A young college freshman at Morehouse University walked in to his first day of class and settled in for the instruction. The professor of Philosophy passed out a syllabus and explained what would be expected of the students during the course of the semester. The young student grew more and more excited as he listened to all of the great thinkers they would be studying throughout the upcoming months.
Suddenly, the professor changed tones and began to speak about one of the thinkers in a different manner. He said, "When we come to the section we will cover on the subject of Jesus you must know this; what you may have heard in Sunday school or at your church concerning Jesus is wrong. Jesus was a great teacher. He was a wise man. He did many good things. He influenced many people during his day and even unto this day, but he was not the Son of God." There was a long pause as the freshmen sat attentively, not daring to challenge the man with Ph.D. following his name.
The atmosphere was so uneasy that it seemed like hours had passed with the silence so thick you could cut it with a knife. Then, a hand pierced the silence in the back of the room as one young man lifted his hand to speak. The professor called on the young student and he said, "Yes, He is!" The professor said, "Now I know you've probably been told other things back home from your pastor or Sunday school teacher, but you need to know young man that Jesus was not ... God, he was merely a great thinker. Class dismissed."
As the students filed out of class, one of the young man's friends from back home chastised him on the way out of class. "Alvin, what are you doing? This man is the professor and you and I are just students. Don't ruin this class for the rest of us, just shut-up and do your work." Alvin said, "This man may know a lot about philosophy, but I can tell already that he doesn't know anything about Jesus. I can't just sit back in class and let him try and convince everyone in class that Jesus was something less than He really is. I'm going to speak up."
The next time the class met, the professor started in on his tirade all over again. He pointed out that the Bible was written by biased folks who believed in Jesus, that there were other people in history who were reported to have been born of a virgin, and that Jesus could not have risen from the grave. Then he said, "Jesus was not ... God." Alvin's hand immediately shot-up into the air once again. The professor tried to ignore him as he went on with his anti-Jesus sermon, but Alvin persisted. Finally, the professor realized that he would not go away and so he called on Alvin. The professor said in a demeaning way, "Yes Mr. Jackson, do you have another sermon for us this morning?" Alvin said, "Yes, He is!" The professor turned his attack from Jesus to Alvin, but Alvin continued throughout the entire semester to stand up for Jesus.
Some years later, Alvin Jackson, was a pastor. At the end of a service he conducted some people came up to him and let him know what a powerful sermon he had preached. When the crowd had dispersed there was one man who stood before Alvin -- his old college professor. The man walked up to Alvin, hugged him, looked him in the eyes, and said, "Yes, He is!"

Topic: Christmas
Subtopic:
Index:
Date: 5/1998.101
Title: God With Skin On

One night a small little voice was heard from the bedroom across the hall. "Daddy, I'm scared!" The response came quick: "Honey, don't be afraid, daddy's right across the hall." After a very brief pause the little voice is heard again, "I'm still scared!" Again a response: "You don't need to be afraid. God is watching over you." This time the pause is longer ... but the voice returns, "Daddy, I want someone with skin on!"

(Jn 1:1-2) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning.

(Jn 1:3) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

(Col 1:16) For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

(1 Cor 1:30) Christ Jesus, ... has become for us wisdom from God ...

(Jn 1:47-48) When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." (48) "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

(Matt 28:18) Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

(Col 1:18) And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

(Heb 4:15) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.

(Rev 19:11) I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.

(Jn 10:11) "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

(Col 2:9) For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form ...

We all believe in our hearts
and confess with our mouths
that Jesus is:
eternal,
incomprehensible,
invisible,
unchangeable,
infinite,
almighty;
completely wise,
just,
and good,
and the overflowing source of all good