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For the last 2000 years, a constant battle has been raging. A continual debate raging. And all about one question in particular: Who was Jesus. In fact this debate is so old, the Gospels record this very question. Set by the Lord himself; He challenged Peter: “Who do you say that I am”

 

Let’s look back over the Gospel account and see what people thought about the Lord Himself.

 

First in the witness bar, the Pharisees, the religious elite. These were the very cream of the crop. If you wanted to rise to the top in those days, you had to belong to the Pharisaical sect. These guys made the religious rules, they had the most important positions in the synagogues, and were revered and respected by the common folk of the day. What they said, went, in those days! 

 

The questions is put to them: Pharisees  “Who do you say that He is?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh thank God, the Lord came here as a friend of tax gatherers and sinners. Thank God His arms were open wide, so that all could come to Him. You did not have to belong to the religious elite, but as long as you felt you had a need, the Lord would welcome you with open arms. Tax gatherers were the very lowest of the low, the dregs of society and yet the Lord welcomed them all in. Oh how much the Lord would love to welcome you in today, in all your sin, all your unworthiness, all your emptiness. You know you are a sinner, with an unmet need, how Christ would love to meet that need today, if only you would put your trust in Him now! When the Lord was here He interacted with everyone, His offer of salvation was open to all. When the Pharisees said that Jesus was a friend of tax gatherers and sinners, they meant it as a most offensive insult, but its one of the most remarkable testimonies about the Lord’s character in the whole of the Gospels. “A friend of tax gatherers and sinners” He’s been a friend to many a poor sinner since that time, is he yours?

 

Next in the witness stand is Pilot: the Roman Governor. The most powerful man in the whole of the land, with the authority of Rome behind him. What did this great man have to say about the Lord?

 

The questions is put forward again. “Who do you say that He is?”

 

Pilot answers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course Pilot could find no fault! His judgment was the embodiment of the greatest judicial system of the time. It could find no fault, on any account, with Jesus. 

 

What makes it more amazing that Christ could interact and mingle with the very dregs of society, was that He was, in every way, perfect. How could He be anything else? He was God manifest in flesh. If the Lord Jesus was to lay down His life as a sacrifice for sin, He would have to be a perfect sacrifice. God could accept nothing else. The types of the offerings in the Old Testament required an animal with no blemish. Some of the offerings were cut up into pieces to symbolically prove there was no blemish on the inside or the outside. It was the same with Christ. He was perfect in every way, His life was in perfect accord with what He was. He even said I am “…Altogether that which I also say to you.” A perfect man, living a perfect life. It was no wonder that Pilot found no fault with Him!

 

Who next? Ah yes, the Centurion at the cross. The hardened veteran of many a vicious battle. Probably not a man to cross, and certainly not a man who would show his emotions easily. The question sounds out again across the courtroom.

 

“Who do you say that He is?”

 

The Centurion replies in an instant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a testimony from a unconverted man. As he stood looking at the Lord Jesus, dying on that cross what made him give this remarkable witness? He had probably seen hundreds of criminals die in agony before him, he had become numb to the pain and suffering he witnessed on a daily basis. What was different about the Lord’s death? Maybe it was the grace He showed to His family in His dying moments. Maybe it was the mercy He proclaimed as He forgave His hate filled murderers. Maybe it was sudden darkness and earthquakes that caused the old soldier to shake and fall to his knees. Maybe it was the look of love in the Lord’s eyes as He promised a criminal dying next to Him that “Today you will be with me in paradise” Whatever it was, this man felt compelled to make a statement he may not have even understood. “Truly this man was Son of God” 

How true it was, Jesus was not only perfect, but He was God’s only Son. How amazing to think that God would let His own and only Son be nailed to a cross. And worse, to come under the total and complete judgment of God, as He poured out His righteous anger against sin. He did that for you. Did you know that? Maybe you think you are a tiny insignificant little blot in a huge universe, unnoticed sometimes by even your closest friends. But you are important enough to God that He would send His Son to die in your place, so that you would not have to bear the awful eternal punishment for your sin. Surely, that is worth a response?  

