Hello, I'm a Christian.
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And I'm not. Really?
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Well, then, let me introduce
you to my best friend Jesus.
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Oh, I'm not really
interested in Christianity.
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Why is that?
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Well, for one thing I
don't have enough time.
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Time? Yeah, time.
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Did you know there are
38,000 different denominations
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all claiming to be Christian.
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I don't have enough
time to study all of them
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to find out which
church is telling the truth.
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Of course we don't,
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that's why I wanted to
introduce you to Jesus.
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He is the truth.
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Thunder in the Holy Land
is a simple Bible study series
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that focuses on the
life and teachings of Jesus.
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To learn more about this study
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and how you can use it
to share our best friend,
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visit us at
qlp.tv that's qlp.tv.
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Over 2,000 years ago a boy child
was born here in Bethlehem.
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To parents of the
peasant working class.
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And tradition tells us He
was born in a grotto stable
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surrounded by
the scent of animals.
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The Bible tells us that His
first bed was a feeding troth.
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Surely after he was
whizzed away to Egypt
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to avoid the wrath of Herod
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and spent His earliest years
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growing up in the
land of the pyramids,
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the way thousands of
Jews did before the Exodus.
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After returning from Egypt,
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His parents were
settled here in Nazareth,
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where He grew up
learned His father's trade
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and remained in obscurity
until He was 30 years old.
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This boy grow up to
carry the title of Messiah.
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A Hebrew term for anointed.
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Probably more
people are familiar
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with the Greek version
of the same title, Christ.
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Well, from space the
world may seem united,
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down here we've
divided ourselves
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into different belief systems,
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but the majority claim to
be followers of this Jesus.
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Today it is
estimated that 33% of the world
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has taken His Greek title
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and embraced it as
their moniker, Christian.
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This includes Catholics,
Protestants, Eastern Orthodox,
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Pentecostal,
Anglican, Latter Day Saints,
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Baptist, Evangelicals,
Jehovah's Witness, Quakers,
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Seventh-day Adventist
and many, many others.
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This 33% also includes
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people who nominally
take the name just to fit in
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or to differentiate
themselves from Muslims,
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Pagans or something else.
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Christianity in all its
forms dominates the land mass
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of the western
hemisphere Europe,
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Southern Africa and Australia.
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Regardless of the degree
of accuracy of the 33% figure
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Christianity if taken
as a whole is inarguably
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the world's largest religion.
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But religion
overtime becomes culture
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and culture
overtime becomes tradition.
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Now we're some 80
generations remove from Jesus
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and this iconic
figure has to many
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become almost a myth.
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Of the billions on this planet
who claim to be Christian,
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most associate
themselves more closely
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with the name of their
particular denomination.
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We draw lines between ourselves
and keep on making distinctions
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till we come to realize
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that there are now over
38,000 different denominations,
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that all claim
the name of Christ.
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But here's the straddling fact,
they don't teach the same thing.
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One says, Jesus was
fully God, but only God.
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Another says, He was
not God, but was fully man.
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Still other say, He was
fully God and fully man.
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One says, Saturday is the
Sabbath while another says,
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Sunday is the
correct day to worship.
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And some say, we go to
heaven or hell when we die.
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Others say, we rest in the
grave till the resurrection.
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Some say, if you
accept Jesus once,
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you cannot be lost,
no matter what you do.
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Other say, you
can choose to be lost
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after once choosing to be saved.
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And on it goes, we
argue, build walls between us,
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throw names at each
other like heretic or cult.
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But if we've
taken the name of Christ
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shouldn't we be
followers of Christ.
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And if we are all
followers of Christ,
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wouldn't we
believe what He taught,
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wouldn't we do
the things He did.
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Today using just the
Bible as our authority,
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let's continue our
journey toward Christ.
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I'd like to look
critically at this God man.
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I'd like to know what He said,
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what He taught,
what He believed.
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During our time together,
let's not argue at all.
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Let's just go to the Bible
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and let the
Bible interpret itself.
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Let's consider
the teachings of Jesus
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that cause so much
thunder in the holy land.
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Then if we choose to
believe His teachings,
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let's call ourselves Christians
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and accept His invitation to
be part of the body of Christ.
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If we choose not to
believe what Jesus taught,
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then let's be honest, enough to
face our doubts and walk away.
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Today I'd like to take
you back in time to Jerusalem.
