The real question is not, "Did Jesus exist?" but "Who was He?"

A recent survey by the Barna Research Group of Glendale, California, reveals how confused people are about who Jesus was. According to the survey, traditional Christian beliefs are in decline:
"Who is Jesus?" That survey proves a lot of people don't get their information from the Scriptures. If we randomly asked, "Who is Jesus?" the most popular answers could be summarized by three responses. Jesus was:
  1. a good man,
  2. a great teacher, or
  3. a moral leader
The problem is that Jesus Himself claimed to be a whole lot more than any of these. It is clear that those present with Jesus understood what He was saying. But there is further evidence Jesus claimed to be more than a good man, teacher and leader. In the light of this kind of claim, the view that Jesus was nothing more than a good man, a great teacher, or a man who may have sinned a few times, just is not logical. But think about it. We can deal with Jesus by calling Him a great teacher or a good person, but the problem is that it is so illogical. Perhaps you believe that Jesus was nothing but a fool; or you think that He was a fraud. But if neither of these answers satisfies you, I would say you are left with only one other logical conclusion: He was what He claimed to be...God.

Many people cannot worship and follow Jesus because the state of the world bothers them.

  1. "Why is the world in such a mess?"

     

  2. "Why doesn't God do something about it?"

     

  3. "If God really was there, He'd stop people from fighting."

     

  4. "Why doesn't He just make people do what is right?"

     

  5. "What about earthquakes and floods...God could stop those if He wanted to."

     

  6. "God loves the world?... you must be joking."

There is no getting away from it. The world is not what we would like it to be. In fact, it is in a real mess, and lots of people blame God. Perhaps you have heard people ask some of the following questions: