One of my seminary professors took a group of friends to tour Israel. A tour guide gave the traditional rendering of the Biblical story surrounding a certain site. My professor took his friends aside and pointed out what the tour guide got wrong.

Who was Jesus, and why did he come to earth? Before we can tackle these questions, we need to confirm that he even existed. So, how can we know that Jesus actually walked on earth? The good news is there is plenty of evidence to point to the fact that Jesus came to earth!

When you start reading the first gospel of Scripture, Matthew, the first thing that you see is a long list of names. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably skipped over this section because honestly who needs to know that? But I want to challenge that thought. Think about it this way; you are not just reading a list of names, but rather the genealogy of Jesus, God incarnate. Although this may shift your perspective slightly, you might still ask, who needs to know that?

Can we recognize the Messiah? The cross is central in God’s plan to redeem people. On the cross, Jesus carried away all the guilt of believers; “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8). True, but how can we be sure Jesus is the Messiah?