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The year is
perhaps 27 or 28 A.D.
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and we arrive in Jerusalem
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during one of the
annual feast of the Jews.
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Crowds of people are everywhere.
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There is much
activity in the streets
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as vendor sell their wares.
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While we can't be
sure evidence suggest
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that the feast in
John 5 was the Passover,
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as such the population of
Jerusalem would have swelled
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perhaps doubled
with many pilgrims.
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But when the Sabbath came
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the atmosphere
would have changed,
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the hawker street vendors
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would have
finally fallen silent.
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Much like today, people
would have mingled and visited
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as they strolled to the
streets on Sabbath afternoon.
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After some prayers at the temple
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no doubt somewhat have strolled
over to the Pool of Bethesda
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with its five
lovely carinated porches.
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But on this particular Sabbath
there were more than families
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on a Sabbath
afternoon walk around the pool.
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The squatters had
moved on to the porches
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because many had come to
believe according to verse 4
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that an angel would
come from time to time
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and stir up the water
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and whoever gone to
the pool first was healed.
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For years skeptics doubted
John's account of this stories
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and so there's no
evidence for carinated pool.
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But archeologists believe
they've uncovered this very pool
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here in the Muslim
Quarter near the Sheep Gate
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affirming the historical
accuracy of John's account.
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On this particular Sabbath,
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Jesus was also
walking on the porch.
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"And a certain man was there,
which had an infirmity 38 years.
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When Jesus saw him lie,
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and knew that he had been
now a long time in that case,
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he saith unto him,
Wilt thou be made whole?
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The impotent man answered
him, Sir, I have no man,
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when the water is troubled,
to put me into the pool,
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but while I am coming,
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another one
steppeth down before me.
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Then Jesus said, Rise,
take up thy bed and walk."
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Now here's where
the plot of this story
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is gonna lead us into
the teachings of Jesus.
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Teachings that
thunder through Jerusalem,
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thunder through Israel,
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shocking the people
and polarizing them.
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And that rumble
is still heard today
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as people
contemplate divine things.
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Indeed on this
particular Sabbath,
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Jesus made two mistakes
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according to the Jewish leaders.
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First, Jesus had
healed on the Sabbath day,
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but perhaps even worse
he told the former paralytic
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to pick up his bed and
carry it on the Sabbath.
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The Jewish
leaders were angry because
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Jesus had according
to their understanding
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broken one of
the Ten Commandments.
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The fourth in fact which said,
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"Remember the
Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
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In it thou shalt
not do any work."
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But then Jesus
made them really angry.
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Look at verses just 17 and 18.
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"But Jesus answered them,
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My Father worketh
hitherto, and i work.
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Therefore the Jews
sought the more to kill him,
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because he not only
had broken the Sabbath,
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but said also that
God was his Father,
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making himself equal with God."
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What is the thunder teaching
we're looking at right now.
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Jesus called God His
Father and in verse 25
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Jesus clearly calls
Himself the Son of God.
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Another time Jesus
took the stunning title
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was after He healed a blind man.
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Since the man had been blind,
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he had no idea who healed him,
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but when Jesus found him in
the temple he questioned him.
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"Do you believe
in the Son of God?
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He answered and said,
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Who is he, Lord,
that I may believe in him?
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And Jesus said to him,
you have both seen him,
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and it is he who
is talking with you."
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Jesus clearly says
that He is a Son of God.
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That is why the night
time visit from Nicodemus,
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a Jewish leader
brought in and so.
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"Rabbi, he said, we know that
you are a teacher come from God,
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no man can do these
miracles that you are doing,
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except God be with him."
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If Jesus was a true
teacher send from God,
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then He must be
what He claim to be.
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If Jesus is not the Son of God,
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then Jesus is
not a true teacher.
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Muslim tradition says
that, Jesus was a good man
00:10:05.65\00:10:08.47
that He was born of a
virgin, that He was a prophet,
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but He was not the Son of
God, He did not die on Calvary.
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There is a logical impasse here,
you can't have it both ways.
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He is either a
teacher sent from God,
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a true prophet of the Most High
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and the Son of God or
He is a liar and a fraud.
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If Jesus is a
prophet of the true God,
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then He must tell the truth.
00:10:29.62\00:10:31.44
Jesus claimed to
be the Son of God.
00:10:31.47\00:10:34.79
Yes He did.
