WHO DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE?

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                     WHO DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE?
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The claims Jesus made about Himself must be dealt with by every human
being.  He was who He said He was or He was a liar or lunatic.
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1.  IF JESUS THOUGHT HE WAS GOD AND YET HE WAS NOT, WHAT WOULD YOU
    CONCLUDE ABOUT HIM?
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2.  IF JESUS KNEW HE WAS NOT GOD AND YET CLAIMED THAT HE WAS, WHAT
    WOULD YOU CONCLUDE ABOUT HIM?
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3.  IF THE ABOVE TWO QUESTIONS ARE NOT TRUE, WHAT IS THE ONLY OTHER
    ALTERNATIVE?
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Jesus Christ claimed He was God.  When Jesus spoke of His deity to
those who were not His followers, they knew exactly what He was
claiming to be.  And they wanted to stone Him to death for it. One
example is found in the 8th chapter of the Gospel of John.  The
conversation concerned the father of Jewish nation, Abraham:
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John 08:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it,
and was glad.
John 08:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years
old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
John 08:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Before Abraham was, I AM.
John 08:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid
himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them,
and so passed by.
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   WHAT DID CHRIST SAY THAT MADE THESE JEWS WANT TO STONE HIM?
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John 08:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
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Before Abraham was, I AM.
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The key is in verse 58.  In using the term I AM Jesus declared His
deity; His identity as God. These Jews, who were Old Testament
scholars, knew what I AM meant from Gods statement to Moses at the
burning bush:
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Exodus 03:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said,
Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me
unto you.
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Another example is found in John 10.  As Jesus walked through the
temple, some Jews demanded that if He was the Messiah He should tell
them plainly.
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John 10:24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How
long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us
plainly.
John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the
works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
John 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I
said unto you.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me:
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John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no
man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.

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            WHAT IS THE CLAIM OF CHRIST IN VERSE 30?
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Let's observe how the Jews reacted to the claim Christ made in verse
30 which said "I and my Father are one.":
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John 10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
John 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you
from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
John 10:33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone
thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man,
makest thyself God.
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Did the Jews have a problem understanding What Christ said? NONE
Whatsoever!  As verse 33 says... 'You, being a Man, make Yourself
God'
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The Lord Jesus continued His conversation with these unbelievers, and
again claimed His deity:
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John 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
John 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works:
that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
John 10:39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped
out of their hand,

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             WHY DID THE JEWS SEEK AGAIN TO TAKE HIM?
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Jesus also claimed His deity while with His disciples.  In John 14,
Philip asked Christ to show them the Father:
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John 14:09 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you,
and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath
seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father
in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the
Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me:
or else believe me for the very works'sake.
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He that has seen Christ has seen the Father.
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A week after Jesus had risen from the dead, all of the disciples but
Thomas had seen Jesus.  The only way Thomas was to be convinced was
to see the Savior for himself:
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John 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and
behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my
side: and be not faithless, but believing.
John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
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                   WHAT DOES THOMAS CALL JESUS?
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Thomas summarized the deity of Christ as both Lord and God.  And
Christ commended Thomas for not doubting that Jesus was God:
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John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me,
thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have
believed.
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Almost 2,000 years later, attitudes have not changed.  Those who
refuse to believe the claims of Jesus react in offense at the
suggestion that Jesus is God.

Either Jesus is who He said He was, Lord and God, or he was a madman
or demon.
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In our next lesson, we'll look at the claims of those who had seen
and heard Jesus during His earthly visit.
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