Jesus asked the question, “Who do you say I am?” This question is one that each one of us must answer. Jesus lived on the earth nearly two thousand years ago, and He gave us a clear answer to this question which not only offers us hope and salvation, it determines our eternal destiny! Here is a brief explanation of who Jesus is and why this matters for YOU today:
Jesus is God.
John 1:1 tells us that Jesus has existed since the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word (speaking of Jesus), and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Jesus is the second person of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, as the Bible teaches. Jesus has always existed and is both Creator and Savior of the world. He created man to be in close relationship with Him, but we have all sinned by choosing our own ways, and were separated from God.
Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all mankind.
Jesus came and lived on the earth as a man (John 1:14), still fully God, yet also fully human. He did this in order to fulfill God’s promise to send a Savior who would save mankind from their sin and fully restore man’s relationship with God. We have all sinned and deserve punishment for that, this is what the Bible calls Hell. It was out of love for you and for me that Jesus lived a sinless life and was murdered on the cross in our place, and paid the penalty for our sins. When Jesus took our sin upon Himself, He then also covered us in His righteousness and restored our relationship with Him.
Jesus was raised from the dead.
As evidence that His Word is true, and His promises are trustworthy, Jesus was raised from the dead three days after he died on the cross! He is called the “first fruit” of the resurrection because when He rose again, we were guaranteed that we too will rise again after death to be eternally with God in Heaven forever! For those who believe in His death and resurrection, our sins are washed away, covered by the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. And we are restored, even called the very children of God because of what Jesus has done for us!
Jesus ascended to heaven and is still alive.
After His resurrection, Jesus ascended physically into Heaven visibly in front of His friends, his disciples. He is alive still, interceding for us before God the Father, and as He promised His disciples, is also preparing a place for those who believe in Him! He promised to send His Spirit to come and be with and in us as He returned to Heaven. This Holy Spirit is living in all who put their faith in Jesus, and it is His Spirit who teaches, comforts, and empowers us to live lives of hope and peace in a still hurting world.
Jesus will return a second time.
Jesus is coming back! Only this time, it won’t be a quiet, humble affair—He will come back in glory to receive His bride, the Church, to come and be with Him eternally in Heaven. The Bible teaches also that because God is just, He will also at that time judge all of mankind. Those covered in the sacrifice Jesus made who have also put their faith in Him will be considered as holy and perfect before Him. Those who choose not to believe in Jesus and His sacrifice for them are still in their sins, and will be judged for their works.
First, you need to realize that Jesus already knows you! He created you and loves you so much and has gone to every length to demonstrate His unending love for you. He desires that all should come to know Him, and the Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, YOU WILL BE SAVED!” To be saved not only means being guaranteed eternal life in Heaven, it means you now have God’s Spirit living inside you to speak to you personally, equip you with HIS strength, and HIS power to go through life’s many highs and lows, and you have access to come BOLDLY to Jesus with all your thoughts, worries, cares and give those things directly to Him! When you ask Jesus to come into your life, “you are a new creation, the old has passed away and behold all things have become new!” This doesn’t mean you won’t sin any longer, or experience difficulty or heartache, but you are no longer alone. Jesus loves you so much, and having His presence in your life, and His Word (the Bible) will give you all you need to live an abundant life. If you would like to invite Jesus into your life in this way, simply pray a prayer like this:
“Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I know I am a sinner, and I ask for you to come into my life, make me a new creation, and fill me with Your Spirit. I believe that You alone are God, and I give you my life. Forgive me of my sin, and teach me how to follow You. In Jesus’s name, Amen.”
Once you have asked Jesus to come into your life, the Bible says that you are a new creation and that HEAVEN is rejoicing! Nothing is more exciting to us than seeing a person enter into a relationship with Jesus, and we want to encourage you that this is only the beginning of the wonderful things that God has planned for you!
Growing in your new relationship with God may seem intimidating, but be encouraged! PRAY DAILY and ask God to begin to teach you. Once you have asked Jesus into your life, His Holy Spirit comes and lives inside you, and He is called our Teacher, Comforter, and Counselor. He speaks to us through prayer and His Word, the Bible. READ YOUR BIBLE! If you don't have a Bible, we have free Bibles available and would love to get one to you. A good place to start is the book of Matthew which is direct account of the life of Jesus, written by one of his friends and disciples. You can also listen to our PODCAST to hear Pastor Daniel teach through the book of Matthew there, and also to stay up to date on our current Bible teachings.
Now that you have accepted Jesus into your life, we want to encourage you to fill out the form below and let us know! We want to support you and pray for you as you are starting out in your walk with Jesus. COME JOIN US on a Sunday morning and start to develop relationships with other followers of Jesus who can love and support you. Join a COMMUNITY GROUP where you can make friends and ask questions in a safe and friendly environment. Community groups meet throughout the week, and they are a vital part of our spiritual growth. We also have resources available both at our services as well as online that will help you grow further in your understanding of what the Christian life looks like, how to grow in your relationship with Jesus. You can read our BLOG to find teaching, and encouragement for your walk, and be sure to also check out our RESOURCES page where we share many free resources.
We look forward to hearing from you and seeing all that God does in your life now that you have decided to follow Jesus! God bless you!