Five Historical Facts About Jesus That Will Never Change…Whether You Believe Them or Not!

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Five Historical Facts About Jesus That Will Never Change…Whether You Believe Them or Not!

1. Jesus existed—He was a real person who actually lived in history. No one doubts that.

a. Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th edition, devotes 20,000 words to the person of Jesus Christ and never once hints that He didn’t exist.

b. Non-Christian sources mention Jesus:

• Tacitus, a Roman historian (55-120 A.D.): “Christus (Christ),… suffered then extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilate.” (Annals 15:44)

• Josephus (38-97 A.D.) wrote, “Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die…. His disciples… reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive.” (James H. Charlesworth, Jesus Within Judaism (Garden City: Doubleday, 1988), p. 95)

Therefore, you can’t discount Jesus!

2. We have reliable eyewitness testimony to Jesus’ life in the New Testament documents.

a. There are 8 writers who claimed to be either eyewitnesses or to have had contact with eyewitnesses of Jesus’ life: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James and the writer of Hebrews.

b. These men claim to have written carefully researched accounts of their testimony:

• Luke 1:1-4— Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly ac-count for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

• 2 Peter 1:16—For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. We have seen his majestic splendor with our own eyes.

c. These accounts were written in the 1st century—well within the lifetime of eyewitnesses:

• “In my opinion, every book of the New Testament was written by a baptized Jew between the 40’s and the 80’s of the first century A.D. (very probably sometime between about A.D. 50 and 75.)” (Dr. William F. Albright, Christianity Today, January 18, 1963)

If Jesus died in 30 A.D., then some of these books were in circulation 7 years later, all within 45 years.

d. Four things missing from the book of Acts prove it was written prior to 70 A.D.:

• The destruction of Jerusalem (70 A.D.) is not mentioned.
• The death of Paul (c. 64 A.D.) is not mentioned.
• The persecutions by Nero (64 A.D., 68 A.D.) are not mentioned
• The deaths of other key leaders (i.e., Peter (65 A.D.), James (62 A.D.) are not mentioned

Why didn’t Luke (the author) say anything about these major events and leaders? Because these events happened after he wrote his book. That’s why many scholars date Acts around 64 A.D. If Acts was Luke’s second book (Acts 1:1), then Luke was written before that. Matthew came before Luke, and almost all believe Mark came before either Luke or Matthew.

Therefore, you can’t dismiss Jesus!

3. There can be no doubt that Jesus claimed to be God.

a. Mark 14:61-62—But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

b. Jesus said:

• To know Him was to know God (Jn 8:19)
• To see Him was to see God (Jn 14:9)
• To believe in Him was to believe in God (Jn 14:1)
• To receive Him was to receive God (Mt 10:40)
• To hate Him was to hate God (Jn 15:23)
• To honor Him was to honor God (Jn 5:23)

Therefore, you can’t disregard Jesus!

4. Jesus said He was the ONLY way to God:

• John 14:6—I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

• John 10:9—I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

• Acts 4:12—Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

• 1 Tim 2:5—For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus.

• John 3:14-18—And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I, the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish
but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God.

There are not 5 or 6 different ways to God. In fact, there are not even 2 different ways. Jesus says He is it! You won’t get there without Him.

Therefore, you can’t bypass Jesus!

5. Jesus proved WHAT and WHO He was by rising from the dead. No other religious leader pulled that off.

a. There are 4 facts that have forced even skeptics to accept that Jesus rose from the dead:

• Jesus was buried in a tomb—both His friends and His enemies knew where it was (Matt. 27:62-66)

• The tomb was found empty early Sunday morning. (Want proof? Look at Matthew 28:11-15 where Jesus’ enemies cook up a story to explain why it was empty!)

• Jesus’ disciples and a lot of other people saw Him ALIVE after they had seen him killed and buried (1 Cor. 15:3-9).

• Jesus’ disciples believed that He had risen. So much so that they were willing to die for their belief. (Which is amazing when you consider that Peter had already proved he could crack under very little pressure—see Matthew 26:69-75)

Paul said, in 55 A.D.:

• 1 Corinthians 15:3-4—I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me—that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said.

• Romans 1:4—And Jesus Christ our Lord was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit.

• Ephesians 1:19-20—I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

• 1 Peter 1:3—…Now we live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead.

• 1 Peter 3:18—Christ also suffered when he died for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. Jesus is alive. All other religious leaders are dead. Which would you rather
trust—a living Lord or a dead guru?

• Say the welcoming word to God—“Jesus is my Master”—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not “doing” anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation. (Romans 10:9, The Message)

Therefore, you can believe—with confidence—that Jesus is the only TRUTH that really matters!

