Why listen to Jesus
- Eddie Coulter
- | Feb 5, 2010
- Media Links
- Subscribe
More books have been written about him than any other historical figure. He is the subject of some of the world’s greatest works of art and musical compositions. Societies have based much of their law around his teaching and his story has governed the history of western civilization. More people claim to follow his teachings than any other religious figure and each day, more and more people join his cause. He is of course, Jesus of Nazareth. But why is it that a first century Jewish man from an insignificant corner of the
Well, consider some of the claims he made for himself in the Gospels, the eye-witness accounts of his life. In the Gospel of John, he makes the astounding claim that he is the ‘bread of life’ and that by feeding (believing) on him, people have eternal life. Or in another instance, he claimed to be the light of the world, who can give human beings a true understanding of who God is and how to get right with him. He claimed to be the one who brings human beings together into God’s family. He taught his followers that his death on a cross would be the price he would pay to make people right with God and set them free to live a new life under God.
In fact, a new life under God for human beings is what his ministry and teaching was all about. Consider the very first words recorded of his teaching in what most believe to be the earliest Gospel, the Gospel of Mark. ‘“The time has come”, he said. “The
Jesus came to bring in that kingdom and to bring people into that kingdom. The Gospels teach that by his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead, Jesus has brought about the promised
In his teaching, Jesus urged people to come into this kingdom. He told vivid stories which are called parables, to teach us different things about this new life. In one famous parable, the prodigal son, he teaches us that God is a concerned father who eagerly awaits our coming back to him. In fact so concerned is God that people come into his kingdom, that he himself goes searching for them to come in, like a shepherd searching for a lost sheep. In other parables, he tells us that we also should be searching, for this kingdom is like a great hidden treasure waiting to be found! We should make sure that we don’t miss out on this great offer of a new life in the
Of course, life in this kingdom, living for God, brings with it great responsibilities. These responsibilities begin with loving God with all our heart and soul and mind, and continue in a new way of relating to people around us, by loving them as we love ourselves. That’s not an easy thing to do, for it’s hard to stop living selfishly and live God’s new way. In one of his most famous sermons, known as the ‘Sermon on the Mount’, Jesus taught very clearly about living in the
In conclusion then, I believe the teaching of Jesus is worth your while investigating. It’s influenced the society in which you live. It’s changed people’s lives all over the world, amongst very diverse peoples, living in very diverse situations. It’s brought joy and new meaning to millions and it can bring joy and meaning to your life too. Life in the
