Bono, singer-songwriter, musician, and front man for U2, philanthropist extraordinaire, has a simple answer. Either Jesus is who he says he is - the Son of God - or he's a complete nut-case.
For the record, Bono accepts that Jesus is Son of Man and Son of God.
Wars have been waged in Jesus' name. In earlier centuries, Catholics and Protestants murdered members of the other side for years, depending on the religion of the one who was on the throne. Kings ordered people to accept Baptism or be killed. Jews were vilified and executed for being "the people who murdered Jesus." Today fanatical Muslims conduct a jihad to wipe out Christians, even though Islamist mystics proclaim Jesus a great prophet.
All this violence over Jesus, who said "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6: 27 - 28) and ordered his followers to stop fighting to free him when he was arrested, saying ""Stop, no more of this." (Luke Luke 22: 51.)
A con man, a political opportunist struggling to build political power, to become King and free his country from Roman oppression would never have said such words, ordered his followers to stop fighting, died a criminal's death.
Is he a nutcase when he claims that the Father and he are one, that whoever hears him hears the Father, whoever sees him sees the Father? That believing in him brings eternal life?
The real question is - Whom does he teach that the Father is? In Jesus' words and actions, the Father is merciful, forgiving, all-loving, healing, accepting of everyone, even outcasts shunned by the Jewish community. Jesus died because some of the leaders of the community who were corrupt conspired with the Roman authorities to get rid of a man who challenged them on their power-mongering, cruelty, and greed.
If Jesus says that the Father and he are one, then he is pushing and pulling his followers into newer, deeper, radical understandings of Who God is - and that is why he says God sent him. Jesus is the Final Ultimate Living Word on Who God is. Not a vindictive god, or a neglectful one. A God Who is Love.
Surely to follow Jesus, to accept that he is who he says he is - the very Word of God - is to find eternal life. Because to find Jesus, to follow him, is to find Love and Light Incarnate, and Love is eternal life. Forgiveness of one's sins is eternal life. Transformation is eternal life. Jesus promises us life to the fullest, life past the grave. Resurrection and transformation through, with, and in Him.
But following Jesus is taking me a life-time to understand and to accept, over and over again. It's easy to say "I worship you, Jesus." It's the ultimate challenge for me to accept the words "Love your enemies and do good to them, and lend, expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for He Himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked."(Luke 6:35)
Jesus is challenging me, day after day, to open the door of my heart to him, to hear his Voice - a voice which is so extreme in its demand for me to be loving, forgiving, and merciful that I know it is the Voice of God's own Son.
For Jesus says of himself "God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life."
A nutcase preaching love and mercy and willing to die to prove the existence of a God Who forgives His children, even those Who murder His Son for preaching kindness? I don't think so.
Lord Jesus, may I open the door of my heart to you until the end of my days so that one day we may meet face to face.