The question raised during his earthly life.

     "When He saw their faith, He said to him, 'Man, your sins are forgiven you'.  And the scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  Luke 5:20-21.

      One day, Jesus walked by the pool of Bethesda.  He gave this command to a paralyzed man who had lain there helpless for 38 years:  "Rise, take up your bed, and walk,"   John 5:8.  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked:  and on the same day was the Sabbath."  The religious leaders condemned the man for carrying his bed on the Sabbath day.  He answered that the man who made him whole told him to do it.  Their question was, "Who is the man  who said to you, take up your bed and walk?  But the one who  was healed did not know who it was …"  John 5:1-13.  

     Luke tells of an evening when Jesus feasted at the table of Simon the Pharisee in Bethany.  It was their custom to recline at the table rather than sit on a chair.  While Jesus ate, an immoral woman of the streets came and knelt at His feet.  She washed His feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.  Jesus spoke to the woman and said, "Your sins are forgiven…Your faith hath saved you; go in peace."  The rest of the diners began to say to themselves, Who is this who  even forgives sins ?" Luke 7:49 

    Jesus was asleep in a boat that was threatened by a storm.  "And they (his disciples) came to him and awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we are perishing!.  Then He arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.  But he said unto them, Where is your faith?  And they were afraid and marveled , saying to one another, Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water and they obey him…" Luke 8:24-25. 

     Herod the Tetrarch had a group of people to come and tell him about the works of Jesus.  "Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him:  and he was perplexed, because that it was said by some that John had risen from the dead; And by some that Elijah had appeared; and by others, that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, John I have beheaded: but Who is this of whom I hear such things?  So he sought to see Him."  Luke 9:7-9.

     One day Saul of Tarsus journeyed to Damascus on a mission to destroy Christianity from the earth.  "And as he journeyed he came near Damascus: and suddenly a light shone around from heaven:  Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, why persecuting Me?  And he said, Who are you, Lord?"  Acts 9:3-5a.

The Question has persisted down through the centuries. 
Is He Lord of life or Lord of liars? 
Was He deity or was He deceiver? 
Was He the Master or was He a madman?

As a student at Baylor University I shared a room with a fellow by the name of Fred Richards.  He was from a very wealthy family in Alaska.  He had personally owned two airplanes and was named to the All Alaskan Basketball Team.  He came to me one day and said, "Hey, Tom, Who is this Jesus?" 

He  certainly changed the course of history:
1.       The history of every nation notes the dynamic effect of the message of Christ upon its converts.
2.       Unnumbered legal documents are filed with a date from the time of His birth.
3.       The most hardened atheist cannot send a letter without the postmark making reference to the time Jesus lay in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes.
4.       Who can count the institutions erected in His name in the forms of churches, hospitals, orphanages, homes for the aged, Christian schools, colleges, publishing houses, book stores, rescue missions, alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers, homes for unwed mothers, radio and TV stations and missionary organizations?
5.       Who can estimate the depth of dedication to Him that has motivated tens of thousands of young men and women to leave home and family and give their lives in privation telling those in strange lands about Him?

Jesus Himself Raised the Question.

Jesus asked the Pharisees, "What do you think about the Christ?  Whose Son is He?"  The Pharisees were partly right when they said, "The Son of David."  Jesus completely baffled them, however, when He raised another question, "How then   does David in Spirit call Him Lord, saying The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand till I make Your enemies Your footstool?"  If David then calls him Lord, how is He his Son?  And no man was able to answer him a word…"   Matthew 22:42-46

If you don't understand the message of God's Word it is rather perplexing to understand how a descendant of David could be David's Lord long before He became David's descendant.

CONSIDER WHAT HIS ENEMIES SAID ABOUT HIM.

The Pharisees:
In the beginning of His ministry one of their number came to Him and said, "We know that you are a teacher come from God:  for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him."  John 3:2.  At the end of His ministry they were saying, "We will not have this man to reign over us." Luke 19:14.

Caiphas, the High Priest:
When Jesus was on trial before Caiphas and the ruling body of Israel, witnesses said that Jesus had made a statement saying, "I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days."  When Jesus would not answer the charge, Caiphas screamed at Him, "I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you be the Christ, the Son of God.  Jesus said to him, You have said: nevertheless I say to you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.  Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy…" Matthew 26:61-65.

Pilate- the Governor of Judea.
"…I find in Him no fault at all."  John 19:38.  "And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross.  And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH - THE KING OF THE JEWS."  When the Jewish leaders said, "Change it to read that He said He was king of the Jews, Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."  John 19:22.  

Judas - Who Betrayed Him:
"I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood."  Matthew 26:4.

