Evidence that Demands a Verdict

“Evidence that Demands a Verdict”

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The title of the sermon today, is the title of a book written by Josh McDowell over 40 years ago. The book is still a tremendous defense of the Christian faith. A book that gives Historical evidence for the Christian faith. Are we as Christian’s just foolish, naïve, ignorant people to believe the Bible is the word of God, and that Jesus is the Son of God, the savior of the world? Are do we have real historical evidence of the existence of Jesus Christ; and real concrete reasons to believe the Bible is the word of God?

What evidence do we have that Jesus Christ is the son of God, the Savior of the world?

When we say that Jesus Christ is the son of God, the Savior of the world, and the only way to heaven; agnostics, skeptics and unbelievers will say prove it.

Skeptics, agnostics, and unbelievers are not new: the Lord Jesus faced them in his day.

How did Jesus deal with the skeptics he met?

In these verses we see how Jesus deals with skeptics and unbelievers; these are people that refuse to acknowledge that Jesus is the son of God! Jesus gives evidence in these verses that points to who he is. It is Evidence that demands a verdict.

Great crowds of people were thronging around Jesus, hoping to see a miracle, or some supernatural sign from heaven to prove to them that He was the son of God.

The people, V:16-“tempted Jesus seeking of him a sign from heaven”.

They were saying, before we believe in you we want more evidence that you are the son of God, what sign/miracle will you show us?

There are people just like that today, they demand some sign, miracle before they will believe in Jesus.

They are not content with the Bible and the recorded word and work of Jesus, they demand another sign to prove that God exist, the Bible is real, and that Jesus is the Savior. That was the attitude of these men in Jesus day, but Jesus did not give in to their demands.

The fact is Jesus had already given them, and us many, many signs that proved He is the son of God, the Savior of the world!

Jesus fulfilled hundreds of the prophecies from the Old Testament; things written hundreds of years before. Jesus had lived a sinless life filled with miracle after miracle! Jesus Christ lived the greatest life of any man who has ever walked on this earth!

They were asking for more signs, miracles, when Jesus had already opened blinded eyes, healed the cripple, raised people from the dead, and had just cast a demon of a man before their very eyes.

These people did not need any more signs; they needed to believe the signs they had already seen!

It wasn’t a lack of evidence that kept them from believing: it was an unwillingness to believe the evidence they already had. Their problem was not an intellectual problem, or a lack of adequate evidence; their problem was a heart problem, they didn’t want to give up their sin, and surrender their life to Jesus. This is a warning for anyone who says, I will believe in Jesus as soon as God gives me a sign.

God has not promised to give you some new sign from heaven. God says look into my word and read about Jesus, His ministry, His miracles and believe in Him!

In a rich man died and went to hell, and he sees Abraham and asked him to send someone back from the death to witness to his brothers. The Rich man in Hell said if someone returned from the dead my brothers will believe. Abraham said to him, no they wouldn’t, if they will not listen to the Word of God, they would not listen even if someone rose from the dead.

What is contained in this book about Jesus is enough evidence to lead any open, honest-seeker to place their Faith in Jesus!

What evidence does Jesus give in these verses that He is the son of God the Savior of the world? The evidence that Jesus presents about himself should convince unbelievers that he is the son of God; and it should cause believers to rejoice in how great, wonderful, glorious Jesus is; so we will live with greater confidence, boldness, certainty and hope in our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ!

In a court of law, to prove someone’s guilt, evidence for that person’s guilt must be submitted. In these verses Jesus submits four pieces of evidence that He really is the son of God.

The first piece of evidence is:

1. The Preaching of Jesus.

V:30,32-Read.

The people knew Jonah, he was a great prophet in their eyes. But Jesus is: Greater than Jonah.

How is Jesus like Jonah? Jonah was a preacher of repentance, called by God to go and preach to the pagans in Nineveh. Jonah initially rebelled against God, bought himself a one-way ticket in the opposite direction of Nineveh. But God sent a great storm on the sea, Jonah was thrown overboard, and a great fish swallowed him alive.

After three days in that Old Testament submarine ride, sleeping on a foam blubber mattress, Jonah repented and the fish vomited him out on dry land. This time Jonah did go to Nineveh, and preach, -“Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, yet 40 days, and Nineveh will be overthrown”.

