Why I Am a Christian
Truth: Jesus' Identity
This morning I spoke about God's grace, he has surrounded me until I surrendered, he has taken the initiative. This is why I am a Christian.
My second answer to the question why I am a Christian focuses in truth. I am a Christian because I am persuaded that Christian is true, more precisely, that Jesus is who he claimed to be.
Many think of Christianity as a crutch for those who need a crutch. "What is your crutch?" Jesus is certainly comfort and consolation, but more significant to me is his radical challenge.
Our post-modern world has devalued truth, made it subjective, lost the sense of knowable objective truth, and thus lost assurance of reality. Understanding is now culturally conditioned, relative, and truth is individualized. Christians may have a different conviction than others, and Christians may differ from Christians, but that is all OK, and in the name of tolerance.
Paul knew nothing of such relative truth--Acts 26, before Agrippa, 26:24-25. Reasonable and true. It is reasonable precisely because it is true.
The claim of Christianity is the claim of Jesus, the Christ. Tonight I speak on behalf of truth, I have no desire to defend Christianity as a system, too often altered by humans; or the church, which is also too often more human than divine. But I will speak on behalf of truth, as a major factor in why I am a Christian. The church has a bittersweet history, heroism and shame; but I am not ashamed of truth, or Christ, who is the center of Christianity.
Josh McDowell has popularized a three-fold option--Jesus is either lunatic, liar, or Lord. That is an interesting study, but tonight I want to spend time letting the Bible speak of why and how Jesus is truth.
I. One, in relation to the Father, he is the Son
John 3:16--unique son.
Luke 2:49, in his father's house
Matthew 11:27
Heb. 1:1-4
II. In relation to the promises known in Judaism, he is the fulfillment and completion. All history is divided by the cross--B.C. and A.D. In relation to the B.C. world, Jesus is fulfillment. He is coming as promised, as prophesied.
This is reflected in the phrase, It is finished!
Mark 12:15, the time has been fulfilled, in the fulness of time...
Luke 4:21, fulfilled in your presence.
Luke 24:27,44.
Jesus spoke of this: Dan 7:13-14, Isa. 533:3,12. Jesus combines the son of man and suffering servant. Title of honor with title of shame. Thus must son of man suffer, Mark 8:31.
III. In relation to all mankind, he is authority, and thus judger and savior. In relation to the A.D. world, and all people of all times, he is the supreme authority.
Matt 28:18. Jesus was an extraordinary teacher. He teaches so well, so unobtrusively, that many people can read the gospels without noticing his teaching.
He could seek and save, Luke 19:10. || parable of good shepherd.
People were amazed by his authority. They were amazed by his presence. His life was his primary claim to truth. While some thought him mad, others left all to follow him.
Here then are three claims Jesus makes regarding truth.
Identity as the Son of God, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the authority over all. He is fulfillment, nature, and authority.
Hugh Martin: My reading of the Gospels is that after the closest scrutiny and making all allowances, is that Jesus never ceased in word and act to claim lordship over the hearts and lives of men. We may regret that, we may resent it, but the fact cannot be denied. The evidence in all our documents is incontrovertible.
What do you make of these claims? You cannot ignore them. They pop up again and again. We cannot pretend they are not there. We cannot dress Jesus up as a nice harmless teacher.
Jesus' claims are either true or false. If they are false, as liar or imposter, they could be involuntarily false, that is he was deluded and a lunatic. He was such a person, such integrity, that it is hard to accept these options.
If they are true, we must stand in awe.
Jesus is in one sense always a paradox. As you think about the nature of truth in closing, consider his humility. His claims are self-centered, yet his life is humble. He is Lord, yet washes feet. There have been lots of arrogant people in the world, but they behave arrogantly. There are also humble people who do not claim much for themselves. Jesus is a startling combination of egocentricity and humility--teaching and behavior.
Why am I a Christian? Intellectually, mentally, it is because the paradox of Jesus will not go away from my mind. I cannot explain him otherwise. The one who claimed to be Lord humbled himself to be servant, ultimately dying on the cross.
Surely, this man was the Son of God.
http://www.bobyoungresources.com/sermons/why-christian_truth.htm
Last updated March 20, 2005.