 

Next in the witness stand comes a more friendly character, in fact four more friendly characters, as these four men always come together. Matthew; Mark; Luke and John. The four gospel writers, given the task of writing the most read biography the world has ever seen!

So what do these men say when asked the question?

 

“Who do you say that He is?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew answers first.

 

"He is a king, in fact the King of Kings. The ruler of the universe, the all powerful, all righteous monarch. I presented Him as a king, and what a king He is." 

 

Mark responds next.

 

"Jesus Christ is a servant. Everything His Father wanted Him to do, He did in absolute perfection. There was nothing that the Lord did that was out of sync with His Father’s will. Even at a young age, He was explaining that He must be about His Father’s business. And what was that business? Revealing the Father’s love to mankind, ultimately ending in the death on the cross. The extreme expression of divine love."

 

Next up, Luke, the doctor.

 

"I presented Christ as a man, a man able to heal all. A man able to give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, strength to the weak. What a man Jesus was. He was a real man. An actual human being. And there were often times when this was so evident, when he cried at Lazarus’s tomb, when He got angry with the people in God’s house.  Yet despite being a real man, He never once stepped into the bounds of sin. He was perfect in every way." 

 

Finally John, slightly different from the three writers before, and yet similar in many ways as well. What does he have to say about Christ?

 

"Jesus Christ was everything my friends have said before. Yet I presented Him in a slightly different manner. I presented the Lord Jesus as the Son. The Son of God. I presented Him as God living here among His creation. I presented His awesome power, His unspeakable love, His unequalled grace.

Jesus Christ did and said many great things, but I focus on His wondrous Person. He was not just perfect, He was God in the form of man."

 

The four gospels present the Lord in very different ways, each is written with a different slant. Yet when read together, we get a beautiful picture of the Lord’s character. It is important to read the Gospels as distinct books, but never loose sight of the fact they are all talking about the same blessed person!

 

Next up, we have John the Baptist. An odd looking individual, and some of the crowd in the courtroom recoil at the sight of this man. He is wearing rough looking leather clothes. His face is weathered and beaten from his life in the dessert. His hair is messy and his beard is unkempt. What does this man have to say when the questions is put to him?

 

“Who do you say that He is?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lord Jesus was here as a sacrifice for sins. Just as in Exodus, when the Passover lamb had to be slaughtered in order to put its blood on the doorposts, to save the people in the house from the destroying angel. So here, we have the Lord as a perfect lamb, his blood was put before God so God would not have to judge us, but could come out in blessing towards us. Are you sheltering under that blood? Its the only thing that will do for God. The only sacrifice that He could accept. Its power great enough so that all in the world can take shelter under it, if only they would accept the sacrifice as for them.

 

Finally, we have the Father Himself.  “Who do you say that He is?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Father has spoken, it was not the voice of a man or an angel, but God himself. This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight. What a testimony. Jesus was everything that we should have been and more. He is perfect against our standards, but more importantly, He was perfect against God’s standard. The only man that would do for God. God could accept none other than His only Son. Nobody else was qualified to do the job at hand, none could carry it out with such perfection, endurance and patience as the Lord did. When He went all the way to Calvary to secure for Himself, and His Father, a collection of people to respond in thanksgivings. A collection of people who will one day see the Lord face to face. This people of course are called Christians. Are you part of that company? Have you trusted in Jesus as your Saviour? Make it sure today. There is no other way to get to Heaven. God has found favour in His Son, and as such trusting in the Son, is the only way to get to Heaven. God’s way is the only way!

 

Now last of all we come to you. You step up to the plate. You look round at the crowded courtroom, and with a sudden jolt, you realise you are not in the witness box, but you are standing in the place of the defence. You look up at the judge, you can’t believe it, it's the Lord Jesus himself. You know the question that is coming and you realise your answer will affect your eternal destiny. The words echo loudly off the walls of the courtroom.

 

“What do I mean to you?” 

Jesus in the Dock

I find no fault in this man

 

Truly this man was Son of God

 

Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight.

..a friend of tax-gatherers,

and of sinners

 

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