calvary updates 10/23/2026

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**Are we able 2000 years later to know the true historical Jesus?**

For the past few months we have been encouraged through a sermon series based on I John and we have called the series, "Verification Code Please." I John seeks to put to rest any doubts about the validity of the holy character and practice of Jesus. I count at least 27 instances where the importance of truth and truthfulness is referenced in I John. The foundation of all that we believe is based in the person of Jesus Christ. But do we still have access to enough of the historical accounts to develop an accurate understanding of this Jesus who walked among us and taught so eloquently. The answer is a resounding yes. Luke is especially praised for his diligence to make sure that he got his facts straight.

Luke begins his gospel with this introduction chapter 1.

1Dear Theophilus:

Many people have done their best to write a report of the things that have taken place among us. 2They wrote what we have been told by those who saw these things from the beginning and who proclaimed the message. 3And so, Your Excellency, because I have carefully studied all these matters from their beginning, I thought it would be good to write an orderly account for you. 4I do this so that you will know the full truth about everything which you have been taught.

At one time, however, scholars thought that Luke had entirely missed the boat regarding the events surrounding the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1-3). Critics argued that there was no census, that Quirinius was not governor of Syria at that time, and that everyone did not have to return to his ancestral home. But archeological discoveries show that the Romans had a regular enrollment of taxpayers and also held censuses every fourteen years.

This procedure began under Augustus. Further, we find that Quirinius was, indeed, governor of Syria around 7 BC. It is supposed that he was governor twice, once in 7 BC and again in AD 6 (the date ascribed by Josephus.) A papyrus found in Egypt gives directions for the conduct of a census.

Concerning Luke’s ability as a historian, Sir William Mitchell Ramsey, one of the greatest archeologists to have ever lived, said, after 30 years of study, that, “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy…this author should be placed along with the greatest of historians.”

Not only does Luke's accuracy deserve high praise, but the number of copies of these original gospel documents gives us great confidence that any copying errors can be confidently eliminated. We can feel confident that the gospel we have matches the original.

In all of this let us never forget the enhanced accuracy of a first hand account and the power they are granted in substantiating the facts in legal deliberations. A passage that we have referenced on numerous occasions in our sermon series is I John 1: 1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

Outside sources also go a long way in confirming the existence of a historical Jesus. Tacitus is one historian who confirmed Jesus existence and he was not a believer. Tacitus was a Roman historian who lived from A.D. 55-120. He mentions Christ in his Annals, which covers Roman history from the death of Augustus to the death of Nero (A.D. 14-68). Below is his mention of Christ Christus):

“Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition broke out.”

See the article by Tom Davis, "The Historical Jesus Matters" at probe.org

The gospel records have held the line for accuracy and truth for many years. Every few years a new strategy for discrediting them arises. Without fail once the critique is thoroughly examined, it fails to met multiple truth standards. And so once again the "verification code" for biblical accuracy is upheld and we become more confident that we indeed do have all that we need for knowing a historical Jesus.

Sunday October 25th Sunday School at 9:15 and Worship at 10:30 AM.

The message, "Aware of the Anti-Christ Deception" from I John 4.

We have two options in our Sunday School to encourage you. In our first Sunday School class, we will examine Rehoboam, Solomon's son, and his foolishness. . The second class will focus on Wisdom from God. Before classes begin grab a coffee and a donut.

Song you will hear this Sunday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC93W6EqH3c&list=RDWC93W6EqH3c&start_radio=1

Holy Water: We the Kingdom