Prepare to Give an Account for the Hope You Have in Jesus Christ…

Now is a Great Time to Share the Good News

This weekend is a time to remember and reflect upon what Jesus did for us on the cross.

It’s also one of the best opportunities to share the hope you have in Jesus Christ as many friends, relatives, and neighbors who don’t know Him will attend church services and family gatherings.

On Wednesday, we mentioned how Jesus fulfilled the sign of the prophet Jonah. Make sure you understand how He did that in case anyone asks. Pointing out fulfilled prophecy is one of the most effective ways to share the Gospel.

If you read the Book of Acts, you’ll see fulfilled prophecy was one of the primary tools the early church used to spread the Good News:

• Peter pointed to the fulfilled Messianic prophecies as clear proof Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah (Acts 2:14-40).

• Preaching in the Temple, Peter said the life of Jesus fulfilled what the prophets had written about the Messiah (Acts 3:18-24).

• When sharing the Gospel with Cornelius and his household, Peter said Jesus is the One "all the prophets testified about" (Acts 10:43).

• Philip also used fulfilled prophecy to share the Gospel with the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-39).

• In the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul explained that Jesus fulfilled all the Messianic prophecies (Acts 13:16-42).

When Paul went to Berea, the Bible says the Bereans "searched the scriptures day and night to see if what Paul and Silas taught them was true" (Acts 17:11). This begs the question. Why would they search the scriptures unless Paul and Silas were teaching from the scriptures?

At this time, the only scriptures were what we today call the Old Testament. Paul and Silas taught from the scriptures by pointing to the Messianic prophecies and how Jesus fulfilled them.

As the Bible says:

"For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus." Revelation 19:10 (NLT)

Prepare Yourself

The Bible also says this:

"And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it." 1 Peter 3:15 (NLT)

When it comes to friends, neighbors, co-workers, and relatives who are skeptical of the Bible as the Word of God, fulfilled bible prophecy is powerful evidence testifying to the Bible’s divine authority – and specifically to the divinity of Jesus.

The fulfilled Messianic prophecies verify the claims Jesus is the Messiah. Make sure you know them and can point to them when someone asks about the hope you have in Jesus. Here are just a few of those prophecies fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth:

Silent in Front of His Accusers

Seven hundred years before Jesus was brought before the High Council and accused of blasphemy, the prophet Isaiah claimed the Messiah would be silent when faced by His accusers, much like a sheep is silent before the shearers (Isaiah 53:7).

Was Jesus silent before His accusers? He was. When the high priest Caiaphas asked Jesus, “What do you have to say for yourself? How do you answer these charges?” Jesus was silent (Matthew 26:62-63).

Accused by False Witnesses

A thousand years earlier, King David predicted the Messiah would be accused and slandered by false witnesses (Psalm 35:11). He prophesied these false witnesses would claim, “We saw Him do it with our own eyes” (Psalm 35:21).

Is this what happened to Jesus? Yes. The leading priests and the high council couldn’t find any evidence against Jesus. So many false witnesses testified against Him saying, “We ourselves heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands and raise another in three days made without human hands.’” But even the lying witnesses couldn’t get their stories straight (Mark 14:55-59).

Will Be Beaten, Mocked, and Spit Upon

More than 700 years before the crucifixion, the prophet Isaiah said the Messiah will give His back to those who beat Him, His cheeks to those who pull His beard, and His face to those who mock and spit upon Him (Isaiah 50:6).

Does this describe Jesus? Yes. After Caiaphas tore his own clothing and accused Jesus of blasphemy, the other accusers shouted “Guilty!” They spit in Jesus’ face and beat Him with their fist. Then, they mocked Him, saying “prophesy to us Messiah – who hit you that time?” (Matthew 26:67).

Will Be Beaten, Bloodied, and Disfigured

Centuries before the crucifixion, the prophet Isaiah said the Messiah’s face will be so disfigured few would hardly recognize Him as human (Isaiah 52:13-14).

Is this the case with Jesus? Yes. Before the crucifixion, Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, and the Roman soldiers fit a crown of thorns upon His head (John 19:1-3). This would have severely disfigured Jesus.