Jonah preached about God’s coming judgment, and the people repented of their sins and God spared the people of Nineveh.

-“So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the least of them to the greatest of them”

The preaching of God’s judgment, was a sign of God’s mercy. Jonah preaching the judgment of God meant that the people could respond in repentance, and be spared from the judgment of God. Why does the Bible tell us that God judges sin? Why does the Bible tell you if you die without Jesus you will spend eternity in hell? Why do I preach, plead, beg you to turn from your sin and trust in Jesus Christ today? So that you can experience mercy, grace, forgiveness and salvation of God!

You can be spared, saved from the judgment of God today by placing your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

God in love and grace sent Jonah to preach to the Assyrians, and their capital city of Nineveh.

They were the most wicked, cruel people on the face of the earth; yet God sent a preacher, because God is a God of mercy and forgiveness; and is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The people heard the message of Jonah; and they repented, and God spared them!

Jonah’s message was direct and to the point, just nine words in our English Bible; and these wicked gentiles repented. Jonah was a good preacher; but Jesus Christ is a great preacher. The people who heard Jesus preach said, no man ever spoke like this man! Jesus said in -“The words that I speak and do you, they are spirit, and they are life”

-“The people wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth…

The words of Jesus Christ, the preaching of Jesus contained in the word of God, are words that bring eternal life when believed.

-“Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!

To read the Bible, and hear the preaching of Jesus will bring you face-to-face with your sin and with Jesus Christ. Hear the preaching of Jesus in , as he says you must be born again, that God so loved the world… And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.

To hear Jesus say, for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but at the world through him might be saved.

Hear Jesus say, come unto me all you who are burdened, and I will give you rest.

The preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ is evidence that He is the son of God!

Jonah preached for three days, Jesus preached for three years.

Jonah preached to the Ninevites unbelievers, Jesus preach to His own people.

Jonah was just a man, Jesus was the son of God.

Jonah preached judgment, Jesus preached mercy.

Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh, Jesus willingly came to this earth. The city of Nineveh heard the preaching of Jonah and they repented.

Jesus said: A greater than Jonah has been preaching to you and you have not repented!

At the judgment the men of Nineveh will testify against you because you heard a greater preacher than they did! The people of Nineveh will stand up and say, you heard Jesus preach and didn’t repent!

We heard Jonah who didn’t even want to be here preach and we repented! We live in a day where more sermons have been preached about Jesus, and more books written about Jesus than any other time in history.

There are more radio broadcast sending out the gospel of Jesus, more churches preaching Jesus. This is a generation that you don’t want to go to hell from, this is a city you don’t want to go to hell from, and this is a church you don’t want to go to hell from! Please repent at the preaching of Jesus today!

First piece of evidence: The Preaching of Jesus.

The Second piece of evidence is:

2. The Resurrection of Jesus.

V:29-30-Read.

A sign, is something miraculous; what was the sign, the miraculous event that connects Jonah and Jesus? Luke does not explicitly tell us what the miracle in Jonah’s ministry was; but Matthew’s gospel does.

-“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”.

Jesus was telling these people there was coming a future miracle, that would be the miracle of all miracles, to prove without a doubt that He is the son of God, the Savior of the world!

In the same way that Jonah was entombed in the belly of the whale for three days, so Jesus would be place in a tomb for three days and then rise again!

The “sign of Jonah” that Jesus referred to was His death and resurrection!

How do we know that Jesus lived a perfect life on our behalf? How do we know that God accepted Jesus sacrifice for our sins? How do we know that Jesus has the power to forgive sins? How do we know that we will live forever? The answer is; God raised Jesus from the dead!

The resurrection is the most sensational thing that has ever happened, or will ever happen!

Don’t look to the sky for a sign; look inside the empty tomb!

The evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is overwhelming; anyone who seriously looks at the evidence of the empty tomb, has to admit that Jesus rose from the dead! The sign that proves that Jesus is the son of God, the Savior of the world, and can save you this morning; is the Resurrection!

The gospel is the good news of salvation through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

The sign that God has given to all generations, that will change the direction of your life, and your eternal destiny, is the cross and the empty tomb!

Jonah was a living miracle and so is our Lord Jesus Christ.