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Five times in the Book of John,
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Jesus refers to
Himself as the Son of God
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and others embrace
that radical claim.
00:10:41.16\00:10:43.50
First there is
this angel in Luke 1:35
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who announces
the birth of Christ.
00:10:47.15\00:10:49.39
The angel said, "He wants
to be called the Son of God."
00:10:49.42\00:10:53.68
John the Baptist who announced
the Jesus to be the Lamb of God
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also said "This
is the Son of God."
00:10:57.29\00:11:01.24
Those who lived
with Jesus, ate with Him,
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slept with Him, in
short those who knew Him best
00:11:03.80\00:11:07.44
worshiped Jesus
as the Son of God.
00:11:07.47\00:11:10.69
And the Roman centurion
who presided at the crucifixion
00:11:10.72\00:11:13.96
closely observed Jesus
through the shame of the trial,
00:11:13.99\00:11:17.26
through the
scourging at the praetorium
00:11:17.29\00:11:19.27
and through the
spectacle on Golgotha.
00:11:19.30\00:11:22.02
This centurion
would not be considered
00:11:22.05\00:11:24.19
a friendly witness to the truth,
00:11:24.22\00:11:26.42
but even he declared truly
this man was the Son of God.
00:11:26.45\00:11:31.75
Even the evil
angels who fell from grace
00:11:31.78\00:11:34.56
knew who Jesus was.
00:11:34.59\00:11:36.32
Thou are Christ, the
Son of God they cried.
00:11:36.35\00:11:39.82
Now truth be told
anyone can make claims.
00:11:39.85\00:11:43.75
At any given
moment there are a number
00:11:43.78\00:11:45.63
of people walking
around on the planet
00:11:45.66\00:11:47.71
who are claiming to
be of divine origin,
00:11:47.74\00:11:50.51
but each of us has been
given the ability to think.
00:11:50.54\00:11:53.71
It is our responsibility
to look for the proof
00:11:53.74\00:11:56.73
to weight the evidence.
So here is proof number one.
00:11:56.76\00:12:01.06
We've actually already
looked that in John 5:17,
00:12:01.09\00:12:04.11
but let's look at it again.
00:12:04.14\00:12:06.63
"My Father worketh
hitherto, and I work."
00:12:06.66\00:12:09.92
The key word here is
work. Now look at verse 36.
00:12:09.95\00:12:14.50
As wonderful as it
was for John to say,
00:12:14.53\00:12:16.66
Jesus was the Son of God.
00:12:16.69\00:12:18.81
Jesus said, "I
have greater witness
00:12:18.84\00:12:21.71
than that of John, for the works
00:12:21.74\00:12:23.77
which the Father
hath given me to finish,
00:12:23.80\00:12:26.22
the same works that I
do, bear witness of me,
00:12:26.25\00:12:29.22
that the Father hath sent me."
00:12:29.25\00:12:31.85
Jesus claims to be
sent to earth by the Father
00:12:31.88\00:12:34.68
and He directed us
to look at His works
00:12:34.71\00:12:37.37
for proof of His words.
00:12:37.40\00:12:39.68
Calling a three legged
horse a four legged horse
00:12:39.71\00:12:42.09
doesn't make it so
and no three legged horse
00:12:42.12\00:12:44.72
has ever won a Kentucky Derby.
00:12:44.75\00:12:47.12
So the question.
00:12:47.15\00:12:49.02
Why should I believe
that Jesus is the Son of God?
00:12:49.05\00:12:51.95
Answer.
00:12:51.98\00:12:53.35
Because of His miraculous work.
00:12:53.38\00:12:55.57
And what are some of His works?
00:12:55.60\00:12:57.94
Well, let's see.
00:12:57.97\00:12:59.97
He walked on
water, that wasn't frozen.
00:13:00.00\00:13:03.00
He fed 5,000 people
plus with one boy's lunch.
00:13:03.03\00:13:07.11
He cured people of
incurable diseases and ailments.
00:13:07.14\00:13:10.87
He read people's thoughts.
00:13:10.90\00:13:12.88
He predicted the impossible
and He raised the dead to life.
00:13:12.91\00:13:18.54
Can the average
man do such works?
00:13:18.57\00:13:21.30
No.
00:13:21.33\00:13:22.70
These works sparkled
with the homework of divinity.
00:13:22.73\00:13:26.73
Yes indeed,
anyone can make claims,
00:13:37.13\00:13:40.28
but the works of Jesus are
and are they worldly proof.
