Jesus Is God

Introduction

John 10:22–33

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

“We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, without any essential change in his divine person became man by the miracle of the virgin birth, thus to

continue forever as both true God and true Man.

The claim that is made by Christians is that Jesus is GOD! 

He is the one who created all things, the one who created you and I, the very one who is the the brightness of the Glory of God and the express image of his person (Heb 1:3). It’s an astounding claim to make and yet there is no question that this is exactly how the Bible presents Jesus.

This morning my desire is to show you both that the Bible presents Jesus as God, but also for you to give consideration to what Jesus willingly left behind to become, forever, a man that he may save man from his sin. 

We will be spending some time in the Scriptures today because I want you to be able to see that this is not a notion people have created, but comes directly from the word of God. To make is easier I intend MOSLTY to have you turn to different passages in the Gospel of John, this will be more than enough to demonstrate the truth of the claim that the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is indeed God and ONE WITH GOD!

Makest Thyself God

John 10:32–33

32…… Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

It seems quite evident that the Jews understood the claim Jesus was making. How can it then be true that Jesus never claimed to be God? Have we forgotten why they crucified him?

Turn to

John 14:4–9

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

We see in the passage before us that Jesus had no qualms about telling the world who he is. Though the words “I am God” were never recorded in the Bible as being uttered from his lips, it seems Jesus desired more to manifest the reality of himself as God rather than use those three words. Jesus did the work of the father, and apart from that incredible phrase in John 10:30, here he confirms in the clearest possible way that he and the father are one. 

he that hath seen me hath seen the Father

Jesus testified again and again that he is the Son of God and God the Son. But he expected the people to see it manifest in him rather than confess it directly other than to his own disciples.

John 5:17–24

17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 The Jews thereby fully understood the implication and that is that he made himself EQUAL with God;

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Incredibly however, this reality also demonstrates they key that leads to EVERLASTING LIFE for those who believe;  

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Those of you who have had an interest in defending the claim Jesus made of himself should find this a most sobering and telling statement. Every time Jesus makes the claim to be at one with the father, (and he does so no less than 17 times in the Gospel accounts, See 2^ndlast page of Newsletter for references), according to the Jews themselves who were there at the time, he is “making himself equal with God”, that is the depth of the claim of Christ.

When Thomas asks about the way that Jesus was speaking about that he was going, Jesus made clear that the way was a reference to coming to God the father. The only way in which this was to occur was through Jesus who said “…I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”. (Jn 14:6)

The only way to God the father is through God the Son whom the father gave to the world. Jesus made sure all understood that he was the ONLY way. 

In John 10:9 we see his present himself as the door through which man shall be saved;

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Jesus certainly made himself GOD and did all he could to ensure the world around him understood that he was the one whom the scriptures long proclaimed would come to save Gods people from their sin, he is the Christ (In Greek), the messiah (in Hebrew).

When addressing the woman at the well in John chapter 4, the Lord did not shy way from the direct question given him.

John 4:19–26

19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

When the time of the trial came  that Jesus would be delivered up to the gentiles, handed over and crucified, the High Priest also asked him directly to see the claim stem from his own lips concerning who he is and whom he claimed to be;

Witness after witness came in to lay false charges against Christ, but none of their testimonies concerning him agreed one with another and the silence of Jesus concerning the charges laid against him frustrated the council.

Mark 14:56–64

56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. 57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58  We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 59 But neither so did their witness agree together. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

Beloved, this is the Christ, the Son of the Blessed. When he answers the High Priest he lays claim that he is the fulfilment of the prophecy in Daniel who wrote:

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Daniel 7:13

Makest Thyself God;

Turn in to the last passage of this point in John 8

In John 8 we have a lengthy argument against Jesus from the first entrapping question to the final stage where they desired to stone him. And the statement that he made that motivated the Jews to kill him is seen from verse 53;

John 8:53–59

53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Before Abraham was, I am. Beloved, Jesus here testifies that he is the very voice of the burning bush in Exodus 3:14, and this again was not missed by the Jews who took up stones to stone him, they knew that Jesus “MAKEST THYSELF GOD”

The Everlasting Father

Isaiah 9:6–7

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Possibly one of the most astounding passages in the Old Testament that does more to link the son to the father than any other, and it does so with a certainty and a clarity that is simply impossible to miss accidentally. 

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon hisshoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Many years ago I had some Jehovas Witnesses come to my door. Our conversation was wonderful and I wanted to present to them that Jesus is God and decided to show them this verse for their consideration. The two ladies were perplexed and called their pastor who was dressed in a suit, and I showed other passages, but last of all this one. The “child…born” the “son…given”, and then emphasised the names by which he would be called concluding on “The mighty God…?” And “The Everlasting Father….?”.

I asked how it can be possible that the same child born and son given, could also be named as the mighty God and Everlasting Father…. unless he is?

There is such a plainness in the passage, such clarity concerning God the Son. We don’t understand it, we cant fathom how it is possible for God to have a son and that Son be also God the Father, the “everlasting Father” let alone The mighty God”.