The people of Nineveh listen to a man who came back from the sea, why wouldn’t you listen to a man who came back from the dead?

What would the Ninevites say about us today? God has spoken to us more clearly than He did to them. All they heard was a message of judgment, spoken by reluctant prophet. We have heard the message of the gospel, spoken from the son of God, the Apostles and preachers for generations.

What Evidence do we have that Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior of the world?

1. The Preaching of Jesus.

2. The Resurrection of Jesus.

The third piece of evidence is:

3. The Wisdom of Jesus.

V:31-Read.

King Solomon was famous for his wealth and wisdom. An African Queen, the Queen of Sheba heard about this famous king, and she wanted to see for herself if what she heard was true. So she traveled from Africa to Israel. She tested King Solomon’s wisdom, toured the treasuries and the king’s palace, and went to the Temple he built.

What she saw and heard took her breath away.

Here was a woman who desperately wanted to know the truth. She went to a great deal of trouble and expense to find out if what she had heard was really true.

Luke says it this way, V:31-“She came from ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here ”.

And because she was seeking the truth sincerely, she found what she was looking for.

Jesus used her as a contrast to the people he was speaking to. They were in the presence of someone greater than King Solomon: Jesus is greater than Solomon in every way!

Solomon was a great king in the Old Testament; but Jesus Christ is the king of kings!

Jesus is greater in wisdom.

Solomon had incredible wisdom; he wrote the book of Proverbs, a book of wisdom. Solomon knew theology, biology, botany, zoology, and psychology. Solomon knew fish: but Jesus could speak to fish, and as their creator the fish did what he said.

Solomon knew about the winds; but Jesus could speak to the winds and they obeyed.

Solomon turned away from God, and all the wisdom of the world couldn’t satisfy his empty heart! Solomon in all of his wisdom cannot compare to the wisdom that you can have in Jesus Christ.

A person can have a full head and still have an empty heart. Jesus alone has the wisdom that satisfies. Jesus is the wisdom of God that satisfies:

-"Jesus is made unto us wisdom."

The Bible says in the last days people will be ever learning, but not coming to the knowledge of the truth.

· How sad if someone knows biology-but doesn't know Jesus the Giver of Life.

· How sad if somebody knows geology- but doesn't know Jesus, the Rock of Ages.

· How sad if someone knows astronomy- but doesn't know Jesus the bright and morning star.

Jesus is greater than Solomon in His wisdom.

Jesus is Greater in Works, and wealth. Solomon built the Temple; Jesus is building his church!

Solomon built himself a house, Jesus is building us a mansion in heaven.

Solomon spread a great table, we are headed to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Solomon had a lot of wealth; the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. Solomon set on a throne made of ivory overlaid with gold; but it was only a temporary throne. God exalted Solomon, but God has highly exalted the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the book of Revelation the Apostle John saw a throne. And on that throne he saw the Lord Jesus Christ sitting. Solomon's throne is gone. Jesus' throne is for all eternity. There's a throne in glory, and it's occupied! It's not up for grabs.

Our God reigns. And one of the days the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. Jesus Christ alone is worthy of all honor, and all glory. Solomon gave great sacrifices to God, but Jesus gave a greater sacrifice than Solomon, Jesus gave himself! The queen of Sheba, heard the Wisdom of Solomon, and saw the wealth of Solomon, and the worship of Solomon and listen to what she said: 1 kings 10:7-“I did not believe the words I heard about you until I came, and my eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and wealth exceeds the fame which I heard."

When I get to heaven and see Jesus and look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace, you know what I'm going to say? Lord Jesus, I heard about you, but the half has not been told. I read about you in the Bible, I heard sermons about you, I read books about you, but Lord Jesus the half has never yet been told. There's nobody like Jesus!

Jesus did not hesitate to tell them that he was greater than the prophet Jonah, and greater than their wisest and wealthiest king, Solomon.

V:31, the Queen of Sheba will stand up and testify against the men of that generation and condemn them.

She traveled around the world to meet a much lesser king than they had standing right in front of them!

What with the Queen of Sheba say about this us? We have been given every opportunity to know the wisdom of God incarnate! We have heard His gospel, read His word, and been to His church. But are we really seeking to know Jesus and the fullness of his wisdom and direction for our lives?

