Jesus: history is his story

PREHISTORY, CREATION, THE FIRST HUMANS

" In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1

Through words, we express, explain, or reveal ourselves to others. In the same way, Jesus is the revelation of God to humanity; He is the Word of God. Yet Jesus is a distinct Person within the Godhead. He is the second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

"All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being." John 1: 3

The evangelist, John, assures us that Jesus was an essential and active Presence during the creation of the cosmos, the earth, plants, animals and humans.

When the first humans disobeyed, and were driven from the Garden of Eden, God the Father uttered the first prophecy concerning the coming of a Savior. To Satan He said:

" I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." Gen. 3: 15

THE OLD TESTAMENT

Throughout the Old Testament, many prophets spoke about the coming of the Messiah, who would save the people, the descendants of the first humans, from their sins. Perhaps the most well-known prophecy is:

"But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days." Micah 5: 2c

Amazingly, Micah the prophet announced the name of the remote town where the Messiah would be born. This prophecy was made about 600 years before Jesus'  birth.

THE NEW TESTAMENT

At the appointed time, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. For centuries, earth time has been measured from the pivotal event of God's entrance into human history. ( B.C.- before Christ; A.D.- "Anno Domino"- in the year of Our Lord)

For thirty-three years, Jesus walked the earth, teaching, healing, performing miracles, and showing people the human face of God. Some of His contemporaries recorded His words and deeds in writing for future generations. These are found in the book we know as the Bible.

Jesus knew His earthly life would be brief. He arranged for others to carry on His work. He commissioned Peter the Apostle to head the Christian Church after He had returned to His Father:

" And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Mt. 16: 18- 20

During His years of ministry, Jesus made enemies. In 33 A.D. He was executed by crucifixion outside of Jerusalem, and buried in a tomb carved out of rock. After three days He rose from the dead and was seen by many witnesses.

Jesus remained on earth for 40 days following His resurrection. On the fortieth day, Ascension Thursday, He gathered His friends on a hilltop and gave them their final commission:

" All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Mt. 28: 18-20

THE PRESENT

Since Jesus returned to His Father, the Church has tried to carry out His will on the earth. However, like its Founder, the Church is composed of two factors, the Divine and the human. The Divine element has kept it in existence for over 2,000 years. The human element has caused a multitude of problems and difficulties.

The Christian Church has become divided into many factions. Disputes and disagreements dissipate the vigor that should be spent in spreading the Gospel and caring for the less fortunate. Our very separation has become a scandal which discourages others from joining the ranks of Jesus' followers.

After the Last Supper, Jesus prayed for His Apostles and for unity among the Christians of the future:

" I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they all may be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." John 17: 20-21

Jesus' prayer has yet to be answered.

THE FUTURE

At the end of time, Matthew tells us in the twenty-fifth chapter of his Gospel, Jesus will appear, sitting on a glorious throne surrounded by angels. All the people who have ever lived on earth will be gathered before Him. Like a shepherd, the Great Judge will separate the sheep from the goats, the good from the wicked.

The righteous will be taken to heaven to live in perfect happiness with God forever. The wicked will be sent to hell to suffer with Satan and the fallen angels for eternity.

History then, really is Jesus' story. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. The Bible tells us He was present with God the Father and the Spirit at the dawn of time, creation. He will return to earth at the end of time to reward the good and punish the wicked.

Only God knows when and how the world will end. The important question is, when that time comes, in which group will each of us be found?

All Biblical quotations were taken from The New Revised Standard Version.