2. Jesus Christ is a Man of heaven – The Gospel Records

By far the most reliable witness on information regarding Jesus Christ is found in the set of documents that we refer to as the New Testament. The four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John along with the Book of Acts form the foundational basis of the New Testament and the remainder of the books (22) give us early eyewitness information and first hand testimony regarding Jesus Christ. The amount of evidence for the 1st century authorship and the first hand nature of the content of these (27) documents is indeed impressive. ( See the article – “Are the New Testament Gospel Documents Reliable”? At the end of this presentation see the full listing of recommended books and articles dealing with this subject. It is not the intent here to examine the case for the 1st century authorship of these documents or to look at the copying and preserving process . However, a summary listing of the accepted conservative dating of the New Testament documents is listed here as a reference.

The Gospel of Matthew – A.D. 60-70.The Gospel of Mark – A.D. 50-60.The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts – A.D. 60-65.The Gospel of John and I-III John – A.D. 80-100 Paul’s writings – A.D. 50-65.

If it is true that the New Testament documents are the earliest and most reliable sources providing information on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, then we should examine them with scrutiny and care. What do they affirm?First, Jesus Christ was born in the town of Bethlehem and was raised in the city of Nazareth. Matthew 2:1, Mark 1:9, Luke2:8-20, 3:51.John 1:45.Second, He was born by a miraculous mechanism – the virgin birth – Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-20.Third, – He was the Man of Heaven – the Divine Son of God . He performed miracles and demonstrated His inherent power as the God-Man. – John 9:35-38, John 10:30-33, 37-38.Fourth, – He was born to die for our sin; His death was the payment for our rebellion and sin against God. – Mark 10:45Fifth, – He was raised from the dead and appeared to numerous individuals on various occasions providing proof that His work on the cross was complete. – Luke 18:31-33, Luke 24:1-49, Acts 1:1-3Sixth, – He ascended into heaven and He is alive right now with the power and ability to forgive sin and give eternal life to all who will call on Him. – Acts 1:9-11, Luke 24:50-53.This is what these New Testament documents clearly tell us and this information is either true or it is false. These points of fact are so clearly established that we either must come up with some evidence that would lead us to distrust these records or we should believe it. We really don’t have another option. The facts of the Gospel are presented as events of history that have actually taken place in time and space. But they are also miraculous in nature and because of this dualism provide a problem for some people.Those who struggle with miracles hold to an anti-supernatural viewpoint that affirms that we live in a closed universe with only natural causes and effects – no God and no supernatural events. This viewpoint presupposes the historical conclusion before an investigation into history is even started. Therefore, any evidence for the occurrence of the miraculous within history is simply denied because it does not fit into the anti-supernatural mold. This philosophical bias against miracles means that we rule out miracles in advance of our historical inquiry and as a result we have limited ourselves to only one end conclusion which is the one we presupposed before we started. This is neither a scientific nor evidence based approach and is one that we should not accept.Instead of simply denying the possibility of the miraculous, an open investigation into the events of history looks to see if miracles have actually taken place. This is the approach that we need to employ regarding the New Testament narratives. Was Jesus Christ more than a mere man? Did He perform the miracles as recorded in the Gospels? Did He die on the cross for our sin and rise again from the dead? Is He right now alive? These are the really important questions of life. If we are going to find the answers to these questions we need to approach the New Testament documents with an open heart and mind and investigate the accounts just as we would any other ancient document of history – openly and fairly and looking at the evidence to see if it trustworthy. 

Here is what Jesus Christ stated:

