Peace Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
What we believe. And WHY.
Part 3 Who is Jesus Christ?
This is really a very important question. It is an ancient question. More important
than many people would realize at first glance. How a man answers this question
will determine a great deal about how he lives his life and relates to others. It will
also determine where he will spend eternity.
than many people would realize at first glance. How a man answers this question
will determine a great deal about how he lives his life and relates to others. It will
also determine where he will spend eternity.
Back in the 1960's a popular and controversial Broadway musical and subsequent
movie came out, and it had these lines:
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Who are you, what did you sacrifice?
Jesus Christ, Super Star,
Do you think you're really what they say you are?
movie came out, and it had these lines:
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Who are you, what did you sacrifice?
Jesus Christ, Super Star,
Do you think you're really what they say you are?
A number of years ago, a Cambridge University professor who was a committed
atheist and a prolific writer, was challenged by a colleague to investigate for
himself the claims made by Jesus Christ. That professor's name was C.S. Lewis,
who later on authored of The Chronicles of Narina, Part 1 of which, was made into
a recent box office hit, and many other popular works. That colleague was his good
friend and equally prolific writer, J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings,
recently made into a series of major blockbuster motion pictures, and The
Hobbit, and other works.
atheist and a prolific writer, was challenged by a colleague to investigate for
himself the claims made by Jesus Christ. That professor's name was C.S. Lewis,
who later on authored of The Chronicles of Narina, Part 1 of which, was made into
a recent box office hit, and many other popular works. That colleague was his good
friend and equally prolific writer, J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings,
recently made into a series of major blockbuster motion pictures, and The
Hobbit, and other works.
In one of C.S. Lewis' most popular non-fiction books, Mere Christianity, he looks at
the teachings of Christianity, and especially at the claims made by Jesus Christ.
Lewis concludes that Jesus Christ did, in fact, claim to be the divine Son of God,
and to be the one and only true path to God.
He further concludes that either what Jesus said was true or it was not true, with
absolutely no room whatsoever for anything in between. No other options.
If it was NOT true, and Jesus knew that it was not true, then given all the things that
have been done in his name since that time, that would make Jesus a liar and a
fiend on a scale that would make monsters like Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, and Chairman
Mao look like a group of unruly little 3-year-olds. For which, he was crucified.
If it was NOT true, but Jesus didn't know it was not true, but really believed it
himself, then that would make him insane. An ordinary mortal man who really and
honestly believes himself to be the eternal, omnipresent, Transcendent,
omniscient Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth, would have to be a crazy
lunatic on the scale of a man who sincerely believed himself to be either a poached
egg or a steel-belted radial snow tire. For which, he was crucified.
If it WAS true, then he IS the Son of God, before whom every knee will bow and
every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, and they will do so to the glory of
God the Father. For which, he was crucified, died, was buried, all according to
God's plan of salvation for humanity, and rose again from the dead, and now sits at
the right hand of God the Father, awaiting the chosen time for His Second Coming.
Jesus clearly gave us no other choices. He did not intend to.
Which will you choose?
the teachings of Christianity, and especially at the claims made by Jesus Christ.
Lewis concludes that Jesus Christ did, in fact, claim to be the divine Son of God,
and to be the one and only true path to God.
He further concludes that either what Jesus said was true or it was not true, with
absolutely no room whatsoever for anything in between. No other options.
If it was NOT true, and Jesus knew that it was not true, then given all the things that
have been done in his name since that time, that would make Jesus a liar and a
fiend on a scale that would make monsters like Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, and Chairman
Mao look like a group of unruly little 3-year-olds. For which, he was crucified.
If it was NOT true, but Jesus didn't know it was not true, but really believed it
himself, then that would make him insane. An ordinary mortal man who really and
honestly believes himself to be the eternal, omnipresent, Transcendent,
omniscient Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth, would have to be a crazy
lunatic on the scale of a man who sincerely believed himself to be either a poached
egg or a steel-belted radial snow tire. For which, he was crucified.
If it WAS true, then he IS the Son of God, before whom every knee will bow and
every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, and they will do so to the glory of
God the Father. For which, he was crucified, died, was buried, all according to
God's plan of salvation for humanity, and rose again from the dead, and now sits at
the right hand of God the Father, awaiting the chosen time for His Second Coming.
Jesus clearly gave us no other choices. He did not intend to.
Which will you choose?
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