Are the Gospels Reliable?

Luke 1:1-4 ESV
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 ESV
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Question to Consider
Are the Gospels a reliable witness of Jesus?

Food For Thought
You may think the stories about Jesus are “neat,” “entertaining,” “potentially life-changing,” or “confusing.” But all of it means nothing, if at the end of the day the stories of Jesus are just that-stories. How can we really know the Gospels accurately record what really happened with Jesus?

We could spend weeks talking about this one issue. Entire books are written on this topic. There will always be an element of faith, but notice Luke doesn’t ask his readers to believe his word on faith alone. Luke spent time interviewing eyewitnesses and compiling the message of those who were preaching the gospel (the message of the early church). (See Luke 1:2 above.) Furthermore, Luke didn’t just write it down hastily; he spent time in his investigation so he could get the story correct (see v. 3).

At the end of the day, if the writers of the Gospels would have just made their stories up, then perhaps we would have no way of knowing. But the life of Christ changed people’s lives-people like Saul the persecutor of the church. Years later, Paul writes of this Jesus tradition, and if he would have been making this up, at least those “five hundred brothers” (1 Corinthians 15:6 above), would have stood up and yelled “liar!”

Moment of Reflection
This weekend (May 1-2, 2009), Northwest Bible Church is hosting a class taught by Dr. Daniel Wallace, a man who has spent his life asking this question: is the New Testament reliable? Come join us, where you’ll have an opportunity to engage in an interactive demonstration which will help your faith in God’s reliable Word. It’s not too late to sign up! Sign up here.

Closing Prayer
Father, thank you for the reliability of your Word. Amen.

Jesus, we want what you want.

By: Curtis W. Lindsey

Jesus as “God”

Luke 23:1-3 ESV
1 Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”

Luke 5:20-26 ESV
20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”-he said to the man who was paralyzed-”I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

Question to Consider
Does Jesus ever claim to be God?

Food For Thought
You’ve probably heard it said: “Jesus never claimed to be God, so why do we try and make him such?” However, many times this claim is made based on faulty motives and a poor understanding of the biblical text. I believe Jesus made a very strong claim to be God.

When approaching this question, most people turn to the trial scene were Pilate asks Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus’ answer, “You have said so,” we must admit is a bit cryptic at first. After all, this would have been the perfect opportunity for Jesus to make it clear who he was! Jesus’ answer does seem a bit cloudy, but only because Jesus’ true kingship looked different than the kingship Pilate (or the Jews) had in mind. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “Yes I am, but not in the way you think.”

What a sight it must have been for the lame man to be lowered through the roof (Luke 5)! What an even more incredible sight at what happens next. When the man gets to Jesus, Jesus says “your sins are forgiven.” (This man doesn’t think he needs his sins forgiven, he thinks he just needs his legs healed!) Read again what the scribes think in v. 21. You see, they’re correct! No one can forgive sins but God alone! Jesus claims to be God by doing God’s work, and confirming this work by the physical healing. Afterwards, all were amazed and glorified God (v. 26).

Moment of Reflection
How would you respond if someone said Jesus never claimed to be God?

Closing Prayer
Father, give me the wisdom to know how to lovingly answer tough questions concerning your Son. Let my love for him be contagious on those I meet. Amen.

Jesus, we want what you want.

By: Curtis W. Lindsey

Jesus as the “Son of Man”

Matthew 16:13 ESV
16 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

Mark 14:60-64 ESV
60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.

Questions to Consider
1. What was Jesus favorite name for himself?
2. Where did he get this name?

Food For Thought
Things are rarely as simple as they appear. Jesus’ favorite title for himself, the Son of Man, is just such a title in which things are not as simple as they appear. It is generally thought that when Jesus is called the Son of Man that it is highlighting the humanity of Jesus. “Son of man” is a term used often in the Old Testament (approximately 106 times) to refer to this idea. For a good example, see Psalm 8:3-4.

But there is one occurrence of “son of man” in the Old Testament which drives Jesus’ use of the term in reference to his work. We’ve seen it before:

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed,” (Daniel 7:13-14 ESV).

