Here are the notes for Session 7 of Focus on the Family’s Who Is Jesus? study.
Q1: If Jesus is God, then everything begins to make sense.
Q2: If Jesus is really God, then the consequences are huge.
Twenty years later, when you ask someone on the street “Who is David Koresh?” most people didn’t know. Yet, 2,000 years later, billions of people not only know His name, they still believe His claims. Why?
Arguments Against the Divinity of Jesus
- The disciples were mistaken
- The disciples were delusional
- The disciples were selfish. They wanted to build a divine Jesus to give their movement more power
- “Jesus was an unfortunate guy who got caught up in things way over his head.”
- “He was a religious leader who got too involved in politics, and that always ends badly.”
- “He was a prophet, and would probably roll over in his grave at all this ‘Jesus is God’ talk.”
Did Jesus actually claim to be God? Seven key pieces of evidence
Q3: He acted as if He could actually forgive the sins of people (Luke 7:44-49)
- He led a sinless life (John 8:46; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 Peter 1:19; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb 4:15;
Q4: “I can’t think of another human being whose reputation was actually enhanced the closer you peered into their life.” –Lee Strobel
Q5: Jesus accepted the worship of men (Matt. 14:33; Mt. 28:9). Others in the Bible flatly refused to be worshiped: The angel in Rev. 19:10; Peter to Cornelius (Acts 10:26)
Q6: If He was either delusional, or a deceiver, or even a nice deceiver, you couldn’t call Him a good teacher.
Q7: Jesus spoke with divine authority (Mt. 7:28-29; Mt. 28:19; John 5:39-40)
Q8: Jesus is either Almighty God or He is arrogant beyond belief.
Among these Jews there suddenly turns up a man who goes about talking as if He was God. He claims to forgive sins. He says He has always existed. He says He is coming to judge the world at the end of time. Now let us get this clear. Among Pantheists, like the Indians, anyone might say that he was a part of God, or one with God: there would he nothing very odd about it. But this man, since He was a Jew, could not mean that kind of God. God, in their language, meant the Being outside the world, who had made it and was infinitely different from anything else. And when you have grasped that. you will see that what this man said was, quite simply, the most shocking thing that has ever been uttered by human lips.
Next Week: The God Claim, Part 2
Pretty good blog you have here James, keep up the good work
God bless,
James
Thanks! Very new at this.
We all were at one time. Good news is, it doesn’t get easier.
Let me know if you’d like to do a guest post on my blog or if you want me to link to you. I like to support new bloggers and it’ll get you a few clicks.
Sure on both. Give me a topic, and I’ll try to put something together for your audience.
I’ll let you know
How about the post you did on Job? Or another similar post from another book if you have one?
Sorry it took so long to reply btw, I have been traveling for work.
James
No worries. You are welcome to reprint the Job post. I can also give you something original if you would prefer.
I like the Job one but, if you have another, that would be great. 8 am doing guest posts while I am on vacation so it will go up then. Is that OK?
Poor David Koresh. I never heard of him until now, but making a claim like that. I shudder to think what awaits him.
Awesome post!!! It really puts everything in perspective. Keep up the great work (:
It is interesting that on the video we have been using for this study, that is exactly the point the teacher is making. A film crew was interviewing people on the street in Times Square, and most of them had no idea who David Koresh was. One person said she thought he helped Nelson Mandela get out of prison!
Thanks for the kind words. This whole blog world is very new to me, so the affirmation is appreciated.