February 28, 2009
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Who is He???
Matthew 16:13-21 When Yeshua came into the territory around Caesarea Philippi, he asked his talmidim, “Who are people saying the Son of Man is?” (14) They said, “Well, some say Yochanan the Immerser, others Eliyahu, still others Yirmeyahu or one of the prophets.” (15) “But you,” he said to them, “who do you say I am?” (16) Shim`on Kefa answered, “You are the Mashiach, the Son of the living God.” (17) “Shim`on Bar-Yochanan,” Yeshua said to him, “how blessed you are! For no human being revealed this to you, no, it was my Father in heaven. (18) I also tell you this: you are Kefa,” [which means `Rock,'] “and on this rock I will build my Community, and the gates of Sh’ol will not overcome it. (19) I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” (20) Then he warned the talmidim not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. (21) From that time on, Yeshua began making it clear to his talmidim that he had to go to Yerushalayim and endure much suffering at the hands of the elders, the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers; and that he had to be put to death; but that on the third day, he had to be raised to life.
When discussing worldviews and world religions two issues come to the surface that needs to be answered.
The reliability and authority of scripture – is it inspired of Adonai or the thoughts of manThe question of the divinity of Yeshua – was Yeshua really who he said he was – is He ELOHIM
John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning.
While Yeshua was here on earth there was a lot of debate about who He was. Members of His own family didn’t believe he was Adonai until after He rose from the dead. How would you respond to someone who was a member of a poor family, worked as a carpenter in a little village shop for as long as you can remember and then begins His own teaching and healing ministry and claims to be Adonai? Many embraced Him as a good teacher and miracle worker but not the Messiah or Adonai. Yeshua knowing the controversy decides to ask His disciples a critical question to see if they were fully convinced in their minds of who He was?
Who do people today say that Yeshua was or is? Some religions such as Islam see him as one of the great prophets. Some religions honor him as a good teacher. Some religions see him as the son of Adonai but not actually Adonai. The Jehovah Witnesses believe He was actually Michael the archangel. The Mormons teach that Satan & Jesus were spirit brothers born in heaven. Most people in general see Him as a wonderful man and a great moral teacher. In light of all the evidence there are very few who would make the case that he was a mythical figure who never really existed. There are other historical writings of Roman and Jewish historians that give evidence to the life of Yeshua Hammashiach such as the writings of Josephus.
The question Yeshua posed is still the question each person must respond to today. WHO DO YOU SAY THAT YESHUA IS? This is critical because if Yeshua was only a great moral teacher and not Adonai then He could not forgive us of our sins.
There can only be one of three answers to this question. Who is Yeshua? He was either a Liar and pulled off the greatest deception ever even to the point where people died for their belief in Him or He was a Lunatic and totally deceived himself in thinking He was Adonai, or He was Adonai as He claimed which means we need to take what He taught seriously for our own eternal destiny.
The option of only calling Him a good moral teacher and not Adonai is not a rational option.
How can He be a good moral man if he is deceiving people into thinking he is Adonai if He really wasn’t Adonai. If He is not Adonai then He is a liar and a cruel, evil, manipulating man, of the worst sort who deceived people to put faith in Him for their salvation.
C.S. Lewis, who was once a skeptic himself writes: “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him. “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be G-d.” That is one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else He would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of G-d: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for fool, you can spit at Him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him L-rd and G-d. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about Him being a great human teacher. He has not left that option open to us. He did not intend to.”
Anyone who seriously studies the teachings of Yeshua can not just call Him a good moral teacher and deny His divinity. Those that say such things are contradicting themselves for if He was a good moral teacher then you need to accept what He taught about Himself.
Let’s look at what Jesus said about himself.
Mark 14:60-62 The cohen hagadol stood up in the front and asked Yeshua, “Have you nothing to say to the accusations these men are making?” (61) But he remained silent and made no reply. Again the cohen hagadol questioned him: “Are you the Mashiach, Ben-HaM’vorakh?” (62) “I AM,” answered Yeshua. “Moreover, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of HaG’vurah and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
John 14:9 Yeshua replied to him, “Have I been with you so long without your knowing me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, `Show us the Father’?
John 8:58 Yeshua said to them, “Yes, indeed! Before Avraham came into being, I AM!”
John 10:30-33 I and the Father are one.” (31) Once again the Judeans picked up rocks in order to stone him. (32) Yeshua answered them, “You have seen me do many good deeds that reflect the Father’s power; for which one of these deeds are you stoning me?” (33) The Judeans replied, “We are not stoning you for any good deed, but for blasphemy — because you, who are only a man, are making yourself out to be Elohim.”
Why is it that the Name of Yeshua is so controversial? Why is it ok to pray in the name of G-d in public but not in the name of Yeshua? Why don’t the names of Buddha, Mohammad and Confucius offend people like the name of Yeshua?
The reason is none of these others claimed to be G-d. Yeshua presents Himself as the only way to relationship with G-d, forgiveness of sin and entrance to heaven.
For many people this is too exclusive and too narrow. They want to believe there are many ways to Elohim. But the issue is not what we want to believe or think but if Yeshua is Elohim what did he say!
He said He is the only way to heaven.
John 14:6 Yeshua said, “I AM the Way — and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me.
There is much proof to the claims of Yeshua both in history and around us today.
