It is impossible for us to know conclusively whether God exists and what he is like unless he takes the initiative and reveals himself.

We must scan the horizon of history to see if there is any clue to God’s revelation. There is one clear clue. In an obscure village in Palestine, 2,000 years ago, a Child was born in a stable. Today the entire world is still celebrating the birth of Jesus, and for good reason. His life changed the course of history.

“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And   now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the  Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.” Hebrews 1:1-2, NLT 

He was born into the world and grew up just like every other person, but He was no ordinary man. He was called the “Son of God”  (Luke 1:26-38) and the “Word of God.”  

“1So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and  faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” John 1:14, NLT 

How People Viewed Jesus

We’re told that “the common people heard him gladly.” And, “He taught as One who had authority, and not as their teachers of the Law.”

It soon became apparent, however, that he was making shocking and startling statements about himself. He began to identify himself as far more than a remarkable teacher or prophet. He began to say clearly that he was Deity. He made his identity the focal point of his teaching.

The all-important question he put to those who followed him was, “Who do you say I am?” When Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus was not shocked, nor did he correct Peter. On the contrary, he commended him!

Jesus frequently referred to “My Father,” and his hearers got the full impact of his words. We are told, “The Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” On another occasion he said, “I and My Father are One.” Immediately the religious authorities wanted to stone him. Jesus asked them which of his miracles caused them to want to kill him. They replied, “We are not stoning you for any of these but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

What Jesus said about himself

Jesus clearly claimed powers which only God has. One time Jesus said to a man who was paralyzed, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” The religious leaders immediately reacted. “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” So Jesus said to them, “Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say ‘Get up and walk’?”

Jesus continued, “But that you might know that I have authority on earth to forgive sins, he said to the man, “Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And the man was instantly healed to all of their amazement.

Jesus also made statements like this one: “I came that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.” And “I am the light of the world.” And he said numerous times that if anyone would believe in him, Jesus would give them eternal life. “He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.”

At the critical moment when Jesus’ life was at stake for making claims such as these, the high priest put the question to him directly: “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”

“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

The high priest rendered the verdict. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard his blasphemy.”9

So close was Jesus’ connection with God that he equated a person’s attitude to himself with the person’s attitude toward God. Thus, to know him was to know God. To see him was to see God. To believe in him was to believe in God. To receive him was to receive God. To hate him was to hate God. And to honor him was to honor God.

Jesus Represented God 

“ The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains  everything by the mighty power of his command…” Hebrews 1:3, NLT (see also Colossians 1:15-17) 

Jesus is called “the Word of God” (John 1:1-4,14). He existed eternally before He took on human  nature (Philippians 2:6-7). As the Word, He communicated the heart of God to mankind. In Jesus,  we see what God the Father is like.  

“If you had really known me [Jesus], you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know  him and have seen him! … Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!… Just believe that I  am in the Father and the Father is in me…” John 14:7-11, NLT (see also 1:18) 

He showed us God’s love, holiness, wisdom and power.  

What is the proof for Jesus being God?

Anyone can make claims. There have been others who have claimed to be God. I could claim to be God, and you could claim to be God, but the question all of us must answer is, “What credentials do we bring to prove our claim?” In my case it wouldn’t take you five minutes to debunk my claim. It probably wouldn’t take too much more to dispose of yours.

But when it comes to Jesus of Nazareth, it’s not so simple. He had the credentials to back up his claim. He said, “Even though you do not believe me, believe the evidence of the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”

Jesus Represented Man 

“The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did  what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.”  Romans 8:3, NLT 

In Jesus we not only see the perfect image of God, we also see the perfect image of man, as God intended us to be. He didn’t just take on human form; He completely identified with life as we know  it. He shared totally in our humanity.  

“ Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he  gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.  When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s  death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8, NLT 

During his life on earth, Jesus experienced all the troubles of life that we face, and so He understands how we feel (Matthew 8:17). In this way Jesus became the example for us. In His words, His actions and His character He showed us how to live a life pleasing to God (1 Peter 4:1-2; 2:21-25). 

“ This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do,  yet he did not sin. ” Hebrews 4:15, NLT 

The quality of the life of Jesus

His moral character aligned with his claims. The quality of his life was such that he was able to challenge his enemies with the question, “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?”17 He was met by silence, even though he addressed those who would have liked to point out a flaw in his character.

We read of Jesus being tempted by Satan, but we never hear of a confession of sin on his part. He never asked for forgiveness, though he told his followers to do so.

This lack of any sense of moral failure on Jesus’ part is astonishing in view of the fact that it is completely contrary to the experience of the saints and prophets throughout the ages. The closer men and women draw to God, the more overwhelmed they are with their own failure, corruption, and shortcomings. The closer one is to a shining light, the more he realizes his need for a bath.

It is also striking that John, Paul, and Peter, all of whom were trained from earliest childhood to believe in the universality of sin, all spoke of the sinlessness of Christ: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

Even Pilate, who sentenced Jesus to death, asked, “What evil has he done?” After listening to the crowd, Pilate concluded, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” The crowd relentlessly demanded Jesus be crucified (for blasphemy, claiming to be God). The Roman centurion who assisted in the crucifixion of Christ said, “Surely he was the Son of God.”

Jesus’ miracles – he cured the sick

Jesus constantly demonstrated both his power and compassion. He made the lame to walk, the blind to see, and healed those with diseases.

For example, a man who had been blind from birth was known by everyone as the familiar beggar who sat outside the temple. After Jesus healed him, the religious authorities interrogated the beggar about Jesus. The man replied, “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” He couldn’t understand how these religious authorities didn’t recognize this Healer as the Son of God. “Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind,” he said. To him the evidence was obvious.

He could control nature

Jesus also demonstrated a supernatural power over nature itself. He commanded a raging storm of high wind and waves on the Sea of Galilee to be calm. Those in the boat were awestruck, asking, “Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey him!” He turned water into wine, at a wedding. He fed a massive crowd of 5,000 people, starting with five loaves of bread and two fish. He gave a grieving widow back her only son by raising him from the dead.

Lazarus, a friend of Jesus’, died and had been buried in a tomb for four days already. Yet Jesus said, “Lazarus, come forth!” and dramatically raised him from the dead, witnessed by many. It is most significant that his enemies did not deny this miracle. Rather, they decided to kill Jesus. “If we let him go on like this,” they said, “everyone will believe in him.”

Is Jesus God, as he claimed?

Jesus’ supreme evidence of deity was his own resurrection from the dead. Five times in the course of his life, Jesus clearly predicted he would die, and in what specific way he would be killed, and that three days later, after being buried, he would rise from the dead.

Surely this was the great test. It was a claim that was easy to verify. It would either happen or not. It would either confirm his stated identity or destroy it. And significant for you and me, Jesus’ rising from the dead would verify or make laughable statements such as these:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not live in darkness, but will have the light of life.” For those who believe in him, “I give them eternal life…”

So by his own words, he offers this proof, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.”