Jesus
A. JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD
Two thousand years ago a man appeared on the scene of history. He was born into the world and grew up into manhood just like every other person, but this man was different to anyone else. He was no ordinary man.
A virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit to bring Him to birth. He was God, Himself, coming to earth in human form. He was the “Son of God” Luke 1:26-35
“In the beginning was the Word [Jesus] , and the Word was with God and the Word was God … The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” John 1:1, 14
B. JESUS CAME TO THE WORLD FOR A SPECIAL PURPOSE
1. To Rescue Mankind From Satan’s Power
“For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” Luke 19:10 See also Colossians 1:13.
2. To Give His Life As A Ransom To Buy Us Back
“… the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Matthew 20:28
3. To Destroy The Works Of Satan In Our Lives
“He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” 1John 3:8
4. To Give Us Eternal Life
“… and this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” 1John 5:11,12 See also John 3:16,17 and John 10:10.
5. To Give Us New Birth Into The Family Of God
“Yet all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right (power) to become the children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” John 1:12 See also 1John 3:1,2.
6. To Restore Our Fellowship With God The Father
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ”
1John 1:3
C. JESUS CAME TO SHOW US WHAT GOD IS LIKE
“If you really knew me [Jesus], you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen … Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘show us the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words that I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing the work. Believe me when I say I am in the Father and the Father is in me … ” John 14:7-11 See also John 1:18.
1. He Showed Us God’s Love
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son in to the world that we might live through him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as atoning sacrifice for our sins” 1 John 4:9,10 See also Romans 5:8.
2. He Showed Us God’s Power
a. He healed the sick, the lame and the blind
“News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, the epileptics and the paralytics, and he healed them” Matthew 4:24 See also John 9:1-7.
b. He cast out Evil Spirits
“And Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but would no let them speak because they knew who he was” Mark 1:34 See also Mark 5:1-17.
c. He performed miracles
“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped … Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet be still!’
The wind died down and it was completely calm … His disciples were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey him!’” Mark 4:37-41 See also John 6:1-21.
d. He raised the dead
“… Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go’” John 11:43-44
D. JESUS SHARED OUR SUFFERINGS IN HIS LIFE
During His life on earth Jesus experienced all the troubles of life that we face, and so understands how we feel. “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” Hebrews 4:15 See also Matthew 8:17.
E. JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS FOR US
Wicked men took the Lord Jesus and executed him by nailing Him to a wooden cross like a common criminal. He could have saved Himself, but He did not, for it was through His death on the cross that God was going to save the world. Jesus died for us!
Read Mark 15:16-39.
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” 1Peter 2;24 See also Isaiah 53:5-6.
F. JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD FOR US
After three days in the tomb God raised His Son from the dead! Read Matthew 28.
This was for us!
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ… God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus… ” Ephesians 2:4-6 See also Romans 6:4.
G. JESUS OPENED THE DOOR OF HEAVEN FOR US
When His work on the earth was completed, Jesus returned to Heaven to be with God His Father. But this, too, was for us… for He opened the way to God’s presence for us, where we can live now and forever!
“ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body… Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith… ”
Hebrews 10:19-22 See also John 14:1-3.
MY COMMITMENT
Today I acknowledge that Jesus is the son of God and that He came into the world to meet my great need of a Saviour. I will also tell others that He came to the world for them.