Consider the disciple’s willingness to die for their faith in Yeshua. People only die for what they believe in. If Yeshua had not risen from the dead and they knew it was all a lie and a hoax they would not have been willing to die.
Consider the undeniable historical evidence that Yeshua rose from the dead – The resurrection is ultimate proof of his claims of being Elohim. All other tombs of other leaders of world religions are filled with dead mans bones. There is one empty tomb because only one is Elohim. English scholar Brooke Foss Westcott said: “Taking all the evidence together, it is not too much to say that there is no historic incident better or more variously supported then the resurrection of Christ”
Consider the emergence and survival of the Church – Yeshua birthed the greatest and most powerful movement on the face of the earth and the gates of hell can not prevail against it.
Consider the conversion of skeptics – beginning with Yeshua’ brother James and Saul of Tarsus. Skeptics and atheists who honestly search out the claims of Yeshua and scripture come to faith in Yeshua. CS Lewis was an Agnostic, Lee Strobel an atheist
Consider the miraculous answers to prayer. In the name of Yeshua we have authority over all the power of the Devil.
Consider the life transforming power of Yeshua – The lives of people of all ages, all cultures and nations, the well educated and not, the rich and the poor are radically changed when they put their faith in Yeshua.
Consider the transforming power of Yeshua to social structures – as evidenced around the world where cities and villages embraced the Lordship of Yeshua.
Consider the fulfillment of over 300 prophecies in the life of Yeshua – In the natural this is impossible.
Faith in Yeshua Hammashiach is not a blind faith. There is much legal-historic proof beyond the Scriptures. There is preponderance of evidence that is beyond any reasonable doubt to the authenticity of Scripture and validity of Yeshua and His claims of deity.
If you have not searched out the claims of Yeshua I challenge you to do so. If what I am saying is true then your eternal destiny hinges on what you do with Yeshua.
John 8:24-25 This is why I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not trust that I AM [who I say I am], you will die in your sins.” (25) At this, they said to him, “You? Who are you?” Yeshua answered, “Just what I’ve been telling you from the start.
Let me recommend several books for further study.
“The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel – a very readable book detailing his journey from atheism to faith as he asked the tough questions about Yeshua and the Scriptures.
Two books by Josh McDowell – A small book called “More then a Carpenter” and a book called “Evidence that Demands a Verdict”
Mere Christianity by CS Lewis from agnostic to Christian
Even thought the evidence is clear for any honest intellectual person to see, simply believing in the facts about Yeshua is not what Christianity is all about. The Devil believes the facts too because he was there and that doesn’t make him a Christian.
Conversion to Christianity:
Is not intellectual assent to a set of ideas.
Is not repeating a mantra in the expectation of something magic happening.
Is not joining the church
Is not deciding you want to do better
Is not adding Yeshua to everything else you have going in life
Conversion is an act of Adonai’s grace as we respond to the conviction of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), bringing about an observable change and allow Yeshua to be L-rd of our life.We need to believe and receive Yeshua into the throne of our life.
John 1:12 But to as many as did receive him, to those who put their trust in his person and power, he gave the right to become children of God,
When we believe and receive him then we become Adonai’s children. This means we receive His forgiveness and turn away from our wrongdoing and commit our lives to following His teaching.
If Yeshua was standing in front of you this morning and asking you the question “Who do you say that I am?” What would be your answer? Call Him a good moral man but reject His claim to being Elohim? See Him as one of many options? Acknowledged Him as Elohim and Surrendered your life to his control?
John 20:29 Yeshua said to him, “Have you trusted because you have seen me? How blessed are those who do not see, but trust anyway!”
Shalom
Comments (2)
“Even thought the evidence is clear for any honest intellectual person
to see, simply believing in the facts about Yeshua is not what
Christianity is all about. The Devil believes the facts too because he
was there and that doesn’t make him a Christian.”
Yes, many throw around the term “Christian” or “Believer” very loosely about themselves and others.
Yeshua told us this would happen though
Matthew 7:21-23
(the capitalization at the end is not mine, it is in refrence to Psalm 6:9)
” “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven
will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy
in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform
many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”
When I read this (and I had to read it in parts just because of the things I was doing today) I could not get the “ecumenical” all-inclusive prayer that was prayed at the end of a meeting at work yesterday. The new Executive Assistant to the President of our college was a hospital chaplain and a Disciples of Christ minister before that. He said that as a chaplain he works with people from their own spirituality and counsels them. He prayed to no specific person except the “most holy one”. I bowed to pray as our President had prayed to “the L-rd” in times past and I knew he belonged to the Church of Christ and figured that would be Jesus. I almost turned my back to the prayer and faced the East but thought no I did not want to be a stumbling block to the people there. I prayed to ADONAI Elohim and voiced His name in my little space. Before this meeting I had a moment alone and prayed the Sh’ma so I recognized the sole authority of the only Holy One. There was an interesting thing however. There is a lady who works with us who makes no bones about it that she is atheist. Before the prayer began, she fled from the room. She has made many remarks about how bigoted Christians are. I thought to myself, if she had stayed for that prayer it may not have been that big of a deal. Yet it was addressed to a god. Another lady who is not “Christian” and I only know that her parents are hippies looked a little perturbed by the closing prayer. I was perturbed by the vagueness and the void for I know the only Holy One and His Son Yeshua. Shabbat Shalom.