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The Pre-Incarnate Existence and DIETY of Christ

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Dear Friends in Christ,

 

I have been fascinated for a long time with the Diety and Pre-incarnate existence of Jesus Christ, as it is revealed in the scriptures. We have studied and contemplated the coming to earth and taking on of our flesh of Jesus Christ, perhaps it would be good to consider His Eternal existence as a member of the Trinity before He ever came to the manger. His “goings forth” have been from Old Testament times being seen on this earth, and yet keeping His true identity  hidden until just the right time when He came to live and die on the cross for our sins.

 

Most of these Bible verses were found in the book,  Major Bible Themes by Lewis Sperry Chafer, Dunham Publishers, (1966) p 30-33. Chafer was the founder and first president of Dallas Theological Seminary. Much of the content of this book was published in the magazine “The Sunday School Times”  in 1925.

God Bless you as you read and ponder His Word.

---

 

This  group of scriptures shows how the Pre-existence of Christ relates to the revealing of His Diety. By these Scriptures, Jesus Christ, The Son of God is seen to be in His Infinite Person and eternal existence, coequal with the other persons of the Godhead, and this fact is unaffected by His becoming a Man. Therefore, Jesus Christ is shown to be True God and True Man all at the same time. Consider these Scriptures: 

 

John 1:1-2 (KJV)

 In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

{2} The same was in the beginning with God.

 

Micah 5:2 (KJV)

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,

though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,

yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;

 whose goings forth have been from of old,

 from everlasting.

 

Isa 7:14 (KJV)

 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,

and shall call his name Immanuel.

(Note:”Immanuel” in Hebrew means: “With us is God”)

 

Isa 9:6 (KJV)

 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:

 and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,

The mighty God, The everlasting Father,

The Prince of Peace.

 

John 8:58 (KJV)

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,

Before Abraham was, I am.

 

Exo 3:13-14 (KJV)

And Moses said unto God, Behold,

when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them,

The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you;

and they shall say to me, What is his name?

what shall I say unto them?

{14} And God said unto Moses,I AM THAT I AM:

and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel,

I AM hath sent me unto you.

 

Isa 43:10-13 (KJV)

Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD,

and my servant whom I have chosen:

that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he:

before me there was no God formed,

neither shall there be after me.

{11} I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

 {12} I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed,

 when there was no strange god among you:

 therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.

{13} Yea, before the day was I am he;

and there is none that can deliver out of my hand:

 I will work, and who shall let (hinder) it?

 

John 17:3-5 (KJV)

 And this is life eternal,

that they might know thee the only true God,

and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

{4} I have glorified thee on the earth:

I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

{5} And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self

with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

 

John 13:3 (KJV)

Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands,

and that he was come from God,

and went to God; 

Phil 2:5-11 (KJV)

 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

 {6} Who, being{Grk=from the beginning} in the form of God,

thought it not robbery{Grk=a prize to be retained at all costs} to be equal with God:

{7} But made himself of no reputation{Grk=emptied Himself},

and took upon him the form of a servant,

and was made in the likeness of men:

{8} And being found in fashion as a man,

 he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.

{9} Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,

and given him a name which is above every name:

 {10} That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

{11} And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

 

 

Col 1:12-22 (KJV)

 Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet{Grk=worthy} to be partakers

of the inheritance of the saints in light:

{13} Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

{14} In whom we have redemption through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:

{15} Who is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn{Grk=foremost in importance} of every creature:

{16} For by him were all things created,

that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,

whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:

all things were created by him, and for him:

{17} And he is before all things,

and by him all things consist.

{18} And he is the head of the body, the church:

who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;

that in all things he might have the preeminence.

{19} For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

{20} And, having made peace through the blood of his cross,

by him to reconcile all things unto himself;

by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

{21} And you, that were sometime alienated

and enemies in your mind by wicked works,

yet now hath he reconciled {22} In the body of his flesh through death,

to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Tim 3:16 (KJV)

 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,

seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,

believed on in the world, received up into glory.

 

Heb 1:1-3 (KJV)

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;

 

Heb 13:8 (KJV)

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

 

Rev 1:8 (KJV)

 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,

 which is, and which was, and which is to come,

the Almighty.

 

Rev 21:3-8 (KJV)

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,

and He will dwell with them,

and they shall be His people,

and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

{4} And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;

and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,

neither shall there be any more pain:

for the former things are passed away.

 

{5} And he that sat upon the throne said,

Behold, I make all things new.

And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

{6} And he said unto me, It is done.

 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

 I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

 {7} He that overcometh shall inherit all things;

and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

{8} But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable,

and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers,

and idolaters, and all liars,

shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:

which is the second death.

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