Is Jesus God?

Have you ever met a man who is the center of attention wherever he goes? Some mysterious, indefinable characteristic sets him apart from all other men. Well, that’s the way it was two thousand years ago with Jesus Christ. But it wasn’t merely Jesus’ personality that captivated those who heard him. Those who witnessed his words and life tell us that something about Jesus of Nazareth was different from all other men.

Jesus’ only credentials were himself. He never wrote a book, commanded an army, held a political office, or owned property. He mostly traveled within a hundred miles of his village, attracting crowds who were amazed at his provocative words and stunning deeds.

Yet Jesus’ greatness was obvious to all those who saw and heard him. And while most great people eventually fade into history books, Jesus is still the focus of thousands of books and unparalleled media controversy. And much of that controversy revolves around the radical claims Jesus made about himself—claims that astounded both his followers and his adversaries.

It was primarily Jesus’ unique claims that caused him to be viewed as a threat by both the Roman authorities and the Jewish hierarchy. Although he was an outsider with no credentials or political powerbase, within three years, Jesus changed the world for the next 20 centuries. Other moral and religious leaders have left an impact—but nothing like that unknown carpenter’s son from Nazareth.

What was it about Jesus Christ that made the difference? Was he merely a great man, or something more?

These questions get to the heart of who Jesus really was. Some believe he was merely a great moral teacher; others believe he was simply the leader of the world’s greatest religion. But many believe something far more. Christians believe that God has actually visited us in human form. And they believe the evidence backs that up.

After carefully examining Jesus’ life and words, former Cambridge professor and skeptic, C. S. Lewis, came to a startling conclusion about him that altered the course of his life. So who is the real Jesus? Many will answer that Jesus was a great moral teacher. As we take a deeper look at the world’s most controversial person, we begin by asking: could Jesus have been merely a great moral teacher?

Great Moral Teacher?

Even those from other religions acknowledge that Jesus was a great moral teacher. Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi, spoke highly of Jesus’ righteous life and profound words.[1] Likewise, Jewish scholar Joseph Klausner wrote, “It is universally admitted … that Christ taught the purest and sublimest ethics … which throws the moral precepts and maxims of the wisest men of antiquity far into the shade.”[2]

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount has been called the most superlative teaching of human ethics ever uttered by an individual. In fact, much of what we know today as “equal rights” actually is the result of Jesus’ teaching. Historian Will Durant, a non-Christian, said of Jesus that “he lived and struggled unremittingly for ‘equal rights'; in modern times he would have been sent to Siberia. ‘He that is greatest among you, let him be your servant’—this is the inversion of all political wisdom, of all sanity.”[3]

Many, like Gandhi, have tried to separate Jesus’ teaching on ethics from his claims about himself, believing that he was simply a great man who taught lofty moral principles. This was the approach of one of America’s Founding Fathers, President Thomas Jefferson, who cut and pasted a copy of the New Testament, removing sections he thought referred to Jesus’ deity, while leaving in other passages regarding Jesus’ ethical and moral teaching.[4] Jefferson carried around his cut and pasted New Testament with him, revering Jesus as perhaps the greatest moral teacher of all time.

In fact, Jefferson’s memorable words in the Declaration of Independence were rooted in Jesus’ teaching that each person is of immense and equal importance to God, regardless of sex, race, or social status. The famous document sets forth, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights …”

But one thing Jefferson didn’t answer: If Jesus falsely claimed to be God he couldn’t have been a good moral teacher. But did Jesus really claim deity? Before we look at what Jesus claimed, we need to examine the possibility that he was simply a great religious leader?

Teresa Alzamora Haskett

Teresa Alzamora Haskett

An atheist was seated next to a little girl on an airplane and he turned
to her and said, "Do you want to talk? Flights go quicker if you strike
up a conversation with your fellow passenger."

The little girl, who had just started to read her book, replied to the total
stranger, "What would you want to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know," said the atheist. "How about why there is no God,
or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death?" as he smiled smugly.

"Okay," she said. "Those could be interesting topics but let me ask
you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same
stuff - grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns
out a flat patty, but a horse produces clumps. Why do you suppose that is?"

The atheist, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence,
thinks about it and says, "Hmmm, I have no idea." To which
the little girl replies, "Do you really feel qualified to discuss
God, Heaven and Hell, or life after death, when you don't know shit?"

