…for real! JESUS IS…

Thomas Paine… ”There is no history written at the time Jesus Christ is said to have lived that speaks of the existence of such a person, even such a man.” Bertrand Russell… ”Historically it is quite doubtful whether Christ ever existed at all, and if he did we know nothing about him.” WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID…

“That a few simple men should in one generation have invented so powerful and appealing a personality, so lofty an ethic and so inspiring a vision of human brotherhood, would be a miracle far more incredible than any recorded in the Gospels. After two centuries of Higher Criticism the outlines of the life, character, and teaching of Christ, remain reasonably clear, and constitute the most fascinating feature in the history of Western man.” The Story of Civilisation, Vol. 3, Caesar and Christ, p557 WILL DURANT

 …a Roman government go to the lengths they did to persecute the followers of a ‘non-historical’ figure?  …tens of thousands of mainly Jewish first century Christians willingly give up their possessions and social standing and even their lives in following a mythical person, considering they lived within one generation (about 40 years) of this person and the events surrounding him? WHY WOULD…

…a man, Saul of Tarsus, who was a Jewish Pharisee and originally a murderous persecutor of those early Christians, be willing to give up everything and join those he was persecuting in following a ‘mythical figure’? WHY WOULD…

In reference to the great fires in Rome during the reign of Nero:  “Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus (Latin form of Christ), from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilate, TACITUS

 “Because the Jews at Rome caused continuous disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus (a variant spelling of Christ, virtually the same as Tacitus’ Latin spelling – ‘Christus’), he (Claudius) expelled them from the city.”  “After the great fire at Rome….Punishments were also inflicted on the Christians, a sect professing a new and mischievous religious belief.” SUETONIUS

 “Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he (Ananus the high priest) assembled the Sanhedrin of the judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called the Christ…”  “Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man. For he was one who wrought surprising feats….He was (the) Christ….he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him.” (ibid. Antiquities 18:3.3) JOSEPHUS

 “At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. And 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 to die. 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 perhaps the messiah concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.” ARABIC MANUSCRIPT

 “They (the Christians) were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternative verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves in solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit a fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their words, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food – but food of an ordinary and innocent kind.” PLINY THE YOUNGER

 Jesus lived during the time of Tiberius Caesar  He lived a virtuous life  He was a wonder worker – worker of miracles  He had a brother named James  He was declared to be the Messiah  He was put to death through being crucified  He was crucified under Pontius Pilate PUT IT ALL TOGETHER…

 He was crucified on the eve of the Passover  There was darkness an the occurrence of an earthquake when he died  His followers were convinced he had risen from the dead  His followers were willing to die for their beliefs  Christianity spread as far as Rome  His followers denied Roman gods  His followers gave worshipful allegiance to Jesus as God PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

RELIABILITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

Do you have a personal relationship with him? ‘And this is the testimony; God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who ahs the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.’ 1 John Chapter 5 verse WHO DO YOU SAY JESUS IS?

There is no rating system or ‘badness’ scale with God. Sin is sin and He can forgive it all! ‘if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’ 1 John Chapter 1 verse 8-9 YOU MATTER TO HIM