Christmas Eve, in 2008 I think it was, I
sat in the small church where I was a member at the time amidst people who were my church family, along with people I had not seen in awhile as well as people
who were there at the church for the first time. The sermon was early in the
service, and Reverend Scott Anderson stood before us and spoke. He proposed some related questions: Why do I believe
this Christmas story? Why do I believe
in Jesus? Why do I believe what the
Bible teaches?
Pastor Scott Anderson said there are three reasons he
believes the Bible is true. First, he
believes the witnesses of the Apostles recorded in the Bible.
Second, he believes the witnesses of Christians for the past 2000 years. Thirdly, he believes the witnesses of a
number of Christians he knows now.
In a soft spoken manner, he elaborated on these three clear points. I thought it was the best Christmas sermon I
have ever heard.
One witness I would add is the witness of
the Holy Spirit to the truth of Jesus. The Bible teaches all of those people needed to rely on the Holy Spirit to be a witness. And on a personal level, no one besides God knows how
much Jesus has done in an individuals heart beside that individual, and hopefully he or she will recognize it as the work of the
Holy Spirit.
Jesus only ministered in this world for
three years, an extremely short time in the scope of world history. Yet He promised the Counselor, the Holy
Spirit, would come after Him. Jesus
stated: “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of
everything I have said to you" (John 14:25-26 NIV). The hope of all followers of Jesus rested on
this promise, because only by the Holy Spirit could Jesus be followed in the
wake of His return to heaven. Otherwise the early believers in Jesus would have been trying to follow on their own strength the One who would have otherwise left them. And besides that, since God loves people, He wants to be with people, for more than a three year stint. If Jesus did not send the Holy Spirit, people would still not be united with God. Yet thanks to Jesus atonement on the Cross, and the offering of the Holy Spirit, people can be united with God.
A person receives the Holy Spirit if he or
she believes in Jesus because Jesus atoned for sins on the cross, thus He is
able to cleanse a person who is not Holy.
Thus a believer is “justified,” and the Holy Spirit can indwell in his
or her heart. And a person with the Holy
Spirit in his or her heart can rely on Him to be illuminated by the witnesses Pastor
Scott Anderson talked about.
Having considered some classic
Christian books in recent weeks, I was thinking about More Than A Carpenter
by Josh McDowell. Only the second
Christian book I read, I read it on the Washington D.C. subway travelling to
and from work back around 1992. The book helped me, a
young Christian, at that delicate beginning stage of my journey following Jesus. The chapter which most impacted me was where
he talked about how 11 of the 12 Apostles died for Jesus. Mr. McDowell argued that eleven men would not all
die for a lie. I thought the historical
evidence he gave was the best support for the legitimacy of the apostle’s witness. As a person who did not
receive Jesus until I was 22, and who had learned about many other subjects at
Virginia Tech, this application of history and logic was convincing to me.
Dr. Craig Blomberg, distinguished New
Testament scholar who has taught at Denver Seminary for coming on 30 years,
spoke at my church Bethel Grove Bible Church last weekend for a special seminar. Dr. Blomberg talked about how he turned to
Jesus when he was age fifteen, and how the premise of Josh McDowell’s book was a key for his growing faith. McDowell
gave the argument that the teaching and claims of Jesus were such that He was
either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord.
Yet the time came when a person challenged Dr. Blomberg on a different
issue. The person claimed the Bible was
not historically accurate, so rather than Jesus being a liar, a lunatic, or
Lord, Jesus was no more than a fictional character, and the Bible was a
fantasy. Thus there was another
consideration to add to McDowell’s list: that Jesus could have been a
“legend.” Dr. Blomberg in faith began a
search to learn of the historical accuracy of the Scriptures. The result was his discovery of support
galore for the accuracy of the Bible.
One of his talks this past Saturday, my favorite, examined the issue of
whether the Bible transcripts have been corrupted. His scholarship is extensive.
Yet after a weekend of much scholarly
engagement, Dr. Blomberg, who was also the guest preacher for the Sunday
services, closed the sermon saying the Holy Spirit was necessary to produce a
historically accurate witness, and the Holy Spirit is necessary for our faith
today. Then my question is; why? Ultimately the Bible is a witness to God, and
we imperfect people need the perfect Holy Spirit to be involved in all facets
of the process as we learn about Jesus, our Savior and Lord.
Though 22 years ago, I still remember the
ending of that book where Mr. McDowell talked about how he was quite the
popular guy on his college campus, but that on the inside he was suffering,
struggling to make it to each weekend. After
he turned to Jesus, his life was radically changed. The ending of the book went from ancient
history to the history of one human being right there in the 20th
century, one human being who is totally loved by God, and who was blessed by
receiving Jesus.
Reading that book 22 years ago sitting on
the D.C. subway, I had no idea that one day I would spend much time over the
period of years doing my own research, as a believer, to learn more and more
about the historical accuracy of the Bible.
This happened in two ways. First
and foremost, I studied the Bible by faith that it is historically
accurate. And wow, my conviction of its
historical accuracy went out the roof.
Second, I have read many secondary sources which support the Biblical
witness. For example, after learning
from Mr. McDowell that 11 apostles of Jesus were martyred, I will be presenting a series of pieces on the Twelve Apostles.
“Church” history is full of sinful stuff
including fights for power and money.
Yet an extensive look reveals a history full of the mercy and grace of
Jesus in the lives of those who followed Him.
And Jesus invites you to join His adventure, even today.
That leads to my final point. You and I can experience the truth of Jesus!
I have read, and I continue to read, the Bible witnesses.
I have read some witnesses from history.
I have heard witnesses in my own day and age.
I have received the Spirit of Christ in my heart.
AND, I have witnessed Jesus working in my life!
I have lived a journey with Jesus!!!
Jesus Christ died on a cross for the
forgiveness of sins of anyone. Jesus was
the substitute for the consequences of sins, which is spiritual death. If you believe in Jesus, you will have eternal
life in heaven with the Lord God Almighty, who loves you with all of His heart.
Hunter
Irvine
