God Revealed

Each one of us have our beliefs about God even if we are not too sure how much we actually believe in him. We might say that we believe that God is loving, that he listens to prayers and that he is interested in all people. We have collected our convictions over time from reading the Bible, attending church, and listening to others talk about God. God has not been silent. He has spoken to people in all kinds of ways, in dreams, in words, in visions. Now, Christian faith affirms that God has spoken, finally, definitively, supremely in Jesus, the Lord and Christ. This Jesus is the one through whom we know God.

Jesus, the Christ and Lord

Who is this Jesus? Simply reading in any of the Gospels contained in the New Testament will reveal that Jesus was most certainly authentically human. He was born Jewish, he grew up, he developed intellectually and socially, he ate, slept, got angry and had a sense of humor. The New Testament says that there was something about Jesus that was different from us in that he was without sin. As a man he was in a close relationship with God as his Father. And the New Testament makes the claim that this Jesus is the long awaited Messiah of the Jews and Lord of all the peoples of earth. There is no doubt that Jesus was authentically human but the Message about Jesus in the New Testament indicates that he is not merely human. Jesus is proclaimed to be the Lord of the whole universe. This associates him with the Lord God of the Jewish Scriptures. Jesus is named the Word of God, who was with God in the beginning, through whom all things were made, who was God. Jesus is said to be the exact representation of God’s being. And if you have seen Jesus you have seen God. Christian faith affirms that Jesus is authentically God.

Jesus AccomplishmentsWhat did Jesus accomplish? Jesus was a prophet teacher who communicated the supreme message of God to people in word and deeds. His message was of God’s forgiving and new creation love for all people. As the embodiment of  the eternal Word, Jesus is God speaking personally to us as one of us. Jesus claimed to be the King, High Priest and Christ of Israel, their one authorized Representative before God, their Deliverer and the Savior of the whole world. Jesus was the fulfillment of the hope proclaimed in their Scriptures, God returned in glory to his people and the establishment of the new creation. Jesus gave his life on the cross where all the sin and evil in the world was piled up on him, was exposed for what it really is, was judged and condemned, and it’s power taken from it forever. Jesus died and was buried. He rose again bodily from the grave vindicated by God as the Savior and Lord of all the peoples of the world, of the whole creation. Jesus ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, reigning over all creation. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be the living presence and power of God in the lives of his followers. Jesus lives in his followers through the Spirit. And Jesus promised to return in glory as judge and savior. Following Jesus

The story of Jesus in the New Testament has him inviting all kinds of people to follow him as their Lord, Savior and Friend. This is a decision that he is inviting each of us to make at this very moment. Jesus described himself as the doorway to life. Stepping through this door involves an individual choice on our parts a commitment of faith in Jesus. And it involves a public witness expressed in baptism.

The Gift of Salvation

There are so many ways the New Testament describes life with Jesus. Through faith in Jesus you are adopted into God’s forever family. Through faith in Jesus you are forgiven and reconciled to God. Through faith in Jesus you share in the promise of resurrection life in the new creation. And through faith in Jesus you are called into God’s service.

 Living as Jesus’ Follower

 Daily living as a follower of Jesus involves being in close relationship with him through Scripture reading, prayer and offering yourself to the life of love and service in the company of fellow Christ followers in a local church.