00:13:40.31\00:13:44.06
A divine confirmation
that Jesus was indeed
00:13:44.09\00:13:47.41
who He claimed to be.
00:13:47.44\00:13:49.68
But there are
still another proof
00:13:49.71\00:13:51.32
that Jesus was the Son of God.
00:13:51.35\00:13:54.21
Jesus highlighted
that proof when He said,
00:13:54.24\00:13:56.97
"Search the
scriptures, for in scriptures
00:13:57.00\00:13:59.60
you think ye have eternal life,
but the scriptures are they
00:13:59.63\00:14:03.34
which testify talk
of, or prophesy of me."
00:14:03.37\00:14:08.60
When Jesus
referred to scriptures was
00:14:08.63\00:14:10.34
He referring to
Matthew, Mark, Luke or John,
00:14:10.37\00:14:13.32
or was He talking about the
writing of the Apostle Paul.
00:14:13.35\00:14:17.19
Jesus wasn't referring
to the New Testament at all
00:14:17.22\00:14:19.86
since there was
no New Testament yet.
00:14:19.89\00:14:22.66
Jesus made it
clear that He believed in
00:14:22.69\00:14:25.14
and promoted the Old Testament.
00:14:25.17\00:14:27.81
Over and over and over again
Jesus pointed those seeking
00:14:27.84\00:14:32.00
for truth to the Old Testament
00:14:32.03\00:14:34.57
as the words of inspiration
00:14:34.60\00:14:36.33
that would guide
and sustain them.
00:14:36.36\00:14:39.37
Some folks who claim to
be Christians today say,
00:14:39.40\00:14:41.94
they don't believe in
the Old Testament anymore.
00:14:41.97\00:14:44.96
They suggest that somehow
these Old Testament writings
00:14:44.99\00:14:47.83
have no relevance for
the New Testament believer.
00:14:47.86\00:14:51.36
Well, that
certainly doesn't square
00:14:51.39\00:14:54.11
with the teachings of Jesus.
00:14:54.14\00:14:56.41
One of the
doctrines commands of Jesus
00:14:56.44\00:14:58.98
is to search the scriptures.
00:14:59.01\00:15:01.83
Three times in this
one passage John says,
00:15:01.86\00:15:04.83
Jesus pointed people
to the Old Testament,
00:15:04.86\00:15:07.51
as a worthy guide
and source of truth.
00:15:07.54\00:15:10.83
Many, many years after
Jesus had died was resurrected
00:15:10.86\00:15:14.45
and had gone back to heaven.
00:15:14.48\00:15:16.32
The apostles of Christ
church were still teaching
00:15:16.35\00:15:19.28
the same doctrine
that Jesus taught.
00:15:19.31\00:15:21.85
Look at what
Paul wrote in Timothy.
00:15:21.88\00:15:24.40
"All scripture is
given by inspiration of God,
00:15:24.43\00:15:27.50
and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof,
00:15:27.53\00:15:30.91
for correction, for
instruction in righteousness."
00:15:30.94\00:15:34.70
Paul is telling
Timothy, New Testament,
00:15:34.73\00:15:37.54
New dispensation believer that
00:15:37.57\00:15:39.74
the Old Testament is profitable,
it is the source for doctrines,
00:15:39.77\00:15:43.91
it is the guide for correction
of poor thinking and living.
00:15:43.94\00:15:48.01
It is--where we find instruction
about what true righteousness is
00:15:48.04\00:15:52.99
and what did Paul
say, is the reason
00:15:53.02\00:15:55.36
we should read
the Old Testament.
00:15:55.39\00:15:58.40
"That the man of
God may be perfect,
00:15:58.43\00:16:00.98
thoroughly furnished
unto all good works."
00:16:01.01\00:16:04.86
This notion that
the Old Testament
00:16:04.89\00:16:06.52
is not relevant or
valid for our lives today
00:16:06.55\00:16:09.53
does not agree with
the doctrines of Christ.
00:16:09.56\00:16:12.64
Neither does this
teaching agree with the writings
00:16:12.67\00:16:15.17
of the apostle
Peter, Norah of James.
00:16:15.20\00:16:18.53
And you certainly
couldn't get that belief
00:16:18.56\00:16:21.01
from the teachings of Paul.
