Jesus -- Who and Why!

Just to let you know up front, I'm in the final days of the latest Bible study course I'm taking.  This study has been a real challenge to me and how I perceive my roll as a believer in Christ.  Our text book is from A/G’s Global University, The Local Church in Evangelism, and while reading Chapter 7 we were presented with Peter's preaching style found in the books of Mark and Acts.  The key components of Peter's message on the Day of Pentecost were relating who Jesus is and why He gave His life.  Peter’s presentation of the gospel is so easy to understand that I wonder why it has taken me so long to grasp it.  Why do I find it difficult to talk about this amazing savior to outsiders?  I decided to gather more specific historical information about Jesus. 

As you may know, the internet is really not the best place to find truth–remember even basic facts are subject to the author!  On one site I found a statement that Jesus never lived.  He was only a fictional character made up from many past characters.  My son, Jim, is finishing his last year at Northwestern University.  So, I went rummaging through his growing library of text books from Bible encyclopedias and Parallel Bibles where eschatology, theology and exegesis get lost in so much verbiage.

This is what I found regarding Christ.  A Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus was an eye-witness to history and is best known for his works War of the Jews and Antiquities of the Jews, which are considered by many scholars most authoritative.  These and other of his writings provide historical insight to Jewish customs and culture, even referring to Jesus. 

I even found references in The Bible Almanac (Packer, Tenney, White, 1980) to a Roman biographer Suetonius, a historian of the second century, Tacitus, and a Roman writer Lucian.  These men referred to the fate of many Christians during Nero’s reign.  Lucian described “Christ as the man who was crucified in Palestine.”  (Almanac, p. 511)  So how is it that a man who never existed can be found in ancient history.

So, who was Jesus?  The most important authority is still the Word of God.  Jesus was and is, period.  We know he was God in human form.  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and conquered death by rising again to offer us forgiveness of sin and the gift of everlasting life.  (Evangelism, Ch. 7, p. 91.)  We also know who He was not.  Jesus was and is more than a fictional character; more than just a man, a great teacher or even a prophet as some historians tend to depict.

Here are some of my favorite references to who Jesus is:  the Son of God (Mark 1:1, 24); The Christ – The Messiah (John 1:41); The Bread of Life (John 6:35, 47); The Lamb of God (Luke 22:14-18); The true vine (John 15:1).

The second half of Peter’s sermon presentation is “why He gave His life.”  I think the key element here is in the wording.  He gave His life.  No one took it from him.  His mission was to purchase our redemption.  That He did on the cross, shedding His innocent blood as a sacrifice for sinful man. 

Also consider the why in that:  Christ should suffer (Acts 3:18; Mark 8:31); your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19; Salvation is in no other; no other name under heaven by which we are saved (Acts 4:12; 10:43); Forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31; 13:38); Put to death on the cross (Acts 5:30; 10:39).  (Evangelism, pp. 90-91)

Jesus is the gospel message.  The good news I want to share. 

I am Learning – In His Time – He will lead me