Considering Whether Jesus Really Was Who He Said He Was, Part 2

Today on Summit life with JD Greer in Jesus we saw what love is. We saw a God who possesses the power to walk on top of waves and cast out demons himself in shame and love save those rejected the love and the beauty displayed in Jesus's life is so glorious and so unique to the human race that we know that have gone life with JD. As always, I'm your host Molly benefits okay. Think back to when you were in school and the teacher was explaining hard concept, no matter how hard you tried just couldn't seem to get it. Not a good feeling right.

In fact, feeling a little bit of PTSD as I say that we all feel the need to make sense of things and to figure stuff out today. Pastor JD reminds us that thankfully God's understanding much bigger than ours got it all figured out. We only need to trust him fully. This teaching is part of our series called unknown God hear the previous messages@jdgreer.com.

Now here's have to take in the chaos of life. We hear a voice whispering to sometimes screaming at that voice may not like it rarely does answer all of our questions, but it assures us that were not alone and that help is coming for us.

That voice lets us know that God is there and that he is willing to speak if we are willing to listen. Last week we talked about how that voice speaks through creation. The question I want us to consider today is whether or not we hear about voice speaking in Jesus because he really the only question of faith is, is Jesus really was that he was so to get at this question I want to consider the story of the disciple that perhaps more people today in our culture, identify with the maybe any other disciple, and not disciple has the name Thomas. Now what one word description always goes without saying doubting. That's right, doubting Thomas to be honest, I feel a little bad for Thomas other disciples the good name for their false Peter had a problem with fear, but he didn't get labeled petrified Peter. Peter the pansy or anything like that Luke blustered John the judgment or something like that. Thomas. Thomas got me got commemorated for this wall before, there's lots of people doubted not just Thomas but only Thomas gets the name that's because so many people identify what Thomas and I believe John highlights Thomas a story writer begin of his gospel which is all about belief because John sees Thomas as the example help those of us who struggle to believe can actually learn to do so.

Thomas was about her, as are many of us, which is first considers the work done on the same playing field. Why was Thomas so skeptical will couple reasons. First, dead people don't get out of the grave that was unbelievable back then as it is today. Which leads me to a second thing in Thomas's day, the Jews were under cruel and unjust Roman oppression. So Thomas, like most Jews expected that the Messiah would come and crush the Romans that Jesus had shown up, preaching mercy to the Romans.

Thomas had no category for that dying Messiah or suffering God. Thomas wanted to believe given three years of his life to follow Jesus. He wanted to believe you resonate with that you find yourself sometimes they look I want to believe is the second observation are areas of confusion may be different from those of Thomas. You probably aren't asking questions anymore about how God could allow Roman oppression, but I've talked to many people today with their own questions. For example, I talked to the student recently is that is the Bible itself that confuses me to Thomas and every doubter. Jesus gives an answer, but let me warn you, is not the answer that you think it is not explanation the answer he gives his revelation is not so much an answer to the questions. It is a glimpse of who he is proven by what he did here is what we can learn about the development of faith from the story of Thomas 1 Thomas a story we see that our faith is not anchored in explanation. Our faith is anchored in an event. Our faith is not anchored in an explanation. It's in an event Jesus did you notice didn't really take time to address the substance of Thomas's doubts. Instead, he confronted Thomas with the fact of the resurrection.

He invited Thomas not to understand all the reasons in his mind, he invited Thomas to touch the stars in his hands. He urged Thomas to believe because of what Jesus proved about who he was, by the resurrection, the foundation of the church listen is not what the apostles taught. It's what Jesus did after the foundation of the church. Once you see maybe you grown up hearing Christians.

The family they believe by simply appealing to the Bible. I was with the Bible says is widely regarded I believe that the you like what you feel the Bible to defend the Bible. It sounds like me saying you're saying I'm the smartest man in the world. Why should I believe you will because I said so why should I believe what you say because on the smartest man in the world. Now we know something like that receipt.

There is a reason that we believe the Bible, we believe the Bible because it was authorizing given to us by Jesus proved he had the authority to do that by raising from the dead, and so I approached the Old Testament the way that he approached the Old Testament because I believe he is in a place understand how the Old Testament should be approached general Lifehacker blood developed is when somebody predicts and accomplishes their death and resurrection, and then pulls it off. I just follow what he says about the Old Testament that's is how I got so I wrote you say okay what our Thomas. If I were Thomas and I got to see what Thomas all yeah and I guess I believe to first of all ask yourself that honestly what you would you really suspend your doubts.