00:16:21.04\00:16:23.07
The Old Testament is critical
00:16:23.10\00:16:24.90
as it leads us
to our second proof
00:16:24.93\00:16:26.98
that Jesus was the Son of God.
00:16:27.01\00:16:30.35
You see, delusional
authors could have fabricated
00:16:30.38\00:16:33.71
this whole thing about a
God man with amazing powers,
00:16:33.74\00:16:38.50
but this second proof is
even better than the miracles
00:16:38.53\00:16:41.84
or the works
that Jesus performed
00:16:41.87\00:16:44.56
and what could be
better than miracles? Prophecy.
00:16:44.59\00:16:49.66
Indeed and prophecy is
better than anything else,
00:16:49.69\00:16:52.20
because it
avoids emotional bias.
00:16:52.23\00:16:54.41
Prophecy is evidential
and verifiable and fulfilled
00:16:54.44\00:16:57.84
prophecy appeals to
logic in electing reason.
00:16:57.87\00:17:01.26
On resurrection Sunday the
emotions of Jesus disciples
00:17:01.29\00:17:04.42
fell like a
tennis ball at Wimbledon.
00:17:04.45\00:17:06.73
And first they
were in a complete state
00:17:06.76\00:17:08.13
of horror and dejection
00:17:08.16\00:17:09.53
from the
crucifixion of their master.
00:17:09.56\00:17:11.86
Then they were seeing
shocking news from the woman
00:17:11.89\00:17:14.18
that Jesus was no
longer in the tomb,
00:17:14.21\00:17:16.06
they had risen from the dead.
00:17:16.09\00:17:17.98
On the road to
Emmaus in somewhere
00:17:18.01\00:17:19.74
between faith and doubt,
but much closer to doubt,
00:17:19.77\00:17:23.31
two of Jesus disciples
where plodding toward home.
00:17:23.34\00:17:26.57
As they walked
along, they sadly brooded
00:17:26.60\00:17:28.28
over the events of
this dreadful Passover.
00:17:28.31\00:17:31.01
When the stranger
found step with them,
00:17:31.04\00:17:33.71
the stranger asked one of them
00:17:33.74\00:17:35.11
the reason for
the downcast spirit.
00:17:35.14\00:17:37.43
With sadness
Cleopas told him on the news
00:17:37.46\00:17:39.68
from Jerusalem ending with.
00:17:39.71\00:17:41.96
"But we trusted
that it had been him
00:17:41.99\00:17:44.17
which should
have redeemed Israel.
00:17:44.20\00:17:47.58
Then Jesus said unto them.
00:17:47.61\00:17:49.45
O fools, and slow
of heart to believe
00:17:49.48\00:17:51.54
all that the
prophets have spoken.
00:17:51.57\00:17:53.55
Ought not Christ to
have suffered these things,
00:17:53.58\00:17:55.46
and to enter into his glory?
00:17:55.49\00:17:57.59
And beginning at
Moses and all the prophets,
00:17:57.62\00:18:00.14
he expounded unto
them in all the scriptures
00:18:00.17\00:18:03.27
the things concerning himself."
00:18:03.30\00:18:05.98
Now notice two things here
from the teachings of Jesus.
00:18:06.01\00:18:09.05
First Jesus
says, people are fools
00:18:09.08\00:18:10.96
when they are slow
in heart to believe
00:18:10.99\00:18:12.57
what the scriptures
teach about prophecy.
00:18:12.60\00:18:15.14
The second thing
that we shouldn't miss
00:18:15.17\00:18:17.46
is that Jesus
gave them a Bible study
00:18:17.49\00:18:19.13
directly from the Old Testament.
00:18:19.16\00:18:21.70
"And beginning at
Moses and all the prophets,
00:18:21.73\00:18:23.99
he expounded unto
them in all the scriptures
00:18:24.02\00:18:27.16
the things concerning himself."
00:18:27.19\00:18:29.88
Oh, how I would
have love to been there
00:18:29.91\00:18:31.64
for that Bible study.
00:18:31.67\00:18:33.04
Unfortunately Dave wasn't there
to get a good recording for us.
00:18:33.07\00:18:38.23
The good news for us is
that we still have the Bible,
00:18:38.26\00:18:40.96
the same Bible with
the same prophecies,
00:18:40.99\00:18:43.31
so starting with Moses and with
the help of the other apostles,
00:18:43.34\00:18:46.95
we can reconstruct
that very Bible study.
