Liar or Lord?

John 14:6

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Some non-Christians have kind things to say about Jesus, but they will not say He is God.

Many concede He was a “good teacher”. Some say He was one of God’s “prophets”. Others say He was an “enlightened being”, or “an ascended master”. Most point to Him as a “good man”; possibly even the “best man” who ever lived, and a “good example” for us to follow.

But, these same people get very nervous, even angry, when someone states their belief that Jesus was, and is, God. And, they really get mad when someone asserts that Jesus is the only way to God.

Jesus very clearly equated Himself with God the Father many times in the Gospels. In fact, this was the primary reason (or excuse) the Pharisees gave for wanting to crucify Him (John 5:18). Jesus said, “If you have seen me you have seen the Father” (John 14:9). In John 10:30, Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.”

If Jesus is not exactly who He said, He is a liar, or a lunatic, or both. In that case, He is not “good teacher”, a “good man”, or a “good example”; and He certainly is not worth following.

There is no doubt about Who Jesus claimed to be – God. He said He is the Way to the Father, not one of a number of options, or a choice among acceptable alternatives.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Ask the Father to help you be prepared to respond correctly when someone doubts Jesus as God. Familiarize yourself with the writings of Lee Strobel or Josh McDowell.

Speak the truth in love.

Dive Deeper: Study John 14; John 5:18; John 14:9; John 10:30; Philippians 2:9-11.