For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)

His Life

Jesus is the Son of God. He is God. His divinity is proclaimed by the manifestations of His power over everything in this world and the spiritual world. The sacrifice of Jesus is the foundation of faith for every believer. His death, burial and resurrection affirm the belief that Jesus is the Son of God and in like manner as He was raised from the dead, all saints will rise in the last day. When Jesus bowed His head on the cross and said, “It is finished,” the will of God was completed. From the dawn of time until that moment cloaked in darkness the Lord unfolded the plan to redeem from sin all those who would come to Him. Jesus became the lamb that was slain. His blood cleanses and purifies the soul. Everything from Genesis to the Revelation is a proclamation of the story of Jesus.

It is easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees. Examining the story of Jesus, the Bible reveals Him to be the Son of Man. He came to serve others. He would die for the sins of all mankind. What can easily be lost in the knowledge of the deity of Jesus is the matter of HIS LIFE. God became flesh and dwelt among men as a man. Jesus entered the world in the same fashion as all men. His conception was a great miracle but the Son of God grew in the womb of Mary as all babies grow. She delivered her child in the fashion as all women. The little baby Jesus had to learn to walk and talk and care for Himself. He was educated like other Jewish boys and learned many things about carpentry from his carpenter father, Joseph. Jesus enjoyed certain foods and probably disliked other foods (like brussels sprouts). He enjoyed long walks, quiet evenings and talking to His brothers and sisters. Jesus admired His loving parents and their diligent care for Him. It seems very probable sometime before the ministry of Jesus, Joseph died and the eldest Son would take a role of caring for the family. Jesus cried. He hungered, knew thirst and enjoyed a good night’s sleep.

The life of Jesus was a life most common to all men. If He were in a crowd of people, no one would know that He was divine. His face did not glow and there was not a light above His head. There was nothing on the outside that made the people think He was different. His speech was like the people of Galilee as was the manner of His dress. He had a deep sense of understanding that made Him stand out in a crowd. At the age of twelve, He astonished the religious teachers at the temple with His knowledge of scripture. There can be little doubt He continued to amaze those who talked with Him about the world and spiritual matters. In every way, Jesus lived a life as common as any other man from Nazareth.

To understand fully the sacrifice of Jesus is to know His life. When the Romans nailed Him to a cross, they looked upon Him as a criminal like the other two crucified with Him. Jesus felt the searing pain of His persecutors because He was in the flesh. God suffering at the hands of what He created. When He hung on the cross and saw His mother, Mary, He was moved with compassion. He asked John to care for His mother. What memories flooded His mind as He remembered the soothing sound of Mary’s voice singing songs to Him, teaching Him to pray, and telling Him the stories of the Hebrews. Jesus gave His life – and what a gift He gave. God became flesh and offered His flesh to redeem all men. To know the love of God is to know the life of Jesus and what He experienced as a man. He was willing to leave the ivory palaces of the divine presence of His Father and give His life a ransom for many. Thank God for the LIFE of Jesus.