Manna and Coffee

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” John 14:6-7, NIV

What is “truth”?  Truth is defined as the true or actual state of a matter, conformity with fact or reality, or an ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience.  There is not much debate about the fact that Jesus was a historical figure who lived about 2,000 years ago.  What people disagree about is whether Jesus was a prophet, a great teacher or the Son of God.  What is the truth about Jesus?   Do we know what Jesus actually said about himself?

• “Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?  Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does.  But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe in the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” John 10:36-39, NIV
• “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is’?….  Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’  Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you my man, but by my Father in Heaven.” Matthew 16:13-17, NIV
• “Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? ‘ I am,’ said Jesus, ‘And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Might One and coming on the clouds of Heaven.” Mark 14:61-62, NIV
• “Then Jesus cried out, ‘When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.  When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me.  I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” John 12:44-46, NIV
• “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were create by Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.  For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in Heaven, by making peace through His blood shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:15-20, NIV

There are many resourced available on this topic, including several excellent resources from Josh McDowell ministries (www.josh.org).  In his book, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, McDowell presents a great deal of research that he made around the historical person of Jesus.  One of the final conclusions that he arrived upon after a thorough analysis of the historical Jesus is that he could only be one of three things; a liar, a lunatic or Lord.  We must all acknowledge Jesus at some point in our lives, regardless of our present beliefs. So how about it?  Who do you say that Jesus is, a liar, a lunatic or is He the Lord of life?