If you encounter the resurrected Jesus because, listen, if so, you're admitting that the doubt itself is not the problem you're admitting that the problem is that you are not thoroughly convinced that Jesus is who he said he was, or that the resurrection happened and that's an important distinction Jesus acknowledge that Thomas got a privileged view is a Thomas, because you seeing you believe another reporting to get to see that. But that doesn't mean that we don't also listen of compelling evidence for the resurrection. We ask you to consider what else. But Jesus's actual resurrection could explain the behavior of the disciples were the events of the first century what else. But Jesus's resurrection actual resurrection could explain the behavior of the disciples and the events of the first century, the early Christian movement was begun by a group of people. The apostles and their friends who went to the ends of the earth proclaiming that they had seen Jesus risen from the dead. It cost them everything. They were cast out, persecuted homeless put down every single one of the apostles died a martyr's death. Okay, what are the alternate theories to Jesus actually rising from the dead. Is it will. Maybe they didn't really see Jesus. Maybe they had hallucinations caused by grief. Looks like this so they will tell you people don't hallucinate.

To that extent. When people hallucinate, you will have multiple people claim to talk with and eat dinner with that same person. You certainly don't have groups of several hundred people all say they sell the exact same thing at once. You say will maybe they live. Maybe this is it. A lot of people while our religious people. I will ask yourself what would they gain from their life because when you live there is almost always a motive right people sometimes will suffer for what is false.

I understand that 900 people drink the Kool-Aid in Jonestown for something that was false, but listen they don't willingly suffer.

They don't drink poison for what they know to be false unless unless there's something to be gained from it, like money or power.

But what would be apostles gain from their life. Year after year they embraced a life of suffering to spread the gospel for the salvation of others.

They never got rich off that they were hunted, persecuted and cast out, that simply ruled out. The thought that they use their apostleship was a cover for a con game. One Bible scholar said it this way when we know what we're teaching us. We know that relying more motivated the lateral pockets with money.

That's when people lie when religious leaders lie that's what they're trying to do to try to get money not to get whipped and beaten and imprisoned until listen, I'm not trying to mock. This is another there people who sincere in their journey and they're all entertaining. This theory, but here's what your site, you basically say that after Jesus died he got all the disciples in a fishing boat there out fishing is not for the number four Jesus there, moping around, or depressed, or talk about how great Jesus was awesome was busy or not a missing how they wish more people would listen to his teaching was good be so great when everybody follow Jesus and all of a sudden in the midst of their depression. One of them jumps up and says I know the resurrected. What's a little more than he resurrected.

Let's say that the whole point of incoming was to die for our sins, and then God proved that he really did that by raising him from the dead.

Let's say that and then maybe when people become convinced of that. Then maybe then then don't follow the rest of the teachings of Jesus and another one says, well, okay, what an interesting idea, but will we get rich and powerful thing that will know because all influential people on board rejected this message and permit us for preaching answer will probably be put in prison cast out and bothersome. Our families will suffer for the rest of our lives.

While we at least have the satisfaction they were guiding people to eternal salvation know because everything were going and was built on a complete and total lie. Okay will count me and I would like to do this answer out. They go from that fishing boat and make a run around the world to the ends of the earth facing exactly what they thought they were going to face persecution and death, and as they and their families are being drugged off to be killed, as are being drugged off to be killed.

You think that they're basically winking at each other saying stick to the story stick to the story.

This is going to turn out great. Honestly, do you find that compelling. I knew what compelled them to do. This was their genuine belief that the resurrection happened. That's the only thing that had the power to do that. It was not some new insight into the teaching of Jesus that transform Thomas the doubter in the Thomas the martyr. It was the back of the resurrection. By the way Thomas would go on to go to India to be one of the first martyrs for the Christian faith is pretty reliable evidence it indicates a Thomas care the gospel all the way to India and was speared to death on a hill outside of Chennai. Refusing to stop preaching there. What would drive us skeptical Thomas to do that one some new insight into the teaching of Jesus. Oh, I get that store the prodigal to the good Samaritan means be nice to ever know.

That wasn't what happened. What changed from Thomas, a daughter to Thomas the martyr with him seen the resurrected Jesus. Remember Peter denied Jesus three times on the night before his death. Just ask yourself, would Peter who did not believe in Jesus, we have been willing to die for one dead cement like with Jenny.