00:18:46.98\00:18:50.48
Indeed we can, Moses
was the author of Genesis,
00:18:50.51\00:18:53.29
the first book of the Bible.
00:18:53.32\00:18:54.77
In His earliest
chapter 3, we find
00:18:54.80\00:18:57.01
our first messianic prophecy,
our first look at the Messiah
00:18:57.04\00:19:00.53
who would come
back and redeem us all.
00:19:00.56\00:19:02.93
Adam and Eve heard God
tell that serpent in the garden.
00:19:02.96\00:19:05.79
"I will put enmity
between thee and the woman,
00:19:05.82\00:19:08.67
and between thy
seed and her seed,
00:19:08.70\00:19:10.70
it shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel."
00:19:10.73\00:19:14.44
The key word in
this passage is seed.
00:19:14.47\00:19:16.36
That same word
seed is used by God
00:19:16.39\00:19:18.53
again some 2,000 years
later and this prophecy
00:19:18.56\00:19:21.48
given to Father
Abraham in Genesis 12:7.
00:19:21.51\00:19:24.80
"And the Lord
appeared unto Abram and said,
00:19:24.83\00:19:27.03
Unto thy seed
will I give this land,
00:19:27.06\00:19:29.92
and there builded he
an altar unto the Lord,
00:19:29.95\00:19:32.67
who appeared unto him."
00:19:32.70\00:19:35.72
Who was this
seed that will strike
00:19:35.75\00:19:37.20
at the head of Satan himself?
00:19:37.23\00:19:39.08
Who was the seed
that would inherit
00:19:39.11\00:19:41.09
all of the land of
Palestine and beyond?
00:19:41.12\00:19:43.93
Scripture must
interpret scripture
00:19:43.96\00:19:45.68
and Paul's
epistle to the Galatians,
00:19:45.71\00:19:47.53
he unequivocally
nails down who this seed is.
00:19:47.56\00:19:51.04
"Now to Abraham and his
seed were promises made.
00:19:51.07\00:19:54.38
He saith not, and to seeds,
as of many, but as of one,
00:19:54.41\00:19:58.86
and to thy seed,
which is Christ."
00:19:58.89\00:20:02.02
The seed is the one
foretold by God Himself.
00:20:02.05\00:20:05.07
The seed was
prophesied as the one
00:20:05.10\00:20:07.35
who would deliver us from sin.
00:20:07.38\00:20:09.59
The seed was name in
God's last will and testament
00:20:09.62\00:20:12.15
as the inheritor of Israel.
00:20:12.18\00:20:14.40
That seed is none
other than Jesus Christ.
00:20:14.43\00:20:18.57
As Moses was saying goodbye
to the children of Israel
00:20:18.60\00:20:21.24
before the incident that came
in he shared one more prophecy,
00:20:21.27\00:20:24.78
left us one more important
detail concerning the Messiah.
00:20:24.81\00:20:28.44
"The Lord thy God will
raise up unto thee a prophet
00:20:28.47\00:20:31.23
from the midst of
thee, of thy brethren,
00:20:31.26\00:20:33.77
like unto me, unto
him ye shall hearken."
00:20:33.80\00:20:38.61
This messianic
prophecy states clearly
00:20:38.64\00:20:40.93
that the messiah
will be a prophet
00:20:40.96\00:20:43.23
and that he will arise
from the children of Israel.
00:20:43.26\00:20:46.58
And there are more prophesies
like it was verifiable evidence
00:20:46.61\00:20:49.96
that Jesus was the
messiah, the anointed one,
00:20:49.99\00:20:53.04
the Emmanuel who was to come.
00:20:53.07\00:20:55.71
But first I want to give
you a principle of prediction.
00:20:55.74\00:20:58.84
The more details you
insert into a prediction,
00:20:58.87\00:21:02.09
the less likely it
is to be fulfilled.
00:21:02.12\00:21:04.95
If you look
through your Old Testament
00:21:04.98\00:21:06.62
at all the messianic passages
bringing them all together
00:21:06.65\00:21:09.63
in one place there is
an amazing amount detail.
00:21:09.66\00:21:14.23
For example if I told you
00:21:14.26\00:21:15.87
there will be a change
in the weather tomorrow,
00:21:15.90\00:21:18.28
any change would make
my prophecy come true,
00:21:18.31\00:21:20.85
but if I told you
00:21:20.88\00:21:22.29
it'll be 78.5
degrees at 6 in the morning,
00:21:22.32\00:21:25.49
I will have added
two layers of details
00:21:25.52\00:21:27.83
that make
fulfillment less likely.
