Look at the Life of Jesus

It is interesting when we look at the life of Jesus. We learn several things about Him:

• He was God. Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1; Revelation 1:8; 22:13, 16; John 8:58.
• He was the Creator of the Universe. John 1:3, 10; Colossians 1:16; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:2.
• He became a man. John 1:14.
• But He not only became a man, He became a servant which was the lowliest form of a man (Phil. 2:7).
• He was born in a cattle trough in Bethlehem (Luke 2:7; Micah 5:2) which of itself is despicable for the Creator of the Universe (Colossians 1:16).
• Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) who had no sexual relations with her husband to be.
• He lived his younger years as a carpenter’s son (Matthew 13:55).
• He faced temptation just like humans (Hebrews 4:15).
• Then later Jesus went through all kinds of experiences that we can read about in the four Gospels.
• He was sinless. Hebrews 4:15; 7:26-28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22, 23; Luke 23:15, 47; Matthew 26:60; 27:54.
• But He paid the price that God the Father demanded for sin (Hebrews 9:22) with his own blood (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 10:19, 22; Revelation 5:9; Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24). He was accused of being the “Son of God” (Messiah – in Matthew 26:63; Mark 14:64; Luke 22:70; 23:2-3) which He never denied! In fact, He had proven He was “Messiah” by the different things He did like changing water into wine (John 2:1-11); healings (John 4:46-54; Matthew 12:22; Matthew 9:27-31; John 9:1-7); casting out demons (Mark 1:34); resurrecting the dead back to life (John 11:17-44); feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:14-21; Mark 6:34-44); miraculous signs (John 2:23; 3:2); walking on water (Matthew 14:24-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21); and even forgiving sin (Matthew 9:2-6; Luke 5:24).

And He went through the following things in order to pay for our sins:

1. They blindfolded Him and hit Him. Luke 27:64; Matthew 27:30.
2. They insulted Him. Luke 22:65; Mark 15:32.
3. They spit on Him. Matthew 27:38.
4. They flogged Him with 39 lashes on His back causing Him to bleed severely. John 19:1.
5. They accused him of being the Messiah. Matthew 26:63.
6. They crowned Him with thorns. John 19:2; Matthew 27:29.
7. They made Him carry His roman cross part of the way. John 19:17.
8. They stripped Him of His clothes, humiliating Him. John 19:23; Matthew 27:28.
9. They crucified Him on a roman cross along with 2 other criminals. He died considered a criminal. Luke 23:32-34.
10. They mocked Him. Luke 23:36.
11. People sneered at Him. Luke 23:35.
12. They nailed His hands to a roman cross. John 20:25.
13. He hung on the cross for 6 hours, from the third hour to the ninth hour. Mark 9:33.
14. They gave Him vinegar and water on a sponge for His thirst after 6 hours. John 19:29.
15. He died painfully. His heart was literally broken (John 19:34; Matthew 27:46-50).

*Source: Life Isn’t Fair? by Dennis Swick
Wednesday, February 13, 2008