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(FYI: 'Christ' is the New Testament (Greek) word for the Old Testament (Hebrew) word 'Messiah')
Does it actually seem strange that someone would come up with this as an excuse not to believe the Bible?
Well, not really. Jesus, himself, said that there would be "false Christ" to come after Him (
Matthew 24:23-24
). And even today, there have been people that have convinced other people, that they were the true Messiah, the Christ, so much so that they might even all live together in some secluded place.
And even in Jesus's day, the same thing was happening (
Acts 5:34-39
).
At one point, (
Matthew 16:13-21
), Jesus Himself, asked His disciples, "Who do people think He is?".
So, we too must also answer this question. Was Jesus the real, true, Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God? or was He just a person with a mental disorder that just thought that he was the Son of God and went around doing things in order to fulfill the scriptures that made reference to Christ?
In about 1970/71, there was a "rock opera" that came onto the scene that addressed this very question. It was called, '"Jesus Christ, Superstar" Do you think you're what they say you are?'. In this play, the underlying thought is, Jesus's friends are growing increasingly concerned with Jesus's mental stability and it's results on their own personal safety.
So, you see. This idea is not really a brand new idea.
But, is that what really happened? That Jesus just thought He was the Christ?
NO!!!
WHY?
Let us look at just a couple of reasons we should believe that Jesus was (is) the true Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God.
1.
In (
Acts 5:34-39
) it was stated, "for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:". And indeed this is true. For the people in today's time that have claimed to be 'the Christ' have all "come to nought." As well as those mentioned in this passage in Acts. And also Titus Flavius Josephus (37 – c.100), mentions some. And they all have "come to nought." Because they "were of men". That is all, except for one, Jesus. There are people today, 2000 years later, that are still following Jesus. Because He "be of God" (
Acts 5:39
).
2.
Now think about this for a few moments. If Jesus was just some man, that just happened to be born in Bethlehem (as was foretold in prophecy (
Matthew 2:4-6
) & (
Micah 5:2
)), a master magician, that was sitting himself up as the Messiah, the Christ, by going around fulfilling all of the prophesies that had been given concerning the Christ. How was He able to fulfill the prophesies in which He personally was not involved? example: 'Solders casting lots for his clothes' (
Matthew 27:35
) which was foretold centuries before in (
Psalm 22:18
). Now think about it. Jesus is hanging on the cross, unable to have any physical control over what is going on around Him (not by His followers, but by Roman solders) while these prophesies are being fulfilled.
This is not the only example. It was just one I picked out to show my point.
But along with these, I feel it necessary to mention (
Isaiah 53:1-12
), this being one of the most common scriptures that describes Jesus Christ, His purpose, and His death. Even in the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (
Acts 8:26-40
), in verses (
30-35
), Philip proclaimed that it was Jesus that the prophet was talking about. Even though it was recorded in the scriptures centuries before.
And as I said before, "These are just a few" of the scriptures that foretold events that proved Jesus was the Christ.
Bottom line: Jesus was (is) the Messiah, the Christ.
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What do you think about this lesson ???
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