00:21:27.86\00:21:30.24
If I said we'll have
two and a half inches
00:21:30.27\00:21:32.08
of rain by 5
P.M. in this very spot
00:21:32.11\00:21:35.44
there is a smaller
likelihood I'd be right.
00:21:35.47\00:21:38.71
So here are
three more prophecies.
00:21:38.74\00:21:41.01
The first comes from Micah 5:2,
00:21:41.04\00:21:44.08
which predicts that the one
00:21:44.11\00:21:45.48
who is going to inherit Israel
would be born in Bethlehem.
00:21:45.51\00:21:49.58
Luke 2:4, 5 and 7 tells
us that Mary was with Joseph
00:21:49.61\00:21:53.83
in Bethlehem when it
was time to have her child.
00:21:53.86\00:21:57.31
In Daniel 9:25 the
prophet predicted the very year
00:21:57.34\00:22:00.81
the Messiah, the
anointed one would come.
00:22:00.84\00:22:04.78
Then in Luke 3:21-23
00:22:04.81\00:22:07.46
we learn that Jesus was anointed
right on time in A.D. 27.
00:22:07.49\00:22:12.35
And finally from Isaiah
7:14 we read this prediction.
00:22:12.38\00:22:16.69
"Therefore the Lord
himself shall give you assign,
00:22:16.72\00:22:19.57
behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son,
00:22:19.60\00:22:22.54
and shall call
his name Immanuel."
00:22:22.57\00:22:25.56
According to Matthew
1:23 Mary was indeed a virgin
00:22:25.59\00:22:29.56
and she brought forth a
child, this child in Bethlehem,
00:22:29.59\00:22:32.93
the angel assured Joseph
that Mary story was true.
00:22:32.96\00:22:37.38
"Behold, a virgin
shall be with child,
00:22:37.41\00:22:39.88
and shall bring forth a son,
00:22:39.91\00:22:41.28
and they shall
call his name Emmanuel,
00:22:41.31\00:22:43.65
which being
interpreted is, God with us."
00:22:43.68\00:22:46.98
Remember the more details
you insert into a prediction
00:22:47.01\00:22:49.87
the less likely it
is to be fulfilled.
00:22:49.90\00:22:52.21
The details in this
list are amazingly specific.
00:22:52.24\00:22:56.03
He was to be a prophet, He
was to be born of a virgin,
00:22:56.06\00:23:00.40
He was to be born in Bethlehem,
00:23:00.43\00:23:03.61
He was to be
anointed in A.D. 27,
00:23:03.64\00:23:06.94
and perhaps most importantly
the one who was to come
00:23:06.97\00:23:10.93
would not merely be a man.
00:23:10.96\00:23:13.50
He would be Emmanuel,
00:23:13.53\00:23:15.13
which being
interpreted is God with us.
00:23:15.16\00:23:19.58
That's why they
wanted to stone Jesus,
00:23:19.61\00:23:21.57
for He was using the
same name that God used
00:23:21.60\00:23:24.07
with Moses at the
burning bush in Exodus 3:14.
00:23:24.10\00:23:28.15
"And God said unto
Moses, I am that I am.
00:23:28.18\00:23:32.49
And he said, thus shalt thou
say unto the children of Israel,
00:23:32.52\00:23:35.73
I am hath sent me unto you."
00:23:35.76\00:23:39.93
There are so many
details in these predictions.
00:23:39.96\00:23:43.14
If this was a trial the
jury could convict Jesus
00:23:43.17\00:23:46.66
of being who He claimed to be.
00:23:46.69\00:23:49.05
But that did not stop Satan
from trying to create doubts
00:23:49.08\00:23:52.76
in the mind of Christ.
00:23:52.79\00:23:54.60
Satan called his
sonship into question.
00:23:54.63\00:23:58.55
"And the devil said unto
him, if thou be the Son of God,
00:23:58.58\00:24:02.59
command this stone
that it be made bread."
00:24:02.62\00:24:06.09
Jesus answered the
devil with these words.
00:24:06.12\00:24:08.65
"It is written that man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:24:08.68\00:24:12.57
but by every word of God."
