JESUS - LIAR,LUNATIC OR LORD - NYOBS 81.16

JESUS – LIAR, LUNATIC OR LORD

 - Drink my Blood – Eat my Flesh – I and the Father are ONE - Bad, Mad or God -

First Word

·         A man called Jesus was born of a woman just like all humanity, worked as a carpenter, felt tiredness, got dirt under his fingernails, got hungry, had emotions of angry, got agitated and wept.  It is hard to conceive that He could be GOD and die on a cross a criminals death.

·         He could have been a PHILOSOPHER or a MORALIST who was a great moral teacher or perhaps a SAGE or even a PROPHET, but surely not a criminal who deserved to be crucified.

·         Perhaps He was a SORCERER who could curse fig trees so that they died, and could persuade demons to infest the bodies of pigs and cause them to kill themselves.

·         Possibility Jesus was a GURU, believing everything is divine including Himself. – Jesus did said He was God, but not everyone else was god. - He taught prayer, not meditation. - He taught about sin and God’s grace and forgiveness, but not reincarnation.

·         Maybe He was a MYSTIC who dealt in "illusions" of individuality, but He spoke of God as a person, not an illusion.

·         Logically speaking, it is certainly possible that Jesus's claim to divinity could have resulted from sincere reasoning which was just a GOOD-FAITH MISTAKE. He was sincerely wrong.

·         He might have been a FANATIC who claimed to possess the ONLY WAY to Heaven and threatened all who rejected His claims with everlasting fire in Hell; a Nut, a Fruitcake.

·         Perhaps it was just a practical JOKE, a fantastic hoax that some Jews invented for fun and it just grew framing the whole elaborate, incredible lie of Christianity. –

·         This turned into a LEGEND that got out of hand and became so strong that the followers of THE WAY were persecuted, whipped, tortured, imprisoned, mauled by lions, killed for sport by gladiators and some even crucified.

·         Many Jews and millions of Gentiles lost their Political privileges, Social standing as well as their possessions and devoted their lives to THE WAY, believing in Him and died for a Joke.

·         R.C. Sproul says that there are only TWO POSSIBILITIES: He either speaks the truth or not. - If He speaks the truth, He is God and the case is closed - A mere man who wants you to worship him as God is either morally or intellectually a BAD person.  

a)   If He actually knows that He is NOT God, then He is a LIAR trying deliberately to deceive you into blasphemy.

b)   If He does not know that He is not God, but sincerely thinks He is, then He is intellectually messed up; cognitive dysfunction; He is a LUNATIC.

c)   He could have just been a LEGEND that was passed down orally within communities of Faith that bubbled up with ever multiplying embellished layers of distortions at every turn.

Matthew 16:13-17 – Who do you say I am – THE MESSIAH
¹³  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THAT THE SON OF MAN IS?”
¹⁴  Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them,
¹⁵   “BUT WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?” Simon Peter answered,
¹⁶   “YOU ARE THE MESSIAH, the Son of the living God.”
¹⁷  Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. (NLT)

A little Background

·         C.S. Lewis said, Christ either deceived mankind by conscious fraud, or He was Himself deluded and self-deceived, or He was Divine. There is no getting out of this trilemma. It is inexorable. – Jesus behaved as if He had always existed as God; had the authority to forgive sins and intended to come back and judge the world at the end of time.

·         I would like to paint a picture of the Church leaders during the time of Christ; the Sanhedrin, the Scribes, and the Pharisees and Sadducees. This bunch of folk’s mission in life was not only to live a Godly life according to the Laws of Moses, but to teach the Laws from your birth to your death and strictly ENFORCE them. – Saul, whose name was later changed to Paul, was THE ENFORCER of the LAW, dragging people out of their homes in chains and imprisoning them. - He was a Roman Citizen, a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee; he was a ZELOTE devoted to the Jewish Law.

·         Unlike today, the Hebrews had tremendous interest in the things of God; not that they got it right all the time, but they put forth an EXTREME effort to live their lives according to the 613 MOSAIC LAWS that were intended to bring honor and  worship to the ONE true God of Israel.

·         The religious leaders were NOT expecting a messiah that spent time with sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes, one who claimed He was God and could forgive sins.  They were expecting someone who would come and set up an earthly kingdom NOW. – It did not fit. -

·         THE SETTING; Rome had overrun the Nation of Israel and the Hebrews had very little say in governing their own affairs.  They were forced to register in a census in their hometowns so as to PAY TAXES to Rome.

• From childhood All of Israel had been taught to expect a MESSIAH, a victorious Political leader, a descendent from the “House of David”, one who would be a deliverer, one who would set up a POLITICAL KINGDOM that would liberate Israel and deliver them, putting an end to the oppressive bondage of Rome and restore Israel to Her rightful place of honor.
• James and John; two of the most inner circle of the 12 disciples, expecting a political kingdom asked Jesus to let them sit at the place of honor; one on His left and the other on His right hand of His reigning throne. – They did not understand the Two Kingdoms of God; the one that was right Now and the one Not Yet, the one that was to come.  NYOBS 12.02 - NOW & NOT YET- TWO KINGDOMS -- NYOBS 10.02 – THE PLAYERS
• The expectations for the Messiah was a victorious POLITICAL LEADER, so the idea of a suffering Messiah, one that had been scourged, broken, bleeding and nailed to a cross like a common criminal, was totally unlike anyone’s expectations including  His disciples.

Mark 10:35-37 – James & John wanted to sit at place of honor
³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.”
³⁶ What is your request?” he asked.
³⁷ They replied, “When you sit on your glorious THRONE, we want to sit in PLACES OF HONOR NEXT TO YOU, one on your

RIGHT and the other on your LEFT.”

