CFC Singles for Christ

Christian Life Program

The Basic Truths About Christianity
TALK No. 2: WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?
GOAL : To attract people to Jesus an to challenge them to respon to his eity an
lorship!
"#PA$%"% O&TL'$"
'! 'ntrouction
a! As Christians( )e eri*e our ientity from a person( one )hom )e can be truly prou
of! +e is truly impressi*e!
,! -illions toay claim to be his follo)ers( almost .(/// years after his eath!
.! Countless numbers ha*e been martyre for their faith in him!
0! The boo1 about him( the Bible( is easily the $o! , best seller of all time!
b! 't is this person )ho )on for us our sal*ation( )ho restore us to our relationship
)ith Go! 'n him )e can ha*e a full an a ne) life!
c! Thus( reali2ing the importance of this person to us( )e )ant to 1no) him more fully!
An so )e as1: 34ho is Jesus Christ53
''! The &ni6ueness of Jesus
a! +a*ing been born an raise as Christians( )e ta1e for grante our con*iction that
Jesus is the Son of Go! But this )as not so for his contemporaries! They foun it
har to accept that he )as not 7ust an orinary person 8-ar1 9:0:!
b! 4hat )e )ant to 1no) is )hether there is any reason not to put Jesus on the same
le*el as Buha( Confucius( Lao;T2e( Socrates or other )ise men! 4as Jesus more
than 7ust a great religious man or moral teacher5
,! +istory is full of men )ho ha*e claime that they came from Go( or that they
)ere gos( or that they bore messages from Go! "*en the person )ho this *ery
ay foune a ne) religion!
.! +o) is Jesus ifferent from them all5
c! Three things that ma1e Jesus an absolutely uni6ue figure in human history:
,! +e )as preannounce an his coming )as e<pecte! Because of Ol
Testament prophecies( people for a long time )ere )aiting for the messiah(
)hich sa) its fulfillment in Jesus!
.! Once he appeare on the scene( he struc1 history )ith such impact that he split it
in t)o( i*iing it into t)o perios: BC an A%!
0! "*ery other person )ho came into this )orl came into it to li*e! Jesus came
into the )orl to ie! +is eath )as the goal an fulfillment of his life!
'''! Some %etails About +is Life
a! Jesus )as a young carpenter in $a2areth! For three years he became an itinerant
preacher! +e )as ne*er more than ,// miles from his home! +e ha ne*er been
into cities )ith a population larger than =/(///!
,! 4ithin 0 years he )as ea( 1ille in little Jerusalem on the fringes of the >oman
empire! +e )as crucifie for stirring up the people!
.! By right he shoul simply ha*e fae into complete obli*ion! 'nstea( he is surely
the most famous( honore( an best;lo*e person )ho e*er )al1e the earth!
b! 4hat )as he li1e5
,! A *ery attracti*e personality! 4arm( personal( ynamic! A ma7or attraction of the
times! People are constantly ama2e at his teaching an )or1s! -ar1 ?:,=!
.! Strong in min an boy! +e out)itte the leaers of his ay in iscussion as a
boy of t)el*e( an later as a man )ho i not ha*e their eucational a*antages!
+e )as able to fast for @/ ays!
0! %o)n to earth! $ot a romantic or a reamer! Courageous!
@! A magnetic leaer! +e summone Simon an Anre) 8-ar1 ,: ,9;,A:( James
an John 8-ar1 ,:./:( an Le*i 8-ar1 .:,@:( )ho all follo)e him immeiately!
=! A man of e<traorinary authority!
a! +e bro1e long;staning traitions for the sa1e of a higher righteousness!
b! +e heale the isable an the sic1!
c! +e ga*e orers to nature )hich )ere obeye!
,! $ot confuse or unsure of himself or of his mission!
a! +e resiste the esire of his follo)ers to ma1e him a political 1ing!
b! +e rebu1e Peter for staning in the )ay of his fulfilling the mission gi*en by
the Father! -atthe) ,9:.,;.0!
,! Bery human!
a! +e sho)e tenerness an personal concern!
b! +e e<perience anger an grief 8-ar1 0:=:( lo*e 8-ar1 ,/:.,:( compassion
8-ar1 ,:@,:( saness 8-ar1 ,@:0@:!
c! +e e*en ha his fa*orite time( )hich )as early morning!
