Why Jesus?

Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion, but a new revolution, a community of people who through him could get close to God and passionately serve people. To commit ourselves fully to the Jesus journey we must be convinced that he is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were
created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-all things have been created through him and for him.  He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross (Colossians 1:15-20).

Jesus is called the Son of God:

Jesus is known as “Son of God” so that we can have an image of the invisible God.  In Jesus we get to see the family resemblance of our Father in heaven.

• [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15).

• For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell (Colossians 1:19).

• He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3).

Jesus is known as the “Son of God” so that in our encounters with him our perceptions of the way things appear to be are challenged by God.

• Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).

• [Jesus said] You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous (Matthew
  5:43-44).

Jesus is called the Son of Man:

Jesus is known as the Son of Man so that we might learn to value our individual and collective humanity.  In our time we have developed a disdain for the body and our “fleshiness.”  When Jesus became “flesh and blood and moved into our neighborhood” he demonstrated that God loves who we are … not just what we think we ought to be.

• And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

The One who created us male and female became like us in Jesus.  In fact, the prophet Isaiah promised before the Messiah was to be born that he would not be an exceptional person.

• He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him (Isaiah 53:2b).

Jesus became the Son of Man to help us celebrate life, embrace our present lives, and take risks knowing that God is with us  (Emmanuel = God Is with Us).

• [Jesus said] For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners (Luke 7:33-34).

Jesus is called Servant of All:

Jesus is called Servant of All so  that we could discern how we find meaning in life.  Jesus teaches us that ultimately meaning is found in serving others, not in being served by others.  As imitators of Christ, using the language of Thomas a Kempis, our inheritance is to live as servants as well.

• [Jesus said] “Whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:27-28).

Jesus is called Savior of the World:

In coming to know Jesus as the Savior of the world, we find peace.
When we are feeling lost, stumbling in the darkness, and seeking answers we find relief when we encounter a Savior who sets us free.  This peace comes as an incredible gifts offered without strings (that is, amazing grace).  In Jesus God set things right with humankind and in the cross of Christ we are reconciled to a God who never abandoned us.

• Through [Jesus] God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross (Colossians 1:20).

Why Jesus?

Jesus came that we might live life to the full.  He came not to introduce a new religion, but launch a God-revolution.  This revolution is fought with unconventional means … its not about spilling blood or wrecking violence (remember that the crowd choice Barrabas the Terrorist over Jesus the Revolutionary because violence is easy and servanthood hard).

• Jesus is called Son of God so that we can see God;
• Jesus is called Son of Man so that we can value our self and each other;
• Jesus is called Servant of All so we can find meaning in our lives as servants;
• Jesus is called Savior of the world so that can find peace in our being.