Who Is Jesus?
Jesus is: THE SON OF GOD
GOD'S MESSENGER OF SALVATION
THE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS
THE WAY TO FORGIVENESS
AND ETERNAL LIFE
Jesus is: The Son of God
Jesus was born roughly 2,000 years ago in the small town of Bethlehem in the Middle East. His birth was the miraculous fulfillment of prophecy, in that God placed him into the womb of a young virgin woman, who gave birth to God’s own son. He was God, who became human to communicate salvation to mankind. Jesus is fully God and fully man.
14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
– John 1:14 (ESV)
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God.
– John 1:1-2 (ESV)
Jesus is: God's Messenger of salvation
At the age of 30, Jesus began his public ministry. Over the next three years, Jesus performed signs and miracles, fulfilling hundreds of prophecies that had been written about him. Jesus and his disciples preached about the coming of the Kingdom of God, encouraging people to turn from their sins and accept the salvation that God was offering them through his son, Jesus Christ.
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
– John 20:30-31 (ESV)
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.
– John 3:3 (ESV)
Jesus is: The Sacrifice for our sins
At the age of 33, Jesus was literally nailed to a wooden cross and died a brutal, public death by Roman crucifixion. His death was again the fulfillment of prophecy…the required payment for the sins of mankind. In yet another fulfillment of prophecy, Jesus rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion and burial, and now sits forever at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
– Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
– Acts 1:9-11 (ESV)
Jesus is: The Way to Forgiveness & Eternal Life
Through his death and resurrection, Jesus offers us forgiveness of our sins and the gift of eternal life. He came to earth to become one of us…to speak our language…to help us understand and accept what we needed to know to obtain eternal life. We only need to believe the truth of this, and accept his gift by accepting him as our Savior.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
– Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
– Ephesians 2:13 (ESV)
Jesus is the center of everything we do at rest Church. God created the world and then entered His own story coming as the Messiah. Jesus then lived the only perfect sinless life on earth. Jesus died taking our on our sin and absorbing the wrath of God that was meant for us. Jesus then rose from death by resurrection. Currently, Jesus is at the right hand of the Father and will one day return to redeem and restore His people and creation. Before Jesus came we were without rest, but not anymore, and this is incredibly good news!
If you have further questions please email a staff member. We would love to help.
If you do not have a Bible and would like help in getting your own personal copy of the Bible in a readable translation— email one of our Deacon’s Ted Smith