Over 2,000 years ago, a baby was born in a small village in a small nation. Today, in 2021, we are still dating our calendars from the lifetime of this child. Why? Who was he?

Before his birth, an angel appeared to his mother and told her that he would be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). From Jewish fishermen to the soldier in charge of his crucifixion, many who met him during his life concluded that he was the Son of God (John 1:49, Matthew 16:16, Matthew 27:54). On more than one occasion, the voice of God was heard from heaven declaring that this was his beloved Son (Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5).

But who did he claim to be? Jesus stated on many different occasions that God was his Father. He taught that he was one with God and equal to God. The religious leaders of his nation understood perfectly that he was not claiming simply to be a human having a spiritual relationship with God. They repeatedly challenged him and contradicted him. Eventually, they were so enraged that they arrested him and had him put to death. His crime? Claiming to be the Son of God from heaven.

John, one of Jesus’ disciples and the author of what is known as “the gospel of John”, records several very interesting statements made by Jesus about himself. Let’s just look at a few of those and see what we can learn.

JESUS SAID:

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” – John 6:35

What a statement! Physical food, we know, sustains our physical life. But Jesus is saying that he not only gives spiritual life, but completely satisfies. He continued to use this metaphor, saying, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

JESUS SAID:

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
– John 8:12

Here is another tremendous statement implying that truth and divine guidance will be enjoyed by Jesus’ followers.

JESUS SAID:

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” – John 10:9

Here Jesus is using the illustration of a sheepfold, and he is the entrance to safety.

JESUS SAID:

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” – John 10:11

Continuing the sheepfold illustration, Jesus now compares himself to a shepherd who would die to protect his sheep. This is exactly what he did when he was crucified. All of us, the Bible says, are like sheep who have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6). Instead of going God’s way, we have gone our own way. But God punished Jesus for our sins when he was suffering on the cross, so that all of us “sheep” could be saved.

JESUS SAID:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” – John 11:25, 26

If you or I made this claim, who could take us seriously? But the people who heard Jesus say this didn’t argue the point – and later that day watched in astonishment as a man who had been dead four days came out of his tomb at Jesus’ command.

Jesus said:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6

Jesus plainly said that he is the only way to God, and the only way to heaven.

There is so much more that could be said. Woven throughout the Bible from beginning to end is truth concerning this wonderful Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. All things were created by him (Colossians 1:16), yet the almighty Son of God came to earth, becoming human. His sinless life and his indisputable miracles showed who he really was, yet, as the prophet Isaiah predicted, “he was despised and rejected”.

Arrested and falsely accused, he was condemned to death by crucifixion in spite of the Roman governor’s amazing testimony that he was innocent! Men mocked him; they spit in his face; they whipped him viciously; they nailed him to a cross. His response? It was a prayer, but not for himself: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

People who were watching that day saw a man hanging on a cross in terrible suffering and pain inflicted by men. But something was happening that they couldn’t see. The Bible tells us that when Jesus was on the cross, God was punishing him for the sins of the whole world. His mission in coming to earth was to save us from our sins, and the only way this could be done was for him to endure the punishment we deserve. Finally, he cried out, “Finished!” He had fulfilled everything that had been prophesied about him; he had completed everything necessary to deliver us from eternal judgment. Then, and only then, Jesus gave up his life and died.

THE END?

No, not at all! To the absolute amazement of those who went to his tomb three days later, it was open – and empty. Jesus had risen from the dead, “according to the scriptures” (I Corinthians 15:4) written centuries before. Numerous encounters with his closest friends convinced them that it was really him. They were so convinced, in fact, that after he returned to heaven a few weeks later they risked their own lives spreading the word that he was alive.

This is really a story that never ends. In the Bible we learn that Jesus has promised to return to take those who have trusted him to “his Father’s house”, or heaven (John 14:3). There is also a future time when he will come to earth to defeat all of God’s enemies and rule in absolute righteousness (Revelation 19, 20). Eventually, even this earth will come to an end; but beyond that are ages of which very little is revealed. One beautiful promise to every believer in Christ is found in Ephesians chapter two, verse seven, which says that in the coming eons God will display “immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus”. Jesus, God’s Son, will eternally bless those he purchased with his own blood. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)