Beloved, the Bible contains within its pages the explanation of all that is before our eyes, all the wisdom of the ages are found within its pages, the depth of which is so vast it is simply unfathomable, it is the mind of God who’s ways are higher than our ways and who’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and so by that very rule not everything is going to be comprehensible to his creatures.

Though you and I have the greatest desire, and sometimes the prideful desire, to understand all things, “yea, the deep things of God”, we are limited to the wisdom that God illuminates in our hearts as we grow in him, and the rest we trust by faith.

HOW CAN Jesus be BOTH The child born AND the EVERLASTING FATER?

SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DONT UNDERSTAND IT, does not therefore mean the Bible does not teach it, and yet, if he were not God the father HOW COULD HE HAVE DIED FOR OUR SINS?

Christ is Everlasting and testifies to sharing with God that state before the world ever was.

John 17:1–5

1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Christ is co-eternal with the father;

John 9:58 “…Verily verily I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am”.

Jesus Christ is The Everlasting Father, co-eternal with God from before the world was. JESUS was there “in the beginning”; John testifying at the introduction to his Gospel account;

John 1:1–4

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

When John tells us in verse 14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us”, we know with certainty yet again that the one identified as the Word, is Christ. The same that is spoken of as being in the beginning with God and “was God”.

Added to it is verse 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Clearly therefore, the Bible teaches that Jesus is indeed “THE EVERLASTING FATHER” And ALSO, Christ the Creator

Christ The Creator

John 1:10–12

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

We had already seen with clarity the first few verses of John 1 telling us that “all things were made by him and without him there was not any thing made that was made”, now here we again that repetition and furtherance of clarity that this is Christ with the testimony that 

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 

Who is “his own”? The jews are his own, they are his people, they are whom he came to save, who can this be BUT THE CHRIST?

And so the apostle lays claim to Christ being “in the world, and the world was made by him”.

The entire material substance of the world was made by Christ, but John was not the ONLY apostle to make such a claim;

Ephesians 3:8–9

8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Well, let’s not stop here. Go forward two books to the letter written to the Colossians, and chapter 1

Colossians 1:14–17

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Incredible is it not?

But we could yet go on;

Hebrews 1:1–2

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

This is Jesus Christ before he was manifest in the world, this is the everlasting father and mighty God, he is one with the father and yet not the father, he is one with the spirit and yet identified distinct from the spirit (we will speak more to the Spirit of God in the next topic of our Statement of Faith).

He created all things and does it not stand to reason?

Does it not make sense to you that the same one who is known as The WORD, is also the one who SPOKE THE UNIVERSE INTO EXISTENCE?

And God said, let there be light and there was light….

And God said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters…

And God said, let the waters under heaven be gathered toghether into one place…

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven…

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly….

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature….

And God said, Let US make man in OUR image…

Each of the creation days pre-empted by the WORD of God speaking the world into existence, culminating in the only creature created in the image of God, Man!

CHRIST IS THE CREATOR

This leading me to my final point this morning that I give for your consideration and salvation;

The Eternal Son

Proverbs 30:3–6

3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. 4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? 5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Here, imbedded deep in the midst of the Old Testament is the most curious phrase that must certainly have given the people of God some great provocations of thought. The Son, the ETERNAL SON, here mentioned in the Holy, pure and perfect book of God together with the most dire warning that NOTHING IS TO BE REMOVED from all that is written therein.

5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

This is not an accident, but is written here on purpose that all may know that the one who ‘gathers the wind in his fists’ has a son with a name to be considered. 

Lest we think for a moment however that this phrase should be considered an anomaly, turn to  Psalm 2

Written for a purpose to the end of history when all the world desires to rebel against the Lord and agains his anointed, Psalm 2 finds itself as one of the nearest representations of the ETERNAL SON.

Psalm 2:1–12

1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 

7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

A passage in the Bible that can only be understood from the perspective of a conversation between the Godhead, God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. 

It is a conversation that is set in its timeframe at the end of history, at the end of the Millennial Kingdom, after God  “set his king upon his holy hill of Zion” (v6).

It is the time after the Son has ruled with that infinite Rod of Iron, and the kings of the earth had set themselves to “break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us”.

Then historical context is toward the end of history, the time of the final rebellion against the Lord and against his anointed, perhaps pictured after that time when that Old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, is “loosed a little season” as we are told in Revelation 20:3, and the world rebells again for the final time before the words of Peter “…wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat” (2 Pet 3:12).

The CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE IS THE END OF HISTORY!

But in the passage of the ETERNAL SON for the end of history is that final portion of hope in the last few words;

Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

HAVE YOU?

Beloved, Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.

That is a warning to all those who are none of his. A warning that you who make him angry will indeed “perish from the way”, cast into that same infernal fire that is the home of the devil and his angels.

Turn to 

Hebrews 2:9

9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

If you could understand that Christ the Son, as the everlasting father and eternal son, left all that good estate and condescended to become a man, the very one who made the angels was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of a cruel death on a cross for you, you will see that the ETERNAL SON has reached his hand as far as he possibly can to pull you from the fire, and all it is is for you to take it!

Will you?