Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
Mark 14:57-59
We like to think that something like false testimony is a fairly recent thing. We hear all about “conspiracy theories” all up and down the electronic, digital highway. The internet, coupled with social media and mobile phones has proven to be the “Disastrous Digital Trinity,” or DDT for short.
No matter if you’re Democratic or Republican, left or right, blue or red, liberal or conservative, there are a wildly large number of conspiracies that support your thinking and feeling. There are an equally large number of conspiracies that are fighting against your thinking and feelings.
Your supporting sources are all well thought out. Clear. Concise. Rational. You just can’t see how anyone would not willingly and immediately fall in line with how you think and feel. And those who are against you and your thinking are irrational. Off-the-wall. Way out there. Have no value whatsoever. You must be crazy to think and believe like that.
In today’s totally fractured world, you can’t seem to get two people to agree on anything. And this is nothing new.
Those who did their best to have Jesus arrested have brought together a bunch of people to testify against him. But the problem is that these people can’t get their stories straight. One person says one thing and everyone else says something else.
While I can’t prove it, I bet these people never personally heard Jesus speak. They are taking small threads of the gossip on the street about Jesus and trying to weave it into a believable story. But they can’t get their stories straight. Not even two people can agree on what they are saying about Jesus.
We have this same problem today. Here is a sampling of the different Jesus’ that are all around us.
Jehovah’s Witnesses say that Jesus is actually Michael, the Archangel.
Mormons teach that Jesus is the spirit brother of Satan. Once a human being, evolved through good works to become a god.
Christian Science say that Jesus was only a man, and that Christ is a Divine idea.
Sun Myung Moon claims that Jesus was a man who failed his divine mission.
Unitarians believe that Jesus was a good man who was mistakenly deified by his followers.
Freemasonry teaches that Jesus was only a moral teacher. He was no better than Buddha, Confucius, Moses, or Mohammed.
Scientology claim that Jesus is a false dream.
Spiritists say that Jesus is an advanced medium.
Transcendental Meditation says that Jesus was an enlightened guru who never suffered or died for anyone.
Islam says that Jesus, or Isa, is a prophet.
I’m sure that you’ve hear that “all religions are basically the same.” Just looking at this short list proves that this isn’t even in the neighborhood of being true.
Like the people giving false testimony in this trial, they can’t get their stories straight. Their testimonies didn’t agree. They are all over the place when it comes to Jesus. They just can’t agree.
So, where are you with Jesus? Does your thinking, your “testimony” agree with what Jesus says about himself.
I Am the Bread of Life - John 6: 28-35.
I Am the Light of the World - John 8:12-30.
I Am the door or gate - John 10:7-9
I Am the Good Shepherd - John 10:14
I Am the resurrection, and the life - John 11:17-27
I Am the way, the truth, and the life - John 14:6
I Am the true vine - John 15:1-6
My first reaction is “WOW!” Jesus said all these things about himself. There’s no confusion. There’s no possible misunderstanding. If he isn’t who he says he is, then he’s the greatest fraud and nutcase of all time.
But if he is who he says he is, then he’s the greatest person of all time. He rocks my world to the point of changing everything. He deserves all my attention. All my worship. All my praise. All my everything.
There is no room for any middle ground. He either is or isn’t who he said he was. Period.
What’s your answer?
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