Thought For Today - August 26,2024
The Inescapable Question
By: Robert A. Searles
There is a universal, inescapable question which every man, woman, boy
and girl, must eventually answer for himself. The answer given to this
question will determine the eternal destiny of each and every person on
earth. There have been diverse opinions of men down through the ages,
as concerning the person of Jesus Christ. Who is he? Some have said
that he is just another man. Some have said that he was a good man.
Others have called him a blasphemer, an imposter. There have been those
who have said that he was one of the prophets. Jesus said, “I am come
down from the Father, and the Father and I are one.” What is your
answer, who is Jesus Christ? What do you believe about him?
Peter was asked this same question by Jesus Christ himself. “When Jesus
came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples,
saying, whom do men say that I the son of man am? And they said: some
say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, and others Jeremias,
or one of the prophets. He saith unto them; but whom say ye that I am?
And Simon Peter answered and said, thou art the Christ, the son of the
living God.” Matthew 16: 13,14,15,16
The multitudes that Jesus taught were confused as to who Jesus was. The
Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day were blind as to the
identity of Christ, even though all the prophets and holy scriptures
had told of the his coming. “And when he was come into Jerusalem, all
the city was moved, saying, who is this? “ Matthew 21: 10.
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying:
what think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? They say unto him, the son
of David. He saith unto them, how then doth David in spirit call him
Lord?” Matthew 22: 43.
Pilate tried to remain neutral and avoid answering the question as to
who Christ was. He said to the multitudes that were calling for
Christ’s crucifixion, what shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?
They all say unto him, let him be crucified.” Matthew 27:22
Those of us who know him personally through the holy scriptures and the
witness of the Holy Spirit within us, will affirm that he is the Christ,
the divine son of God, the savior of the world, whom God the Father
has sent to redeem the world, that through him all people may be
reconciled to God the Father.
Let those who doubt the credentials of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
examine the holy scriptures, and they will have to come to the same
conclusion, that Jesus is the Christ, the divine son of God. The first
mention of a Messiah or savior of mankind was given by God to Adam and
Eve in the garden of Eden. God promised that one would come who would
be bruised by Satan, but who would crush Satan and all evil, and be the
propitiation for the sin of the whole world
“And the Lord said unto the
serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all
cattle, and above every beast of the field: upon thy belly shalt thou
go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: and I will put
enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:
14,15.
Satan and the power of evil bruised the heel of Christ on the cross by
his suffering and death, but Christ conquered and bruised the head of
Satan by his glorious resurrection.
The killing of animals and the blood sacrifice for the atonement of sins
was a picture of the coming lamb of God who would shed his blood once
and for all for the cleansing of sin.
The prophets told of his coming into the world by a miraculous virgin
birth. Isaiah prophesied, saying: “therefore the Lord himself shall
give you a sign: behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and
shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7: 14.
The gospel according to
Matthew attests to the fact of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. “Now
the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise, when as his mother Mary was
espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with
child of the Holy Ghost.” Matthew 1: 18.
The angel appeared to Joseph
and told him of what was about to take place. “But while he thought on
these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,
saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy
wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she
shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall
save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1: 20,21.
The prophet Micah prophesied as to where the Messiah, or Christ should
be born. “But thou Bethlehem Ephratah , though thou be little among the
thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is
to be ruler in Israel: whose going forth have been from old from
everlasting.” Micah 5: 2.
It all came to pass, even as Isaiah and Micah had predicted. The virgin
Mary conceived by the Holy Ghost, and Christ was born in the little
town of Bethlehem. “And it came to pass in those days that there went
out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.”
Luke 2:1.
“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of
Nazareth , into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called
Bethlehem: (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be
taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.. And it was
that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should
be delivered and she brought forth her first born son and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room
for them in the inn.” Luke 2: 4,5,6,7
John the Baptist testified as to the identity of Jesus when he
proclaimed: “Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the
world. This is he of whom I said , after me cometh a man which is
preferred before me: for he was before me.” John 1: 29, 30.
Jesus taught in the synagogue where he testified of himself when he was
invited to read from the holy scriptures: “And there was delivered
unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the
book he found the place where it was written: the spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;
he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted; to preach deliverance to the
captives; and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them
that are bruised; to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and he
closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down, and
the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.”
Luke 4: 17-20.
The work and miracles that Jesus performed while here on earth could
only be accomplished by God himself. He changed the water into wine.
He healed the sick. He gave sight to the blind. He made the lame to
walk. He cured the lepers. He walked on water. He raised the dead. He
raised Lazarus after he had been dead for three days, and to cap it
all, he himself rose from the dead. The tomb was empty. The fact
that Jesus showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible
proofs attest to the fact that he is more than a man, he is God, and
because he is God, he has the power and authority to forgive sins and
grant eternal life to all who will believe that he is God, and that he
is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one can approach God
the Father except through him.
Jesus Christ changes lives. He brings families together. He heals
broken hearts. He comforts the lonely. He forgives sins. He gives
eternal life. He is the prince of peace, and in his own good time, he
will return to earth and bring peace.
If there be any doubts in your mind as to who Jesus Christ is, I would
urge you to examine all the evidence. Go to God in prayer and ask him
to reveal to you the true identity of Jesus Christ.
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Psalm 26: 7