If you refuse to receive Jesus as your Savior, the Queen of Sheba will witness against you. She didn’t let anything keep her from finding out the truth!

The people who heard Jesus say these things were given every opportunity to believe on him and be saved!

They were in the presence of a greater prophet than Jonah, and a greater King than Solomon! These same people heard him preach, saw him die and rise again; but many of them did not believe on Him. And at the final judgment there will be no shortage of witnesses to testify against them.

At the final judgment we will be held responsible for what we have done, or have not done with Jesus Christ. If you have heard the good news of the crucified and risen Christ, then God will hold you accountable to repent like the Ninevites and believe let the Queen of Sheba!

The forth piece of evidence is:

4. The Light of Jesus.

V:33-36-Read.

The light in this context is the Lord Jesus himself; he had been shining as a bright light by his miracles and his message. He had not hidden who he was, and what he come to do; Jesus life was clearly seen by all. The candle of his life and the gospel was not hidden. Paul told King Agrippa in -“This thing was not done in a corner”.

The light of the gospel had shined brightly and he had seen it. Jesus died in a public place for all to see, the message of the gospel has been held high by the lampstand of the church the work of Christ on the cross has been presented throughout human history The life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ has been proclaimed all around the world, like the light blazing from a lighthouse, the gospel shines for all to see.

The light of the glorious gospel is shining; the light of the gospel of Jesus is shining in your heart today, you feel the warmth of the love of God shining in your cold heart today. What will you do with the light of the gospel of Jesus that is shining in your heart? Will you open your heart to Jesus; or pull down the blinds on your soul?

Jesus gives this illustration to point out the problem was not a lack of evidence, light; the problem was they refused to let the light that was shining, shine into their hearts! They didn’t see the light, because they had spiritual eye trouble, V:34-Read.

Physically speaking, it is your eye that lets the light in so you can see. A good eye sees the light, but a bad eye keeps a person in darkness. The light may be shining, but a person with bad eyes cannot see it.

The same is true spiritually. When the eyes of your soul are clear, you are able to see the light of Jesus Christ shining in the gospel. You can see he really is the son of God, the Savior of the world. We see the cross and the empty tomb. We believe that Jesus died for our sins on the cross and rose again to give us eternal life.

But when our spiritual eyes are bad; when they are covered with the cataract of unrepentant sin or blinded by the darkness of this world, then we cannot see Jesus; because we are in darkness.

The light of Jesus was shining brightly, V:36, the evidence that Jesus was the son of God was overwhelming! The problem was not that the light was not shining, the problem was inner darkness.

They thought they were in the light, but they were in darkness, so Jesus gave them this warning

V:35-Read.

Don’t live your life in the artificial light, the light of a false experience that did not change your life!

If there is darkness in your life today, it is not because the light of the gospel is not shining!

It is because sin, unbelief, is blocking out the light.

-“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Do you have spiritual light inside your heart and life? When the light of Jesus shines in your heart your whole life will be a life of light! You no longer live in the dark, you’re now in the light, and you have been translated from the kingdom of darkness, to the kingdom of light.

-“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.

The Holy Spirit is shining the light of the gospel on your heart; if you will open your heart to the light, the truth of who Christ is and who you are will flood into your soul; and you can be saved today!

For the Christian here today; the light of the gospel, and the truth of the word of God is also to be shining in your life. We also must take heed that the light in us is not darkness. We must be people of prayer, who confess our sins and keep the window of our souls clean, so the light of the truth of the word of God can expose our sin.

Don’t shine the light on everyone else, and not allow the light to shine in your heart.

Don’t pull down the blinds on your soul, when the light is exposing the dirt in your life.

Don’t put on spiritual sunglasses, to tone down the light of conviction that shining in your heart.

During the French Revolution some Christians were crammed into a dungeon where once a day for a few moments, as the sun stood at a particular angle, one of the prisoners who had a Bible would be hoisted on others’ shoulders to a sunlit crack, where he would study the Scriptures. When the light dimmed, he would be lowered down, and his friends would say, “Now tell us what you read while you were in the light.”

Is the light shining in your heart this morning? Open your heart and receive Jesus the light of the world!