(NLT)

Acts 22:5 – Letters authorized Saul to bring Christian in chains
⁵ The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received LETTERS from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the Christians from there to Jerusalem, IN CHAINS, TO BE PUNISHED.

(NLT)

Acts 8:3 – Saul entered homes dragging people to prison
³ But Saul (Paul) laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging men and women committed them to prison. (ASV)

Galatians 1:13-14 – Saul violently persecuted the Christians
¹³ You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I VIOLENTLY PERSECUTED God’s church. I did my best to destroy it.
¹⁴ I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my ZEAL for the TRADITIONS of my ancestors. (NLT)

Acts 26:9-11 – Saul opposed the very name of Jesus
⁹ I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to OPPOSE THE VERY NAME OF JESUS the Nazarene.
¹⁰ Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death.
¹¹ Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so VIOLENTLY OPPOSED to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities. (NLT)

The Zealots

• There was an SECRET underground resistance movement known as THE ZEALOTS original led by Judas the Galilean which was in existence at the birth of Jesus; and within this underground resistance was another Radical Group that was greatly feared.  They were known as The Sicarii (the dagger people) which was indicative of their tactics.
• The Sicarii were devoted supporters of God and His laws and secretly engaged in acts of intrigue, violence, force, deceptions including ASSASSINATIONS of Roman soldiers and anyone else that opposed the resistance that tried to keep it from achieving its liberating goal. -  During festivals they circulated among the crowds and killed Roman sympathizers with daggers that they concealed in their clothing.

·         The Zealots took the position that no one should be honored as Lord or King, but Jehovah God. – So they rejected the foreign rule of the Romans; to pay taxes to an Emperor was considered Idolatry and blasphemous to God. - Their mantras was; “NO RULE BUT THE LAW, NO KING BUT GOD”.  – NYOBS 32.18 – ZEALOTS -- NYOBS 47.29 - MACCABEES HOLY JIHAD -- NYOBS 10.02 - THE PLAYERS; DISCIPLES

• Israel had hope for a MESSIAH that would overthrow the Roman Government and restore the kingdom to Israel. – Two of Jesus’ Disciples; Judas Iscariot and Simon the Zealot held the same “political views” and believed that Jesus was “The Man” that had come to restore Israel. – It was Judas that hatched a plan to force Jesus to bring down His angel armies and begin the liberation fight against Rome and get paid for it.

·         The Pharisees were offended by the blasphemous teachings of Jesus and connived to get Him connected with The Zealot Resistance Movement by asking him the TRICK question; “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar”? – They were all hoping His answer would label Him a secret Zealot and Rome would “TAKE HIM OUT” as well as disperse ALL of His followers; the sect that was known as THE WAY.

Luke 2:1-3 – Romans decreed the Jews must pay taxes.

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

3 And everyone went to his own town to register. NIV

Acts 5:37 – Judas the Galilean Zealot led a revolt against Rome

37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and LED A BAND OF PEOPLE IN REVOLT. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. NIV

Mark 12:13-17 - Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not

13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.

14 They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. IS IT RIGHT TO PAY TAXES TO CAESAR OR NOT?

15 Should we pay or shouldn't we?"

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" he asked. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it."

16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" - "Caesar's," they replied.

17 Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."  NIV

Blasphemy upon Blasphemy

·         The RUB - Jesus began to do the unthinkable; He began to make claims about His own DEITY, by calling God His OWN father; He said He was the SON OF GOD and was the promised Messiah. – He said He was LORD over the SABBATH, putting Himself on equal ground with God. - NYOBS 21.02 – NAMES OF GOD

·         Judaism –The Messiah will be a “Mortal Man” in the linage of King David, NOT A DEMI GOD.

·         Christianity, the Messiah is called “The Christ”. - The concept of the Messiah in Christianity certainly originated from the Messiah of Judaism; He was all man and all God.  

·         The RUB – Jesus said there is only ONE WAY to get to heaven and “THE WAY” was through Him.  THE WAY became the name of the sect that followed Him.

·         Judaism – The Jews felt it seemed somewhat EVIL that a person would be damned to hell FOREVER because they rejected the teachings of Jesus. They had the promises of the Torah, the promises of THE BOOK OF THE LAW. 

·         Christianity, Jesus said, “I am the WAY, and the TRUTH, and the LIFE. - No one comes to the father except through me.  His healing miracles were a sign from Heaven of His authority.

• The RUB – Jesus was forgiving SIN - Isaiah the prophet said that GOD ALONE could FORGIVE SIN.   
• Judaism – No one on earth had the authority or right to forgive sins, yet here was Jesus LYING to the people, telling them their SINS WERE FORGIVEN; blaspheming against God.  

·         Christianity - Jesus said the Book of the Law could not save them, The Law only pointed out the need for a Savior, and that’s why He was sent from God His Father to save them.

• The RUB – Jesus performed healings on the SABBATH day. 
• Judaism - Breaking the SABBATH LAWS PLUS the fact of His LYING blasphemy claiming that He and God were One and the only way to get to Heaven was through Him REQUIRED the church leaders to STONE HIM,

John 10:30 - The Father and I are one
³⁰ The Father and I are one.” (NLT)

John 14:6 – The ONLY WAY to God is through ME
⁶ Jesus said to him, “I AM THE WAY, and the truth, and the life. NO ONE COMES to the Father except through me. (ESV)

Mark 2:28 – Jesus is Lord over the Sabbath
²⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” (NLT)

Isaiah 43:25 – God alone can forgive sins
²⁵ I — yes, I ALONE—will blot out your SINS for my own sake and will never think of them again. (NLT)

John 10:31-33 – Blasphemy claiming to be God
³¹ Once again the people picked up stones to kill him.
³² Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?”
³³ They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, CLAIM TO BE GOD.” (NLT)

