Jesus

Jesus is the central figure of Christianity, believed to be true God, and true man. The story is that he was killed at the hands of powerful men who unjustly crucified him instead of a murderous criminal, one whom the justice system had previously found to be guilty. So Jesus, though not guilty of any crime, not even guilty of any evil deed at all, was crucified in his place. Not even his own countrymen would vouch for him that day, even though they knew his character, knew he was a man of God. Some of them were even glad and took great pleasure in ridding him from the world that day. But little did they know he would be raised to life again the thirds day and in fulfillment of the Hebrew scriptures.

The guilty man’s punishment, under the justice system of the day, was death, by crucifixion.. and who would dare to argue with the justice of the law that day? Who would dare to suggest that maybe it would be unjust to let a murderer go and crucify the king of kings instead?

Jesus had become a bit of a political problem for the Roman rulers and the Jewish religious experts too. Mobs were restless, and then as today politicians are quick to do what is best for their own ambitions, and they like to do what best helps keep peace on earth. The democratic mob would get to see true justice served, and Jesus, along with allt he controversy he created by healing the sick, raising the dead and teaching about the kingdom of God, whom he boldly proclaimed to know personally as his father, would be conveniently done away with. Doing away with Jesus, seemed and easy solution, one that those in authority believed would solve a lot of problems.

Those in authority agreeable participated in the injustice being done. They knew they were executing an innocent man. Why did they do it anyhow?

Was it because they wanted nothing to do with his teachings? Did they fear that their power and authority was jeopardized by His remarkable ability to heal the sick, feed the hungry and speak words of comfort and hope to a lost and dying world? Were they fearful of the crowds making their demands for freedom? Were they thinking that they would soon be without a job? Whatever the reason, the man Jesus was brought before the justice of man and there he found no mercy and no love for the truth. Everyone, even his friends, abandoned him.

The story of Jesus is not only how an innocent man died in the place of a guilty one, but the story of how the one and only spotless Lamb of God was given unto men to do with as they choose. Jesus Christ, son of man and Son of God, like a lamb before his shearers, was silent. He complied with all man had in store for him and not just for the sake of Barrabas. He did it for the whole entire world. He let them have their way, let it take him to the very end. He even died. Then Jesus, having fulfilled the law of His Father... the law of love, completely from beginning to the end, set the captives of sin and death completely free. miraculously he took up his life and rose from death, according to the scriptures. A proclamation and a demonstration that God not man would always have the final word.

His story is the story of God’s incredible love in the face of proud and arrogant humanity, and it’s the story of how sinners bound for hell are not only saved, but set-free. We see in Jesus Christ the wisdom of a Holy God and His benevolent mercy and grace bestowed upon sinful humanity.It's the story of all stories, his story in fact. There is only one name under heaven by which men might be saved, and that name is Jesus.

In man’s judicial system the innocent suffer and evil doers get away with murder and the day they crucified the son of God, Jesus Christ, King of the Jews, they may have thought they were getting away with murder, but they didn't. In God’s judicial system, unrepented of sin must be punished and in the end, His grace and mercy as well as righteousness prevails. Jesus is the Lamb of God, provided by God himself to take away our sin. They did not pull the wool over his eyes that day. Jesus himself, dying ion the cross, declared that with his death, payment for our sin, forgiveness for our crimes, mercy for our hatred and our greed had been paid in full.

The scripture tells us that Jesus, the man, was the son of God and he was also the promised seed of the woman, Son of Man, carpenter by trade, miracle worker, rabbi/teacher and Holy One of Israel.

Jesus?

He is that guy who came to save us, you know, that guy who was crucified under Pontious Pilate and ten miraculously resurrected from the grave.