Notice what is happening in Daniel’s vision: a figure, the “son of man,” is exalted to the right hand of God and given the power of God himself. When Jesus quotes this passage in Mark 14 and calls himself the Son of Man, he’s not saying he’s a mere human. He’s saying exactly the opposite: he is fully God!

Moment of Reflection
Why did Jesus choose this name for himself?

Closing Prayer
Father, thank you for glorifying your Son. Help me to live in light of the fact he is one day returning to claim his church. Amen.

Jesus, we want what you want.

By: Curtis W. Lindsey

Jesus as the “Son of God”

Matthew 11:25-27 ESV
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Mark 12:1-12 ESV
1 And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. 2 When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. 6 He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this Scripture: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 11 this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” 12 And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Questions to Consider
1. What privileges does as son have?
2. What is the Son of God’s role?

Food For Thought
No son wants to displease his father. In fact, hearing words such as “I am proud of you” can be a turning point in the life of a son. There is virtually no limit to what a son will go through to gain his father’s approval.

When the disciples ask to see the Father, Jesus responds by assuring them they have already seen the Father because Jesus reveals the Father (John 14:9). Jesus uses very similar language in Matthew 11 above. The Son’s role was to reveal the Father because Jesus was uniquely able to do so.

An important text for understanding Jesus as the Son of God is Jesus’ parable about the wicked tenants (Mark 12:1-12 above). In it, the wicked tenants hired to work the land kill or demean the messengers the owner sends. What’s worse, when the owner sends his son, the tenants kill the son in an effort to gain the son’s inheritance (vv. 7-8). (What kind of logical is that anyways?) We can read this parable today and clearly see its implications for the life of Jesus. But what’s really shocking is the fact that the Jewish leadership also had a vague recognition of the same thing (see v. 12)!

Jesus as the Son of God represents God to a lost and broken world. But Jesus was willing to give up his divine privileges and rights as a son, and instead receive the punishment we all deserved.

Moment of Reflection
1. What special privileges to sons sometimes receive?
2. How does a father react when his son is dishonored?

Closing Prayer
Father, help me to honor your Son Jesus in a way which brings you both glory. Amen.

Jesus, we want what you want.

By: Curtis W. Lindsey

Jesus as “Prophet”

Mark 6:14-15 ESV
14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

Matthew 16:13-14 ESV
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Luke 4:16-24 ESV
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

Questions to Consider
1. What was the role of a prophet?
2. How important were prophets to Israel?

Food For Thought
The prophet was the mouthpiece of God; he communicated God’s message to an often times stubborn people. The prophet was the celebrity of the Old Testament, although their message was quite often bad news. A prophet was rarely well received. However, whether the prophet was loved or hated (Jeremiah faced incredible hardships throughout his ministry), the prophet had the attention of God’s people because it was always apparent God himself was involved in the prophet’s message. One needs only to think of Jonah, a Hebrew prophet who proclaimed a devastating message in the midst of a hostile environment. Yet, the Ninevites repented, likely because they witnessed God’s power in Jonah’s words.

When Jesus showed up on the Judean scene, it was natural for the people to equate his message with the messages to the Old Testament prophets of “lore.” Jesus did many of the same things these prophets did, except for the fact that Jesus was something more. When Jesus stood up at Nazareth and read from the Isaiah scroll, he might have called himself a prophet (Luke 4:24 above), but his previous message to those in attendance said he was something more than a prophet. He was the one to set the captives free.

Jesus spoke for God, but he spoke for God in an authoritative way unlike any who went before.

Moment of Reflection
1. A prophet’s job was to proclaim God’s message, often in the face of adversity. When God calls you to action, what is your response?
2. Is Jesus more than a prophet to you?

Closing Prayer
Father, thank you for the authoritative message of your Son Jesus. Help me to follow his example and to proclaim boldly your glory. Amen.

Jesus, we want what you want.

By: Curtis W. Lindsey