The Life and Mission of Jesus Christ
1. Introduction:
Jesus Christ has been described differently by scores of people; they have referred to him as the great teacher, messiah and prophet. In this essay, we are going to take a look at the life and mission of Jesus Christ. Who was he? What did he come to achieve? And how did his message change the world?
2. Who Was Jesus Christ?
In order to understand the mission of Jesus Christ, we must first understand who he was. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all contain accounts of his life, and from these we can learn a great deal about him.
Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem in around 4 BCE. His parents were Joseph and Mary, and he was raised as a Jewish man. From a young age, it is clear that he was different from other people; when he was just twelve years old, he amazed the rabbis with his understanding of scripture (Luke 2:41-52).
When he was an adult, Jesus began his public ministry. He preached throughout Israel, proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom (Mark 1:14-15). He gathered disciples around him, who became known as the Twelve Apostles. Together they travelled across the country, healing the sick and preaching to crowds of people (Luke 9:1-6).
As his fame grew, so did opposition to him. The religious leaders of the time were threatened by his popularity and teachings, which challenged their authority (Luke 11:14-23). They eventually had him arrested and brought before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate on charges of treason (Luke 23:1-5). Pilate sentenced him to be crucified – a cruel death reserved for criminals and slaves.
Jesus died on the cross on around 30 CE (Common Era). However, this was not the end of his story. On the third day after his death, he rose from the dead and appeared to many of his followers (Luke 24:1-12). After forty days, he ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11), leaving behind a changed world.
3. The Ministry of Jesus Christ
During his earthly ministry, Jesus Christ preached the good news of God’s kingdom and healed the sick. He also challenged the religious leaders of his time, who were threatened by his popularity and teachings.
One of the most famous stories from the Gospels is the story of the feeding of the five thousand (Luke 9:1-6). This took place during a time when huge crowds were following Jesus, hoping to hear him preach and see him perform miracles. However, there was only enough food for a small number of people. But Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and fed the entire crowd. This miracle showed that Jesus had power over even the simplest things in life.
Another well-known story is the story of Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35-41). This story takes place on the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus and his disciples were sailing in a boat. Suddenly, a storm arose and threatened to capsize the boat. But Jesus calmed the storm with a single word: “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39). This story shows that Jesus has power over nature itself.
4. The Mission of Jesus Christ
So what was the mission of Jesus Christ? Why did he come into the world? The Bible tells us that he came to “seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10). In other words, he came to save sinners from their sins.
This is seen most clearly in the story of Jesus forgiving the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). In this story, a crowd of people bring a woman who has been caught in adultery to Jesus. They are planning to stone her to death, as required by Jewish law. However, Jesus challenges them by saying that whoever is without sin should throw the first stone. Of course, no one is without sin, so they all leave. Then Jesus forgives the woman and tells her to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). This story shows us that Jesus came to forgive sinners, not condemn them.
The mission of Jesus Christ was also to teach people about God’s love for them. In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), we see a father who loves his two sons equally, even though one son has wasted his inheritance while the other has been faithful. This story teaches us that God loves us unconditionally, no matter what we have done.
5. Conclusion:
Jesus Christ was a great teacher, healer and prophet who came into the world to save sinners from their sins and teach them about God’s love for them. His message changed the world forever and continues to inspire people today.