Jesus is amazing.

Jesus is amazing. I know this is not anything new or profound but as I read through the gospels His life and teachings truly do amaze me. He taught like no one before him and performed miracles that had never before been witnessed. As scripture teaches and creation attests, Jesus is the focal point of history. It would seem to follow that living life as a true disciple of Christ would be a worthy goal for anyone.

In Matthew we see in the birth account of Jesus all of the miraculous signs that accompanied it. God was all over his birth and then just after He audibly confirms Jesus as His son He sends Jesus to the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Spiritually speaking Jesus ministry began with a bang, the lines were drawn.

In Matthew 5:17 Jesus said "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." NIV What's interesting to me here is his bold faced assertion that he came to fulfill the Law. These were laws that had been laid down over thousands of years and were steeped in religious tradition. This 30 year old son of a carpenter was standing on this mountain and proclaiming that he was the law's fulfillment. As I look at this claim there are really only two choices available: 1. Jesus is a megalomaniac or 2. he is the fulfillment of prophecy. I don't see any middle ground. If these really are the words of Jesus then the choices that we are presented with are clear.

If the answer is number 1, well then he's at best an interesting study and someone that needs to be avoided. However if number 2 is the answer our response is imperative. If Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy, and I believe this to be true, then I think it behooves us (good word eh) not only to listen to what he said but to believe it and to follow his teaching by living it. I do know that this is easier said than done but the beauty of Jesus and God's plan is that Jesus will live in us and give us the strength to do his works. What an awesome thought.

This is why I want to look at what Jesus taught and did. There is always more to learn and apply to our lives in order to help His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.