They Knew Jesus

  They Knew Jesus

The Apostle Peter wrote,

We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  

For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  

We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.” 2 Peter 1:19-18.

Peter who was with Jesus throughout his earthly ministry, witnessed the miraculous things that happened. And he told anyone who would listen about Jesus. 

He makes it clear “we did not follow cleverly invented stories” 

From my perspective why would Peter and the other Apostles make up stories. Most of the new testament was made within living memory. And such stories could have been called out as fake.

Even today Christians all over the world believe what is in the Bible. And in the new testament in particular telling lies would be counterintuitive to the building up Christianity. The apostle Paul wrote,

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.

So the question come down to. Do you believe what is said in the Bible? Do you believe Jesus is God incarnate the Saviour of mankind?

Please think about it. 

Show me, teach me

  Show me, teach me

In the book of Psalms we read,

"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4,5.

If you believe this then you need to be praying and studying the Bible. You need to join with other believers asking God to show you his precepts. And you need to be asking God how you can live a life in a way that is pleasing to Him.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

God made flesh

  God made flesh

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  

He was with God in the beginning. 

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  

In him was life, and that life was the light of men....

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” John 1:1-4,14.

The above quotation from the book of John is a fundamental belief of Christians. At first glance is seems outrageous but it is true.

If it were not true why would early Christians include it in the very documents they were writing to prove their faith.

The fact that the early Christians claimed that Jesus was God incarnate, God in the flesh means, at least to me, they have committed a lie so outrageous that it has fooled millions. If not billions of people through out history and in modern times. 

C. S. Lewis wrote,

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. 

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 the 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." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

Please think about it.

Jesus is the way

  Jesus is the way

Jesus said,

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6.

Here is what Christians believe about Jesus. He is the way to God Almighty. No one comes to the Father except through him.

This is a fundamental belief of all Christians. A belief Christians present to all people. We don’t force our faith on anyone. We simply say this is what we believe. Then leave it up to the individual to decide for themselves if they believe it or not.

Thus I leave the choice to you. Do you believe Jesus is the way to God or not?

Please think about it.

How to get to heaven, the Christian belief.

  How to get to heaven, the Christian belief

In the book of Ephesians we read,

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8,9.

This is what Christians believe. It is by the grace of God, by having faith in Him that we get to heaven. 

In the book of Hebrews we read the definition of faith it states,

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see."  

                                                                 Hebrews 11:1

The writer of Hebrews goes on to say.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6.

Ultimately it is up to the individual whether they believe what is said.

But consider what Blaise Pascal wrote,

“Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. Blaise Pascal.

Please think about it.

Hell will not prevail

 Hell will not prevail

The Psalmist writes,

"The fool says in his heart, 

"There is no God." 

                                     Psalm 14:1

C.S. Lewis said of Christianity,

“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C. S. Lewis.

For me I believe there has to be something to Christianity. We are a people who preach peace, love and living in harmony with our fellow man. We present to those who will listen to us the way we believe you get to heaven. Then leave it up to the individual to decide for themselves if we are right or wrong. 

A true Christian will never force their faith on anyone.

That being said if Christianity is untrue. If God does not exist why are some governments putting  Christians in forced labour camps?

Why wont some allow people to convert to Christianity? 

Why are atheist trying to get Christian symbols out of schools and other public places?

It seems to me if there is nothing behind the Christian faith then the symbols and practices of Christianity are meaningless.

Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate, (361-363 A.D.)  an ancient adversary of Christianity. Said in his work against Christianity:

“Jesus…has now been celebrated about three hundred years having done nothing in his lifetime worthy of fame, unless anyone thinks it is a very great work to heal lame and blind people and exorcise demoniacs in the villages of Bethsaida and Bethany.”

At the end of his life Julian was forced to say:

“Thou has conquered, O Galilean!”

Over the centuries many men and governments have come against Christianity yet none have prevailed. 

Christianity is stronger today than it has ever been and it is still growing even in countries that try to suppress it.

It continues to grow because it is of God, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Think about it.

We are Ambassadors for Christ.

 We are ambassadors for Christ

The Apostle Paul writes,

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.  2 Corinthians 5:18-20

As believers in Christ Jesus we should always remember what the apostle Paul is saying here

“We are therefore Christ's ambassadors,

 as though God were making his appeal through us.” 

                                                                         2 Corinthians 5:20.

If you claim to be a Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus you must always remember you are Christs representative on this Earth. People will see Christ through what you say and do.

St. Augustine said,

"A Christian is: 

a mind through which Christ thinks, 

a heart 

through which Christ loves, 

a voice

 through which Christ speaks, 

       and

 a hand through which Christ helps" 

                                                                                St. Augustine 

Francis of Assisi put it this way,

"The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                              Francis of Assisi.

Thus my question, What are your words and deeds telling those around you about Christ?

Please think about it.