The Standard October 14, 2023
Consider the likelihood of a person’s approximate three-year public ministry around 30 A.D. affecting the entire world. Apart from God being behind it, in a day without television, newspapers, computers or cell phones, how could the message of Jesus have spread the way it did? Even historical dating of A.D. (“Anno Domini” or “in the year of the Lord”) and B.C. (“Before Christ”) revolves around this monumental life.
In New Testament times, the Jewish people were eagerly awaiting the promised Messiah or The Annointed One. They believed that The Christ, almost like a Super-David, would gather in Israel all Jewish people from around the globe, vanquish their enemies, and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Early on in the ministry of Jesus, he asked many who were healed or who saw his healings not to speak of his miracles. It was not yet time to reveal that he was indeed the long-awaited Messiah. Towards the end of his ministry, when Jesus spoke of himself being one with the Father, the Jewish leaders accused him of blasphemy. They wanted to kill him because they believed his claim to be God was false. Of course, Jesus did not fit their expectation of a conquering hero, but was a suffering servant instead.
Even shortly after the crucifixion and resurrection, the disciples did not fully understand all that Jesus had divulged about himself. The Holy Spirit quickly helped them put the pieces together and grasp God’s plan.
They remembered Jesus comforting them. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:1-6)
Peter, John and the other disciples along with Paul traveled near and far, boldly proclaiming the message of salvation in Jesus the Christ. Their spoken and written words have provided assurance and confidence for believers through generations.
After healing a lame beggar at the temple gate and being questioned by the elders and the teachers of the law in Jerusalem, Peter preached, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to humankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
In his Gospel and in his letters, the Apostle John spelled out the fact that Jesus was from the beginning, was with God and was God. “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12) As J. Vernon McGee said in his popular California radio show, “Folks, you just can’t make it any clearer than that.”
celiastone 