The character of a person

Colossians 1:1-2

Often you see the character of a person by their words, take the Frenchman Blaise Pascal a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher. He was a child prodigy educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen.  Blaise has some amazing quotes let me share a few; “All of the humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”  And this is so relevant for today, “People almost invariably arrive at their beliefs not on the basis of proof but on the basis of what they find attractive.” And this also is applicable for our time; “Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.”  Pascal’s life was full of suffering and trials and very short by our standards today, he lived 39 years, but his quotes, and short life has impacted many.

What about the Apostle Paul’s words; “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God?”  What do we know about the Apostle Paul, he was a Benjamite born in Tarsus, a Roman citizen, tent maker, who studied under the great Gamaliel, and was a Pharisee?  He had a zeal for God and the traditions of the Jewish people, and the Law’s handed down from Moses, and that lead him to be the chief persecutor of the followers of Christ.  He had an encounter with the risen Christ on his way to Damascus and was blinded, and the Lord sent a man named Ananias to pray for him that his sight would be restored.  His conversion took place when he saw the risen Messiah and I’ve read that Saul is a very Jewish name, and in Roman, it would mean Paul, so in that his mission was to Gentiles he went by the name Paul.  The Saul that became the Apostle Paul was a new person in Christ, and this is his testimony: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

What about Jesus, often referred to as “Jesus of Nazareth,"  "the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon.”  But He is also called “the carpenter son, ” and we find His disciples referring to Him in this way: Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”   What about the calling of Nathanael found in the Gospel of John 1:47-49, “Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”  He was more than a son of a carpenter, He was the promised Messiah, and at His birth, the angels had announced to the shepherds in watch of their sheep that night this message.  “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12) John the Baptist saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove land on Him and stay, and we have not only His words but also His life to support these truths.

Jesus gave us many quotes, that only a mad man or God would proclaim!  If you have believed Jesus was a great Teacher, a good person, but not God that route is not open to anyone, which examines these quotes: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  (John 10:10b)  “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)  “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10: 28-30)  Yes, a crazy man might make such claims, but a crazy person could not have done what Jesus did, and we have so many witnesses and historical accounts of His life on planet earth, a life of fullness in a short 33 years.  For He fulfilled all that the prophets proclaimed of the Son of God.  And He is coming back, soon, very soon.

And you have been given a free will to choose; it is your choice to do as I did, examine the evidence, and ask a question, is He a mad man or God?  After my examination I bow my knee and like Nathanael I proclaimed; “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”   

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice