Who is Jesus Christ?

Jesus Died for Us 

“What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position ‘a little lower than the angels’;  and because he suffered death for us, he is now ‘crowned with glory and honor.’ Yes, by God’s grace,  Jesus tasted death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:9, NLT 

Wicked men took the Lord Jesus and executed him by nailing him to a wooden cross like a  common criminal (read Mark 15:16-39). He could have saved himself, but he did not because it was through his death on the Cross that God was going to save the world. Jesus died for us!  

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for  what is right. By his wounds you are healed.” 1 Peter 2:24, NLT (see also Isaiah 53:5-6) 

Jesus Rose for Us 

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5that even though we were dead because of  our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have  been saved!)  For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly  realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-6, NLT (see Romans 6:4; read also  Matthew chapter 28) 

Jesus Opened Heaven 

When His work on earth was completed, Jesus returned to Heaven to be with His Father. But this too was for us, for He opened the way into God’s presence, where we can live now and forever!  

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the  blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the  Most Holy Place.  And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go  right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him…” Hebrews 10:19-22, NLT (see  also 4:16; John 14:1-3) 

If Christ rose, then all that he offers us, he can fulfill. It means he really can forgive sin, give us eternal life, and guide us now in this life. As God, we now know what God is like and can respond to his invitation to know him and his love for us in a personal way.

Did Jesus prove he is God?

Let’s look at the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection.

Given all the miracles he had performed, Jesus easily could have avoided the cross, but he chose not to.

Before his arrest, Jesus said, “I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord…and I have authority to take it up again.”

During his arrest, Jesus’ friend Peter tried to defend him. But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its place…Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” He had that kind of power in heaven and on earth. Jesus went willingly to his death.

Jesus’ crucifixion and burial

Jesus’ death was by public execution on a cross, a common form of torture and death, used by the Roman government for many centuries. The accusation against Jesus was for blasphemy (for claiming to be God). Jesus said it was to pay for our sin.

Jesus was lashed with a multi-cord whip having metal or bone fragmented ends. A mock crown of long thorns was beaten into his skull. They forced him to walk to an execution hill outside of Jerusalem. They put him on a wooden cross, nailing his wrists and feet to it. He hung there, eventually dying. A sword was thrust into his side to confirm his death.

The body of Jesus was taken from the cross, wrapped in mummy-like linens covered with gummy-wet spices. His body was placed in a solid rock tomb, where a very large boulder was rolled down to it, to secure the entrance.

Everyone knew that Jesus said he would rise from the dead in three days. So they stationed a guard of trained Roman soldiers at the tomb. They also affixed an official Roman seal to the outside of the tomb declaring it government property.

Three days later, the tomb was empty

In spite of all this, three days later the boulder formerly sealing the tomb was found up a slope, some distance away from the tomb. The body was gone. Only the grave linens were found in the tomb, empty of the body.

It is important to note that both critics and followers of Jesus agree that the tomb was empty and the body missing.

The earliest explanation circulated was that the disciples stole the body while the guards were sleeping. This makes little sense. This was an entire guard of highly trained Roman soldiers and falling asleep on duty was punishable by death.

Further, each of the disciples were tortured and put to death (individually and in different geographic locations) for proclaiming that Jesus was alive, risen from the dead. Men and women will die for what they believe to be true, though it may actually be false. They do not, however, die for what they know is a lie. If ever a man tells the truth, it is on his deathbed.

Maybe the authorities moved the body? This also is a weak possibility. They crucified Jesus to stop people from believing in him. If they had Christ’s body, they could have paraded it through the streets of Jerusalem. In one fell swoop they would have successfully smothered Christianity in its cradle. That they did not do this bears eloquent testimony to the fact that they did not have the body.

Another theory is that the women (the first to see Jesus’ empty tomb) were distraught and overcome by grief, missed their way in the dimness of the morning and went to the wrong tomb. In their distress they imagined Christ had risen because the tomb was empty. But again, if the women went to the wrong tomb, why did the high priests and other enemies of the faith not go to the right tomb and produce the body.

One other possibility is what some call “the swoon theory.” In this view, Christ did not actually die. He was mistakenly reported to be dead, but had swooned from exhaustion, pain, and loss of blood, and in the coolness of the tomb, he revived. (One would have to overlook the fact that they put a spear in his side to medically confirm his death.)

But let us assume for a moment that Christ was buried alive and swooned. Is it possible to believe that he would have survived three days in a damp tomb without food or water or attention of any kind? Would he have had the strength to extricate himself from the grave clothes, push the heavy stone away from the mouth of the grave, overcome the Roman guards, and walk miles on feet that had been pierced with spikes? It too makes little sense.

However, it wasn’t the empty tomb that convinced Jesus’ followers of his deity.

Not just the empty tomb

That alone did not convince them that Jesus actually rose from the dead, was alive, and was God. What convinced them were the number of times that Jesus showed up, in person, in the flesh, and ate with them, and talked with them. Different locations, different times, to a variety of different people. Luke, one of the gospel writers, says of Jesus, “he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”

All four of the gospel writers give accounts of Jesus physically being alive again. On one occasion when Jesus joined the disciples, Thomas was not there. When they told Thomas about it, he simply wouldn’t believe it. He flatly stated, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”

One week later, Jesus came to them again with Thomas now present. Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus told him “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Name of Salvation 

“12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which  we must be saved.” Acts 4:12, NLT 

The Bible tells us that there is no other way to be saved except through the name of Jesus. This is  because only the death of Jesus on the Cross deals with the barrier between us and God – sin. Jesus  is the only way back to God. This is why Jesus said:  

“…I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6,  NLT 

When you accepted Jesus into your life, God linked your life with Jesus. Now, as a Christian, you  are forever linked with Jesus – with His righteousness, with His authority, with His character, with  His life (see Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1-4).  

“ This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into  God’s inner sanctuary.  Jesus has already gone in there for us…” Hebrews 6:19-20, NLT