Liar Lunatic

• Although the Jews thought that this man Jesus was SINCERE, they thought He was also WRONG; He was SINCERELY WRONG – Actually He was not just sincerely wrong, He was a plain out LIAR or worse, He was a LUNATIC.
• God’s NAME was so reverenced that they would not even say the name; YHWH, Yahweh; Jehovah - Out of respect, the scribes would use CIRCUMLOCUTION and alternate names which would substitute for the name of God like “Adonai” or “Elohim”; instead of saying “Kingdom of God” the Hebrews would use another term like “Kingdom of Heaven”,
• The Levitical Law said anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY MUST STONE HIM. – It’s in the Book -

·         The RUB - The Mitzvoth refers to the 613 commandments given in the Torah and says that these commands REMAIN BINDING FOREVER - Jesus comes on the scene and begins to teach things that seem to undermine or displace a few of the 613 Mosaic rules or laws.    

·         Christianity - At every point Jesus was “Raising the Bar” of expectation by teaching; to love and pray for your enemy, forgiving so many times that you lose count; and to help and show compassion for those in need whether it was on the Sabbath or not.

·         Judaism; anyone who attempts to CHANGE the Torah is a FALSE PROPHET.

• The RUB - Jesus was just plain CRAZY telling the crowds that the Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees, were Blind Guides and Blind Fools and if the people expected to enter the Kingdom of Heaven they must be MORE RIGHTEOUS than them; HOW COULD THAT BE?

·         Judaism; these were the very people that were teachers of holiness; and how to keep the 613 laws. - Jesus said their religious leaders were filthy, full of greed and self-indulgence.  They were like Whitewashed Tombs, clean on the outside, but filled with all sorts of Impurity on the inside and full of Hypocrisy and Lawlessness; they were nothing but SNAKES; a Brood of Vipers. 

·         Christianity; they ARE Blind Guides leading the blind and both WILL fall into the pit.

• The RUB - If Jesus is not Lying then He must be a LUNATIC, because no one would say things like this knowing it would get them killed. - He told His followers to DRINK HIS BLOOD AND EAT HIS FLESH and they would live forever.  Many of His followers thought He was nuts, crazy, LOONEY TUNES, a LUNATIC and THEY ABANDONED HIM.

Ex 20:7 – Don’t use the name of God flippantly.

7 You shall not take THE NAME of the LORD thy God IN VAIN; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain. KJV John 12:28 – God’s name is to be glorified

28 FATHER, GLORIFY YOUR NAME!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again."

NIV

Lev 24:16 – Use God’s name in vain and be put to death

16 Anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY MUST STONE HIM. NIV

Matthew 3:7 - Pharisees and Sadducees - BROOD OF VIPERS
⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You BROOD OF VIPERS! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (ESV)

Matthew 23:13 – Scribes and Pharisees won’t go to Heaven
¹³ What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. HYPOCRITES! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. YOU WON’T GO IN YOURSELVES, and you don’t let others enter either. (NLT)

Matthew 15:14 - They are blind guides leading the blind
¹⁴ so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.” (NLT)
Matthew 23:15-33 – Blind Guides – Blind Fools - Snakes
¹⁵ What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you PHARISEES. HYPOCRITES! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!
¹⁶ BLIND GUIDES! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’
¹⁷ BLIND FOOLS! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred?
¹⁸ And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding.
¹⁹ How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
²⁰ When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it.
²¹ And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it.
²² And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
²³ What sorrow awaits you TEACHERS OF RELIGIOUS LAW and you PHARISEES. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
²⁴ BLIND GUIDES! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!
²⁵ What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are FILTHY—full of GREED and self-indulgence!
²⁶ You BLIND PHARISEE! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.
²⁷ What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.
²⁸ Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
²⁹ What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. HYPOCRITES! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed.
³² Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started.
³³ SNAKES! Sons of VIPERS! How will you escape the judgment of hell? (NLT)

Matthew 5:20 – You must be MORE righteous than the scribes
²⁰ For I tell you, unless your RIGHTEOUSNESS EXCEEDS that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (ESV)

John 6:51 - My Flesh is bread for the life of the world
⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: yea and THE BREAD which I will give IS MY FLESH, for the life of the world. (ASV)

John 6:53-55 – Eat my flesh and drink my blood
⁵³ So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you EAT THE FLESH of the Son of Man and DRINK HIS BLOOD, you cannot have eternal life within you.
⁵⁴ But anyone who EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day.
⁵⁵ For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. (NLT)

John 6:66 – Many followers though He was LOONEY TUNES
⁶⁶ At this point MANY OF HIS DISCIPLES TURNED AWAY and DESERTED HIM. (NLT)

Plum Crazy

• Jesus has gone plum CRAZY - Scripture usually depicts the family minus Joseph who must have already died, standing far off in the distance, partly because of the crowds.  Then at some point just after Jesus was casting out demons; His Mother, His brothers and sisters all went down to TAKE CHARGE of the situation and REASON with him because they thought HE WAS LOSING HIS MIND.  - None of the brothers believed what Jesus was saying and the town’s people were ready to throw Jesus off a cliff.  Interestingly the Jews thought the same thing about the Apostle Paul, that he too was INSANE that his much learning had driven him CRAZY. - NYOBS 10.02 – THE PLAYERS; DISCIPLES -
• Note: I firmly believe, because of the Angle’s prophecy, that Mary & Joseph both believed that Jesus was the Messiah, but because of the times, the family just simply didn’t fully understand and were confused, timid and even afraid to be seen around Jesus. – “Just saying”.  I think they wanted to believe; and eventually their timidity would be replaced with boldness and belief because of the testimony of Jesus half-brother James who Jesus appeared to after His resurrection. . – The whole family would later be found numbered among the 120 present in the upper room when the Holy Spirit fell on them on the day of Pentecost. – It’s in the Book – NYOBS 31.12 – THREE MARYS 

Mark 3:31 – Mary sends word to Jesus to come and talk
³¹ Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them.

