As a person who has been training in the Force for more than three decades, Luke asks Rey a simple question, “What do you know about the Force?”
Rey sheepishly replies that “It’s a power that Jedi have that lets them control people and make things float.” Luke is not impressed.
He responded to Rey, “Impressive. Every word in that sentence was wrong.”
As followers of Jesus, it is interesting to ask people what they know or believe about Jesus.
When we do ask them, we need to listen carefully and respectfully.
Some people will believe that Jesus never really existed.
Many people will believe that Jesus was just a good teacher.
Many people will believe that Jesus was just a prophet.
Many people will believe that Jesus was a social justice warrior.
Some people will believe that Jesus was Michael, the archangel who became a man.
Many people will believe that Jesus was born on Christmas. That is to say, on December 25th.
Some people will believe that Jesus was white, or black, or Asian, or [enter ethnicity].
Some people will believe that Jesus was a created being.
All eight of these beliefs about Jesus are wrong.
We can ask them why they believe their particular statement.
Then we can answer each of these errors with a good modern translation of Scripture to show people their errors.
1. Matthew 2:1 “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem”
2 & 3. John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
4. Matthew 5:17-19 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
5. John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
6. Luke 2:8 “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” Shepherds would not be out in the fields during the winter.
7. Luke 2:22 “And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.” Jesus was ethnically a Jew and was brought up in the Jewish traditions.
8. Colossians 1:16-18 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”