And then she went back to reading her book.

Operating at Divine speed

TEXT: PSALM 18:25-36

INTRODUCTION: The speed of something is the rate at which it moves or travels. It is the rate at which something happens or is done. When something is provided by (coming from) or relating to God, it is said to be divine. DIVINE SPEED therefor, is speed (progress) that is provided by God, regulated (controlled) by God and associated with God. When a child of God allows God to determine when and how he “moves”, he is said to operate with divine speed. For maximum blessing, we all must move with divine speed in 2014 and the rest of our life.

A. HIND’S FEET: This is a commonly-used phrase that derives from the Bible, and it is used in the Holy Text to describe a person’s ability to overcome a challenge that has been affecting them or worrying them with ease and success (Ps.18:33). A hind is a female red deer. This kind of deer is able to move easily and rapidly across the rocks and uneven terrain of the mountains and mountainous landscape. It will leap from rocks without losing footing, suggesting that those with hind’s feet are able to overcome things easily, and elegantly. Thus the bible verse means that God has inspired his believers and empowered them to overcome the obstacles which confront them, doing things that would otherwise be difficult or impossible without divine aid.

Question: According to Psalms 18:33, who secures our feet? Compare this with Proverbs 3:1-12. 

B. DIVINE TIMING: The reason God likes to make us wait from time to time is to not only test our faith in Him and to properly prepare us for what He is making us wait for, but to also develop the fruit of patience and determination in us. The fruit of patience is one of the 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit, and it is one fruit that He loves to try and develop in all of us, especially in the fast-pace world in which we all now live. This very valuable quality lines up with God’s own character and how He likes to work things out. In His dealings with us, God considers The Timing Factor. It is very important when He will want to make something specific happen.

Discuss: The following verses: Galatians 6:9; 1 Peter 5:6-7; Lamentation 3:25-26; Psalm 130:5-6; Psalm 145:1; Psalm 27:14; Psalm 31:15; Psalm 62:1-2, 5-6; Psalm 39:7-8; Psalm 40:1-2; Psalm 37:34; Psalm 37:7; Psalm 25:5, 21; Habakkuk 2:2-3; Ecclesiastes 3:11, 17; Isaiah 8:17, 40:31; Proverbs 27:18; Titus 1:2-3; John 7:6; Mark 1:14-15; Acts 1:7; 1Tim. 6:14-15; 2Thessalonians 2:6-8.

As you can see from reading each one of these verses, God does like to work on a specific set timetable – and even Jesus Himself had to wait for God’s timing on some of the things He ended up doing. And not only did Jesus, the apostles, and many in the old testament have to abide by God’s specific timing on when He wanted them to do something, but there are verses showing that God will still continue to run things according to His own set timetable in the years ahead, including how He will work your life and when He will want to make certain things happen in your life.

C. SPECIFIC EXAMPLES: Jesus Himself had to wait until He was 30 years old before God baptized Him with the Holy Spirit and anointed Him with His power to go on His three and half year miracle ministry before He went to the cross to get all of us saved. Jesus had to wait again for 40 days before He ascended to the Father after His resurrection from the grave. Moses was in the back side of a desert for 40 years before when was sent in by God to rescue the children of Israel from the Egyptians. The Israelites had to wait for 430 years before God delivered them from the Egyptians. David had wait for 13 years before he became King of Israel. Abraham had to wait 25 years for the birth of his son Isaac. Noah had to wait for 120 years from the time God told him to build the ark until the time of the flood actually occurring. The apostles had to wait 10 days after Jesus had ascended before they had received the Holy Spirit in the upper room.

As you can see from these specific examples from the Bible, God likes to make us wait for some of the major chess moves He will be making in our lives.

MEMORY VERSE:

In God’s strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall (Ps. 18:29 NLT)

Church of Eternal Life Jos- Plateau state.