Matthew 12:47 – Mary’s family stands at a distance
⁴⁷ Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you.” (NLT)

John 7:5 – Jesus’ family did not believe at first

5 For even his own brothers DID NOT BELIEVE in him. NIV

Mark 3:21 – The family thought Jesus was out of his mind

21 When his family heard about this, they went to TAKE CHARGE of him, for they said, "HE IS OUT OF HIS MIND."

NIV

Luke 4:28-29 – The town’s people were ready to Kill Jesus

28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.

29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. NIV

Acts 26:24 - Paul you are Insane, you’ve gone crazy
²⁴ Suddenly, Festus shouted, “PAUL, you are INSANE. Too much study has made you CRAZY!” (NLT)

Acts 1:14-15 – Jesus’ mother Mary, brothers. sisters believed
¹⁴ They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.
¹⁵ During this time, when about 120 BELIEVERS were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them. (NLT)

1 Corinthians 15:7 – Jesus appeared to His half-brother James
⁷ Then HE APPEARED TO JAMES, then to all the apostles. (ESV)

Con Artist

·         The RUB – Jesus Himself said that He is the Son of God and the Messiah and His signs and great miracles proved it, BUT there is still as much suffering, pain and tragedy in the world today as there ever was before Jesus came on the scene.

·         Judaism – Personal revelation of being the Messiah is a very weak basis for claiming Messiahship, as multiple religions have claimed this throughout history and some tricksters and con artist have been granted special powers just to TEST the people of Israel.  He could cast out demons because He was possessed by Satan.

·         Judaism is not borne out of miracles to a FEW, but to ALL of Israel as witnesses at the bottom of Mount Sinai when God spoke out of the thunder and smoke.

·         Christianity - Jesus claimed to be the Messiah and healed ALL that came to Him that were sick and even raised some from the dead as well as fed some 4,000 to 5,000 people twice.  He has authority over Satan and is more powerful than demons which are subject to His commands, a characteristic of God and God alone.

·         The RUB - Unlike the concept in Judaism, the Messiah in Christianity is the Son of God.

·         Christianity; The Messiah comes as the “Suffering Servant” as prophesized by the Prophet.

·         Judaism – Isaiah relates at least eleven times that ISRAEL is known as the “Servant of God”; the scriptures in Isaiah are about Israel being bruised and crushed and suffering, NOT about Jesus. – Besides that, the Messiah will be a King, a Powerful Political Leader leading an insurrection; NOT a “Suffering Servant”.

Mark 3:22 – Jesus is possessed by Satan casting out demons
²² But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, “HE’S POSSESSED BY SATAN, the prince of demons. That’s where he gets the power to cast out demons.”

(NLT)

Matthew 4:24 – Jesus healed ALL of the sick
²⁴ So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him

ALL THE SICK, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and

HE HEALED THEM.

(ESV)

Isaiah 53:1-12 – JESUS was the Prophesized Suffering Servant
¹ Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?
² My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.
³ He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.
⁴ Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
⁵ But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
⁶ All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.
⁷ He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
⁸ Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream.

⁹ He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.
¹⁰ But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
¹¹ When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.
¹² I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels.

He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

(NLT)

Psalm 44:9-19 – ISRAEL is the Suffering Servant of God
⁹ But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies.
¹⁰ You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us.
¹¹ You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations.
¹² You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale.
¹³ You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us.
¹⁴ You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.
¹⁵ I live in disgrace all day long, and my face is covered with shame
¹⁶ at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.
¹⁷ All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten you; we had not been false to your covenant.
¹⁸ Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path.
¹⁹ But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals; you covered us over with deep darkness.

(NIV2011)

Acts 24:14 – I admit that I am a follower of THE WAY
¹⁴ However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of THE WAY, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, (NIV2011)

Trickster

·         The RUB - A Virgin will conceive a child called Immanuel meaning “God is with us”.

·         Judaism - The word “Virgin” is mistranslated, it actually means A YOUNG WOMAN, not a virgin.  This idea comes from the PAGAN BELIEF of mortals being impregnated by the gods.

·         The RUB – The Messiah will be called the “Anointed One”.

·         Christians believe that Jesus was ANOINTED with Oil as was prophesied when a woman poured an alabaster jar of expensive perfumed oil over His head.

·         Judaism - The Word “ANOINTING” refers to the ritual of “consecrating someone” by pouring Holy Oil upon their head by the Levitical Priest. - God would never use a woman to anoint someone; only a priest.

·         The RUB - The Messiah will be a king that will lead the nation of Israel out from under the oppression of Rome.

·         Judaism – Jesus only led Himself to die a criminal’s death on the cross. He did not lead the nation anywhere, but into confusion.

·         Christianity – Jesus died on the cross as the final sacrifice for all that would believe in Him and receive the gift of eternal life.

·         The Rub – Elijah the Prophet will return preparing the way for the Messiah

·         Judaism - Elijah did not return, John the Baptist even said he was NOT Elijah.

·         Christianity – Jesus the Messiah said John the Baptist had the Spirit of Elijah even though he did not know it. – Christianity does not support re-incarnation; having lived before as another person and coming back, but does support the “spirit” of doing what others have done before.  John was the voice of one calling in the wilderness to prepare THE WAY for the Lord as the Prophet Isaiah spoke. - NYOBS 34.02-  REINCARNATION

Isaiah 7:14 – The Virgin will conceive a child called Immanuel
¹⁴ All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). (NLT)

Exodus 29:1-7 – Consecrate Priest pour anointing Oil on his head
¹ This is the ceremony you must follow when you consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams with no defects.
⁷ Then anoint him by pouring the anointing oil over his head. (NLT)

Matthew 26:6-12 – Jesus anointed with Oil by a woman
⁶ Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy.
⁷ While he was eating, a WOMAN came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.
¹² She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial.

