Dave’s Monday Blast – December 4, 2023
Good Morning Men of Intention,
As we enter yet another Christmas Season, we often hear this simple statement: Jesus is the reason for the season! But who exactly is Jesus? Dr. Charles Stanley comments: “When He was with His disciples, He asked them this question: ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ (Matthew 16:13). They gave Him several opinions they’d heard, all of which were wrong. So He then asked, ‘But who do you yourselves say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’ (vv 15 – 17). Jesus said the future apostle was blessed because God alone, not human reasoning, had revealed the correct answer to him.”
The point is, if we are to really know who Jesus is, we can not trust the opinions of humankind; we must use the Word of God to know the truth concerning the person of Jesus Christ. Last week we explored who Jesus is beginning with the circumstances surrounding: 1. His birth as recorded for us in Luke 1:26 – 35 and Micah 5:2, and continuing with: 2. The names He was given and what those names say about Him as recorded in Matthew 1:21 -23.
This week from Dr. Stanley:
3. The claims of Christ. Jesus caused much consternation among the religious leaders because He declared Himself equal with God, saying, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). There’s no room to downsize Jesus to a mere prophet or a wise teacher. Based upon His own words, He either had to be the Son of God, or a notorious fraud and liar.
Christ’s divine identity was authenticated by both the angel Gabriel and the heavenly Father (Luke 1:35; Matthew 3:17). In addition, Jesus proved it by doing things that only God could do, i.e. calming the sea, multiplying food to feed an enormous crowd, healing the sick, and raising the dead.
4. His ministry and purpose. Why did the Father send the Son to earth? It wasn’t just to teach and heal people, or even to reveal who God is in a more understandable way. His main purpose was to save His people from their sins by dying on the cross and suffering the penalty they deserved so they could be forgiven and declared righteous (Matthew 20:28).
My friends, is this the Jesus you know? Or do you need to make some adjustments in your understanding of Him? Do you need to encounter Him in a deeper, fuller way…in prayer and by participating in His body, the church?
Men of INTENTION know that what they believe about the most remarkable Man who ever walked on earth determines their eternal destiny. My encouragement to you this season is to strive to know Him as the Word describes and defines Him. These four claims are a sound apologetic for the divinity of Christ.
