Friday
Sep112009
Recap of Ignite Youth Service, September 9, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009 at 12:24PM
The past few weeks we've discussed The Controversial Jesus. He is controversial to both the churched, and the un-churched. But maybe the reason, is because Jesus really is who He says He is.
To make claims like this, Jesus would either have to be a lunatic or the real deal. Sure, others have claimed to be prophets or great teachers, but none have actually risen from the dead and had the witnesses to prove it as Jesus did. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to a virgin teenage girl. He did live a sinless, perfect life. He gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, strength to the limbs of the paralyzed, cleansed skin to those with leprosy, freedom to the demon-possessed and life to dead bodies. He really was executed in our place so that we could spend eternity with Him. He really did ascend to Heaven and really is coming back again to rescue us out of this world. He really will judge the living and the dead.
And if we accept these things to be true, it would mean that we have to live differently. And that realization causes some to become angry and not want to live differently.
So, is Jesus controversial to us? Do we struggle to accept that He is who He says He is? Do our religious beliefs conflict with who Jesus really is? Or do we not even have a relationship with Him yet because He seems so far from what we are comfortable with?
The truth is, Jesus is controversial because He is the only person in history about whom every person must make a decision… must make a stand… must make a choice.
He truly is the only way to heaven.
What will your choice be?
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25, NIV)
To make claims like this, Jesus would either have to be a lunatic or the real deal. Sure, others have claimed to be prophets or great teachers, but none have actually risen from the dead and had the witnesses to prove it as Jesus did. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to a virgin teenage girl. He did live a sinless, perfect life. He gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, strength to the limbs of the paralyzed, cleansed skin to those with leprosy, freedom to the demon-possessed and life to dead bodies. He really was executed in our place so that we could spend eternity with Him. He really did ascend to Heaven and really is coming back again to rescue us out of this world. He really will judge the living and the dead.
And if we accept these things to be true, it would mean that we have to live differently. And that realization causes some to become angry and not want to live differently.
So, is Jesus controversial to us? Do we struggle to accept that He is who He says He is? Do our religious beliefs conflict with who Jesus really is? Or do we not even have a relationship with Him yet because He seems so far from what we are comfortable with?
The truth is, Jesus is controversial because He is the only person in history about whom every person must make a decision… must make a stand… must make a choice.
He truly is the only way to heaven.
What will your choice be?
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