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We are studying the life of Christ for the first
six months of 2011. So in this brief series of
articles, we are exploring the importance of our
2011 study, to help us make the best use of our
time and be as productive as possible.
History of Jesus' Life
Jesus is the most important person to live on
the earth, so it's important to know the history
of His life.
In public education, we study the history of
people who are important to us. We study about
world leaders such as George Washington, and people
like Albert Einstein who changed the world.
So we know it's important to study and learn
the history of important people, whose contribution
has impacted our lives.
Since Jesus is the most important person to
ever live, studying His life is the most important
historical study we can undertake.
Evidence Jesus is God's Son
One of the most valuable lessons we learn from
studying the life of Jesus is that He is God's
Son. Thus we are obligated to obey Him, since
He has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt.
28:18).
We learn that Jesus is God's Son by examining
prophesy. Jesus fulfilled Old and New Testament
prophesies, showing that He is God's Son and the
Messiah. And His personal prophesies came true
according to His word, proving that He is from
God and we must obey Him (Deut. 18:15-22).
From studying the life of Jesus, we also learn
about the fruits of His life. Not only do His
fruits testify that He is a true prophet of God
whom we must obey, but we also learn how to walk
in His footsteps (Matt. 7:15-20; 1 Pet. 2:21).
Perhaps most importantly as we study Jesus'
life, we learn about the miracles He performed,
by which the Father testified that everything
He taught was truth (Heb. 2:1-4). As a result,
we believe in the name of Jesus, and obey Him
to be saved (Jn. 8:24; 20:30-31).
Learn About Sin
When we study the life of Jesus, we learn about
sin. Not that Jesus sinned, but we learn about
the price He paid to save us from our sins (Heb.
4:15; Matt. 26-27).
We begin to understand the horribleness of sin
when we realize the sacrifice God made in sending
Jesus to die on the cross so we can be saved (Jn.
3:16).
And by learning about the price Jesus voluntarily
paid when emptying Himself to come to earth, then
to be scourged and crucified, all along despising
the shame, we begin to understand the ugliness
of sin and how much we need salvation.
Learn to Love God
When we study the life of Jesus, we learn about
love.
We learn about God's love to send Jesus to earth
so we can be saved through His sacrifice on the
cross.
And we learn about love from our Savior, who
wept the night before being crucified, not wanting
to die on the cross, yet He obeyed because of
love.
We also learn about love from Jesus' teaching.
Love is a commitment to obey God, no matter the
cost.
- "'If you love Me, you will keep
My commandments'" (Jn. 14:15).
- "'He who has My commandments and keeps
them is the one who loves Me; and he who
loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will
love him and will disclose Myself to him'" (Jn.
14:21).
- "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone
loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father
will love him, and We will come to him and make
Our abode with him. He who does not love
Me does not keep My words; and the word
which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's
who sent Me'" (Jn. 14:23-24).
Not only does Jesus teach us how to love God,
He teaches us how to love each other. As He gave
His life for us, we are to give our lives for
our brethren. And by this, the world knows we
are His disciples.
- "We know love by this, that He
laid down His life for us; and we ought
to lay down our lives for the brethren"
(1 Jn. 3:16).
- "'By this all men will know that you are
My disciples, if you have love for one
another'" (Jn. 13:35).
Lastly, Jesus teaches us how to love our neighbors,
and even our enemies.
- ". . . 'You shall love your neighbor as
yourself'" (Matt. 22:39).
- "'But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you, so that
you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven
. . ." (Matt. 5:44-45).
Summary
When we study the life of Christ, we learn many
lessons, one being that Jesus is the Son of God,
the one whom we must obey while carefully learning
all the lessons He teaches.
If we'll learn these lessons and live by them,
we'll be saved by Jesus, and live with Him forever
in eternity.
To be continued.
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