00:24:12.60\00:24:15.87
Our only safety,
our very life comes
00:24:15.90\00:24:18.84
from every word
that comes from God.
00:24:18.87\00:24:22.81
And on this point
God had already spoken.
00:24:22.84\00:24:26.11
Matthew 3:17
says, "And lo a voice
00:24:26.14\00:24:28.98
was heard from heaven saying.
00:24:29.01\00:24:30.95
This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased."
00:24:30.98\00:24:36.57
To make the stones into bread
00:24:36.60\00:24:38.03
would have been
using miraculous powers
00:24:38.06\00:24:40.17
to prove something
that had already been stated
00:24:40.20\00:24:42.90
by God the Father at
the baptism of Jesus.
00:24:42.93\00:24:46.58
when Jesus came to this earth
He came not only as Emmanuel,
00:24:46.61\00:24:51.41
God with us, but
He was also fully man.
00:24:51.44\00:24:55.63
As a man He had to live
by faith just as you and I
00:24:55.66\00:24:59.06
must live by faith
in all the words of God,
00:24:59.09\00:25:02.74
both Old and New Testament.
00:25:02.77\00:25:05.73
So I'm confident
of these two proofs,
00:25:05.76\00:25:08.56
the miracles of
Jesus and the fact
00:25:08.59\00:25:10.72
that God could tell us
thousands of years in advance
00:25:10.75\00:25:15.55
what would happen in the future.
00:25:15.58\00:25:17.86
Both miracles and
prophecies revealed in the Bible
00:25:17.89\00:25:21.93
give me confidence and assurance
00:25:21.96\00:25:24.21
that Jesus was who He
acclaimed to be, the Son of God
00:25:24.24\00:25:28.16
and yes Emmanuel, God with us.
00:25:28.19\00:25:33.32
The Jews weren't ready
to listen to these truths
00:25:33.35\00:25:35.83
as taught by Jesus in
fact they took up stone
00:25:35.86\00:25:39.59
to cast at him,
but Jesus hid himself,
00:25:39.62\00:25:42.47
and went out of the temple,
00:25:42.50\00:25:44.23
going through the midst
of them, and so passed by.
00:25:44.26\00:25:49.04
This assertion that He was God
was rejected over and over again
00:25:49.07\00:25:53.24
by those who had the prophecies
and even their rejection
00:25:53.27\00:25:56.99
was prophesied in Isaiah 53:3.
00:25:57.02\00:26:00.53
Today we too have a
choice, will we reject Him
00:26:00.56\00:26:04.75
or accept Jesus as
our Lord and our God.
00:26:04.78\00:26:09.60
Hi, my name is Andrea and
I count myself so fortunate
00:27:09.26\00:27:13.36
having part of
Thunder In The Holy Land.
00:27:13.39\00:27:15.67
Of course traveling
all over the Middle East
00:27:15.70\00:27:17.63
was a wonderful
adventure and I'll treasure
00:27:17.66\00:27:19.56
that experience for a lifetime.
00:27:19.59\00:27:22.61
But even more
important than walking
00:27:29.80\00:27:31.66
where Jesus
walked was digging deeper
00:27:31.69\00:27:34.08
into what Jesus
taught, the teachings,
00:27:34.11\00:27:37.14
the doctrines of Jesus
are truly transformational.
00:27:37.17\00:27:41.44
If you know Jesus as a
personal savior and friend,
00:27:41.47\00:27:44.51
but are not quite sure
how to go about sharing
00:27:44.54\00:27:46.52
your faith with others,
then I'd like to recommend
00:27:46.55\00:27:49.31
Thunder In The Holy Land.
00:27:49.34\00:27:51.09
This one hour Bible study starts
by watching a 30 minutes video
00:27:51.12\00:27:54.71
then you follow up with 30
minutes of guided discussion,
00:27:54.74\00:27:57.61
where everyone gets
to share from the heart.
00:27:57.64\00:28:01.28
Thunder is fun to watch
and a blessing to share.
00:28:01.31\00:28:04.41
Check us out at qlp.tv
00:28:04.44\00:28:07.35
Behold the fowls of
the air for they sow not,
00:28:13.06\00:28:17.16
neither do they reap,
nor gather into barns;
00:28:17.19\00:28:21.72
yet your heavenly
Father feedeth them.
00:28:21.75\00:28:25.29
Are ye not much
better than they?
00:28:25.32\00:28:27.97