You can find lots of free resources when you visit our website Tete career.com. Taking a quick break so that I can tell you about one of these freebies daily email devotional from castigating can really use encouragement first thing in the morning to remind us of God let France I know your inbox is filled with things that you couldn't ever recall asking for, but this is a plant that I think you'll grow to appreciate and look forward to every day devotional even follow along with our current teaching here on the program you can stay plugged in. Regardless of your schedule. Sign up for this free resource right now@jdgreer.com/resources JDGREAR.com/resources now. Let's return for the conclusion of today's message. Once again here's castigating a lease with third objection of the barre, sometimes as it will make the apostles claims about Jesus got exaggerated.

What happened is that the apostles basically told stories about Jesus as a great teacher and over time their stories got it repeated, and as they got repeated. You know how stories are they at exaggerated, so that by the time the Bible was written. Jesus have become best larger-than-life supernatural figure and by government before compared the telephone game number. The telephone game when you're a kid we have a group like 20 people and you start telling the story. You whisper each year.

By the time he gets back to you. You start the story by saying I went to Mexico and spent a week on the beach about him get back to you as a grasshoppers opera for them mixed up in my milk shakes in your life. How did that turn into doubt.

But it's as little by little. Not that's basically what happened is you started with the stories about Jesus and gradually got in all he does have the spirit of God. He was the son of God.

It only didn't just encourage people to do this. He actually did these miracles and by the time they got written down.

The stories have become altogether different. That's a theory that people have a here's a problem with that the books of the New Testament are written entirely too close to the events for legends like that have the time to spring up the New Testament was written while the apostles and people who knew the apostles were still alive most of the books of the New Testament were written around 30 years after the death of Jesus. Some of them as early as 20 years last when John was written about 60 years after Jesus death just for frame of reference Dale Earnhardt Senior died a little less than 20 years ago is not long enough for wild stories to grow up about how he died.

And what happened right after.

Oh, that from the very Carl said he resurrected the racemic Daytona 591. It noticed a bunch of people around you remember that event is not long enough for that to occur. We know that the early Christians took the testimony of the apostles very seriously, even considering them sacred Scripture, there would have been a lot of controversy had people begun to change them to go back to our telephone game example real quick instead of being like that you get 20 people are whispering to each other. Instead what it's like it every time someone tells a story everybody else listens to them tell the story and including the one who originally told the story and the governor that's not what I said I didn't say anything about mixing grasshoppers on okay when I said what beach in Mexico right and so you can correct it. That's really what happened is that while all these apostles are still alive. The books are written we have no conflicting accounts of Jesus for the first century, the apostolic community maintained one consistent testimony about youth.

I will wait a minute I saw on CNN a special that there were other rival Gospels like the gospel of Judas of the Gospel of Thomas, yet they give clear evidence of being written to threesome on 400 years after Jesus's birth and nobody really questions that what emerges from the first century is one consistent witness to Jesus and that is of Jesus as a sovereign ruling Savior, whose primary mission from the beginning, had been to die for sinners and rise again in the book of first Corinthians which was one of the earliest books of the New Testament written again. About 20 years after Jesus's death. Paul says in the earliest book we have written, Paul says, everything rises or falls with the resurrection and any points to 500 people who are still alive that Jesus had appeared to simultaneously any names a few of them and says they're still alive and says to go and talk to them.

If you doubt she that shows you that this was believe in the earliest days of Christianity, right. The issue is you that you were created that this is what they believe in the earliest days of Christianity.

If you said you didn't believe that if you said that you didn't believe the Dale Earnhardt Senior had really got I don't think that that whole situation ever happened. I could say to you look there are 500 people at any Cracker Barrel in the United States who will tell you that they were there when it happens and I saw in the eyes right because were not far enough yet for some legend that could be not be refuted to grow out. The point is, the resurrection was not a legend that got added in overtime.

It was the core message from the beginning to see. It's just not compelling to say they were hallucinating. It's deftly not compelling to say they were lying. It's unconvincing to save these were legends. You're the only alternative was that he really did raising the dead and if he did that changes how we look at everything else before I get to that though me show you one other thing that John wants you to see that we can help us develop the assurance of faith throughout the gospel of John. John talks about a way of knowing. Listen to this knowing Jesus that surpasses logical inference and evidence.

There is number two. There's an even better kind of knowledge that comes through direct experience. It's a kind of knowledge we do sort of know something instinctively imagine that you been blind your whole life and then through some miracle medical miracle you redeemed your site, how would you know that you are now in the light. It's not that you could logically prove the existence of like, it's not because you could explain how the medicine worked.

It simply because you could now see everything else. Because of that light is really precious YouTube that was going on around about a month ago went viral. The kid the young kid who had had never been able to hear and the doctors figured out some way to reconnect that auditory nerve using this you to all the sudden that kit for the first time.

