Jesus or Mohammed?

After His death and resurrection Jesus met two desciples walking on the road to Emmaus. They were both discouraged, for they did not believe Christ Had risen from the dead. Jesus engaged them in conversation.To convince them of his resserection would have been the simplest matter. Jesus could have drawn their attention to His physical form. He could have shown them the wounds he sustained on the cross. But instead of doing that he actually did the opposite. Their eyes were holded that they should not know Him, and thinking he was a stranger, they confided in Him. They told Him of their fond hope that Christ was the Messiah and how that tragic weekend had destroyed their dreams. It was then that Christ addressed them as follows.

Luke 24:25-27 LUK 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: LUK 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? LUK 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Christ did not want to establish their faith on something they had seen, but upon the testimony of the word of God. So instead of showing them the nail marks in His hands, and feet. Instead of showing them the wound in His side, and His scarred marked forehead. He reviewed the prophetic forecasts of the coming of the Messiah. He showed what the Old Testament prophets foretold concerning His birth, His life, His ministry and His resurrection. Thus their faith was not based upon the evidence of their senses but upon the certainty of God's worl. They went out to proclaim the Christ of Prophecy. And that is why those of use who follow Jesus, do so over following Mohammed. Because the prophets told of His coming hundreds of years before His birth. Why Jesus, because the prophets told of His birth, way before He came. Why Jesus, because He is the fulfillment of Prophecy, The very embodiment of the Godhead, the Son of God, made flesh.

Come with me to the year AD 80. The place is the Roman arenas. Thousands are on their feet cheering as Christians are thrown in the lions den. The church was not welcomed in the Roman world. Men and women are being burned at the stake. rather than renounce their faith in Jesus..They believed that if they were loyal to Jesus, He would give them eternal life. Such was the faith of the Martyrs.

But why, Why did they place such death defying confidence in this particular man. These early Christians saw in Christ the perfect fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies. They recognize Him as the one to whom all the Old Testament prophecies pointed and on the bases of fulfilled prophecy accepted Him as the Son of God.

John 1:45 JOH 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

Speaking of the Mighty preacher of Epheuss Apollo Acts 18:28 says: Acts 18:28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

Jesus Himself proved His claim to divinity on the basis on His fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy. let us review the evidence that led those early disciples to accept Jesus as Lord and Christ.. We shall discover the overwhelming weight of Bible evidence that Christ is the divine Son of God. If a study of these prophecies led the early Christians to an all conquering death defying faith, it can do the same for you and me. If it changed their lives, it can change ours. There are some thirty seven fantastic prophecies of the birth life death burial and resurrection and ascension of Christ. Lets examine few.

His Birth

Thousands of People today, see little difference between Christianity and the eastern Religions. Thousands of People today see little difference between Jesus Christ and Mohammed Thousands of People today have turned to the Koran or the Bhagavad Gita looking for answers they think the bible does not have.

• Micha 5:2 Born in Bethlehem 700 years before His birth.

MIC 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Out of the thousands of places the Messiah could be borne, the Prophet Micha pointed out the exact place.. The Holy Family lived in Nazareth, and had not intention of Moving to Bethlehem, but just a week before Jesus was borne, a decree came that all men should return Home to be taxed, Thus Christ the child of Prophecy is borne in the town of Bethlehem.

• 2.Born of Virgin Isa 7:14.

ISA 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Some Liberal theologians try to reason away the virgin birth, but according to the bible it is one of the basic tenant of Christianity, and if Christ is not born of Virgin, he is not the Messiah. The mother of Jesus denied she had been with any man. her fiance Joseph had decided to put her away privately, rather than embarrass her because he had not been with her, but God appeared to Him and said,Joseph, the child your wife is bearing is of God. It is begotten of the Holy Spirit.

• His Ministry -Isa 61:1-2

ISA 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; ISA 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

The entire focus of the Ministry of Jesus was people. His entire life was spent ministering to the needs of men and women.

In the city of Sydney Australia, a repair wizard who ran his own business employed a rather unique sign, it Read "Everything mended here, except broken hearts" And I want to let you know that this craftsman exception, is the speciality of Jesus. Over the years he has proven to be the heart surgeon, without any equal. As the song writer says:

When affliction press the soul, and the waves of trouble roll you need someone
When your body's rock with pain, and you are feeling so ashamed, you need someone.
When the ship of our lives, tosses on the winds of strife, we need someone,
I give you Jesus, He is the peace that passeth all understanding
I give you Jesus, He is that special someone.


• Betrayed by an Acuaintance Psa 55:12-14

PSA 55:12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: PSA 55:13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. PSA 55:14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

• Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver Zechariah 11:12-13

ZEC 11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. ZEC 11:13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

It is a well known story. More than five hundred years later the bargain was sealed between Judas and the priests. Not for twenty nine of thirty five pieces, but for exactly thirty peaces of solver. The prophet said the betrayal money could be cast to the potter in the house of the Lord. Judas found, as all who sell out so cheaply must, that resources gained at the price of betraying Christ or truth or principle or right is loss not profit. Such money is too heavy to hold. It cannot solve a guilty conscience. So he made his way to the temple crying I have sinned I have betrayed innocent blood. In desperation he offered the money back hoping to secure the release of His lord. but the priests had their victim and were not concerned with the conscience of Judas. The agitated traitor threw the money on the temple floor and went out to a suicide's fate The priest who had not hesitated to purchase the blood of an innocent man, professed scruples at putting the money Judas left behind into the treasure of the Lord. Since a field was needed which destitute dead persons could be buried. It was decided to use this thirty peaces of silver for this purpose. The land purchases was used for workshops by potters. How very remarkable that both aspect of the prophecy's prediction regarding the use of the money should find such exact fulfillment. It was literally cast to the potter in the house of the Lord.
• Lots for his garment. Psalm 22:18

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

• Bones not broken. Psalm 34:20

PSA 34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

Furthermore, it does not stop at His death. For the grave could not hold him, He burst the bonds of the tomb and lives in heaven as our representative before the throne of God. Confucious, Buddha and Mohammed are dead. Thousands pay homage at their tomb, but the tomb of Christ remains empty, In the words of the Angels He is not here, he is risen.