WHO is Jesus Christ?
Carefully consider. He said our answer will determine if we inherit ETERNAL LIFE.
Was He really the long awaited ‘Savior’, ‘Messiah’, ‘Christ’ and ‘King of Kings’ as some claim? Was He also the sacrificial “Lamb of God”?
Who did HE say He was?
He claimed to be the Savior, God’s only Son. …the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Mark 14:61b-62.
Let’s face it, if this is not true then he had to be either a ‘good liar’, ‘crazy’ or both.
After all, they crucified Him for claiming these things.
Could a ‘crazy liar’ literally change the world with a message of love, forgiveness and eternal life? Unlikely.
So, who is this ‘Son of God’?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made. John 1:1-3
Jesus Christ is our Creator. He is worthy of our worship! Revelation 4:11
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
God became a man. Why? The answer is simple:
…. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners …. 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Are we all sinners? How serious is sin?
SIN = Death. Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and death spread to all men because all sinned. Romans 5:12
As a deeper understanding of Jesus Christ dawns upon us, awareness of our sin becomes more intense. The Bible is clear. All mankind is born with a sinful nature. We are natural born sinners. We’ve all lied, cheated or stole at one time or another. That’s sin.
The Bible says we are spiritually dead in our sins. Ephesians 2:1-23
And sin, just like the breaking of any law, requires payment of a penalty.
God’s penalty for sin is death.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23. Jesus Christ said to be with God forever we must “be perfect” Matthew 5:48
Why, because God is perfect and He demands perfection.
“But wait!”, one might say, “I’m a pretty good person.”
If you have lied you are a liar. If you have stolen you are a thief.
No amount of good deeds changes the fact that we are all sinners.
So, if sin = death (body first, soul at the judgment) we’re lost, permanently separated from the God who created us.
Impossible situation you say? Yes. Jesus even said so.
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:24-26
So how did God save us?
It’s good news. In fact the word ‘Gospel’ means ‘Good News’.
The Bible is filled with stories that deal with mankind’s sin. God required animal sacrifices to represent the taking away of sin. But the strangest ‘sin’ story of all may be the ‘Snake On The Pole’ story. It’s short.
Wandering Israelites grumbled and complained against God. God sent snakes to bite and kill many of them. Moses prayed to God for help. God told Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Numbers 21:4-9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and LIVE.
About 1450 years later we learn from Jesus Christ that He was the fulfillment of that strange story. He said:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal LIFE.” John 3:15
The snake represented sin. The snake on the pole represented Christ on the cross. Jesus Christ BECAME OUR SIN. 2 Cor. 5:21 Our sin was put to DEATH on the cross. Jesus Christ literally paid for OUR SIN with His own flesh and blood.
Jesus mentioned the ‘snake on the pole’ story just before He uttered the most famous verse in the Bible:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal LIFE.” John 3:16
When we have faith in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross paying for our sin we are assured of eternal life with Him. By His stripes we are healed! Isaiah 53:5
Another famous story: The Lamb of God
His older cousin, John the Baptist said: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
On a fateful Friday the 13th an Angel of death killed all the firstborn in Egypt who were not protected by the blood of a lamb. Jesus was God’s sacrificial lamb. Exodus 11:4-6 and Exodus 12
Abraham sacrifices Isaac
The story of Abraham and Isaac is also a picture of Christ. God provided the required sacrifice for sin in Isaac’s place. Genesis 22:1-14
May you joyfully discover that the entire Bible, Old and New Testament, is ALL about Jesus Christ!
Here are some more facts:
* Almost 2000 years ago Jesus Christ rose from the grave after three days. He lives now and forever. He freely gives eternal life to all who truly believe in Him.
* When Jesus Christ died on the cross OUR SIN DIED on the cross.
* Jesus Christ is ‘perfect’. If we are IN Jesus Christ WE are made perfect. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17
* We are no longer separated from God. We are, by faith IN Jesus Christ and ‘born again’ into His family forever! John 3:3
‘The wages of sin are death but the FREE GIFT of God is eternal LIFE in Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Romans 6:23