Old Llantrisant Hill
- Article by American Atheist - 'Did Jesus Exist?"
- He did not need to provide evidence as the burden of proof was not his to bear
- Don't be surprised that Christians are expected to provide answers for the claims of Christ
- Example of Eve
- Christians must not be afraid of this burden - we are to give an answer for the hope that we have (1 Pet 3)
- John 15:20 and 5:6 – The pharisees are putting Jesus 'on trial'
- Jesus performed a wonderful miracle in healing the lame person but
- The pharisees reprimand the healed man
- The healed man blamed Christ and then later told the pharisees His name
- From v16 onwards the Jewish leaders hate Jesus and sought a way to kill Him
- Jesus' discourse – v17-47
- Jesus is facing the Jewish leaders who consider Him a blasphemer and threaten their power
- He had cleansed the temple
- He had countered their false worship and the hypocrisy of their false religion
- They made Jesus their arch enemy - so Jesus speaks directly to them declaring Himself to be the Messiah and infact God
- This discourse speaks to the heart of the Christian message
- Some Great Truths
- v17 - Jesus "answered" - a rare Greek word used in a court room setting where a defense is given against a charge made
- It is as if Jesus is on trial
- He is giving them proof and evidence for the authority that He has and the things He is doing
- The Sabbath
- Was made for the benefit of man
- God rested on the seventh day - but did not cease being active
- God is not a watch/clock maker but actively sustains creation
- v17 - God is sustaining the universe
- Acts 17:28
- God is working
- The Sabbath
- The Jews debated whether God had to keep the law
- They debated whether God had to rest on the Sabbath
- They came up with laws about necessary work on the Sabbath to take account of this
- Jesus is correcting the fallacious thinking
- God is working
- Jesus declares Himself to be equal with God
- By saying that He has been working
- It was blasphemous to the Jews to call God your Father since it was to claim the nature of God
- Jesus obeyed the law in His humanity (He rested on the Sabbath)
- Jesus in His divinity never stopped working
- John 1:1, Heb 1:3
- Mark 2:28 - Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath
- Jesus was not a deceiver or mad man - many people and the pharisees acknowledged the miracles that He performed (John 3:2)
- Jesus is God
- This infuriated the Jews who wanted to kill him (v18)
- Jesus preached the gospel to sinners
- Jesus preached the kingdom of God to the Gentiles
- Jesus was not the Messiah the Jews wanted - their hatred turned to murderous intent
- Sinners hate the truth of Jesus Christ - because this means they must respond to Him
- No-one can pay for their own sin - let alone the sin of the world
- Jesus died for the sin of the world - as a ransom for many
- Jesus came to save His people from their sins
- He came to die
- He did not withhold His true identity - even though this would lead to His death
- It is in His death that we have forgiveness of sins
- Closing Remarks
- Look at what Jesus has said about Himself in His word
- Consider Christ Jesus
- John 14:1