#carpoolkaraokerichie rambo &

chuck bernal

Antonin Scalia

We are gathered here because of one man. A man known personally to many of us,

known only by reputation to even more. A man loved by many, scorned by others. A

man known for great controversy, and for

great compassion.  

That man, of course, is Jesus of Nazareth.

 

JESUS is real!

His birth divided history into two halves. BC and AD. He is the only person whose birth and resurrection continue to be celebrated on a global scale.

Ironically, His is the only name used in both worshipping and cursing.

Everyone has heard of Him, yet few seem to really know Him.

He is the most widely known,

yet misunderstood person who ever lived.

Discovering the real Jesus may be the most important discovery you will ever make.

It is a discovery that determines

your destiny. Phillip Yancey

Jesus asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah,

some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-16 – The Message)

JESUS WAS A REAL MAN

At this time there was a man who was called Jesus. His conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous.

And many people from among the Jews and other nations became his disciples.

Pilate condemned him to be crucified,

and he died.

And those who had become his

disciples did not abandon his discipleship.

They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive.

Accordingly, he was thought to be the Messiah.(Josephus – Jewish Historian – 30 A.D. – 100 A.D.)

He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all.

When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!

Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. (Philippians 2:6-7 – The Message)

The Word was in the world, but no one knew him, though God had made the world with his Word. He came into his own world, but his own nation did not welcome him.

Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God . . .

The Word became a human being and lived here with us. We saw his true glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father . . . (John 1:10-12, 14 – Contemporary English Version)

Fully, completely human

Entirely, totally without sin

JESUS IS THE REAL GOD

He had equal status with God . . . (Philippians 2:6 – The Message

Christ is exactly like God, who cannot be seen . . . Everything was created by him, everything in heaven and on earth, everything seen and unseen . . .

All things were created by God's Son, and everything was made for him.God's Son was before all else, and by him everything is held together. (Colossians 1:15-17 – Contemporary English Version)

. . . in these last days he has spoken

to us through his Son. He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end.

He reflects the brightness of God's glory and is the exact likeness of God's own being, sustaining the universe with his powerful word. (Hebrews 1:2-3 – Good News Bible)

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him,

and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone . . . No one has ever seen God.

But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. (John 1:1-4, 18 – New Living Translation)

The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). (Isaiah 7:14 – New Living Translation)

Creator

Sustainer

Revealer

Everywhere

JESUS CAN BE YOUR REAL SAVIOR

He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless,

obedient death —and the worst kind of death at that —a crucifixion. (Philippians 2:8 – The Message

After achieving forgiveness for the sins of all human beings, he sat down in heaven at the right side of God, the Supreme Power. (Hebrews 1:2-3 – Good News Bible)

He gave His life: Voluntarily

He gave His life: Sacrificially

He gave His life: Lovingly

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 a man who says he is a poached egg - or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice.

Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse.

You can shut Him up for a fool 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. (C. S. Lewis)

Jesus became real when . . .

Let’s Pray