, refuted him.) Of Jesus s miracles, he writes: Having tried his hand at certain magical powers, Jesus returned from there, Egypt, and on account of those powers gave himself the title of God. (He blamed Egyptian sorcery.) Flavius Josephus, AD 37 100, Jewish historian. His writings about Jesus are believed to have been tampered with, but the best reconstruction we have reads: At this time there appeared Jesus, a wise man. For he was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of the people who received the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following both among many Jews and among many of Greek origin. And when Pilate, because of an accusation made by the leading men among us, condemned him to the cross, those who had loved him previously did not cease to do so. And up until this very day the tribe of Christians, named after him, has not died out. Josephus writing of James: But this younger Ananus who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper and very insolent. He assembled the Sanhedrin of judges and brought before them the brother of Jesus, the so-called Messiah Christ, whose name was James, and some others. When he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them over to be stoned to death. The Jewish Talmud, the ancient exposition of Jewish law. In an excerpt dated around AD 100 200, we read a
fascinating report of the case against Jesus that led to His trial and execution: On the eve of Passover Jesus was hanged (on a cross). For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed and led Israel astray. Anyone who can say anything in his favor, let him come forward and plead on his behalf. But since nothing was brought forward in his favor, he was hanged on the eve of passover. (Historians are skeptical of the herald account.) 3. the claims of other Secular thought says, Religions are all fundamentally the same but only superficially different. Truth says, Religions are all fundamentally different and only superficially the same. The idea of revelation from a personal God is a doctrine unique to Judaism and Christianity (or cults and copycats of Christianity). Founders of Other Major Religions: Muhammad (Islam) never claimed to be born of a virgin or to be able to perform the kinds of miracles Jesus performed. He offered no hope of salvation, and even violated his own laws. (A world apart from the claims of Jesus!)
Confucius (Confucianism) emphasized gentlemanliness, humaneness, kindness, but he did not claim to be divine or even good. Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha, who left Hinduism for a more atheistic approach to enlightenment) rejected the superstitions of Hinduism and developed what is essentially an atheistic faith in its character and content. The goal of religious practice was freedom from suffering and the illusion of the self. In classical Buddhism, Buddha is not even revered as divine. (Nirvana a state where suffering and desire is eliminated as the self is just an illusion.) Hindus have around three hundred million gods and a varied group of religious traditions resting on the teaching of the Vedas and the Upanishads (sacred writings) that are very difficult to pin down. Presents a monistic view of theology with a general goal of liberation from cycle of reincarnation and the transmigration of the soul. Gurus often deified as they are highly respected teachers. Liberation occurs when your consciousness reaches an infinite level the self is the same as god. Fact: The claims of Jesus are irreducible, and stand singular, unique, resting on a firm foundation! 4. Implications of the The consequences of these truths write a total new worldview of history. The claims of Christ completely reorientate the human existence.
If Christ is who He claims, then the implications for our understanding of all reality are monumental! He is both Creator and Redeemer. He is the foundation of time itself eternity. Not an impersonal void but a personal God. Any God less than Jesus is striving to wrestle with His own problems just like the rest of us! If we deny Christ, we don t liberate ourselves, we imprison ourselves! (Without God, without hope ) To DENY JESUS is not freedom, but slavery to hopelessness, meaninglessness, purposelessness, and absolute insignificance. conclusion: the of His claims Historical support textual, historical, archeological Prophetic support 456 messianic passages, 109 distinct that Jesus had to fulfill. probability of one person fulfilling even 20 of these by chance is less than 1 in 1 quadrillion, 125 trillion. Jesus fulfilled them flawlessly! (250 400 years before He was born!) Metaphysical/Epistemological support sufficiency of the christian worldview and the unique claims of Jesus. (explains human experience and makes life intelligible the plot line with explanatory power!) How to Approach Unbelievers: newington 296 New Britain Ave, Newington, CT 06111 ebcnewington.com 860.666.1055 Cary Schmidt, Pastor