I have the book from 100 huntley by Nizar Shaheen, its very good for those who want to understand Jesus. this is from their website. Another book to read is Not Just another Carpenter. below I had on another site so Its copy and pasted here. I hope this helps.
At
http://www.crossroads.ca/unique/unique.htm you can find weekly transcripts that were on 100 Huntley street and included in them is The Deity of Jesus Christ. I have pasted The Claims of Jesus Christ below the following about Nizar Shaheen.
Throughout 2002 Nizar Shaheen shared a weekly teaching on 100 Huntley Street entitled, "THE UNIQUE CHRIST". Today many individuals and religions have their idea of who Jesus is, but what does the Bible really say.
Nizar Shaheen teaches from his unique understanding as an Arab from the Middle-east, born and raised in Cana of Galilee and ordained in the Nazareth Baptist Church, the home town of Jesus. Nizar heads an international Arabic television ministry called Light For All Nations which reaches most of the Arab world with the Good News of who Jesus truly is.
The Claims of Jesus Christ
(Note: These written teachings may vary slightly from
Nizar's spoken teachings on the 100 Huntley Street program.)
Jesus Christ made some marvellous claims about Himself and about His mission on earth. His claims are unique. No other person on earth could have made such claims and be believed. We know that His closest friends, and eventually His family came to believe that what He said was true. The early church was founded by documented proof that Jesus was who He said He was. All that Jesus did, His miracles, His death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, confirmed the truth and credibility of His claims.
His claims are very important to study and they must be taken seriously, for since they came from the mouth of Jesus, they must be true. Let us remember that Jesus was sinless and therefore, He could never deceive anyone (John 8:46). Let us also remember that He was the wisest Teacher and therefore, He could not be mistaken.
Some people say that Jesus was only a prophet, or a good man, or a wise teacher, but they do not believe He was the eternal Son of God. This does not make sense, for if Jesus were not what He said He was, then He would have had to be a lunatic or a liar and then He would not have been a good man or a prophet of God, nor would He have had so many intelligent and sane people following Him and believing in Him.
Throughout the centuries, and even until today, many believers in Jesus have died for their faith. Most of the Apostles were martyred. People just dont die for something that is false. No, Jesus claims were all true.
I am reminded of Gamaliels very true words that he spoke to a group of people who were hostile to believers in Jesus: "If this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it - lest you even be found to fight against God" (Acts 5:38-39). Truly, nothing has stopped the spread of the Good News of Jesus Christ for it is obvious that God is with the believers and is giving us the victory.
Let us consider just a few of Jesus claims. If we were to make an in-depth study of them all, it could fill volumes.
Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and have a unique relationship with Him - a relationship that no other man could have with God (John 4:34; 5:17-24; 10:30). This was evident even when He was only 12 years old when His mother found Him at the Temple, and He said: "Did you not know that I must be about My Fathers business?" (Luke 2:49). Jesus had a self-conscience awareness, even from a young age, that He was unique, for God was His Father and He was the One and only Son. After He began His public ministry, He expressed openly in many different ways and in no uncertain terms, that He was Gods Son. He said, "No one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son wills to reveal Him" (Matthew 11:27; John 14:7). In His words upon the cross, He called out to God, saying "Abba" using the most intimate name that a child could use of his father, like saying, "my daddy." There is no parallel to such a term of endearment and close relationship being used of God any where in the Old Testament.
In a clear claim of deity Jesus said: "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30). It was no wonder the unbelievers accused Him of blasphemy and sought for a way to kill Him.
Jesus also claimed to be eternal - again, a claim of deity that He made several times. On one instance He prayed: "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was" (John 17:5; see also 17:24; 3:31; 6:62; 8:23, 58; 16:2. The glorified Lord Jesus claimed, "I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8, 11, 17-1. In a very direct statement, Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:5.
This claim not only asserts that He was eternal, but in saying this
Jesus claimed to be the I AM, giving Himself the very, personal, highest and holiest name of God - the name that God called Himself to Moses "I AM" - Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (Exodus 3:14). Without a doubt, Jesus claimed to be God, with all the attributes, divine nature, and the character of God.
Seven times, the Apostle John recorded The "I AM" claims of Jesus. It is significant to note that His claims are the same claims of Jehovah, the Lord God, as recorded in the Old Testament. They were claims that no ordinary person could ever dare to make, but Jesus could say them boldly since they were true and because He was the incarnate God in human form.
