Death, Resurrection, New Life, Salvation, Forgiveness, Tribulation, Heaven and Hell
JESUS’ LIFE (THE BIG PICTURE VIEW) When discussing your life, there are five aspects to discuss:
Your religious life as you see it.
Your religious life as God sees it.
Your life as God wants it to be.
Making the transition from your life as it is to the life that God wants it to be.
The reasons why you want to make the transition from life as you know it to life as God wants it to be.
For most readers, their religious life as it currently exists is well known. It varies from one religion to another and from person to person. Nevertheless, this life will always be a life of conformance to Religious Laws.
Jesus came to suffer and die so that others could live.
He did all that knowing and trusting that God would raise him from the dead and restore him to new life after he suffered and died.
People who aspire to be followers of Jesus should think about whether or not they are willing to take on these characteristics.
Taking a broader view of Jesus’ life, we can look at the following scriptures:
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Mark 2:17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Ezekiel 34:12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness
Ezekiel 34:16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over; I will feed them in justice.
Isaiah 61:1-3 1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion–to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
For those who call themselves followers of Jesus, these scriptures give a big picture view of what our life should look like. The essence of this orientation is to focus on the spiritual well-being of others. To the degree that we are oriented toward our personal comforts and security, we are not like Jesus or God.