Articles
Jesus
Jesus made us His constant focus.
Jesus Lived for Us
He left heaven and came to earth to show us how to live. “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (John 13:15). He spent His entire adult life preaching God’s will, “for that is what I came for” (Mark 1:38).
Jesus Died for Us
Although He lived perfectly, Jesus’ generation rejected Him and put Him to death. That was no accident. “This man, deliver over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23). It was God’s plan that Jesus die the way He did. And He did that for us, to be the atonement for our sin. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:8-9). “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9).
Jesus Rose for Us
Jesus’ death was not His end. The gospel, the good news, is “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). His resurrection is confirmed by His appearances to various witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:5-8), by the empty tomb, by angels (Luke 24:4-7), by those who guarded His tomb (Matthew 28:11-15), and by the events on Pentecost (Acts 2:32-33). Even Jesus’ staunchest enemies had to admit that the gospel might be true (Acts 5:38-39). Jesus’ resurrection validates His claims and proves His identity. “Who was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead . . .” (Romans 1:4). It is our assurance that we, too, one day will be resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:22-33) and be judged (Acts 17:31)—judged according to Jesus’ teaching (John 12:48).
Jesus Reigns for Us
Jesus ascended to heaven. “But He, having offered one sacrifice for sin for all time, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12; cf. Psalm 110:1). At God’s right hand, Jesus reigns as our king (Acts 2:29-36). He also serves there as our high priest, the context of Hebrews 10:12. “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).
Jesus made us His constant focus. To be blessed by Jesus, to be saved by Him, we must make Him our constant focus. That is discipleship.
