Who is Jesus? And why should I believe in him?

A Historical Profile

There is evidence outside of the Scriptures to confirm some of the things we know about Jesus. Writers such as Josephus, Tacitus, and Pliny all have extra-biblical accounts of Jesus.

Jesus was born sometime between 7-2 BC and died sometime between 32-36 AD

Jesus was a Jew by birth, culture, and practice.

Jesus lived in Galilee and Judea ; which is now in the Northern part of Israel. There is no historical evidence to suggest that Jesus ever left this region

Jesus spoke Aramaic and likely Hebrew and Greek

Jesus traveled the countryside with a group of followers performing miracles and signs and teaching about God.

Jesus is the Son of God

By his personal confession

John 5:18 “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”

By the confession of others

Matthew 16:16 “Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.””

Matthew 27:54 “When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!””

By God’s Declaration:

Matthew 3:17 “and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.””

Jesus is the Son of God and the second person in the Trinity. It is important for us to remember that Jesus is more than just a good teacher or a moral man- Jesus was God with skin on.

This is such an important aspect of our Christian faith. You see, other religions tell the story of men trying to be like God; but the story of Christianity is the story of God becoming a man.

Fancy theology calls this hypostatic union- that Jesus was fully God and fully man- 2 full natures in one person.

Jesus is our Faithful Example

1 Peter 2:21 “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.”

Ephesians 5:1–2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

I am a person who learns by watching and doing. I struggle with learning just by reading something on a page. This is why I love YouTube. If I am trying to learn something new I can pull up a video of about anything and see exactly how to do it. This is also one of the things I love and appreciate so much about Jesus. Jesus did not merely sit in heaven and demand people to things his way. No, listen to Philippians 2:6–8 “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus did more- he come to live an example for us, to show us what the Kingdom of God looks like, and to reveal what faith in God can do.

This is why Jesus’ life is so important. Because his life provides us a pattern to live by.

Its like when we are adults are tryin to help our kids learn… …

Jesus is the Atonement for Sin

But because of Jesus’ example, we find we need a Savior.

D. M. Stearns was preaching in Philadelphia. At the close of the service a stranger came up to him and said, “I don’t like the way you spoke about the cross. I think that instead of emphasizing the death of Christ, it would be far better to preach Jesus, the teacher and example.”

Stearns replied, “If I presented Christ in that way, would you be willing to follow Him?” “I certainly would,” said the stranger without hesitation. “All right then,” said the preacher, “let’s take the first step. He did no sin. Can you claim that for yourself?”

The man looked confused and somewhat surprised. “Why, no,” he said. “I acknowledge that I do sin.”

Stearns replied, “Then your greatest need is to have a Savior, not an example!

Sin requires blood to be forgiven.

Hebrews 9:22 “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

Jesus shed his blood to cover the sins of mankind.

1 John 2:2 “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

"The cross is a fitting symbol of the atonement, for it represents the intersecting of two attributes or facets of God’s nature. Here it is that the love of God meets the holiness of God. The holiness requires payment of the penalty, and the love provides that payment."-Milliard Erickson

An "intelligent" toilet that opens when you approach it and self-cleans with every flush is on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

... Despite a $9,800 (£6,704) price tag, more than 40 million earlier versions of the Neorest toilets have been sold.

Bathroom firm Toto said the new prototype was still in development.

Its self-cleaning process uses a combination of a disinfectant and a glaze - made out of zirconium and titanium dioxide - which coats the bowl.

"Once it flushes it sprays the interior of the bowl with electrolysed water," explained Toto spokeswoman Lenora Campos.

She said the "proprietary process" essentially turns the water into a weak bleach.

"This bleaches the interior, killing anything in the bowl," said Ms Campos.

Meanwhile an ultraviolet light in the lid charges the surface.

That makes it super-hydrophilic - or water-loving, so nothing can stick to it - and also photocatalytic, enabling oxygen ions to break down bacteria and viruses.

"You don't have to clean the toilet bowl for over a year," said Ms Campos.

How many times do we try and self-clean our lives? But here’s the truth- we cant. Although we are constantly coming up with new and improved versions of virtually everything, even toilets, no one has been able to develop a new and improved Savior! It’s not as though it hasn’t been tried, but how do you improve on a Savior who is God? How do you improve on a salvation that promises God’s righteousness in exchange for your sinfulness? How can anyone improve on the sacrificial and unconditional love of Christ?

Electrolysed water can’t compare to the waters of his baptism.  Ultraviolet light can’t match the purifying brilliance of his glory.  Oxygen ions and titanium dioxide can’t cleanse us from the contaminates of sin like the blood of Jesus. He is the only Savior who can take our sins away, not once a year, but once and for all time.

Jesus is our Intercessor

1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,”

Romans 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

And because we cannot save ourselves, we cannot sustain ourselves either. So Jesus ascended into Heaven and sits down at the right hand of God. The highest place of glory and honor. But he does not sit there idol- he sits there for us.

And the best part is its perfect advocacy.

Have you ever been the middle man in relaying phone conversations?

In the OT the Priests were the mediators of the covenant; they were they connection between God and man.

But now Jesus is that connection for us. Satan- whose name means accuser- is trying to point out our sins, our faults, and our shortcomings, but Jesus is at the right hand of God as our advocate- standing in the gap for us.

We can go to God anytime and in any place because of Jesus and his work.

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.