"Who Is Jesus Christ? How Shall We Answer
The World?" (a response to the Da Vinci
Code challenge to the Diety of Jesus
Christ)
Text-Matthew 16:13-20
By-Rev. Danny Moss dannymoss777@yahoo.com
Introduction-
I have always been greatly interested in the
study of theology, especially when it comes to the
person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. While in
seminary at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
I majored in theology, and also loved to study the
beliefs of other faiths and cults, to see what others
believed and why. There is no more crucial issue in
the Christian faith than this one-Who is Jesus
Christ? Jesus knew this, and towards the end of His
public ministry He got alone with the disciples and
asked them this all important question. He wanted to
hear them say what other people thought of Him, but
more importantly, He wanted to know what they thought
of Him, those who had walked with Him, had seen Him
perform miracles, had heard His words, and had known
Him so intimately. Simon Peter, of course, gave the
answer Jesus was looking for. He said, "Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God!" Jesus called
him "blessed," and said that he did not come upon
this revelelation in his own thinking, but that it
had been revealed to him by God the Father. Herein
is a key idea we need to keep in mind when we respond
to unbelievers who see this movie, "The Da Vinci
Code," and come away from it convinced anew that
Christianity has no foundation, and ought to be
rejected. Folks, until God opens a person’s heart
and mind(understanding) they will not, they cannot
accept or believe that Jesus is who He claimed to be.
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him:
neither can he know them, because they are spirit-
ually discerned." When the light of God dawns on
them, they will know and believe, but not until then.
Let me also make perfectly clear that I am not ad-
vocating anyone going to see this movie. Why should
we as Christians make every Christ attacker that
comes along wealthy for denying our Lord? What this
does do; however, in my opinion, is give us as be-
lievers a golden opportunity to share our faith with
all of those who do not know Jesus, by telling them
the truth. Let’s not fail to take advantage of it.
So, let’s deal with how we are going to respond to
the world concerning this movie and its attack upon
the most fundamental belief of our faith. The forces
of evil are correct in thinking that if they attack
the person of Christ, and destroy belief in His
diety it will ultimately destroy the Christian faith
as we know it and have always believed it to be.
God will bless His Word, and what it says, more than
our words, and what we say. His Word is sharp and
powerful. It can bring conviction and change. Just
who is this one called Jesus of Nazareth? Who did
He claim to be? Who did others believe Him to be?
What do the Scriptures say concerning Him?
Let’s deal with these one at a time.
FIRST, WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES REVEAL ABOUT WHO JESUS
IS?
The Scriptures reveal that Jesus
Christ is the only-begotten Son of God, whom He
sent into the world on a mission-to save the lost.
The "Word"(Jesus) was with God, and was God.
John 1:1. These words were recorded by the
beloved disciple of Jesus named John.
It was only after the resurrection of Jesus
that the faith of Jesus’ disciples was
matured to the point of seeing who He really
was, and what He had come to do. Even John
the Baptist, the Forerunner of Christ, who
prepared His way once doubted if He was the
One to come, the Messiah. Jesus told him
to look at His works(healing, teaching, etc.).
Even Judas, who betrayed Him, admitted later
that He was "innocent."
Colossians 1:15-"Who(Jesus) is the image of
the invisible God, the firsborn of every
creature." By His own claim (John 8:24),
He is the Messiah of the Jews. Unless one
believes this, he will die in his sins.
In Him, all fullness dwelt.(Colossians 1:19)
II. Secondly, WHO DID JESUS HIMSELF CLAIM TO BE?
Jesus claimed to be the resurrection and the
life. (John 11:25)
Jesus also claimed to be the only way to
God (John 14:6)-"I am the way, the truth, and
the life: no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me."
Even from the early days of Christianity, there
were arguments and discussions about Jesus, and
who He was. Some denied His diety, and others
denied His humanity. The Scriptures reveal that
He is fully God, and fully man, not part God and
part man, or temporarily God and then man, but
both God.As Thomas, the doubting disciple, later
exclaimed-"My Lord, and My God!"
III. Thirdly, WHO DID OTHERS CLAIM HIM TO BE?
Some of those who denied His Diety-
1. The Ebionites, who said Jesus was only a man.
2. The Arians, said Jesus was the first and
greatest of God’s created beings, but less
than God-not co-equal.
Some of those who denied His Humanity-
1. The Docetics, who said He only "seemed" to
have a human body. He was not flesh, as
the Scriptures claim.
2. The Apollinarians, who said that Christ
did not have a human mind.
Jesus claimed that He existed before Abraham.
He claimed to be sinless, and to have power
to forgive sin. He claimed to be one with
the Father. He accepted worship of Himself.
It is by Him, and for Him, that all things
were created, and have their meaning. John 1.
His works reveal that He is God.
He was creator of all things-John 1:1-2
He healed the sick, raised the dead, brought
sight to the blind, and cast out demons.
He fed the multitudes, walked on water, revealed
the future, controlled the weather, overcame the
Devil, and was victorious over the grave.
Even His critics admitted that He
was God.
Demons confessed that He was the Son of God.
Pilate confessed-"I find no fault in this Man."
The Roman solder at the cross cried out-"Surely,
this was the Son of God!"
All of our hope hinges on the fact of who Jesus
is, and whether of not we believe.
Do you believe? Who is Jesus to you? Your
eternal destiny hinges on how you answer that
question from your heart.
