Who is Jesus Christ? John 7:10-41
DAY 1 - The Great Trilemma on Who is Jesus? Many people have different answers to the question: "Who is Jesus?" Imagine if we get a survey to ask people in our neighborhood/community regarding who they think Jesus is. Now, let us see what the people 2000 years ago thought about who Jesus was. You'll be surprised to find that the answers to that question in the first century is very similar to the answers to that question in the twentieth century. Who is Jesus? This question became a discussion among the crowds. John recorded this discussion in John 7:10-41. You'll be amazed on how honest the opinions of the crowd were. a. Jesus is a good-man. * Verse 12. Among the crowds there was wide-spread whispering about him. Some said, "He (Jesus) is a good man." b. Jesus is a bad-man or a mad-man. * Verse 12b. Others replied, "No, he (Jesus) deceives the people." * Verse 20. "You (Jesus) are demon-possessed," the crowd answered. c. Jesus is God-man. * Verse 41. Others said, "He is the Christ." Before we continue our study this week, let us ask that question to ourselves: "Who is Jesus" to you personally? Is he a good-man, a bad-man or a God-man (i.e., He is God). Now, someone may ask you why do you think that Jesus is a good-man, or a bad-man or a God-man. What will your answer be?
DAY 2 - Is Jesus a good-man? Is Jesus a good-man? This c ertainly is one of the option to the question on "Who is Jesus?" In John 7:12, it is written: Among the crowds there was wide-spread whispering about him. Some said, "He (Jesus) is a good man." Now, before we continue this discussion, let us see what Jesus claims himself to be. Thomas Schultz writes, "Not one religious leader, not Moses, Paul, Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, etc. has ever claimed to be God; that is, with the exception of Jesus Christ. Christ is the only religious leader who has ever claimed to be God and who has convinced a great portion of the world that He is God." The following is a summary of His claims to be God: A. His direct claims to be God * During his trial (Mark 14:61-64) * His personal claims (John 10:30-33, John 5:17-18, John 8:58, John 5:23-24, John 8:9, John 14:1,9, Matthew 5:20,22,26,28) * His acceptance of worship as God (matt 8:2, John 9:35-39, Matt 14:33, John 20:27-29) * His claims confirmed by others: Paul, John the Baptist, Peter, Thomas, Writer of Hebrews, Stephen B. His indirect claims to be God * Forgiveness of sin (Mark 2:5, Luke 7:48) * Immutable (Malachi 3:6) * Life (John 14:6, I John 5:11,12) * Judgement (John 5:27) C. His titles of being God * YHWH * Son of Man * Son of God * Abba, Father Now if Jesus claims to be God, but He is not God, then, he can not be a good-man or a good moral teacher. He must be a liar to purposely deceive the crowd and the whole world (i.e, Jesus is a bad-man). Or Jesus is a lunatic that He actually believes that He is God, even-though He is not (i.e., Jesus is a mad-man). C.S. Lewis said, "You can shut him up as for a fool, you can spit at Him, and kill Him as a demon, or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has nor left that open to us. He did not intend to." If you think that Jesus only a good moral teacher, then you may have to re-evaluate your answer. This is an IMPOSSIBLE answer. He can not be a good moral teacher only if what He is claiming (i.e., that He is God) is not TRUE. DAY 3 - Jesus is a bad-man or a mad-man. Yesterday, we see that Jesus can not just simply be a good moral teacher if what He is claiming (i.e., that He is God) is not true. Today, we are going to see the other answer to the question: "Who is Jesus?" One of the answer is: Jesus is a bad-man or a mad-man. * John 7:12b. Others replied, "No, he (Jesus) deceives the people." * John 7:20. "You (Jesus) are demon-possessed," the crowd answered If, when Jesus made His claim He knew that He was not God, then He was lying. But, if He was a liar, then He was also a hypocrite because He told others to be honest, whatever the cost, while Himself teaching and living a colossal lie. And, more than that, He was a demon, because He told others to trust Him for their eternal destiny. If He could not back up His claims and knew it, then He was unspeakably evil. Last He would also be a fool, because it was His claims to being God that led to His crucifixion. Or, if it is too hard to accept Jesus as a liar (i.e., bad-man), then could not He actually have thought Himself to be God, but be mistaken? After all, it is possible to be both sincere and wrong. But we must remember that for someone to think that He is God, especially in a culture that is fiercely monotheistic, and then to tell others that their eternal destiny depends on believing in Him is no slight of fantasy but the thoughts of a lunatic in the fullest sense. Was Jesus Christ such a mad/lunatic person? For someone who lived as Jesus lived, taught as Jesus taught and died as Jesus died could not have been a liar or a lunatic. It is very IMPROBABLE for someone with Jesus' integrity, moral, values and life example to be a liar or a lunatic. So, if Jesus is only a good moral teacher is an IMPOSSIBLE answer, and if Jesus as a liar or lunatic is an IMPROBABLE answer, then who is Jesus? DAY 4 - Jesus is God-man Who is Jesus? Two days ago we saw that Jesus can not be a good-man if what He is claiming (i.e., that He is God) is not TRUE. Yesterday we saw that it is very improbably for someone that lead a life like Jesus to be a bad-man or a mad-man. So, what is the INESCAPABLE answer to the question "Who is Jesus." Jesus is Lord! Jesus is God! Jesus claims that He is God. Then, there is a possible answer that what He is claiming is true. If that is true, then Jesus is not a liar, not a lunatic, and he is more than just a good moral teacher, but He is Lord, someone that has the power to forgive sins, to bring someone to heaven and to give eternal life. Intellectually, it seems easy to see that the only possible answer to "Who Jesus is" is "Jesus is Lord." But, why is it so hard for people to admit and receive Christ as Lord/God? Finally, it is only about a question of the heart. It boils down to just simply be "to believe" and "to not believe." Jesus said in John 7:17, "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my (Jesus) teaching comes from God or whether I (Jesus) speak on my own." Basically, Jesus is saying that if you really want to know "Who Jesus is," then ask God, and He will reveal the answer to you. Who is Jesus for you personally? Is he just simply a good moral teacher, a liar, a lunatic, or is He Lord?
Disclaimer This material is a summary of the message that was preached by Pastor Jack Graham at Prestonwood Baptist Church. The writer of this EBS (Electronic Bible Study) made some changes and added some personal notes that is necessary to customize this material into an electronic media, a daily reading material and to better fit the audience. The Prestonwood Baptist Church is not affiliated in anyway with the Indonesian Christian Fellowship of Fort Worth.