CHRISTIANITY DEFROCKED
Jesus - God's answer
 
  Myth Buster: If you want to see God in human form, take a look at Jesus.  
 
Introduction: Who exactly was and is Jesus? Some clever teacher that stirred up the crowds. A demon possessed man as accused by some in the Bible. Something you say when you are surprised or angry. A myth. A magician. Some deluded hippie wandering about in sandals. Jesus has been called all sorts of things and maybe you have your own take on him. Many people react when you say the name seriously. I have found that you can discuss God and church and religion, but start talking about Jesus and people start to get edgy. Try saying “Jesus Christ is Lord” out loud and see if you get a reaction inside you. 

 So what is it about Jesus that sparks a reaction? Jesus possibly the most misunderstood man in history. Could it actually be because he is what the Bible says he is, Jesus – God the Son?  Could Jesus actually be God?  

This is what the Bible says about him. “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. And though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own and his own did not receive him. He became flesh (man) for a while to live among us.” You can read the rest at the beginning of John’s Gospel.
The Bible also says “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…” We might not fully understand this but it sounds wonderful.

 If you remember in the Skeleton we explained that mankind rejected God’s way for their lives and chose to live their own way instead. That is the reason mankind chose to reject Jesus Christ. He was God’s way. Mankind once again elected to reject their creator. DOH! 

So let’s take a look at some of the things the Bible calls Jesus. 

The Light of the world. Do you need a bit of light in your life at the moment?
The Way. God’s way. Why do we stubbornly refuse to even take a look at this option? (Thanks for reading this though)
The Truth. Amazing how desperately the most intelligent people will seek to prove Jesus wrong. Why?
The Life. Are you dying?
The Bread of Heaven. Are you spiritually hungry or starved? Maybe even physically hungry.
The Lamb of God. A sacrifice sent to appease God’s wrath against mankind (but only for those who choose to accept this). 

Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”    

Below is a quick run through of the life of Jesus. 

From eternity to the very beginning, in Heaven with God, as God, making the world. Later he would choose to lay down all of his power and majesty but not his identity, to come to earth.
From the beginning of A.D. Jesus came as a babe born of a virgin Mary (see Christmas). Pretty much unannounced and unrecognised.
At age 12 Jesus amazed the religious leaders at the temple with his wisdom and grew up as a carpenter like Joseph.
At age 30, Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist. Jesus had never sinned so technically was not required to be baptised, but chose to as an example to all his followers. This is where God the Holy Spirit came onto him in the form of a dove. Following this the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Then Satan visited him in his weakened condition and gave him a real heavy session of temptation. Satan realised that if Jesus sinned, then his whole mission on earth would be rendered void and the human race would be lost without hope. Jesus defeated Satan and would not succumb to the delights he offered. Many people have accused Jesus of all kinds of things, but the Bible says he never ever sinned, because he chose not to. 

Then Jesus’ three year ministry began. He started by choosing his rag tag band of followers (see God & Men). Then he went throughout the land, teaching, healing doing miracles* and generally rubbing the Jewish religious leaders up the wrong way. Strange that in our country we love the story of the myth of Robin Hood, but have no time for the true life exploits of Jesus – God the Son, who did much much more in helping the poor and healing the sick. Jesus hates the corruption of church leaders too.
Wherever Jesus went he introduced people to the Kingdom of God and taught his disciples how things worked. Not an easy task given those he had chosen, but he was preparing them to be the founders of his church when he went back to Heaven. And all the time he was preparing the way for the grand awful finale. His death. The main reason why he came to earth.
At the end of three years he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to face his trial, betrayal, abuse and torture and ultimately his death by crucifixion. Please note that it was the Jewish religious leaders of the day that insisted Jesus died. Pontius Pilate, the Roman ruler did not want to kill Jesus and gave the religious leaders a choice by offering to free one man. But they chose a murderer instead. (Read more in Christmas and Easter). 

Jesus died but that was not the end. On the third day, he rose from the dead thus destroying the power of sin and death. Forty days later, after appearing to his disciples, Jesus went back to Heaven having totally fulfilled his purpose and we can only imagine the celebration and delight when he was welcomed home.
From that date till forever, Jesus now sits in Heaven at the right hand of the Father as King of kings and Lord of lords and the Bible says about him, “Your throne O God will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom.” The Lord Jesus Christ to give him his full title will actually judge the whole world when he chooses. To him has been given honour and authority over all things. He holds the keys of death and Hell. John the writer of Revelation was taken into heaven (a bit like a journalist being invited in to write about what he saw and was shown incredible things) and describes what Jesus looks like now. “His head and his hair were as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.”  

The story of Jesus’ life is found in the four gospels at the beginning of the New Testament towards the back of the Holy Bible. My personal favourite is the Gospel of Luke which then continues with the Book of Acts. Definitely worth a read. 

* There is debate about the miracles that Jesus did. To a God who created the world in six days, why should raising someone from the dead or walking on water, or healing the sick be a problem? He did miracles for three main reasons. To demonstrate the Kingdom of God, because he loved the people and lastly to show his disciples (then and now) what to do.
 

Just a thought: If Jesus is who the Bible says, maybe using his name as a blasphemy is unwise.

  
 

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