Mark 14:3-9 – The anointing with Oil of Jesus
³ Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.
⁸ She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.
⁹ I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” (NLT)

Isaiah 40:3 – Elijah will come and prepare the way of the Lord

³ A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

(NIV2011)

Matthew 3:3 – Elijah through John would prepare for the Lord
³ The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” (NLT)

Matthew 17:12 – Elijah has already come
¹² But I tell you, ELIJAH HAS ALREADY COME, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the SON OF MAN suffer.” (NLT)

Matthew 11:14 – John the Baptist has the spirit of Elijah
¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, JOHN HIMSELF IS ELIJAH who was to come. (NASB)

John 1:21-23 – John did not know he had the spirit of Elijah
²¹ And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “NO.”
²² So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
²³ He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (ESV)

Lie - Second Return

·         The RUB - The Messiah will gather all of the Jews back from the ends of the earth to the Land of Israel and will build the Third Temple when He returns.

·         Judaism – Jesus did not rebuild the temple nor re-establish temple worship.

·         Christianity – Jesus the Messiah will establish all of this at the second part of His coming.

·         The RUB – The Messiah will usher in a NEW era of world peace when He returns, no more war; ending hatred, oppression and suffering.  Bringing quiet, peacefulness, confidence of safety; violence will disappear from the land; the desolation and destruction of war will end.  No more training and preparation for War.

·         A Kabbalistic tradition within Judaism is that Messiah ben Joseph, (a son of Joseph) will gather the children of Israel around him and lead them to Jerusalem. After overcoming the hostile powers in Jerusalem, He will re-establish the Temple worship and set up his own dominion. - Then Messiah ben David (a son of David) will usher in a time of FREEDOM and PEACE.

·         Judaism – Jesus did not bring world peace and end violence, destruction and war.

·         Christianity – Jesus the Messiah will do ALL these things at the second part of His coming

·         The RUB - The Messiah will spread knowledge of the God of Israel worldwide, UNITING ALL of humanity in the worship of the one true God.  

·         Judaism - Jesus did NOT cause the knowledge of God to be spread worldwide nor cause the One Jehovah God to be worshipped universally.

·         Christianity – Jesus the Messiah will accomplish this at the second part of His coming.

·         The RUB - The Messiah will purify the language when He returns. - The whole world will speak Hebrew or an unknown NEW pure language.

·         Judaism - Jesus, did not bring the world to speak a new pure language.

·         Christianity – The nations will no longer use vile and vulgar language, repulsive and blasphemous talk, the nation’s languages will become pure and wholesome at the second part of the Messiah’s coming.

·         The RUB – When the Messiah comes He will not miss even one point of prophecy.

·         Judaism - Jesus did NOT accomplish “ALL AT ONCE”, what was written in the Torah therefore He is REJECTED as the Messiah. 

·         Christianity - The Messiah returns in two parts:

1)   The Old Testament Messianic prophecies were fulfilled in the First part of Christ’s coming through His Mission, His Death and His Resurrection.

2)   The remainder of the Messianic prophecies will be fulfilled in the Second part of Christ’s coming, specifically the prophecy of a FUTURE KING who would come from the Davidic line and usher in a Messianic Age and the New World to Come.

·         THE BIG RUB – The Messiah’s appearance is in two parts.

·         Judaism – The SECOND PART THEORY is a LIE, just a flimsy excuse for getting around the Messianic prophecies. - The Messiah comes only ONCE, not TWICE.   

Jeremiah 31:33-34 – Everyone will know the God of Israel
³³ But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
³⁴ And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” (NLT)

Isaiah 43:5-6 – Gather ALL the Jews back to Israel
⁵ Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west.
⁶ I will say to the north and south, ‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth.

(NLT)

Amos 9:13-15 – Messiah will bring His people back to Israel
¹³ The time will come,” says the LORD, “when the grain and grapes will grow faster than they can be harvested. Then the terraced vineyards on the hills of Israel will drip with sweet wine!
¹⁴ I will bring my exiled people of Israel back from distant lands, and they will rebuild their ruined cities and live in them again. They will plant vineyards and gardens; they will eat their crops and drink their wine.
¹⁵ I will firmly plant them there in their own land. They will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God. (NLT)

Micah 4:1-4 – Teach us His ways; walk in His paths - PEACE
¹ In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
² People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.
³ The LORD will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.
⁴ Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise!

(NLT)

Zechariah 8:23 – Everyone will know God is with Israel
²³ This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” (NLT)

Zephaniah 3:9 – No more vile vulgar or blasphemous repulsive talk
⁹ Then I will purify the speech of all people, so that everyone can worship the LORD together. (NLT)

Zechariah 8:23 – The World will seek out the God of the Jew’s
²³ This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

(NLT)

Hosea 2:20-22 – The World will know God and He will answer
²⁰ I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the LORD.
²¹ In that day, I will answer,” says the LORD. “I will answer the sky as it pleads for clouds. And the sky will answer the earth with rain.
²² Then the earth will answer the thirsty cries of the grain, the grapevines, and the olive trees. And they in turn will answer, ‘Jezreel’—‘God plants!’

(NLT)

Zechariah 14:9 –Jehovah God will be worshipped Worldwide
⁹ And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one LORD—his name alone will be worshiped.