'B! JesusC Claim to be Go
a! Jesus is totally uni6ue from any other personality an so is clearly )orth 1no)ing!
But is there more to him5
,! 's Jesus )orthy to be the center of my life5
.! The ans)er is yes! There is something more to Jesus than to any other person!
+e is )orth paying more attention to than any other man B"CA&S" +" 'S GO%!
b! +o) o )e 1no) he is Go5
,! By his miracles5 -iracles only sho) that Go is )or1ing through a person! A
man coul )or1 miracles an not be Go! John ,@:,.!
.! So ho) o )e 1no)5 The ans)er simply is that Jesus himself tol us so!
c! Time an again throughout his public ministry( Jesus claime to be Go!
,! -ar1 ,@:9,;9.!
.! 'n John( Jesus time an again spea1s of his i*inity! John ,.:@=( ,/:0/( A:=A!
! JesusC claim to i*inity is a far ifferent claim than Buha or Confucius or
-ohamme e*er mae! $one of them e*er claime to be Go!
Duote from C! S! Le)is 8see 6uote A:!
e! Also( Jesus claime that he coul forgi*e sin!
,! Story of the paralytic at Capernaum! -1 .:0;,.!
.! Duote from CS Le)is 8see 6uote B:!
B! Liar( Lunatic( or Lor
a! JesusC claim to be Go must be either true or false! 'f false( then )e ha*e t)o an
only t)o alternati*es! "ither he 1ne) it )as false( in )hich case he )oul be a liar(
or he i not 1no) it )as false( in )hich case he )oul be a lunatic!
b! Coul Jesus ha*e lie5
,! 'f he lie( then he )oul ha*e been eliberately ecei*ing his follo)ers! But not
only )oul he ha*e been a liar( he )oul also be:
c! A hypocrite( because he tol others to be honest( )hate*er the cost( )hile he
himself taught an li*e a colossal lie!
! A emon( because he tol others to trust him for their eternal estiny! 'f he
coul not bac1 up his claims an 1ne) it( then he )as unspea1ably e*il!
e! A fool because it )as his claim to being Go that le to his crucifi<ion!
,! But )e nee only loo1 at his person( his )ors an his )or1 to conclue that he
coul not ha*e been a liar!
f! Loo1 at his moral purity( ignity( soun intellect( an air of truth!
g! Consier his character that is so original( consistent( perfect( an high abo*e
human greatness!
h! +e carrie out a plan of unparallele beneficence( moral magnitue an
sublimity( an sacrifice his o)n life for it! 4oul he ie for a lie5
i! The results of his life an teachings ha*e been li*es change for the better(
thie*es mae honest( hateful ini*iuals becoming channels of lo*e( etc!
,! Such a man cannot be a liar!
7! Coul Jesus ha*e been a lunatic5
,! 'n Jesus )e o not see any abnormalities or imbalance that usually go along )ith
being erange! 'n fact( his poise an composure )oul be ama2ing if he )as
insane!
.! +e spo1e some of the most profoun sayings e*er recore!
0! Such a man cannot be a lunatic!
1! 'f not a liar or a lunatic( the only alternati*e left to us is that Jesus i spea1 the truth!
+e )as( an is( the Son of Go as he claime!
l! Throughout scripture( )e can rea about a number of JesusC contemporaries coming
to the reali2ation that he )as Go!
,! Simon Peter! -atthe) ,9:,0;,9!
.! -artha! John ,,:.E!
0! $athanael! John ,:@?!
@! Thomas! John ./:.E;.A!
=! The centurion! -atthe) .E:=@!
9! "*en the e*il spirits! -atthe) A:.?( -ar1 ,:.@( -ar1 0:,,( Lu1e @:@,!
B'! Go Confirme JesusC Claim
a! As many as there )ere )ho accepte the i*inity of Jesus( there )ere also others
)ho refuse to accept him! +o) can )e ha*e confirmation of JesusC i*inity5
b! Go +imself confirme it!
,! 'n the miracle of the raising of La2arus from the ea! John ,,:@,;@.!
a! Jesus )as gi*ing a emonstration!
b! To the Je)s( Go alone )as the one )ho ha the prerogati*e to gi*e life or to
ta1e a)ay life!