Will Be Mocked and Told to Save Himself

A thousand years before the cross, King David prophesied the Messiah will be mocked by onlookers who will say, “The Lord loves Him so much, huh? Let the Lord save Him now” (Psalm 22:7-8).

This is precisely what happened to Jesus. While He was being crucified, the people mocked Jesus saying, “Save yourself and come down from the cross.” The religious leaders also mocked Jesus saying, “He saved others, but He can’t save Himself. If He’s the King of Israel, let Him come down from that cross and then we’ll believe. If He’s the Son of God, let God save Him now” (Matthew 27:39-44).

Pierced Hands and Feet

A thousand years before Jesus was crucified, King David prophesied that the Messiah’s hands and feet would be pierced (Psalm 22:16).

Were Jesus’ hands and feet pierced? Yes. Forced to carry His own cross, Jesus was taken to a place called Golgotha, where He was nailed to the cross. Two others were crucified also, one on either side of Him (John 19:17-18). The very method of crucifixion required the Roman soldiers to drive nails through Jesus’ hands and feet. Even though crucifixion wasn’t invented at the time of King David’s prophecy (in those days the preferred method of execution was stoning), every letter of this prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified.

Will Be Given Vinegar and Gall to Drink

A thousand years before the crucifixion, King David predicted the Messiah would be given gall (poison) for food and sour wine to quench His thirst (Psalm 69:21).

Did this happen to Jesus? Yes. When they arrived at Golgotha, the soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall (poison), but when He tasted it, He refused to drink it (Matthew 27:34). One of the bystanders at the crucifixion filled a sponge with sour wine and held it up to Jesus on a stick so He could drink it (Mark 15:36).

His Clothes Divided Up

A thousand years before the crucifixion, King David prophesied that others would cast lots to determine who would get the Messiah’s garments at His execution (Psalm 22:17-18).

Did this happen to Jesus? Yes. When the Roman soldiers crucified Jesus, they divided His clothes among themselves. But His robe was a single garment, woven from top to bottom, and they didn’t want to tear it. So rather than tear it, they decided to throw dice to see who got it (John 19:23-24).

His Bones Not Broken

King David also prophesied that the bones of a righteous person would never be broken (Psalm 34:19-20). Only one righteous person ever lived – the Messiah, Jesus Christ. And His bones were never broken, despite His crucifixion!

The day of the crucifixion was also the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the crucified bodies hanging in public on a Sabbath. So they asked Pilate to speed up the executions by breaking the legs of those who were being crucified. Pilate agreed and the soldiers broke the legs of the two men being crucified with Jesus, but when the soldiers got to Jesus, they did not break His legs, because they saw that He was already dead (John 19:31-33).

The Messiah’s Side Will Be Pierced

Five hundred years before the crucifixion, Zechariah prophesied that the people of Israel will look upon me (the Messiah) whom they have pierced and mourn for Him as for an only son (Zechariah 12:10).

Was Jesus pierced? Yes. One of the Roman soldiers pierced Jesus with a spear (John 19:34).

Life Poured Out Like Water

In a psalm which depicts a detailed description of death by crucifixion (even though this method of execution hadn’t been invented yet), King David prophesied that the Messiah’s life would be poured out like water (Psalm 22:14).

So is this what happened to Jesus? Yes. When the soldiers went to break Jesus’ legs, and they saw He was already dead, one of the soldiers pierced the side of Jesus and blood and water flowed out (John 19:34).

Will Be Struck Down and His Disciples Scattered

Five hundred years before Jesus, the prophet Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah would be struck down, and His followers scattered, declaring, “Strike down the shepherd, and His sheep will be scattered” (Zechariah 13:7).

At the last supper, Jesus (quoting Zechariah 13:7) told His disciples that they would desert Him on that very night (Matthew 26:31). That night, when Jesus was betrayed and arrested in Gethsemane, all the disciples deserted Him and fled (Matthew 26:56).

Will Be Buried in a Rich Man’s Grave

Hundreds of years before Jesus’ execution, the prophet Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would be treated like a common criminal and buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9).