The first thing he hears is his mother's voice and the way that kid lights up in the way he clings to his mother. It's not because he understands what just happened that I know that I'm hearing and I know that I'm hearing her. John's Gospel presents Jesus that way John opens up his gospel by saying Jesus was the light came into the world. God's light. His Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory kind of glory that we know could only belong to God in Jesus. John says we see a being of such unparalleled moral beauty that we know that he has to be God. We see one whose passion to do the will of his father was more essential to him than food we see one who never sought his own glory, but always sought his father's glory, even to the point of death.

In Jesus we saw what love is. We saw a God who possesses the power that he can walk on top of waves and cast out demons in the year and he emptied himself in shame and love to save those who rejected him the love and the beauty displayed in Jesus's life is so glorious and so unique to the human race that we know that has to be God. When Jesus wanted to prove to people that he was free to do that he was and he says what is this really is what one speaks of his own authority seek his own glory. How do you know if on the fake biblical Caesar see me turning everything back to me. You'll see prospering know the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him to seek God's glory. That's the one that's true, and in him there is no falsehood with Jesus wanted to prove that he was re-says he is.

He pointed to the glory of his life, his life was proof of his claim. We see in Jesus on unparalleled beauty so spectacular that we recognize it to be the glory of God. See, Jesus didn't just make sense. He bring sense to the world. He is since he is the light and in his life. We see everything else in John's Gospel, you can find the story of a blind man and uneducated blind man is been a better always like the Jesus heals and gives him a site and after he gets aside. He goes around saying Jesus is the Messiah and healed me. And then that the religious rulers and the philosophers they get to like none I can't say that Jesus can't be the son of God because here's what you get. Be reasonable one. There's an electoral reason number 200 philosophical problem or three if they go on this big like philosophical tirade with and eventually disc uneducated blind man is exasperated and he says lock. I don't you guys got more degrees on the walls and the thermometer. I get that and I will even understand most of the words that you're safe.

What I know what I know is once I was blind and now I see you see that's how coming to know Jesus often works I can lay out for you all the evidence of the resurrection. I find it very compelling. But what I can also tell you is that in Jesus, I finally learned what peace was in peace with God through him. I found peace with myself, through Jesus, I found in the end to the endless thirst of my soul in Jesus.

I finally learned humility but didn't crave exulting itself all the time and began to delight in giving glory to God, and that made me start get along with people I learned in him. What self emptying generosity was life, and I developed the power to forgive and Jesus. I pasted the glory of God. And I know that he is the truth.

As surely as I know the sun is shining outside. So who do you say that is good. You say that is because of phoning you because a self-deluded religious leader Gracie who said he was the son of God descended from heaven on a rescue mission to save you see, according to Jesus, you and I you and I are separated from God. And that's the source of all of our other problems of life and he came because she cared for us became so that he could save us. This is the voice that is speaking to creation is as the boys speaking through the resurrection saying I want to save you now want to restore you redeemed, you reconcile you, resurrect you, I can summarize some right Jesus entire message this way, Jesus entire message was bad news.

Even worse news, good news. Even better news here is that your center in your center separated you from God, and that separation is eternal and it will is eternal. It will last forever and you will go into eternity and you will never be in the presence of God. Again, that's bad news is he that is that is what could possibly be worse news worse news is there's not a single thing he knew about them. You cannot save yourself. You can get religious, you can become better because sin has put a gap between you and God that you are not powerful enough to overcome the worst next. Good news is that God in his login for you what you can do for yourself. You came to earth we say live the life you live in and diving that been condemned to die in your place.

That's the good news of the gospel traded place he took your sin so that he can give you his salvation is what's even better is better news is you don't really have to do anything to receive it except receiving it off to work for and you don't have to you'll have to reform your life in a way that proves that you are worthy to be his disciple suggested that John himself would say in this way, as many as received him, to them he gave the power to become the children of God, even to those who believe on his name. Billy Graham uses in this way, believe plus receive Eagles become a child of God right now, let's or visit Katie Greer.com to learn more about what it means to follow Jesus were glad you joined us today.

For some it like J decree or this month on Senate life. Our aim is to set you up for relationship success with both shareable teaching and a resource to help you reach out to others. We package together a set of inspirational greeting cards with life getting Bible verses on the Franks link inside for this year around Thanksgiving are really any time throughout the year. The box of 20 cards is noise and generously gives his ministry today, 86633 520-863-3520 forgive online and request for.com hi Molly maid events join us tomorrow when we continued his teaching series. I know that the sea right here Tuesday for Senate life bank to your ministry