(NLT)

Isaiah 2:2-3 – All Nations will worship the God of Israel
² In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
³ People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. (NLT)

Ezekiel 37:26-28 –The Messiah will re-build the Temple
²⁶ And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and increase their numbers, and I will put my Temple among them forever.
²⁷ I will make my home among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
²⁸ And when my Temple is among them forever, the nations will know that I am the LORD, who makes Israel holy.”

(NLT)

Isaiah 2:1-4 - Usher in World Peace – No training for war
¹ This is a vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
² In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
³ People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.
⁴ The LORD will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.

(NLT)

Isaiah 32:15-18 – Usher in quietness, confidence, safety, rest
¹⁵ until at last the Spirit is poured out on us from heaven. Then the wilderness will become a fertile field, and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.
¹⁶ Justice will rule in the wilderness and righteousness in the fertile field.
¹⁷ And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.
¹⁸ My people will live in safety, quietly at home. They will be at rest.

(NLT)

Isaiah 60:15-18 – Violence, desolation, destruction disappear
¹⁵ Though you were once despised and hated, with no one traveling through you, I will make you beautiful forever, a joy to all generations.
¹⁶ Powerful kings and mighty nations will satisfy your every need, as though you were a child nursing at the breast of a queen. You will know at last that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
¹⁷ I will exchange your bronze for gold, your iron for silver, your wood for bronze, and your stones for iron. I will make peace your leader and righteousness your ruler.
¹⁸ Violence will disappear from your land; the desolation and destruction of war will end. Salvation will surround you like city walls, and praise will be on the lips of all who enter there. (NLT)

Lord

·         Daniel the Prophet in a vision, referred to Jesus as the Son of Man which was a title that belonged to the Messiah. – Jesus referred to Himself some 80 times as the Son of Man.

·         Jesus was not confused about His Divinity, He confirmed it to the twelve when He asked them; who do the people say that I am.  John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. – He asked Peter point blank; but who do YOU say that I am… He responded, you are the Christ the Son of the living God.

·         God said His name was I AM THAT I AM, and His son Jesus referred to Himself as I AM and if you didn’t get that, He said straight up, The Father and I are ONE.  When Jesus was placed under oath by the High Priest, He confessed that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. – No other leader of any religion claimed to be the Son of God.

Matthew 16:13-17 – You are the Messiah the Son of God
¹³  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
¹⁴  “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
¹⁵  Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
¹⁶  Simon Peter answered, “YOU ARE THE MESSIAH, the Son of the living God.”
¹⁷  Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

(NLT)

Daniel 7:13 – Prophet Daniel calls the Messiah the Son of Man

¹³ As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a SON OF MAN coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence.

(NLT)

Luke 22:48 – Jesus referred to Himself as the SON OF MAN
⁴⁸ but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the SON OF MAN with a kiss?” (ESV)

Luke 22:69 – Jesus the Son of Man seated at the right of God
⁶⁹ But from now on the SON OF MAN shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” (ESV)

Exodus 3:14 – God names Himself – I am that I AM

14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shall thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. KJV

John 8:56-58 – Jesus referred to Himself as “I AM” God’s name
⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”
⁵⁷ The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?”
⁵⁸ Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!”

NLT)

John 14:6 – I AM the way, the truth and the life
⁶ Jesus told him, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

(NLT)

John 10:27-30 - The Father and I are one
²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,
²⁹ for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
³⁰ THE FATHER AND I ARE ONE.”

(NLT)

John 1:1-3 – Jesus “THE WORD” is God
¹ In the beginning THE WORD (Jesus) already existed. The Word (Jesus) was with God, and the WORD (Jesus) WAS GOD.
² He (Jesus) existed in the beginning with God.
³ God created everything through him (Jesus), and nothing was created except through him (Jesus).

(NLT)

Matthew 26:63-64 – Jesus said I am the Messiah – Son of Man
⁶³ But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
⁶⁴ Jesus replied, “YOU HAVE SAID IT. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (NLT)

Two Kingdoms

• Jesus taught about what the Kingdom of God was like.  Most of what He taught was in parables; stories that have a second meanings.  He used metaphors, something spoken of that also had other meanings. – This was right down their alley as the Hebrews spent their days discussing hidden meanings in the Torah, plus His stories made it easy to remember.
• The Kingdom of HEAVEN is mentioned ONLY in the NT book of Matthew and is spoken of 32 times by Jesus Christ Himself. 
• The Kingdom of GOD is mentioned 66 times throughout the NT – Presenting the question – Is there two different kingdom?
• Two Kingdoms – The Kingdom of God and The Kingdom of Heaven are both the same kingdom; however scripture speaks of a Present Kingdom; where evil is defeated and sinners are redeemed, as well as a Future Kingdom where Satan and death are both defeated and thrown in the lake of fire and the believer lives and reigns forever in the presence of God.

TWO KINGDOMS – The NOW and the NOT YET -

• The Realm – Where God’s reign is experienced.
• The People – The “redeemed” are the people of the kingdom.
• The Reign – The reign of Christ “with believers” sharing in His reign.
• Present – The kingdom is present for believers to enter NOW and enjoy His blessings.
• Future – The kingdom is future, when we enter into eternal life and reign with Christ.
• We must enter into the NOW present kingdom in order to enter into the NOT YET future kingdom of “eternal life”. - The believer accepts God’s reign in their present lives; and reigns with Him in the future. - Blessings in the Present – Even greater blessing in the future.
• We have the present kingdom now that will extend into the future kingdom – We must enter into the present Kingdom to be able to inherit the future Kingdom where we will be in the presence of Christ and reign with Him forever – So, I guess you could say there really is  two kingdoms;  The NOW and the NOT YET.
• The people of Israel had the Ten Commandments and the “other laws” found in the Old Testament - Christ’s teachings “raised the bar” on what everyone understood at the time.
• The bar was raised to the point that NO ONE could live up to its standard. – The Salvation theology that Christ taught was sufficient to condemn EVERYONE to eternal separation from God.
• The purpose of the Law was NOT TO SAVE, but to SHOW OUR NEED to be saved (among other things).  Jesus’ teachings AMPLIFIED the Law, and made it even clearer, that we need a Savior. 
• Since Jesus set the Bar very high, who then can QUALIFY to enter the Kingdom of God; who then can be saved? - Jesus said; with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." – We need a Savior. - We need the Holy Spirit to enable us to come to God otherwise what we see and what we hear is just foolishness. - It was only after Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross and then rose from the dead defeating death that His followers finally “GOT IT”.  – NYOBS 12.34 – QUALIFICATIONS FOR ENTRANCE TO HEAVEN

