Monday, August 25, 2014
WORLD VS. CHRIST (1)
THE WORLD SAYS ...
In general, that the Jesus of the Bible was historically a real, non-fictitious man, who lived in Palestine/Israel about 2000 years ago. An individual can search without much effort to see many non-biblical records and accounts of this man named Jesus, living in this time and place, and recorded as one who did many extraordinary and unexplainable things. However, there are some who firmly believe that Jesus was simply a myth and legend, much like the Roman and Greek gods of that day.
THE BIBLE SAYS ...
Jesus is TRUE MAN. He was born of a Galilean woman named Mary in the days of King Herod while Israel was under Roman rule by Emperor Augustus (Luke 2). Jesus was not a spirit or phantom, but had flesh and blood (Luke 24:39). He got hungry (Matthew 4:2). He got thirsty (John 19:28). He got sleepy (Mark 4:38). He wept (John 11:35). He felt pain (Mark 14:65). He was humiliated (Luke 22:63). He died (Matthew 27:50). There is nothing in the Bible that would indicate that Jesus Christ was NOT a man. In fact, the eye-witnesses who walked, talked, ate, drank, and touched Him, were the ones who wrote about Jesus in the Bible. Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, spoke to his countrymen saying:
"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know -- Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it" (Acts 2:22-24).
WITH BELIEVING HEARTS WE PRAY ...
Lord Jesus, we find great comfort in knowing You experienced human life from our point of view, as one of us. It is even more comforting to know that in death You were there for us -- and that since You triumphantly returned to life, You continue to be there for us in our every human need -- our living Lord and our Brother still.