,! But the most conclusi*e proof is JesusC o)n resurrection from the ea! The
tombs of Buha( -uhamma an the founers of all the great )orl religions
are still )ith us! Only JesusC tomb is empty!
B''! Conclusion
a! Jesus is a man )hose )ors an life eman a response from us! +e is ma1ing
claims that affect us!
,! 'f he is not Go( then )e shoul ha*e nothing to o )ith him( because )e o not
)ant to be follo)ers of a liar or a lunatic!
.! But if he is Go( then )e shoul seriously consier him! Our response )ill ha*e
eternal conse6uences!
b! 4ho is Jesus Christ5 Liar( lunatic or Lor5 The choice is yours!
D&OTAT'O$S:

Duote A! CS Le)is
3On the one sie clear( efinite( moral teaching! On the other( claims )hich( if not true( are
those of a megalomaniac( compare )ith )hom +itler )as the most sane an humble of men!
There is no half)ay house( an there is no parallel in other religions! 'f you ha gone to
Buha an as1e him( CAre you the son of Bramah5C( he )oul ha*e sai( C-y son( you are still
in the *ale of illusionC! 'f you ha gone to Socrates an as1e( CAre you Feus5C( he )oul ha*e
laughe at you! 'f you )oul ha*e gone to -ohamme an as1e( CAre you Allah5C( he )oul
first ha*e rent his clothes then cut your hea off! 'f you ha as1e Confucius( CAre you
hea*en5C( ' thin1 he )oul ha*e probably replie( C>emar1s )hich are not in accorance )ith
nature are in ba tasteC! The iea of a great moral teacher saying )hat Christ sai is out of the
6uestion! 'n my opinion( the only person )ho can say that sort of thing is either Go or a
complete lunatic suffering from that form of elusion )hich unermines the )hole min of man3
Duote B! CS Le)is( -ere Christianity
3$o) unless the spea1er is Go( this is really so preposterous as to be comic! 4e can all
unerstan ho) a man forgi*es offenses against himself! Gou trea on my toe an ' forgi*e
you( you steal my money an ' forgi*e you! But )hat shoul )e ma1e of a man( himself
unrobbe an untroen on( )ho announce that he forga*e you for treaing on other menCs
toes an stealing other menCs money5 Asinine fatuity is the 1inest escription )e shoul gi*e
of his conuct! Get this is )hat Jesus i! +e tol people that their sins )ere forgi*en( an
ne*er )aite to consult all the other people )hom their sins ha unoubtely in7ure! +e
unhesitatingly beha*e as if +e )as the party chiefly concerne( the person chiefly offene in
all offenses! This ma1es sense only if +e really )as the Go )hose la)s are bro1en an
)hose lo*e is )oune in e*ery sin! 'n the mouth of any spea1er )ho is not Go( these )ors
)oul imply )hat ' can only regar as a silliness an conceit unri*alle by any other character
in history3!
CFC Singles for Christ
Christian Life Program
ParticipantCs Outline
TALK No. 2: WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?
Brief Outline
'! The impact of Jesus on history!
a! +is coming )as pre;announce through Ol Testament prophecies!
b! +e struc1 history )ith such impact that he split it in t)o: BC an A%!
c! +e came into the )orl not to li*e but to ie!
''! Jesus )as a *ery impressi*e person!
a! A *ery attracti*e personality!
b! A magnetic leaer!
c! A man of e<traorinary authority!
'''! Jesus claime to be Go!
a! $o other great religious leaer claime to be Go!
b! +e clearly )as not a liar or a lunatic!
c! +e claime that he coul forgi*e sin( something only Go can o!
! -any of his contemporaries came to the reali2ation that he inee )as Go!
e! Go confirme his claim by raising him from the ea!
%iscussion Starter
,! Share about your Christian bac1groun!
.! %iscuss ho) you sa) or thought of Jesus before( an )hat ne) insights you ha*e gotten
through the tal1!
Scriptures for %aily Prayer
%ay , John 9:0.;@/ %ay = -ar1 .:=;,.
. John ,/:E;,= 9 John A:=,;=A
0 John ,@:9;,, E John ,,:.=;.E( 0A;@@
@ John =:,A;.@
The Challenge
Jesus is Go! Are you )illing to accept him as Lor of your life5 As Lor( )ill you allo) him to
rule your life totally5