My colleague, LKC, after listening to the stories told by another colleage (joseph oh), asked me this question.
"How do we know Jesus is God?"
"What exactly did he do to prove that he is God?"
I want to assure you that the common folks at the time of Jesus is as confused as you and me and seriously do not know what to do with this Man! Is he some nice folk? A good teacher? A misunderstood individual? A depressed man? A fanatic (xiao)? or God?
Relax.
I'm not going to preach why u must believe or why this and that happened or did not happened. Showed below are how some of the common folks like you and me reacted to the short but dramatic active life of Jesus 2000 years ago. Some of the people believed him, some were neutral, while others are critical. What about you?
Who : John the Baptist
When : When Jesus started his active life (ministry) and came to John to be baptised.
Said : "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
Verse : Jn 1:29
Who : People who knew Jesus's natural father and mother
When : After Jesus proclaimed that He came from heaven.
Said : "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, "I have come down from heaven'?"
Verse : Jn 6:43
Who : Nicodemus
When : When Jesus told him that he must be born again (saved).
Said : "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
Verse : Jn 3:4
Who : A Samaritan Woman
When : After a short but shocking conversation with Jesus at the well.
Said : "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ (Saviour) ?"
Verse : Jn 4:29
Who : The crowds
When : After Jesus performed a miracle to feed 5000 man and their families with only 5 loaves and 2 fishes.
Said :"This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."
Verse : Jn 6:14
Who : Some of the folks
When : When Jesus told them that He is God and existed before their fore-father Abraham.
Said : "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"
Verse : Jn 8:48
Who : Nicodemus
When : When the authorities rejected Jesus.
Said : "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?"
Verse : Jn 7:50
Who : A man born blind who was healed by Jesus
When : When the religious people tried to excommunicate him and insisted that Jesus is a sinner.
Said : "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see."
Verse : Jn 9:25
Who : People who tried to stone Jesus
When : When Jesus said that He is God.
Said : "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."
Verse : Jn 10:33
Who : The religious people
When : Ploting to kill Jesus
Said : "If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."
Verse : Jn 11:48
Who : Pilate
When : When the people delivered Jesus to the Roman governor Pilate to be punished by death.
Said : "I find no fault in Him at all."
Verse : Jn 18:38
Who : The crowd
When : After being stirred by the religious people to crucify Jesus.
Said : "Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!"
Verse : Jn 19:15
Who : Criminal
When : When this criminal was hanged beside Jesus awaiting death.
Said : "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."
Verse : Lk23:37
Who : Another Criminal
When : After hearing the 1st criminal mocked Jesus.
Said : "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."
Verse : Lk23:40
Who : Tough Roman Centurion soldier
When : After witnessing the way Jesus endured and stucked to his cause throughout the whole toturing and crucifixion.
Said : "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"
Verse : Lk23:47
Tomorow is Easter Sunday. Just like every folk in Jesus's time, we all can choose how and what we are going to do about this Jesus.
Perhaps you are touched by the film, The Passion of the Christ, and pitied the way He endured the punishment.
Perhaps you lived in a family who worship chinese gods and ancesters and did not want to change.
Perhaps you are a anti-christian like what i used to be, who enjoyed criticising Christianity and Jesus.
Perhaps you are a christian-hater who has been disappointed by christians and feel all of them are hypocrites.
Perhaps you are born in a christian family, but never really know who is Jesus.
Tomorow is Easter Sunday. The Day Jesus rosed from the dead 2000 years ago. Decide for yourself, what are you going to do with him. He gave me a 2nd chance in life 6 years ago.
He is willing to give you too, if u want it.
April 2004