Did this happen to Jesus? Yes. As evening approached on the day of the crucifixion, a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea (one of Jesus’ followers) asked Pilate for Jesus’ body. Pilate agreed to release the body, and Joseph wrapped it in a clean sheet of linen cloth. Then he placed Jesus’ body in the tomb he had prepared for himself, sealing it by rolling a boulder into the entrance (Matthew 27:59-60).

Will Rise from the Dead

A thousand years before the resurrection, King David prophesied that the Messiah’s body would not be left among the dead, that God would not allow His Holy One to rot in the grave (Psalm 16:10). Psalm 49 reveals that God will restore the Messiah’s life, saving Him from the power of the grave (Psalm 49:15).

Three days and three nights after the crucifixion, Mary and Mary Magdalene went to visit the tomb. When they arrived, a great earthquake shook the ground. The angel of the Lord came down from heaven, the rock rolled away from the tomb’s entrance, the Roman soldiers guarding the tomb fainted, and the angel spoke to the two women, telling them Jesus had risen from the dead just as He had promised (Matthew 28:5-7).

Is There Really “No Evidence”?

All of the above fulfilled prophecies testify to Jesus as the Messiah, but some people will still ignore the evidence.

If a friend, neighbor, or relative tells you “no evidence” exists to believe the Bible is the Word of God or Jesus is the Messiah – or if they say you have “blind faith” if you believe – ask them a simple question.

Ask if you can read them a passage from the Bible. If they say, “yes,” ask them to think about what the following passage describes, then read them this:

“Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.

But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”

Once you’re done reading this passage, ask your friend this:

“What do you think this passage describes?”

Emphasize it’s not a trick question. If you do, they’ll inevitably say it describes the crucifixion of Jesus. Next, ask them this:

“Can you tell me what book in the Bible this passage is from?”

Odds are, they’ll tell you it’s from a book in the New Testament. Maybe they’ll surprise you and correctly identify it as the Book of Isaiah.

Either way, make it clear the passage is from Isaiah 53, then ask them this:

“Can you explain how a book written over 700 years before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth could describe in vivid detail His suffering on the cross and how He died for our sins – and in such intimate detail, most people (including you) think it’s a passage from the New Testament?”

Most people will be shocked when they read Isaiah 53. It foretold what Jesus did for us.

For anyone who’s being honest – it’s proof of the divine origin of Jesus.

As God says (also in the Book of Isaiah):

"Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish." Isaiah 46:9-10 (NLT)

and

"Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what’s going to happen. Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods. In fact, do anything—good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us." Isaiah 41:22-23 (NLT)

Again, the Book of Isaiah was written seven centuries before the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. More than 700 years before He was silent before His accusers... More than 700 years before He was buried in a rich man’s tomb... More than 700 years before God laid the sins of the world upon Him…

And before anyone suggests Christians edited or rewrote the Book of Isaiah after the crucifixion, keep in mind archaeologists have copies of the Book of Isaiah that pre-date the birth of Jesus. In addition, the Jewish people have meticulously preserved the Book of Isaiah for more than 27 centuries. They read the same Isaiah Chapter 53 Christians read, and it points directly to Jesus.

Without Jesus, All Is Lost!

Here’s what it comes down to… Without Jesus, all is lost! For the Bible says:

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard." Romans 3:23 (NLT)

That means all of us are sinners. And the Bible also says this:

"For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23 (NLT)

This means our sin has earned us a place in hell – eternal torment – where we will be forever separated from a Holy God.

But fortunately, there’s Good News. In fact, there’s Great News! The Bible also says this:

"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:8 (NLT)

and

"For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (NLT)

Jesus shed His blood on the cross and died as a sacrifice to pay for our sins. Because of Him, we are reconciled with God. This is why John the Baptist said:

“Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” John 1:29-31 (NLT)

Not only did Jesus die for our sins, but after three days and three nights in the grave, He rose in victory over death! And the same victory over death is available to all of those who are born again:

"The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." Romans 8:11 (NLT)

Jesus invites everyone to come and follow Him:

"'Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" John 7:37-38 (NLT)

If you don’t already know Him, come to Jesus and He will transform your life:

"'Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.'" Revelation 3:20-21 (NLT)

If you like this article, click the “Share” button above to share it with your loved ones and spread the Good News of Jesus! Also, please click the ❤️ button or re-stack buttons below so more people can discover this information on Substack 🙏