Definition
The life of Christ, though only 30-some years long and only containing three years of public ministry, proclaimed to the whole world that God had come to live among us and to lead us all to pursue holy lives of love by following him, a claim that was vindicated through the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah.
Summary
While Jesus only lived into his mid-thirties and carried out only three years of public ministry, his claims to divinity and authority have spread around the world and shaped our culture more than any other figure. Although hesitant to speak publicly about his Messiahship for much of his ministry, Jesus made clear in multiple ways that he carried with him both the presence and authority of God, making himself equal to God and igniting the tempers of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came to form a people who loved God and reflected him to a needy world by a different kind of life and love that stands out in a needy world, establishing himself as the lord of that people. All of Jesus’s claims and teachings were vindicated by his resurrection from the dead. Because God raised him from the dead, we ought to believe all that he claimed and taught.
Videos
David Platt on Why Jesus Can’t Just Be a Great Teacher
David Platt points out that taking the teachings of Jesus seriously will require that we take his claims about himself seriously too.
How Is Jesus Different From Any Other Messiah?
Julius Kim explains why Jesus is different from the people in history who thought they were a Messiah.
Sally Lloyd-Jones on How to Find Jesus in the Old Testament
“When it looks like there is no hope, that’s usually where you can see Jesus.” Sally Lloyd-Jones—children’s author and speaker—discusses how to see shadows of Christ in the Old Testament.
Why Believe Jesus Is God?
Mika Edmondson points out how the Gospel of John affirms Jesus’s deity and paints a compelling picture of what God has done for us in Christ.
Podcasts
Articles
Why Did Jesus Need to Be Baptized?
Why did history’s only sinless person undergo a baptism of repentance?
How to Really Be Inclusive Like Jesus
Issues of inclusion and exclusion lie at the heart of our society's most contested social issues.
Why Baby Jesus Couldn’t Die for Our Sins
By Christ’s obedience, we are made righteous.
Look to 20-Year-Old Jesus This Easter
Jesus worked six times longer doing obscure labor than public ministry. There’s a timely lesson for us here.
Why the Lord’s Prayer Is So Offensive
Anyone who thinks the Lord’s Prayer is not offensive simply hasn’t been listening.
Refuting 5 False Theories About Jesus
There’s no shortage of rival theories about Jesus, but Christians don’t need to feel threatened by them. Here's why.
Courses
Life of Christ
An Introductory Bird’s-eye View of the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ
Life & Teachings of Christ
The Accomplished Work of Salvation, the Historical Setting of Jesus’ Ministry, and Particular Analysis of Each Gospel
Parables and Miracles
Methods for Interpreting and Applying the Miracles and Parables of Christ
The Gospels: Summary and Theology
Discover the Background, Message, Structure, Content, Original Meaning, and Modern Application of the Gospels
Introduction to the Gospels
A Brief Overview of the Times, Text, and Details of the Four Gospel Accounts of the Life of Christ
Evidence for the Reliability of the Gospels
Can You Trust the Gospel Accounts of the Life of Jesus Christ?
The Gospel of Luke from the Outside In
A Thorough Look at the Ministry of Jesus through the Eyes of Luke in 12 Sessions
Book Reviews
Jesus Did Not Pray Just to Set an Example
If even Jesus needed to pray, what does that say of us, his younger, non-divine siblings? How arrogant must we be to think we can survive without prayer?
You Can Trust the Four Gospels
It’s hard to account for so much ‘mundane’ accuracy if the Gospel authors weren’t natives of Israel in the time of Jesus.
Jesus Did Not Pray Just to Set an Example
If even Jesus needed to pray, what does that say of us, his younger, non-divine siblings? How arrogant must we be to think we can survive without prayer?
Did the Early Christians Get the Jesus Story Wrong?
Bart Ehrman has (again) attacked the reliability and historical integrity of the New Testament. But just like his prior books, he fails to convince.
Killing Jesus
‘Killing Jesus’ only scrapes the surface of who Jesus truly was.
The Final Days of Jesus
We can be grateful for this historically anchored and reverent work.