Matthew 16: 13-18 Who Is Jesus? July 9, 2006

For the past couple of weeks, we have examined some of the issues raised by the new movie, “The Da Vinci Code.” We asked what history can really tell us about the Christian faith. We have seen that Christianity is not based merely upon hearsay and blind faith, but rather is built on a solid foundation of historical facts and that our faith is supported by actual evidence. We asked if the Bible can be trusted. We have seen that these scriptures are the books written by the eyewitness Apostles, were the books read by all the churches in every place, and were the books which agreed with the beliefs of the ancient Church. And in all this, we are time after time pointed back to the person of Jesus and what he offers to our lives. However, this movie tells us that what we know about Jesus is all wrong.

The movie, “The Da Vinci Code,” makes many outlandish claims about history, the Bible, and the Christian faith, but the most damaging claim made by this movie is that Jesus was not thought to be the Son of God by his earliest followers. He was only a man, a good teacher, a great moral person much like Gandhi, Saint Francis, or the Buddha. This movie claims that only in the year 325, three centuries after Jesus, did the Emperor of Rome pronounce Jesus to be more than a man in order to serve his own power hungry purposes. This is the most crucial claim of this movie. It asks the question, “Who is Jesus?” Jesus himself asked this very question to his disciples as they rested by a campfire one evening alone. “Who do you say that I am?” And Jesus continues down through the centuries to ask men and women, boys and girls, “Who do you say that I am?” That question is the most important question you will every answer in your life. Let's take a look at the facts.

“The Da Vinci Code” says that Jesus was only thought to be a mere man until the year 325 and only then was he said to be more than a man, Divine, the unique only Son of God. That is a huge claim. And it is a claim that can not stand the test of evidence for even a few moments. You be the jury this morning as we look at the evidence and then you decide the verdict. Who is Jesus?

Our first step is to see that this movie makes a ridiculous claim because Christian writers for three hundred years before the year 325 had already been saying that Jesus was much more than a man. Let's go back in time step by step. The Christian writer Lactantius writing in the year 304 says, “We believe Jesus to be God.” Methodius in 290 wrote, “He truly was and is with God and being God.” Cyprian in 250 proclaimed, “Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God.” Novatian in 235 said, “He is not only man, but God also.” Origen in 225 said, “No one should be offended that the Savior is also God.” Justin Martyr in 160 wrote, “He is the first born Word of God, is even God.” Clement in 150 said, “It is fitting that you should think of Jesus Christ as of God.” And even as early as the year 105, Ignatius says that “God Himself was manifested in human form.” You see, this was not a new idea put forward by the Emperor Constantine in the year 325. People had been saying for centuries that Jesus was the Son of God.

Well, what about the New Testament itself written by the Apostles? Maybe these other writers were confused. Let's see what the eyewitnesses wrote? Well, Peter was the first to answer the question, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). John wrote in his first letter, “I write this to you that you may believe in the name of the Son of God and that you may know that you have eternal life”(I John 5:13). James, the half brother of Jesus, did not at first believe at all, but later wrote, “Hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory”(James 2:1). Doubting Thomas cried out to Jesus, “My Lord and my God”(John 20:28). Paul, who hated and wanted to kill Christians, later came to say, “Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation and in him all things were created in Heaven and on earth. He is before all things and in him all things hold together. In him, the fullness of God was pleased to dwell (Col 1:15). You see, the friends of Jesus thought he was much more than a man.

Amazingly, even the enemies of Jesus who actually knew him recognized something more about this man. When Jesus forgave sins, the Pharisees said, “This is religiously wrong! No one can forgive sins but God alone” (Mark 2:7). His enemies were exactly right. Throughout his life, his enemies dogged him because he said and did things that only God should do. In the end, they killed him and wrote on his cross, “The King of the Jews.” Folks, I could go on and on. The eyewitness words of both friend and foe fill the New Testament. These people who actually knew Jesus in person thought he acted like more than any mere man. Why did they think that?

Well, because Jesus himself claimed to be more than a mere man, more than a good teacher. Once again, I could go on and on for years examining the words of Jesus. Let's just take a fast review of a few things Jesus said about himself. Jesus claimed he would be the judge of the entire world (Matthew 7). He said that he would be honored as God (John 5:23). Jesus claimed he could give eternal life (John 5:21). Jesus said that when we see him, we see God (John 14:9). To hate him was to hate God (John 15:23). He claimed he could forgive sins (Mark 2:5). He claimed that he and the Father were one (John 10). Jesus said he could hear and answer our prayers (John 14:14).

You see, the idea of Jesus as the very Son of God did not begin in the year 325 with a new Imperial proclamation. The idea that Jesus was God revealed in human flesh can be traced back through every Christian writer of the first three centuries, back to the eyewitness Apostles themselves, and even back to the very mouth of Jesus. Over and over, the question and the claim are always there. Who is Jesus? He is the very image of God.

But these are all just words. Merely claims made by various people. What if all the Christian writers were wrong? What if the eyewitness Apostles were mistaken? What if Jesus himself was wrong? We need more than words and claims to give a verdict this morning. What will show true all these words?

Well, we have that proof. We have the great evidence. We have the mighty “Yes” that God has stamped upon Jesus. It is Easter morning. It is the resurrection. If Jesus is not raised from the dead, then he is only a good man. He is an interesting figure from the past, but he is gone and I can go on with my life as I please. But if the resurrection is true, then we are forced, we are cornered, we are demanded to answer this question, “Who is Jesus?”

On many an Easter morning, we have looked at evidence for the resurrection. If you wish to know more, I can recommend several books such as “The Case for Christ” and “Who Moved the Stone?” But today we only have time for a quick review of the evidence. 1. Jesus died on the cross. 2. Jesus was buried in a tomb. 3. A few days later, the tomb was empty. The body was gone. 4. The disciples saw him alive again. In fact, eyewitnesses state that 515 people saw Jesus alive again. We have letters in the New Testament written by many of these eyewitnesses. Some of them did not believe in Jesus before but now after they saw him alive, they did believe. Many of them went to tortuous deaths because they would not take back their words that Jesus was alive. All of them had amazingly changed lives. People like Paul who changed from a Christian hater to a Christian missionary. When asked what had changed them, they said, “I saw him alive.”

Listen. If you still have doubts, if this movie or any other book has given you questions, that is okay. It is okay to ask hard questions. But to be intellectually honest, you owe it to yourself to examine the evidence. This movie, “The Da Vinci Code,” will take a little over two hours of your time. If you invest the same amount of time into reading a book about Jesus resurrection, you will come to the verdict.

So what will be your verdict? The case of Jesus is surrounded by thousands of pieces of written evidence from the first centuries of Christianity. We have plentiful evidence from actual eyewitnesses who knew Jesus, lived with Jesus, and heard his very words. We have the claims made from Jesus himself. And most crucially, we have profound evidence that on the third day after his execution, his tomb was empty and people saw him alive. Most ultimately important is that Jesus is still alive today. People still are touched by him. People still hear him speak to them. People still have changed lives. This Jesus is calling to you. He asks of you, “Who do you say that I am?” What is the verdict? The Christ, the Son of the living God. Can you say that verdict with me this morning? “The Christ, the Son of the living God. The Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Then follow him. Take Christ into your heart and follow him all the days of your life. He will change your life into more than you ever dreamed possible. He will give you eternal life that will never end. Amen.