Jesus And Nazareth
Who is JESUS OF NAZARETH?
Is he a prophet? Is he an ordinary man or our Saviour?
Jesus was not just a man; he was God who became man. He was not a historical figure but He is the everlasting and almighty Creator.
He was not just a religious leader but He is our Lord and Saviour.
Jesus is the everlasting God, who humbly became a man in order to save us into his eternal kingdom. Jesus is the only true God.
As the Bible says, "in Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities – all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1 : 16-17 ). Therefore, to worship the Lord of heaven and earth means to believe and obey the Lord Jesus Christ.
God is not a supreme being who is always waiting to punish us for our sins. Nor does he just look at our problem from a distance with a sympathetic eye. He wants to share our sufferings and help us. He cares about what we are going through. Most importantly, he wants to deliver us from the dominion of darkness into his glorious kingdom.
Jesus And Nazareth Are Our Saviours
So God put his love into action. To save us out of Satan’s control, God had to pay a ransome for our sins with the life of someone who is completely sinless.
Since no one is sinless except God alone, God himself came to the world in the flesh in order to lay down his own life for our sake.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son (JESUS), that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life ” ( John 3:16)
Matthew hesitated openly to contribute to the apostolic funds for fear that Jesus and his associates might regard his money as being tainted; so he gave much in the names of other believers.
During the earlier months, when Matthew knew his presence among them was more or less of a trial, he was strongly tempted to let them know that his funds often supplied them with their daily bread, but he did not yield. Matthew's weakness was his shortsighted and materialistic viewpoint of life. But in all these matters he made great progress as the months went by.
Nor is it recorded by Josephus, as to exist. The only account to be had, is that provided in the new testament by the apostles telling and if they say it was there, how is it no one else , who's job it would be to account for it, concurs!? Nor was there a major road in that area at that time, the town of Nazareth was created after the time of Jesus, partly as a result of a mis-translation.
God created us for this end, and hence has given us a conscience that universally demands that we should live to please God. He has made this our unalterable law and rule of action. God was instilling in him at a mid course in his life to become a "missionary". Rather than a "second career" his choice grew out of his growing depth awareness of the life of grace in the People of God. It was Easter Tuesday, April 8,1749 and on this day his friends witnessed him celebrate his final farewell mass in his home town.