What Do You Say About Jesus of Nazareth?
Introduction: WHAT DO YOU SAY? The Lord of Glory is asking this question right now, because when we meet Him after our physical death, our answer will be already firmly and unchangeably decided. So while it is still called today, what do you say about the most important question you will ever answer: who is Jesus of Nazareth?
NOTE: Bible verses are taken from the King James 21st Century version (KJ21).
A — The Old Testament Tells Us That God Is Our Savior
Isaiah 45 “21 There is no God else besides Me, a just God and a Savior. There is none besides Me. 22 Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else. 23 I have sworn by Myself; the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”
Comments: The LORD God alone is the Savior from sin to eternal life. All those who are against Him and refuse to receive Him shall surely be ashamed when eternal life eludes them forever. There is only one God, and He alone is the Savior!
B — Jesus Wanted His Disciples to Recognize His True Identity
Matthew 16 “15 He said unto them, But who say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father who is in Heaven.”
Comments: The truth of scripture is revealed to each person by God, not discovered by any of us because of our own ancestry, our training, or our intellect. Peter was a fisherman by trade, not a religious leader, but he was familiar with the Old Testament Scripture as a Jew. He did not come to his declaration about Jesus solely on his own, and neither will anyone else. Through the Lord’s will, Peter became an apostle for the gospel of salvation. And it is the LORD who asks, “what do you say?”
C — The Lawyer Was a Bible Scholar — But Is That Enough?
Luke 10 “25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself. 28 And He said unto him, Thou hast answered right; this do, and thou shalt live. 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?”
Comments: The Lord will require each of us to be responsible for our acceptance of the truth of the Word of God: “How do you read it?” This man, distinguished as a scholar of the Old Testament law, was still seeking to justify himself by his own deeds, rather than to accept eternal life as a gift from God through faith in Christ Jesus. As Jesus put forth the parable about the Good Samaritan, the lawyer’s answer identifying the Samaritan as the one who showed mercy pointed to one whom pious Jews held in disrespect. Those two great commandments can only be fully and genuinely followed after receiving the Holy Spirit through faith in the one true God.
D — Peter’s Confession Should Be the Confession of Every True Christian
John 6 “67 Then Jesus said unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, 69 and we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Comments: Some speak of Jesus and seem to be following, until various reasons cause them to turn away. But those who follow in authentic faith have the same attitude as indicated in Peter’s answer. Or, said in another way, Acts 4: “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
E — Jesus Put Hard Questions Before the Religious Leaders
Matthew 22 “41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is He? They said unto Him, The son of David. 43 He said unto them, How then doth David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. 45 If David then call Him Lord, how is He his son? 46 And no man was able to answer Him a word.”
Comments: Jesus posed a question that pointed to himself. If David was speaking of his Lord who was the ever-existing God, how then could that one also be a descendant of David? The Bible scholars of the time were unable to answer this mystery: God would become a man in the line of King David, to provide the perfect sacrifice for all our sin. Many over the centuries have also missed this essential point that was realized in Christ Jesus, the unique God-man, because they have allowed unbelief in many forms, and the traditions and false teachings of men, to close their hearts to the message from the Holy Spirit.
F — The High Priest Was Convinced That Jesus Claimed to Be God
Matthew 26 “63 And the high priest answered and said unto Him, I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said; nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy!”
Comments: The Jewish high priest had no doubt that Jesus claimed to be God, even though there are critics today who say that Jesus never made that claim for himself. Therefore, the high priest declared Jesus guilty of blasphemy, because his own unbelief blinded his heart from seeing the fulfillment of prophecy right before him. No amount of education, tradition, or position of high authority could bring the high priest to the truth that only God can reveal to the heart that is not hardened.
G — Jesus Came to Us That We Might Come to Him
John 20 “30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, ye might have life through His name.”
1 John 5 “11 And this is the record: that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life. 20 This is the true God and Eternal Life.”
Comments: The apostle John wrote his gospel with a heart of devoted love to his Savior, to present truth of salvation to eternal life. John declares that much more could have been written; but an ever increasing volume of truth will not penetrate a heart hardened to the LORD. That will come only through the acceptance of the unfailing and everlasting love of the God of all grace. Be careful not to miss the identity of the Savior revealed through Scripture! John 5: “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and it is they which testify of Me.”
Reflections in Prayer
Lord Jesus, I thank you for opening my heart to the truth that you are God my Savior, and there is no division between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit because God is one! My search to understand the purpose of this physical life, apart from your truth, was fruitless and vain. You have said that all must come to you like a child, and that you are the only way, truth, and life. All praise goes to you LORD, for the work of salvation and the new birth you have given me because of your great love. Help me Christ Jesus to hold fast to that saving faith, and to be used of you to spread your gospel to others as you enable me by your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Published 24 July 2019; first issued 22 April 2008