Do you know Jesus? The man who was with God in heaven when the world was created. The man seated at the right hand of God our Father when the plants and animals were created. Who saw the beginning of mankind and knew he would be the Savior of the world that was just created. John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Do you know Jesus? The man who left his throne in heaven to come down to earth and be born of a virgin. Matthew 1:18 – Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. The baby who was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn. Luke 2:7 – and she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. This innocent baby came from heaven to be our Savior and to die on the cross for our sins.
Do you know Jesus? The perfect person to ever walk on this side of heaven showed us the way to be saved and how to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus was baptized by John and when Jesus was brought up out of the waters, heaven opened for Him. Matthew 3:16 – After Jesus was baptized, He went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him. And there came a voice from heaven: This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him! Jesus wants us to follow in His footsteps and live the life He lived. Jesus had no sins to wash away, and He was baptized according to God’s will. We are baptized symbolically in Jesus’ name to wash away our sins, but the true way to wash away our sins is in the blood of Jesus. Acts 2:38 – Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Do you know Jesus? The teacher who teaches us with simple parables for us to understand what he expects of us. The man who followed God’s law and God’s plan completely without a single flaw. Jesus teaches us what the greatest commandments are, to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Can you image what the world would be like now if these two simple commandments were followed by every person. Matthew 22:37 – He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Do you know Jesus? The man who was sentenced to death for no wrong doing. The man who suffered tremendous pain and agony so that we can have a relationship with God. Jesus died on the cross because of our sins. This was not the end of Jesus, for God’s will was not complete. Jesus was placed in a tomb and three days after his death, the tomb was empty. Jesus was resurrected for the dead. Matthew 28:6 – He is not here! For He has been resurrected, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Jesus walked this earth for forty days after his death. Then Jesus ascended into heaven and was seated again at the right hand of God. Mark 16:19 – Then after speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. This is only a small part of Jesus’ life. He teaches us many things in His word and He is still with us today, guiding us and teaching us.
Do you know Jesus? When we die, we will be face to face with Jesus. We will be compared to how Jesus lived his life on earth. Does the way we live our lives come close to how He lived? When we are down on our knees in front of our Father, will our list of sins be to long to bear? No sin is to great for Jesus as long as we repent and pray to him for forgiveness. Is being compared to Jesus to great for us to handle? No one on earth will ever live the perfect life Jesus lived, but it is our goal to live our lives as close to Jesus as possible. Yes, we will fail and yes we will still sin, but when you have Jesus in your heart, there is nothing to great for him to handle and his blood washes away our sins and we are forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? I know Jesus and I pray that I will continue to strengthen my relationship with him and to try to live my life as he lived on earth, for he is the only way to the Father in heaven and I challenge you to do the same.
In God We Trust
Sandra Davis