The Gospel | Jesus Is Alive

Some 2000 years ago, a man named Yeshua of Nazareth was crucified. Yeshua (in the Hebrew)--or Jesus (in the Greek)--was tortured, humiliated, rejected, and disgraced, simply because He made a claim: that He is the Son of God, sent to redeem the world; that He is the Great I AM. Jesus was claiming the title of Mashiach; that He is the Messiah, the Savior sent to exchange our sin for His righteousness and eternal life. Christ clearly conveyed this message, and it’s what got Him crucified:

“But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, ‘Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ Jesus said, ‘I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?’ And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.” (Mark 14:61-64).

What do you think? Does such a claim deserve death? Do people not make such crazy claims all the time? Why did Jesus have to die for it, if not for it to be fulfilled? Christ had done nothing wrong; all He did was heal, teach, open blind eyes, open deaf ears, show love to others--and because the religious order at the time believed He was blaspheming, they deemed it worthy of death? But because the Scriptures had to be fulfilled, Christ humbled Himself to the point of death, that out of His love we may live.

“Christ humbled Himself to the point of death, that out of His love we may live.”

1) Christ's suffering | Psalm 22:1-21