Romans 8:3 – The Law could not save – Showed need for a savior
³ THE LAW OF MOSES WAS UNABLE TO SAVE US because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. (NLT)

Matthew 4:17 – The Kingdom of Heaven is near
¹⁷ From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

(NLT)

John 6:44 – No one can come unless drawn by the Father
⁴⁴ For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.

(NLT)

Matt 19:25-26 – Who then can be saved?

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

NIV

PROPHECY FULFILLED

      OT PROPHECY                                                                                NT FULLFILLMENT

1)   Zechariah 11:12                  Betrayed - 30 pieces of silver              Matthew 26:14-16

2)   Isaiah 53:7                        Be silent before accusers                     Matthew 27:12

3)   Isaiah 53:5                        Be scourged and wounded                     Matthew 27:26

4)   Isaiah 50:6                        Be smitten and spat upon                      Matthew 26:67

5)   Psalms 22:16                       His hands and feet pierced                  Luke 22:33

6)   Isaiah 53:12                       Put to death with criminals                   Matthews 27:38

7)   Psalms 22:18                       Cast lots for His garments                   John 19:23-24

8)   Psalms 69:21                       Would suffer thirst                             John 19:28

9)   Psalms 69:21                       Gave gall and vinegar to drink               Matthew 27:34

10) Psalms 22:1                         Utter forsaken cry to God                   Matthew 27:46

11) Psalms 34:20                      No bones would be broken                    John 19:33

12) Zechariah 12:10                 Side would be pierced                           John 19:34

13) Isaiah 53:9                        Buried in a rich man’s tomb                   Matthew 27:57-60

14) Psalms 16:10                       Rise from the dead                               Mark 16:6

15) Psalms 68:18                       Ascend into heaven                              Acts 1:9

16) Psalms 110:1                        Sit at the right hand of God                Hebrews 1:3

Acts 17:2-3 – Jesus is the Messiah prophesized to suffer
² As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people.
³ He explained the prophecies and proved that the MESSIAH MUST SUFFER and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.”

(NLT)

Luke 24:25-26 – Prophets predicted the Messiah would suffer
²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the PROPHETS wrote in the Scriptures.
²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the MESSIAH would have to SUFFER all these things before entering his glory?” (NLT)

The Take Away

·         I have given many scriptures that brings you to the point that you must decide whether He was either a Liar, a Lunatic, Legend or Lord. – It’s the name of Jesus that millions curse and millions pray. - When Jesus was before Pilate, a simple denial of His Deity would have set Him free, but He chose to be tortured with excruciating pain at the crucifixion.

·         There were many great moral teachers with wise teachings, Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi as well as Mohammed that became world religions, but none claimed to be the “Son of God”, none performed miracles, healed the sick, raised the dead, died and was resurrected and left His tomb empty.

·         There were many Empty Tomb theories;

a)   The Wrong Tomb, the woman simply went to the wrong tomb.            

b)   The Swoon Theory; Jesus did not die, He only fainted and was resuscitated and the Disciples only thought He had risen from the dead.   

c)   Stolen Body Theory; the Disciples of Jesus stole His body to make it look like He had been resurrected from the dead.

·         Then there was His appearance theories; Hallucination Theory – Physiological Illusions – The sighting of Jesus was due to mental stress, and anguish based on the hopeful desires of His followers.

·         All the rational that was put forward was to disprove the SUPERNATURAL.  Once you disprove the SUPERNATURAL concerning His Virgin Birth, His Miracles, Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven; the faith in “THE WAY” movement will just fall apart.

• There are indisputable facts about Jesus; He was a real historical person whose life radically changed human history, even most calendars are dated by His birth – He was a Nazarite who was born of a virgin in Bethlehem as prophesized. – He was baptized by John the Baptist – Preached about the Kingdom of God and healed the sick - Performed signs and miracles that included changing water into wine, walking on water, feeding a multitude of 5000 and raising the dead. – He was persecuted by the Jews; was crucified, dead, buried and resurrected.

·         The Religious leaders COULD DISPROVE the resurrection by just dragging His body in front of the Temple and throwing it down on the steps; then everyone could see He was simply a LIAR and a LUNATIC.

·         But they could NOT produce HIS body, and to make it far worse; for some 40 days, the resurrected Jesus appeared to His followers; He was seen by PETER and then by THE TWELVE. - After that, he was seen by more than 500 OF HIS FOLLOWERS at one time, then he was seen by JAMES his half-brother and later again by all the apostles.
All of the sudden the despair, gloom and doom was dispelled and changed to joy and excitement. – HE’S ALIVE –

• The Apostle Peter said that the Disciples were not making up clever stories, but were reporting what they saw with their own eyes.
• Doctor Luke said he used eyewitness reports that were circulating among the early disciples and carefully investigated them and wrote down a careful account of the ACTS of Jesus.
• We must enter into the “NOW” present kingdom in order to enter into the “NOT YET” future kingdom of “eternal life”. - The believer accepts God’s reign in their present lives; and reigns with Him in the future. - Blessings in the Present – Even greater blessing in the future.   