Jesus, the son of God

                                                

TEXT: MATHEW 4:16-17

INTRODUCTION: ‘Son of God’ is a title emphasizing Jesus Christ deity, his office as Messiah and his pre-eminence as the object of the church’s faith and worship and as the content of its gospel. The New Testament employs a variety of terms in its effort to define the personal identity of Jesus. Strictly speaking, His name simply is Jesus (meaning “Yahweh is salvation”). Recognition of His messiahship quickly led His followers to call Him Christ (Christos is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew word Messiah), Christ Jesus, and the more common Jesus Christ. In addition, He also is called: Lord, Son of Man, Son of David; and “I AM”-an apparent echo of the unutterable divine name (Exodus 3:14). All of these titles make exalted claims for the Man from Galilee. For many Christians, though, Son of God is the most familiar term used to identify Jesus. There is power in the confession that Jesus is the “Son of God,” but what does it mean?  

A. What Does “Son of God” Mean in the Bible?

The phrase “Son of God” has different meanings in different contexts in the Bible. The first sense, which most Bible scholars see as its most common meaning in the Gospels, is simply a messianic title – more 0r less equivalent to “Messiah,” “Son of David”, or King of Israel.” (Carefully study Matthew 26:63-64; John 1:47-51; John 11:20-27; and John 20:31). The origin of this term as a messianic title comes from 2Samuel 7 and parallel passages in 1 Chronicles 17 and 22. David wanted to build a temple for the Lord, but the Lord promised to raise up a descendant of David who would build an eternal temple and whose throne God would establish forever. God says of this future messianic rule: “I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take away my love from him” (1 Chronicles 17:13).

B. God the Son!

John 1 says the Word of God was eternally with God and is God, and that through God’s Word all things were created, and that this Word was manifested in Jesus Christ, and that we have seen His glory. In verse 18 it adds: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” John then used the term “Son” in this sense in several passages.

In John 5:18-26, Jesus says that everyone should “‘honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.’ ”  This passage also affirms that by talking about His relationship with God in this way Jesus was “making himself equal (or identical) with god.” In John 10:30, Jesus says, “‘I and the Father are one.’ ” And in John 14:9, Jesus says, “‘Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.’" TO be continued! Meanwhile, live like Jesus on earth. Maranatha!

Discuss John 14:9

MEMORY VERSE: … Truly, this man was the Son of God (Mark 15:39b).

Church of Eternal Life Jos- Plateau state

IS DECEMBER 25TH REALLY THE BIRTHDATE OF JESUS CHRIST?

The answer is evidently & surprisingly NO. You’re wondering why?

A closer study of the bible will clearly reveal the exact date of Jesus, as we have proofs and bible references, though, some might or might not believe, but the truth remains the same.

Luke chapter 1.
vs. 24: “after these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived on the SECOND MONTH of the year, and for FIVE MONTHS she hid herself saying…”
The above bible passage states that Elizabeth got pregnant (conceived) on the second month of the year, which is FEBRUARY. And for five months, she hid the pregnancy; Five months from february is JUNE.

vs. 26: “in the SIXTH MONTH, the angel Gabriel was sent from God…”
This sixth month stated in the passage is still June, in which is the fifth month Elizabeth hid her pregnancy, but God sent an angel to Mary (vs. 27) and revealed to her of Elizabeth’s hidden pregnancy (vs. 36).
The angel also told Mary that she will conceive (vs. 31).
After that, Mary went to stay with Elizabeth (vs 39-40)
vs 56: “and Mary remained with her about THREE MONTHS, and returned to her home”
This states clearly that On the ninth month which when Elizabeth should give birth was October (9 months from February is October)
vs 59-60 states that John was born & circumcised on the 8th of october.
Furthermore bible researches shows that John the baptist was 3 months older than Jesus Christ; (vs. 26: mary returned home because her own pregnancy was due)

Luke chapter 2.
Now 3months later, Mary gave birth (vs. 1-7).
Caesar Augustus made a decree on the first day of a new year, that everyone should enroll in the first world census. Mary and Joseph travelled to bethlehem few days after the decree, and that day happened to be 8th of January, in which was the same day Jesus was born. (vs. 6,7,21), Surprisingly Jesus was born on the 8th of January.

Now, why december 25th as the birth of Jesus?
December 25th was a date fixed by the vatican roman empire as the celebration day of Jesus Christ. But that date, happened to coincide with the date of the death of a wicked king.

The above article clearly states the birthdates of John & Jesus. The bible is not a mere object, its full of mazes and riddles, you have to dig through to find insights.

NOTE: This article wasn't made in terms of criticism, mockery or disorder, it was made to create awareness to anyone who is willing to believe.