Volume 1 Lawrence, Kansas October 1961 Number 10
Adrift in the shark infested waters of the South Pacific Ocean seven Americans of the U. S. Army Air Corps spent three weeks in rubber rafts. The sun beat down upon them unmercifully as they were tossed about in the equatorial waters. By day the heat was unbearable, at night the cold numbed their bodies. Thirst, hunger, and sharks, and the ever-present shadow of death were their companions. For one of them it was a twofold adventure. An adventure in which he faced death, and an adventure in which he came to acknowledge there is a God, and to believe in his Son, Jesus Christ.
An agnostic when he entered the service, this young man came to trust in God for deliverance, convinced that atheism was of no value there in that rubber boat, amid the white caps, and the ever represent sharks. Atheism—disbelief in God, rejection of Jesus Christ, exists only when men occupy positions of safety and security. That boy in the raft faced the reality of death. Under like conditions every doubter would believe in the Bible, in God, in Jesus Christ.
Long ago Christ spoke to another doubter, saying, "Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Today we have the Bible to convince us of the reality and the divinity of Christ. He taught that all that do not believe in him will be lost. "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." There never was a saved person who did not get that salvation from Jesus Christ. Find a place where people have no love for their neighbors, where they are cruel, without honor and I will show you a place where men and women despise the Bible and reject Christ. Find me a place where men and women in general are law abiding, good citizens, upright in their lives, and I will show you a place where people are followers of Christ.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."To the publican and sinner, the scarlet girl, to the man cast out of the synagogue he told them of God's love. His teaching reveals that the future is not black and hopeless for the human family, but bright with the promise of heaven. The bad can be made good. Though man had come short and transgressed the laws of God, Christ proclaimed the forgiveness of their sins—"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Open the Bible, read the message for yourself. It is for YOU.
"Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy."
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
This great teacher had sympathy and love for humanity. The people of other ages sat at the feet of the great philosophers, Plato, Aristotle and Socrates, yet when Christ began to speak, the world with one accord began to speak, saying, "Never man spake as this man." This is why I believe Christ to be the Son of God.
One day an insurance man was interviewing a Minister. In the course of their conversation the salesman remarked that he was inclined to reject the Bible as the word of God. He was reminded that many prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled in the person of Christ. He contended that Christ planned his actions to fit the prophecies to influence the Jews that he was the Messiah. The minister then asked, "If that is so how did Jesus arrange to be born in the very town, of the very family, and at the very time the prophets foretold. "That," said the doubter, "was just a coincidence. When Jesus knew that he was born in Bethlehem, of the seed of David, he got the idea of claiming to be the Messiah."
"Very well" replied the preacher, "now explain how Christ arranged to have two thieves crucified with him in order to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah that he would be numbered with the transgressors. And while you are on the subject, tell me how Jesus arranged with the chief priests to have Judas betray him for thirty pieces of silver, and tell me how he arranged for the Potter's field to be bought with the money. Explain to me also how Jesus, while hanging on the cross, persuaded the Roman soldiers, who crucified him, to divide his garments among them, but to cast lots for the coat, as foretold by the Psalmist David. If your theory is true, show why the soldiers decided not to break his legs as they did the two thieves who were crucified with him."
The Salesman, like many others who reject Christ as the Son of God, had not considered these things. The only way they can be explained is that God foresaw them and Christ fulfilled them. That is why I believe Christ to be the Son of God.
The last week of his life on earth, Jesus enters Jerusalem. The multitudes hail him as the Messiah, crying, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." He made no effort to restrain those who proclaimed him as a king. In the temple he drove out those who bought and sold, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, saying, "It is written, my Father's house shall be called a house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves." This enraged the chief priests, leaders and rulers of the Jews, and they began to plot his death.
Judas, one of the Twelve, came to them saying, "What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?" This was a literal fulfillment of the prophecy of David, "Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.''—Psalm 41:9. All know the story of his betrayal. The day is spent in Jerusalem, and he weeps over the city, and bids his disciples make ready the Passover. Then we have the story of the Upper Room, the institution of the Lord's Supper. While eating, Christ tells his disciples, "One of you shall betray me." Judas was the last to ask, "Lord, is it I?" Christ answers, "Thou has said." He then gives to Judas a morsel of bread, and Judas departs.
Christ and the eleven now leave the upper room, and go to the garden, and here he pours out his soul to God: "O, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done." The mob approaches, Christ speaks, "I am he whom ye seek." The mob binds his hands and the disciples forsook him and fled. The prophet had said, "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad." This prophecy was fulfilled to the very letter. That is why I believe Christ to be the Son of God.
The mob takes Christ to the judges of Israel. Caiaphas, the High Priest, is there. Approaching Christ, he demands, "Tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God." Christ answers simply, "Thou hast said." The High Priest rents his clothes saying, "He hath spoken blasphemy, What think ye?" And they said, "He is guilty of death." He is then sent to Pilate, then to Herod and back to Pilate, each trying to pass the responsibility to the other. Finally, Pilate persuaded that Jesus is innocent, attempts to release him. "What shall I do with Jesus?" he asks the multitude. With one voice, they cry. Away with him. Crucify him." Pilate then takes Jesus away from the crowd in an effort to get him to talk. "Tell me, what hast thou done?" he asks. What a travesty in the name of justice! A man condemned and the judge ready to pass sentence, but before doing, he asks, "What have you done? What crimes are you accused?"
Christ could have answered that question, but he did not. He could have said, "You ask what I have done? One day a man came to me saying his daughter was dead. I entered into his home, took that little girl by the hand, lifted her up, and restored her to her father alive. One day near Jericho two blind men called out saying, "Have mercy on us thou son of David." I gave them sight, and now they can see. All I have done is to heal the sick, open the eyes of the blind, comfort the broken hearted, and show them that God loves them, and that he sent me to save them." No wonder Peter said of Christ, that he "went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil."—Acts 10:38.
Pilate scourged Christ, then delivered him into the hands of the Roman soldiers to be crucified. They clothed him with purple, put a crown of thorns upon his head, smote him and mocked him, then led him away to the awful agony of death by crucifixion. While he hung suspended upon that horrible cross, the sun refused to shine, the earth quaked, and the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom.
The soldiers watching Jesus, said, "Truly this man was the Son of God." "It is finished" murmurs Jesus as he bows his head and surrenders his spirit. Tenderly his friends remove his body from the cross, and consign it to the embrace of the grave. But the grave cannot contain him. On the third day he breaks the bonds of death and comes forth a victor over death, hades and the grave. The women, first to arrive at the tomb on the first day of the week, found no disorder. The linen clothes were folded together, and an angel in bright apparel said, "He is not here, for he has arisen." Was that a fact? Did he really rise from the dead? If he did not, what became of his body? If his enemies stole it, they would have produced it, for they stopped short of nothing to discredit the story of his resurrection. If his disciples stole his body, they preached a lie, and men do not die to support a lie. Men die for the truth, but not for a lie. For that truth, James bowed his head to the glittering axe. Peter was crucified head downward, and Paul suffered death outside the city of Rome. The apostles all gave their lives in support of the truth that Jesus rose from the dead. They sealed their testimony with their blood. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the best established fact of history. He was seen alive, not once, not twice, but at least ten times, and on one occasion was seen by more than five hundred people.
He left no colleges to propagate his ideas, but committed them to a few humble fishermen. He never wrote a single sermon, he never published a book, but his doctrines have endured for two thousand years, lifting men and women out of sin, and restoring them to the favor of God. This is why I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God.