Chances are, you’ve at least heard the name Jesus. Jesus is a translation of the Hebrew-Aramaic name, Yeshua, which means “The Lord saves.” It was the name of a first century Jew from a tiny town called Nazareth who publicly claimed to be the Son of God and Israel's long-awaited Messiah or Christ. In doing so, he ignited shock, invited scorn, was brutally tortured and then executed. The Jewish religious authorities and the Roman government collaborated to end his 3 year ministry of healing the sick, bringing hope to the poor and teaching that God’s kingdom is founded not on external religious deeds, but on inner purity demonstrated through everyday expressions of humility, love and grace. Along the way, he indicted the Jewish religious system and its leaders on grounds of distorting the truth and corrupting the faith of Israel. He was in his early 30’s when he died.

Many have said Jesus was a good man who did good deeds. A great and wise teacher. Many have said he was a humble prophet who showed us how man can mirror God's goodness. Others say that he is the expression of one of many gods, but not the exclusive representation of a singular God.  However, Jesus said he was the Son of the one true God – united with his Father in purpose and in being. He claimed that he would die and be raised 3 days later. He claimed that anyone who believes he died in their place for the guilt of their own sins against God would be completely forgiven. And he said that he would be physically raised from the dead to overthrow death itself and make eternal life certain for all who believe in him. He didn’t give us the option to just admire him as a great teacher. Nor did he simply set an example of virtuous and selfless living. Because of these outrageous claims that he was one with God and that he would go through death and out the other side, we have to conclude that he was lying, he was crazy or he was telling the truth.

We believe he was telling the truth. We read the Bible and are inspired by a life lived totally for the good of others, devoted entirely to the will of the one true God who loves people without measure. Jesus was a man. But he was also God from God, the physical representation of God’s mercy, grace and truth. Jesus was not interested in seizing political or national power as some had hoped or feared. He came to overthrow the rule and reign of sin and its ultimate consequence - death. Jesus was and is the “language” of God, the living Word who explained God’s love with his life, death and resurrection. It is because of God’s mercy expressed through Jesus that we can be so flawed and selfish and yet be forgiven and loved. Jesus has already endured the pain that our selfishness deserves. It is by God’s grace that we are accepted as his children, and by his grace we live as hope-bearers in the world, looking forward to a day when Jesus returns to remove all pain and all injustice from the world. Until then, we  will be his ambassadors, addressing pain and injustice with the love and strength that comes from him.

John, one of Jesus’ closest followers, wrote these words:

“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:10-14, NIV)

The truth is, God loves you. Through his earthly ministry, he lived it. By his death, he proved it. And by overthrowing death, he delivered it… to me and to you. If you'd like to know more about Jesus, we'd love to tell you more. There's so much more than four paragraphs can tell!
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