What The Bible Tells Us

Hundreds of eye-witnesses saw Jesus walking, talking, and even eating – after He had died from being crucified on a cross. It is this physical resurrection from the dead that sets Jesus apart from all other prophets, teachers, and religious figures.

He was Jewish...

The Bible tells us that Jesus was born and raised a Jew – He was not the blue-eyed, blond-haired depiction we see in many artist’s renderings! In the New Testament we read that Jesus had a miraculous entrance into the world – He was born of the virgin, Mary (the Holy Spirit conceived Him – not a human father), and He lived a life where He did nothing sinful – He was perfect.

He was Approachable...

He was also an ‘average guy’! He learned carpentry, liked to go fishing, and everyone felt comfortable approaching Him: children wanted His attention – and He gave it to them, the ‘untouchables’ of society wanted to be healed – and He touched and healed them, the religious people wanted to question Him – and He answered them. The rich, the corrupt, the poor, the dirty, the young and the old – all felt they could approach Him.

He was Profound...

Jesus’ teachings were revolutionary and captivating – thousands would follow Him around the countryside to hear what He had to say. He amazed them with His miracles and authority; even the religious leaders who were trying to trap Him in His words were stupefied at the brilliance of His answers. He changed the way people thought about themselves and their relationship with God. He said some very difficult things, but people still followed Him. He often used miracles to prove that what He had to say was from God.

Jesus’ life was amazing!

He was Predicted...

But if all that’s not enough to convince a person, even more astonishing is that His arrival and purpose was predicted in the Jewish Old Testament Scriptures hundreds of years earlier. In fact, in Jesus all the prophesies made about the Messiah were fulfilled – and there were more than 300 of them!

Some have argued that He read the Old Testament and simply fulfilled the prophecies. That could be true for some of them, but it doesn’t explain the ones that were completely out of His control, such as: His ancestors, where and when He was born, that kings would visit Him, His parents would flee with Him to Egypt, He had the power to heal the blind, deaf, and dumb, He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, that He would be pierced through His hands and feet, etc.

He had Purpose...

The Old Testament describes the perpetual animal sacrifices that God commanded His people to offer in order to obtain forgiveness for their sins. This same Old Testament foretold that an ultimate Sacrifice was coming – the Messiah. He was the One who would be perfect enough, holy enough, and strong enough to be the ‘once and for all’ sacrifice to carry the sin of the world and then defeat it! The most astonishing proof that Jesus was the Messiah was when He came to life again three days after He was crucified. He defeated not only sin, but the ultimate result of sin – death, thereby earning Himself the exclusive right to offer eternal life to ‘whosoever’ believes in Him.

Jesus had a purpose for coming to earth, and that purpose was to save us!

“For God came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:17)

Jesus lived a perfect life so He could be the perfect sacrifice. Our sins – all the wrong things we think, do, and say – prevent us from having any kind of real relationship with God. The only way this kind of relationship can begin is for our sins to be dealt with – for even though God is the very definition and essence of love and mercy, He is also a God of Justice – a Holy God.

Only Almighty God is able to devise a plan that can reconcile the irreconcilable – justice and mercy.

Continue with: What Makes Jesus Necessary