Do we need to believe to see?

As long as I can remember, there has been something calling out from within me, saying "I am." For those of you who read the Bible, you will know that this was what God told Moses to say in response to the question, "what is your name?" Thousands of years later Jesus said the same words -- "I am." To the religious leaders of the time, those words were blasphemy. To a few, it was a great revelation that brought many pieces to an ancient puzzle together.

I've heard many skeptics say that the Bible is not a trustworthy source. They look at the gospels and claim that there are inconsistencies and contradictions. I think these people look at these documents as if they were looking at a mathematics text. They look at the gospels and expect the testimonies to be exactly the same or nearly identical. If there were places where Jesus was depicted one way and completely different in another place, I would have the same concern. What I see are four testimonies that paint similar pictures with different brushes and brush strokes. The texts compliment one another and introduce me to the most important man ever to walk the face of the earth. I see a human being of flesh and blood. At the same time, I see God shining through the man. Jesus said that when we see him, we have seen the Father (God); he and the Father are one. The ultimate question is this; do the gospels communicate a truthful message? If so, the implications are enormous. Even if there were minor errors (I'm not saying there are) as long as the message is intact, these documents are enormously important.

So, why would God appear in human form? How better to communicate with human beings than to become a human being. Jesus felt anguish. He wept. He had joy. He was tempted. He spent time with the learned and the simple. He dined with the leaders of the time and those who were deeply sinful. He served and he taught. In addition, he did things that other men simply did not do. He performed signs and wonders that could not be explained by natural means and he did so in the presence of many. When you encounter someone who changes your heart with his words and demonstrates his power by doing the miraculous, you must ask yourself, "who is this man?"

The final word was the resurrection. On that day God put a stake in the ground. When Jesus rose from the dead, God was saying, take notice this is no mere man. He is my son and his words are truth. Listen to his message and take heed.

The life that Jesus offers will transform you. For some, you must get beyond the endless questions you have and follow that inner voice that calls you to believe. When you believe with your whole heart, you will finally see.