The Centurion In Charge Of The Crucifixion:
"Truly this was the Son of God."  Matthew 27:54.

The Thief Who Died Beside Him On The Cross:
"…this man has done nothing amiss."  "…Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  Luke 23:41-42.

The Demons He Confronted:
"…I knew  Who you are, the Holy One of God." Mark 1:24

CONSIDER WHAT HIS FRIENDS SAID ABOUT HIM.

John the Baptist:
"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."  John 1:29, 1:33-34.

Peter:
"…You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Matthew 16:16.  "God has made this same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ."  Acts 2:36

John:
"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made."  John 1:1-3, verse 14.

Thomas"
"MY Lord and my God."  John 20:28. 

Martha:
"Yea, Lord:  I have believed that you are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."  John 11:27.

Saul (who became Paul):
 "…Lord, what will you have me to do?"  Acts 9:6.

Gabriel, the Archangel:
"therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God."  Luke 1:35.

Redeemed Saints in Heaven:
"And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;  and hast made us unto our God kings and priests:  and we shall reign on earth."  Revelation 5:9-10.

The Heavenly Father:
"This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased."  Matthew 3:17.

CONSIDER WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT HIMSELF.

That He was One with the Father.
"I and My Father are One."  John 10:30.

To have all power in Heaven and earth.
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' "  Matthew 28:18-19.

To have power to forgive sins.
"But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on  earth to forgive sins' --then  He said  to the paralytic, 'Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.  And he  arose and departed to his house."  Matthew 9:6,7.

The right to be worshipped as God.
"When He calmed the Sea of Galilee, 'Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, Truly You are the Son of God."  Matthew 14:33.

That He came from Heaven.
"I am the living bread which came down from Heaven…"  John 6:38, 51. 

That He is the One Who will resurrect and judge the dead.
"And has given Him (Jesus) authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in the which all who are in the graves shall hear his voice and come forth-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation."  John 5:27-29

That He gives everlasting life to all who trust Him.
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life."  John 6:47.

That He never failed to please the Father.
"And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone; for I always do those things that please him."  John 8:29.

That He was the I Am Who spoke to Moses.
" Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins: for if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins:"  John 8:24.  "Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM'."  John 8:58, (Exodus 3:13-14.)  Some versions add "he" in italics.  This means that "he" was not in the original manuscript.

That He was the only way to the Father.
"Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through  
me." John 14:6.

THE QUESTION THAT REALLY MATTERS:  "WHO IS JESUS TO YOU?"
If you have accepted the death of Jesus Christ on the cross as the sacrifice for your sins and received Him by faith as your Savior then you can say, He is my:

SAVIOR:
 "…you shall call His name JESUS,  for He will save His people from their sins." 
Matthew 1:21
  Savior from the:
·         Penalty of sin - Hell
·         Power of sin - sanctification
·         Pitfalls of sin - Shepherd
·         Presence of sin - Heaven

CHRIST:  (Hebrew, Messiah) "The Anointed One"  Designated by His Father:
  1. Prophet - He spoke the truth about God.  His life was the embodied revelation of God to man.  John 14:9.
  2.      Priest- He was the sacrifice for sin.  He was the priest Who offered the sacrifice.  Hebrews 10:12.  He is now the priest who intercedes.  Hebrews 4:14-16.
   3.      King - He should rule in our hearts now.  He will rule over the earthly nations for 1000 years.  Revelation 20:4-6.  He will reign over redeemed saints for all eternity.

PROVIDER:
  Psalm 23:1;  Philippians 4:19, Psalms 37:25.  Walk in righteousness before God and you can confidently trust the heavenly Father to supply all your needs.

PROTECTOR: 
  How can we get in a car and drive the highways when 1 out of 3 drivers are legally under the influence of alcohol or drugs?   Psalm 91:1-2.  If nuclear bombs should fall the shadow of the Almighty is greater protection than a concrete bomb shelter.  Hebrews 13:5,6.

PHYSICIAN
  Psalm 103:3b, He can keep us well; make us well, and give grace to bear if He doesn't.

FRIEND AND BROTHER:
See John 15:13-15; Romans 8:14-17

BLESSED HOPE:
We're not looking for the anti-Christ.  We're looking for Christ.  Our hope is not in the Republicans or Democrats.  Our hope is in Jesus Christ: for glorification, reward, and eternal happiness.

  *The first time Queen Victoria heard Handel's Messiah she was instructed to remain seated when everyone else stood for the Hallelujah Chorus.  But as they sang, "King of kings and Lord of lords, forever and ever and ever,"  she trembled, and stood and removed her crown.

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