·         C. S. Lewis, the great Christian apologist said, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would NOT be a great moral teacher.  He would either be a LUNATIC  on a level with the man who says he is a POACHED EGG  or else He would be THE DEVIL OF HELL.  You must make your choice.  Either this man was, and is THE SON OF GOD: or else a MADMAN or something worse.  You can shut Him up 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 with any PATRONIZING NONSENSE about His being a great human teacher.  He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to”.

·         What amazes me is the space that is taken up with non-sense discussions about whether Jesus had warts, nocturnal emissions; wet dreams or lice in His hair or did He poop; or can He make a rock that is too heavy for Him to lift or how can he be homeless if He lives in our heart? – Such things are just distractions from the simple message that Billy Graham preached; BELIEVE on Jesus Christ and REPENT of your sins and be saved; or Turn or Burn.  Every person born of woman is born in sin detached from God and their destination is Hell fire unless they choose to change it.  – Jesus was sent to show us “THE WAY” back to the Tree of Life and re-attach us to God.

·         Whether you believe that He is an actual person in history or just a legend, you cannot deny the effect that He has had on human history.  Without Him, this world would be a completely different place. 

• The dilemma is simple, There are only two options; You must either deny the information given about Jesus and denounce Him as a liar, lunatic and a blasphemer or give Him your heart, warts and all, and confess that you believe and embrace Him as the Messiah; become a Christian and join a body of likeminded believers  and worship Him.   -  Many logs bonded “together” on a fire burn BRIGHTER. – Choosing today to make NO decision is a decision to reject Him. – The Choices you make on this side of eternity have eternal consequences.

- It’s in the Book –

Galatians 4:4 – When the time was right – The Messiah came
⁴ But when the right time came, GOD SENT HIS SON, born of a woman, SUBJECT TO THE LAW. (NLT)

Luke 24:44 – The Messiah must fulfill the Prophecies
⁴⁴ Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in THE LAW of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms MUST BE FULFILLED.” (NLT)

John 5:46 – Moses wrote about Jesus the Messiah
⁴⁶ If you really believed MOSES, you would believe me, because

HE WROTE ABOUT ME. (NLT)

Acts 3:18 – The Prophets foretold the Messiah must suffer
¹⁸ But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things. (NLT)

1 Corinthians 15:3-9 – Jesus appeared to the 12, 500 and Paul
³ I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.
⁴ He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.
⁵ He was seen by PETER and then by THE TWELVE.
⁶ After that, he was seen by more than 500 OF HIS FOLLOWERS at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
⁷ Then he was seen by JAMES and later by all the apostles.
⁸ Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I (Paul) also saw him.
⁹ For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. (NLT)

Genesis 3:15 – 1st Prophecy – Satan strike the heel of Christ
¹⁵ And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (NLT)  

Isaiah 7:14 – The supernatural birth of a Virgin is a sign
¹⁴ All right then, the Lord himself will GIVE YOU THE SIGN. Look! The VIRGIN will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). (NLT)

Isaiah 40:3 - Forerunner was John The Baptizer
³ Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the LORD! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! (NLT)

Malachi 3:1 – My messenger will prepare the way for the Messiah
¹ Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (NLT)

Matthew 2:4-6 – Prophecy – Messiah will be born in Bethlehem

⁴  He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
⁵  “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:
⁶  ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” (NLT)

Luke 1:1-3 – Luke an eyewitness gives a full report
¹ Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us.
² They used the EYEWITNESS REPORTS circulating among us from the early disciples.
³ Having CAREFULLY INVESTIGATED EVERYTHING FROM THE BEGINNING, I also have decided to write a CAREFUL ACCOUNT for you, most honorable Theophilus, (NLT)

2 Peter 1:16 – They were not making up clever stories
¹⁶ For WE WERE NOT MAKING UP CLEVER STORIES when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

WE SAW his majestic splendor WITH OUR OWN EYES (NLT)

FIND A CHURCH – FELLOWSHIP WITH LIKE MINDED BELIVERS

Hebrews 10:25 – Many logs make a fire burn Warmer & BRIGHTER
²⁵And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (NLT)

In the multitude of counselors,

there is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:14

I am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical

information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders

                         and see further that I otherwise ever could have.              

                                                                                                                                     

A Commentary; Critical, Experimental and Practical - Eerdmans

Antiquity of the Jews – Flavius Josephus Matthias

Apocrypha – Goodspeed

Baker Commentary on the Bible – Elwell

Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenney-White

Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer

Bible Dictionary – Harper and Row

Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s

Dake’s Annotated Bible – Dake

English Standard Version Bible – ESV

Expositor’s Bible Commentary – Frank E. Gaebelein

Forgotten Books of Eden; The – World

Gospels Interwoven; The – Karmit Zarley

Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The – Tyndale

Interlinear Greek-English New Testament – Baker

Invisible War; The – Donald Grey Barnhouse

King James Version Bible – KJV

Lost Books of the Bible; The - World

Lost Books of the Bible; The - Bell

Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan

Mere Christianity – C.S. Lewis

Missing Books of the Bible; The – Halo Press

More than a Carpenter – Josh McDowell

Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest

Nag Hammadi Library; The – James M. Robinson

Nave’s Topical Bible - Zondervan

New International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas - Tenney

New International Version Bible (2011) – NIV

NOTE: The “new” NIV has been corrupted & made GENDER NEUTRAL.  AVOID IT.

New Living Translation Bible - NLT

Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls – Hugh J. Schonfield

Thru the Bible – J. Vernon McGee

Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament – Mac Donald

Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner

Wycliffe Bible Commentary; The – Pfeiffer & Harrison

Wikipedia –

Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The – Tenney