Lunatic, Devil or God?

Centuries ago a young man showed up on the streets of the Middle East making some radical claims. They seemed preposterous and farfetched. He claimed to be, get this, the King of the Universe. Who was he? A laughable egomaniac? Someone mentally deranged? The greatest imposter ever? Well... The young radical went on to make a series of claims so sweeping that if they were true nothing would ever be the same again. I speak of none other than Jesus of Nazareth.

Sinnners and alcoholics are very much alike. Once an alcoholic always an alcoholic. In the same way, once a sinner always a sinner. We may be sinners saved by grace but sinners nevertheless. We all have scars from our battles for freedom from sin. We struggle daily for the mastery over the sins that so easily beset us. I don't know your personal stories but I know our shared journey-battered and bruised by the enemy of souls.

You would never guess by looking at the smiling masks we wear to cover our faces as we keep replying, 'Fine thasnk you, and you?"in response to the question 'How are you doing?' that our marriages are on the rocks, our children need counselling , we are desperately in need of a job, we are contemplating suicide and the list goes on.

Many of us are defeated, discouraged, depressed and downright despondent, but there is hope spoken in the words of the radical. There is hope that can turn a vanquished sinner into a victorious one. Two words, the two most liberating words ever spoken falls from the lips of this radical. "I AM". In response to the Jews (John 8:58) Jesus of Nazareth declares: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM." There is no doubt that the Jews got His meaning. They knew the story of Exodus 3. They therefore knew that Jesus was claiming to be the great 'I AM' God of the Old Testament- The Self Existent, and Eternal One, the Great Creator God of the Universe and of the burning bush.

What shall we in the 21st century do with Jesus' incontrovertible claim to divinity? He claims to be God! Shall we stone Him too? I guess we are too modern for those primitive measures. It's easy to just ignore or reject Him. It's even easier to forget Him. Nevertheless Jesus asks the question, "What think ye of Christ? Whose son is He?" (Matthew 22:42) How do we in the 21st century respond to His question? What do we think of Jesus?

A man who was just a man and said the things Jesus said would either have to be a lunatic or a devil. So, is it possible that a great prophet could make these claims, or maybe a great teacher? No! No! Never! Who then is this Jesus who declares resoundingly:

I AM the Water of Life (John 4:26)

I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35)

I AM God (John 8:58)

I AM the Light of the World (John 8:12)

I AM the Door (John 10:7&9)

I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)

I AM the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)

I AM the Vine (John15:5)

I AM the Way (John14:6)

The story of a great musical conductor is told by David McLennon. Arturo Toscanani was rehearsing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. After the last note of the symphony's moving finale had echoed away, silence filled the rehearsal hall. Toscanani then spoke. "Who is Toscanini," he asked. There was no reply. "I am nobody," His voice echoed through the the hall. "It is Beethoven- He is everything." Today, in the 21st century what was true for the followers of Beethoven in the realm of music must be true for the Christian in the realm of life. Jesus must be everything.

The radical declares, "I am the Way."

My friends, what will you do with Jesus?

Will you ignore Him as a lunatic? Reject Him as a devil? Think of Him as a great prophet or even a great teacher? Or, will you crown Him as King of your life?

Jesus (El Gibhor) is everything.

(Source book: The Claim by Dwight K. Nelson