"I Am the Bread of Life" (John 6:35; Psalm 17:15). Bread represents sustenance and life. Only God is the Life-giver.
"I Am the Light of the World" (John 8:12; cf. 1:4,5; 1 John 1:5; Micah 7:8; Psalm 27:1). The light of the world is God. He illuminates our life.
"I Am the Door" (John 10:9). Jesus claimed to be the only way to God and the only way of salvation, saying, "I Am the Door. If anyone enters by Me he will be saved" (John 10:9). Jesus unashamedly claimed exclusivity. He is the only way to obtain salvation and only by belief in Him does one attain eternal life in heaven with God (see Acts 4:12).
"I Am the Good Shepherd" (John 10:11). Jesus knew all the implications and ramifications of claiming to be the Good Shepherd. He gave Himself the position or role of God who is clearly portrayed in the Old Testament as being the Shepherd of His people (Ezekiel 34:15-16, 23). The Psalmist sang, "The Lord Jehovah is My Shepherd" (Psalm 23:1). The people hearing Jesus would have known full well that this was a claim of deity, Messiahship, and a claim of authority and ownership over the people of God.
"I Am the Resurrection and the Life" (John 11:25). This again, is a clear claim that Jesus is God, for only God can give life (1 Samuel 2:6; John 5:25-26). Jesus proved this claim by raising people from the dead (Luke 7:14-15; 8:54-55; John 11:43-44).
Jesus expanded upon His divine claims, by saying, "I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6a). He went on to explain how He is the Way by saying, "No one comes to the Father, except through Me" (John 14:6b).
He claimed here to also be the Truth. Only God, the Perfect and Holy One, is absolute truth. While on trial before Pilate the Roman governor, Jesus not only claimed to be the embodiment of truth, but He made yet another claim - that of being King. He said: "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice" (John 18:37). He claimed that the truth would set people free (John 8:32) and "if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36; 1:17).
"I Am the True Vine" (John 15:1, 5). Jesus continued this claim by saying, "you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). The Apostle Paul said of believers in Jesus that "In Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:2. He is the true source for our life. Without Him, we would wither and die.
Jesus is also the believers source of peace, rest (Matthew 11:28-30), and joy. In this same context of abiding in the Vine, Jesus said: "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:11). Jesus loves you and wants you to be happy and have a fulfilling life of joy - a life that will be fruitful. He has told us the way to obtain this. . . by loving Him and keeping His commands (John 15:10-11).
Let us not forget that Jesus has made yet another great claim -
Jesus claimed the authority to forgive sins. Only God has this power and authority. Jesus said in public to the paralytic man who was lowered through the roof, "Son, your sins are forgiven you" (Mark 2:5). The critics in the crowd were thinking He was blasphemous, saying, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2:7). Jesus, knowing their thoughts said to them:
"But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" - He said to the Paralytic, "I say to you, arise take up your bed. . ." (Mark 2:10-11).
In another instance Jesus told a sinful woman, "Your sins are forgiven" (Luke 7:48; also, He forgave another woman as recorded in John 8:11). Those who heard Him this time, however, were his friends, and they marvelled at Jesus saying, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" (Luke 7:49). Their expression of awe, reminds me of their words when Jesus displayed His almighty power by calming the sea, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!" (Luke 8:25). Jesus confirmed His authority to forgive the sins of the woman, by telling her, "Your faith has saved you" (Luke 7:50). Jesus sees into the innermost heart and being of person. He sees a persons faith and He see a persons disbelief. Again, here we see Jesus divinity, for only God can know what is in a persons heart (John 2:24-25; 13:3).
My friend, turn your heart to Jesus, give Him the honour that is due Him (John 5:23), believe on Him and you too will be saved. When you need guidance, you can rest assured that He is the Light. When you are lost, you can be confident that He is the Way. When you need healing, know that He is the Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26; Psalm 103:3; Isaiah 53:5;Matthew 8:17;1 Peter 2:9; Acts 9:34). When you need a friend, He will be the friend to you that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24)
It is absolutely wrong to believe that Jesus never made these divine claims, for many different writers, at different times, and at different places all testified to their authenticity and research has proved their writings to be authentic. If they were not true, then there would be no Christian faith and no Christian church in existence today.
Therefore, with knowledge of these great claims of Jesus, each individual must have a response. Either you believe He was a lunatic or you believe the truth of His claims and confess to Jesus, as did the once doubting Thomas who said to Jesus, "My Lord and My God" (John 20:2.
