We have talked about the Birth of Jesus Christ and the reason He was sent to this Earth. Jesus was fully God and fully man. He is the one and only true Son of God that died for our sins on the Cross so we may have everlasting life. We have also asked the question of who do you say Jesus is and what does He mean to you? That is a question that will have many different answers and meanings to many, many people. The most important answer is your own, what is your relationship with Christ and what impact is that having on your life? Have you accepted Him? Do you believe in Him? Have you a relationship already with Him? Do want one? I would encourage you to explore these questions in your life. I would talk to you about it if you so chose too.
Before we get into the Sermon on the Mount lets look at the early history of Christ to build up to this so you understand where we are at in His life. How did Jesus' ministry start? What happened before it started? In the following paragraphs we will follow the what the Bible has to say about it. Remember the Bible is the Word and the Word is truth from God.
Now keep in mind who is writing these things to you. I am just a normal everyday guy with some addiction issues. I work in a factory and am not nationally significant. I am your average Garden variety sinner who wants to do what he was called to do and that is work for God and share the most important message you will ever hear. That is belief in Jesus' birth, life, and crucifixion. That He is the one and only Son of God, that God so loved the world He gave His one and only Son so we may see the light through the darkness and turn from our ways, and that those who repent will have forgiveness of Sins in the name of Jesus Christ. and we will have everlasting life if we believe.
Now up to this point in His life, John the Baptist was preparing the way for Jesus' ministry to start and to inform people that the Messiah has been born and is now here on Earth. John spoke of Him with great regard and affection. Matthew 3:11-12; I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be His slave and carry His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the the chaff from the wheat with His winnowing fork. Then He will clean up the threshing area, gathering wheat into His barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."
With this Jesus went to Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John according to the scriptures. John tried talking Jesus out of it Matthew 3:14; "I am the one who needs to be baptized by you, so why are you coming to me?" Matthew 3:15-17; Jesus replied "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires" so John agreed to baptize Him. After His baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the Heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from Heaven said, "This is my dearly beloved Son, who brings me great Joy".
Now the stage has been set for Jesus to start preparing for His ministry. After the baptism Jesus was led away by the Spirit into the wilderness. He fasted for forty days and forty nights and became very Hungry. This was also the time where He was to be tempted by the devil. Satan tried many times to get Jesus to go against the scriptures and make one selfish choice. If I understand what I am reading correctly it only needed to be one selfish choice. But Jesus showed great restraint and great love for the Father be sticking to and living what scripture had to say. Satan offered Him food, mocked Him, offered Him a great Earthly Kingdom only if he would bow down and worship him. to which Jesus replied Matthew 4:10; "Get out of here Satan" for the Scriptures say; You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him".
Satan tempts us in many different ways as well, only he doesn't have to say to us directly bow down and worship me. No he is smart enough to offer us things we will worship that are not of God. Money, sex, status, and so on. By worshipping these things as more important than our relationship with God than we are worshipping him. We all do it, we just have to recognize it. The life of Jesus was set in motion long before time began and this journey of His life that ends on the Cross and the Resurrection protects us from the choices we make if we repent of them and try not to repeat them continually. He knew Satan would tempt us and that we would have to have a way to be worthy enough to enter the Kingdom. A sacrifice of sinless blood was the way to achieve that purpose. Jesus overcame death so that a life we lead that ends in death can be overcame and we can be reborn into everlasting life by choosing Jesus and not the world. We have to live in the world but we don't have to worship and give our lives to the things in it. In three million or 3 trillion years from now is it going to matter who we slept with, how many of them, the kind of car we drove or house we lived in, you get the point. The only thing that will matter is what we believe and what we give to the world not what we take from it. Up or down is the only two ways we are leaving this earth with nothing more than what we came in with, our souls.
In the next few weeks we will be getting into the teachings of Jesus and I will share how it relates to my life and what it could mean for our lives.
Who do you say Jesus is? and what does that mean to you?
Jason
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