by Calvin Landrus, SRCFC National Director

"As we talked, I found out...to him, Jesus was a good man," was shared by Red River Gorge Chapter Co-Coordinator, Jesse Kemp, in his testimony about being a witness to a climbing friend. (Click to read testimony.)

Compare that with the audacious statement Jesus made (and that I included the Crossfire DVD): "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10) Who does Jesus think He is? Some kind of savior? Yes, that's exactly what He was thinking.

Recently, I had the opportunity to give the message at my church, and I continued on with my pastor's series out of the Gospel of John called, "Jesus is..." My title was arrived at after reflecting on the many "over-the-top" statements Jesus made about Himself in John, Chapter 8, and it was, "Jesus is MORE Than a Good Man."

Why is it important to establish that Jesus is more than just a good man? One of the most common ways to avoid taking Jesus seriously is that they try to minimize the messenger by lumping Jesus with all the other religious leaders that have come and gone. They say, "Yes, Jesus was a good and wise man, a good example to follow if that seems right to you. But he is still just a man." Reviewing what Jesus has declared about Himself will give you confidence when dialoguing with someone who uses a minimization line of explanation why they shouldn't be a Christ-follower.

Another common way that many try to reduce Jesus into just being a good man is to contend that the Bible is just a bunch of made-up of stories. So, it's always good to review the accuracy of the Bible. Now, this topic of the accuracy of Scripture is huge with many books and websites dedicated to the subject. But in short, the internal congruency, archaeological exactness, the first-hand witness of the writers and readers and the short amount of the time lapse before the events were recorded, makes the assertion that the Bible is all concocted, very hard to make.

As we move to the dialogue in John 8, it's important to note that it takes place in the temple courts in Jerusalem at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles and in the crowd are followers, non-followers and Jewish leaders. This chapter is described by Dr. William Barclay as "a chapter that passes from lightning flash to lightning flash of astonishment." Have you ever been outside when an electrical storm is marching your way? As the storm draws closer, each lightning flash becomes more and more intense until the flashes illuminate the whole sky. That's exactly what this chapter does where each statement by Jesus increases the intensity of truth that finally sends the leaders over the edge because they don't want to accept the truth.

FLASH 1: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

As climbers, we often over-estimate our abilities and under-estimate the climb. One time, after getting up and back down from the top of Chimney Rock in N. Idaho, we still faced a three-mile hike-out. It was a moonless night and none of us had a flashlight. Hiking by braille led to stumbling, falling and bruised shins. What happens when we try to do life in the darkness? We have a tough time distinguishing between that which is true and that which is false and which is the right path to take. Jesus states He is the way to live in the truth!

FLASH 2: "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." John 8:24

It's amazing how earnestly Jesus deals with these men in their sinfulness. These are not words of anger or bitter rejection or accusation or condemnation. This is an earnest plea on His part: "You are going to die -- everybody is -- and you will die in sin unless you lay hold of the provision God has made for the sin of mankind. And that is me." We know that is Jesus's intent because a few verses later, John records in verse 30, "Even as He spoke, many put their faith in Him."

FLASH 3: Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but He sent me." John 8:42

At this point in Jewish history, the lineage of the leaders was easily traced back to Abraham. Physically, Abraham was their "father" and as such part of the people chosen by God. But spiritually, they allowed their pride in outward conformity to keep God's real agenda, a living changing heart conversation out of their life. The point as it relates to Jesus being more than just a good man is here Jesus, in an unabashed way, is making it clear that He is from God the Father. And they were not because they weren't accepting Him!

FLASH 4: "I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." John 8:51

As climbers, the possibility of dying in a fall is something that at least comes to mind from time to time. We can't know if those moments preceding a death like that will be terrifying or perhaps peaceful, but there is no need to fear, for as the Scriptures say, "absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8) On his death bed, D. L. Moody, the great evangelist, exclaimed, "Earth is receding; heaven is approaching. This is my crowning day." And Jesus says this amazing reality is for those who follow His Word. That's a totally out of control claim if Jesus is just a good man.

FLASH 5: "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" John 8:58

And the final one brings to the lightning storm to its peak. Up until now, most of what they were having "intense fellowship" over was mostly about things that they generally agreed on that God's plan included a savior. They were disagreeing on how that would happen and who that would be. But this last one separates Jesus forever out of the realm of being just a Good Man to being God himself. Literally it is, "Before Abraham came into being, I existed." Jesus uses two distinct verbs that are very different forms of the verb "to be": "Abraham 'became,' but I was already there," he declares. He uses the name that is used in the Old Testament in Exodus 3:13-15 when Moses asked on what authority should he tell pharaoh to let God's people go. God's reply was, "Tell him I AM WHO I AM has sent you."

The striking thing about the statement that Jesus made here is that He is forcing this issue upon these men. He does not placate them; He does not try to compromise with them or calm them down. In fact, he enrages them deliberately, again and again, claiming things that they cannot accept and which only made them angrier and determined to get rid of him. Verse 59 reads, "At this, they picked up stones to stone him.

Jesus's claims are so expansive that they need to be embraced fully or Jesus (and the Bible for that matter) needs to be totally rejected. Check yourself! Is how you are living your life and/or being a witness for Him, minimizing Jesus to just a good man?