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What then is the evidence for Jesus being Lord? We cannot simply default
that He is by proving the impossibility of the others. The evidence is
great so I will simply skim the crème of the crop here. First of
all He was set apart from others. Lets begin with the prophecies. The
Old Testament contains hundreds of prophesies about the Messiah. Here
are a few: 1.born in Bethlehem 2. born of a virgin 3. a descendant of
Abraham and David 4. suffer a precise type of death as described in Ps.
22 and Is. 53 (read them and crucifixion is obvious though it didn't even
exist yet). 5. die at the exact time to the year as was prophesied 400
years earlier. The reason that I mention these specifically is that it
is impossible for any man to choose to fulfill these. I list many of the
other prophesies elsewhere on my site if you wish to see them. But aside
from the prophecies, He was set apart from His disciples. There was always
something different about the way He was. He looked just like a normal
Joe, but was extraordinary in an uncommon fashion. He also set Himself
apart by saying that John the Baptist was the greatest man on earth (Matthew
11:11). He set Himself apart from common man by that statement, though
by no means was He calling Himself not man.
Not only was He set apart, but He also "played the part" of
God. First, Jesus revolutionized Jewish law at will by saying things like
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, "Do
not murder" and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject
to judgment." He changed hundreds of years old laws at will and on
His own authority. The law stated that anyone who would dare commit such
an offense should be stoned, but He wasn't because He was God. Second,
He taught on His own authority despite Jewish custom. Custom required
two witnesses to verify one man's testimony or teaching. Jesus said often,
"truly, truly, I say to you." The truly, truly was Him verifying
Himself twice before he even began to teach. Third. He forgave other's
sins against others. The old testament clearly stated that only God had
this power.
But anyone with enough guts could do such things. But Jesus fit the sketch
of God. He exhibited attributes of God to the extreme that only God Himself
could possess. John 16: 30 exhibits his all-knowing character: "Now
we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have
anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."
Matthew 28:20 and 18:20 exhibits his omnipresence (everywhereness): "and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am
with you always, to the very end of the age."; "For where two
or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew
28:18 shows his all-powerful nature: "Then Jesus came to them and
said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'"
John 1:1 evidences his eternity: "In the beginning was the word,
and the word was with God and the word was God." Finally, Hebrews
13:8 tells of his unchanging nature: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today and forever."
The evidence is obviously toward His being God. Now that that has been
established, we will next move on to the crucifixion and resurrection
and what they accomplished.
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