When I was a boy I used to watch a television show called “To Tell the Truth”. Do you remember it? Anyways, the gist of the show was that the selected panel of celebrities posed questions to 3 individuals, all claiming to be a certain person. After the question and answer period, they would vote on who they thought the real person was. After each of the 3 individuals being questioned jostled about in their chairs, the real person would stand up, sometimes to the amazement of not only the celebrities, but the crowd also.
This morning we are going to look at the question, “Who is Jesus?” What are the prophecies pertaining to the first coming of Jesus Christ?
The real Jesus existed in eternity past. John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:14: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Before there was a universe, before there was time and space, Jesus The Word existed.
Micah 5:2: “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 goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Micah tells us that Jesus’ goings forth has been everlasting. Paul wrote, “… great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…” (1 Timothy 3:16)
The Old Testament prophet Isaiah wrote, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) Did you catch some of these titles? Mighty God, Everlasting Father? There can be no mistake that Jesus Christ is God. When Matthew wrote about the prophecy of the virgin birth from Isaiah 7:14 in the Old Testament, he wrote: “ ‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel,’ which being interpreted is, ‘God with us.’ ” (Matthew 1:23) God with us!the Jesus that we celebrate did not come into being in Mary’s womb; He was Mary’s Creator and Lord!
The message of Christmas is: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) Some people tell us that Jesus was a great moral teacher. Others say that He was “just” a perfect man, but not deity. Scripture declares that Jesus Christ is both Son of Man and Son of God. Do not accept any other Jesus!
Amen and Amen
Unfortunately the word of God and its interpretation has been distorted, manipulated, and fabricated for MANY years. The gnostics distorted and fabricated “gospels” to fit their theology. One of the most venerated men in America, Thomas Jefferson, who played an important role building our great country admired Jesus but did not view Him as God. To satisfy his theology or lack of thereof, he created his own bible later known as “The Jefferson Bible”. This heretical document was a “cut and paste” job that removed ALL verses stating Jesus’ divinity, His miracles, or His part in the Trinity.
Today you may hear someone knocking on your front door, smiling lovingly, presenting biblical distortions that fit their beliefs. Take the Jehovah’s Witness bible “translation” of John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” Contrast and compare. The insertion of the word “a” has been totally dismissed by every scholar of the Greek language. The lower case of the word “god” also says it all, reflecting JW’s view that Jesus was not God.
To Tell the Truth? Unfortunately not in these and many other cases. The difference between these “religions” and the TV show is that although contestants pretended to tell the truth in the show, cults openly deny the truth.
Will the real Jesus please stand up? He has stood as the truth since before the beginning of time. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 4:16. He alone is the truth, and only by following His way our lives are redeemed.