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Jesus, Our Savior
September 02, 2012
We believers claim Jesus Christ as our savior, and savior of the world for all who will believe. Atheists and many of other religions say that He either did not exist, or if He did, He was an inconsequential person around whom many myths sprang up. Let us review the reason for the hope that lies within us.
Bernie Parsons
Jesus, Our Savior
by
Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 09-02-2012
Presented to Load church of Christ on 09-09-2012
We
have recently reminded ourselves of the simple gospel, or good message, of
Jesus Christ – a message of hope and life. It is a message born in the
promise God made to Abraham, reiterated in the Law of Moses, anticipated by
the prophets, and announced by John, the Baptizer.
Atheists and other skeptics say that Jesus, even if He actually existed, was
no one special. They overlook the evidence. Not only did Jesus fulfill the
prophecies about the Messiah, but:
Luke 1:30 "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found
favour with God.
31
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and
shalt call his name JESUS.
32
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord
God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom
there shall be no end.
34
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon
thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also
that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."
Luke 2:8 "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
9
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord
shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord."
The
birth of Jesus was heralded by angels.
Matthew 3:16 "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of
the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit
of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased."
Matthew 17:5 "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:
and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
6
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore
afraid.
7
And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid."
From above, the voice of God witnessed the identity and veracity of Jesus.
Matthew 4:23 "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner
of sickness and all manner of disease among the people."
Matthew 8:14 "And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's
mother laid, and sick of a fever.
15
And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and
ministered unto them.
16
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with
devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were
sick:
17
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."
Luke 9:10 "And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they
had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place
belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
11
And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and
spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of
healing.
12
And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto
him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country
round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
13
But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more
but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all
this people.
14
For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make
them sit down by fifties in a company.
15
And they did so, and made them all sit down.
16
Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven,
he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the
multitude.
17
And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments
that remained to them twelve baskets."
The
miracles of healing and distribution of food verified that He was of God.
John 11:38 "Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave.
It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead,
saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four
days.
40
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe,
thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And
Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast
heard me.
42
And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which
stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43
And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come
forth.
44
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and
his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him,
and let him go.
45
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which
Jesus did, believed on him."
He
resurrected a dead man from the tomb.
Matthew 28:5 "And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye:
for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the
Lord lay.
7
And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and,
behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have
told you.
8
And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and
did run to bring his disciples word.
9
And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All
hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him."
He
was Himself risen from the dead.
John 20:26 "And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas
with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst,
and said, Peace be unto you.
27
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and
reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but
believing.
28
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed:
blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
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."
After His death, He appeared alive to many witnesses.
1
Corinthians 15:3 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also
received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to
the scriptures:
5
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6
After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the
greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7
After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of
all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time."
We
must never forget the evidence offered on behalf of Him whom we call Savior
of the world, for there are many who claim that He never existed – or, if He
did, was someone of no repute.
1
Peter 3:15 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to
give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in
you with meekness and fear:"