1. Jesus claimed that His words would never pass away. What mere man could claim that? No one has ever spoken words like Jesus Christ of Nazareth. His words have had the greatest impact of any person in all of human history.“Heaven and earth will pass away but My Words will never pass away”. – Luke 21:33.2. Jesus Christ claimed to be without any sin or human failure. No one but Jesus could ever make such a claim.“Which of you convicts Me of sin? …. I always do those things that please Him ( God the Father)” – John 8:46, 29.3. Jesus claimed to be one with God the Father and to see Him (Jesus) was to see God”. No ordinary man can make such a claim.“Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long and yet you have not known Me Phillip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father, so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me or else believe Me for sake of the works themselves.” – John 14:9-11. “I and My Father are one”. – John 10:30.4. Jesus was worshipped by men and He received their worship. Who else but God should be worshipped? Jesus said – “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve”. – Matthew 4:10“And behold a leper came and worshipped Him saying, “Lord if you are willing you can make me clean’. Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him saying “I am willing; be cleansed” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” – Matthew 8:3,4.“Then those who were in the boat (His disciples) came and worshipped Him saying, “Truly You are the Son of God”. – Matthew 14:33 (See Matthew 2:10-12.)After Jesus rose from the dead He appeared to the disciples and Thomas. – “Then He said to Thomas, reach your finger here and look at My hands and reach your hand here and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving but believing. And Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, Thomas because you have seen Me you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” – John 20:27-29.5. Jesus forgave sin. No one but God the Creator can forgive sin.“When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic; Son your sins are forgiven you. But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, Why does this man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” – Mark 2:5-7.6. “Jesus said that He was to be honored in the same manner as God”. “All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life and will not come into judgment but has passed from death into life”. – John 5:23,24.7. Jesus claimed that He was to be the Judge of all men. God alone is the Judge of all men.“Most assuredly I say to you, the hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His (the Son’s) voice and come forth – those who have done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation”. – John 5:25-29.8. Jesus predicted that His death was not by means of human intervention but that He would freely lay down His life and would take it back again ( by the resurrection). No one in all of human history has ever made this claim and then see it come to pass. “No one takes it ( my life) from Me but I lay it down of Myself. I have the power to lay it down (death) and I have the power to take it again (resurrection)”. – John 10:189. Jesus claimed that His death was to be for the ransom (to secure the release) of men. He came to seek and save that which was lost. What death of any human being could have this kind of purpose? “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many”. – Mark 10:45.“For ( Jesus) the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost”. – Luke 19:10.Prior to Jesus’ death on the cross Jesus spoke to His disciples at the last supper – “And He (Jesus) took bread gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them saying – ‘This is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of Me’. Likewise He also took the cup after supper saying ‘This is the new covenant in My blood which is shed for you”. – Luke 22:19,20.Jesus said – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. – John 3:16.10. Jesus claims to be the Giver of Life. No one can come to know God and have eternal life except through Him. No other individual in all of human history has made such claims. “Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this? She said to Him, Yes Lord I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who is come into the world”. – John 11:25,26.

“Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”. – John 14:6 If these two statements are true, they require a decision by each of us – If Jesus Christ is Who He claims to be it changes everything. If Jesus Christ is God, then nothing can be the same again.The Gospel provides a very clear picture – Jesus Christ claims to be Lord, the Savior of all mankind. Only through Him can we find our real purpose for living and that is to know and love God. What will you do with Jesus Christ? If Jesus is Who He claims to be; if His diagnosis of the human condition that we are sinners and separated from God is correct; if His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave truly provides the remedy and cleansing of our sin and unites us into a relationship with God; if our eternal destination is found only in Him, then we must decide for Him. However, just as there are people who believe the claims of Jesus Christ, there are others who reject Him. There are three options regarding Jesus that we have to consider . Was Jesus a Legend, a Liar or Lord?1. A Legend – Is Jesus the construction of an overstated and exaggerated person by second, third and fourth century over-zealous religionists or is He a complete mythological personage? Let’s look at the evidence. Jesus Christ of Nazareth is mentioned by Jewish contemporary sources, secular sources and by first century Christian sources who claimed to have direct links back to the disciples of Christ. The most complete and reliable historical information that we have on the life of Jesus are the first century New Testament documents. These are without question narratives that are based on eye witness accounts. This is not what legends consist of. The time period in which these witnesses record their information is close enough to the events that they describe so that there is essentially not enough time for mythological and legendary material to develop. It takes at least several generations of time to pass in order for legends and myths to develop. But these first Christian documents appear within the first generation of the actual events (20 -30 years). The actual eye witnesses of the life of Jesus Christ would still be alive and would provide a corrective influence if this information was incorrect. (See note #6.)2. A Liar- Could Jesus Christ have fooled and manipulated people with trickery and cunningly formulated a presentation of Himself for some deluded and diabolical reason? This is possible, but how then do we account for the resurrection and the changed lives of the disciples? How do we account for the growth of the Church in the midst of persecution and death? How do we account for the fulfilled prophecies of the Old Testament in His life and ministry? How do we account for the witness of these early disciples who were willing to die for their testimony of the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Men may die for something they believe is true but no one dies for something they know to be false. Reliable church history informs us that at least 9 of the 12 disciples died for their testimony regarding the death and resurrection of Christ. Jesus taught the absolute importance of the truth and that He was the Truth itself. If Jesus Christ was a liar then He was the worst and most destructive liar in all of human history.3. The Lord – Is Jesus Lord? The Man Jesus Christ claimed to be the Divine Son of God – God in human flesh. (See note #7). His birth, life, ministry, miracles, death , resurrection and ascension confirm this.

Jesus Christ is the Man of history indeed but He is also the Man of Heaven – the Savior of all who will come to Him. So what will you do with the evidence regarding Jesus Christ? Jesus said in John 8:23,24 and John 18:37 – “ You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world” – 8:23. – “ Pilate therefore said to Him, Are you a king then? Jesus answered, You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” – 18:37. Jesus concluded His remarks to the religious leaders in John 8:23,24 – Therefore I say to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins”. This is not just an intellectual decision but it also is a matter of the heart. It is a matter of surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord. If we reject Him we will die in our sins, but if we will believe and trust Him we will have forgiveness of sin and eternal life with Him.