Do You Know Jesus
If more than one of these describes you, we encourage you to read them too.
"I've heard about Jesus, but I don't really know what He said or Did."
Then you're in good company, and you're in the right place. The best thing you can do is go to the source.
“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
- Acts 17:11 (NIV)
Suggested Next Step: Start below with Who is Jesus?
"I've been hurt by church people who claim to represent Jesus."
Before anything else: what happened to you was wrong, and Jesus said so more forcefully than anyone else can.
And if you went looking for help and were judged for what you were carrying, you were failed twice.
Some of the angriest words Jesus ever spoke were not aimed at sinners, doubters, or outsiders. They were aimed at religious leaders who used their position to burden the people in their care.
“They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”
- Matthew 23:4 (NIV)
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”
- Matthew 23:27 (NIV)
And centuries earlier, God said the same thing about leaders who fed themselves instead of the people entrusted to them:
“Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? ... You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.”
- Ezekiel 34:2-4 (NIV)
Additional Scripture Verses: Matthew 18:6 · Matthew 23:1-36 · Ezekiel 34:1-16 · John 8:1-11 · Luke 18:9-14
If church people are the reason you walked away, the Bible does not ask you to overlook that. It condemns it. But it also draws a line between the shepherds who failed you and the God they claimed to represent.
You don't have to resolve what happened to understand who Jesus actually was.
Suggested Next Step: Start below with Who is Jesus?
"I can't trust in a Jesus who would allow what I've been through."
You will not find a Bible that tells you to stop asking that.
It asks the same question, out loud, repeatedly — and it never once scolds the person asking.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.”
- Psalm 22:1-2 (NIV)
Those are the words Jesus chose from the cross.
“Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”
- Psalm 10:1 (NIV)
“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, 'Violence!' but you do not save?”
- Habakkuk 1:2 (NIV)
And at the tomb of a friend he was about to raise — knowing exactly what he was about to do — he still stopped and wept.
“Jesus wept.”
- John 11:35 (NIV)
Additional Scripture Verses: Psalm 88 · Job 3 · Job 38-42 · Lamentations 3:1-33 · Romans 8:18-28 · Revelation 21:4
We're not going to explain your suffering to you. We can't, and anyone who tries quickly is not being honest with you.
What we can tell you is that the God of the Bible is not asking you to pretend it didn't happen or that it didn't hurt.
He is not offended by the question. If you want to keep asking it, the next section is about who Jesus actually is.
Suggested Next Step: Start below with Who is Jesus?
"I've looked into it and I'm not convinced."
Understood. That's the right posture toward a claim this large, and the Bible does not treat it as a character flaw.
In fact, when Thomas (one of Jesus's 12 Apostles) said he would not believe without physical evidence, Jesus did not rebuke him. He showed up and offered it.
“Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
- John 20:27 (NIV)
Paul's case for the resurrection is not an appeal to feeling. It's an appeal to witnesses who could be located and questioned.
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 (NIV)
And Paul stakes the entire faith on it being falsifiable:
“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:14 (NIV)
Additional Scripture Verses: Acts 17:11 · John 20:24-29 · Luke 1:1-4 · 1 Corinthians 15:1-20 · 1 Peter 3:15 · Mark 9:24
We're not asking you to lower your standard. We're asking whether you've examined the primary sources or the secondhand version of them. Most people who conclude they're unconvinced have read about Christianity, not the accounts themselves.
Suggested Next Step: Start below with Who is Jesus? Alternatively, you might start with the book of Luke. He wasn't an eyewitness either.
This page is devoted to helping you:
Use the bible to answer important questions about Jesus.
Get to know who Jesus is.
Understand this reality: God Made it. We Broke it. God Fixed it through Jesus.
Who is Jesus?
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
- John 14:6 (NIV)
"But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people for today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord."
- Luke 2:10-11 (NIV)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
- John 3:16-17 (NIV)
"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, who do people say the Son of Man is They replied, some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But what about you? he asked. Who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
- Matthew 16:13-16 (NIV)
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
- John 1:1-5 (NIV)
Additional Scripture Verses
John 1:14
Romans 6:23
Matthew 23:8-11
Romans 5:8
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Isaiah 55:8-9
Revelation 22:12-13
Colossians 1:15-17
Hebrews 1:3
Philippians 2:5-11
The Good News is this - Jesus is not just a historical figure - For over 30 years (2,000+ years ago), He Lived. He was God in the flesh. He was a teacher (many times, he taught using Parables). He was a Rabbi/Preacher (read His "Sermon on The Mount.") He performed many miracles. He suffered. He was crucified. He paid for our sins. He ascended into heaven and, according to Him, the miracles He performed, the apostles, thousands of witnesses, the Bible, and to those who believe in Him, He is the only way to a right relationship with God Almighty and, when we die - glorification.
Actions You Can Take
1. Commit to making an informed decision about Jesus.
What do you do when you want to really learn something? You spend quality time studying and learning about it long enough so that you can make an informed decision, right?
I believe there is one thing we can agree on - any really important decision we make should be one we make backed by a sincere commitment to learn it (and have a clear understanding of it) so that we can make an informed decision.
In the 1970's, Noel Burch attempted to explain what he called the "Four Stages of Competence." Here they are...
Stage 1: Unconscious Incompetence -You don't know what you don't know. You are unaware that you're lacking certain skills or knowledge.
Stage 2: Conscious Incompetence - You now know what you don't know. You recognize your deficiency and realize that learning or acquiring the knowledge is necessary.
Stage 3: Conscious Competence - You know that you know. You have learned the skill or knowledge but must consciously think about performing it correctly and or making an informed decision about it.
Stage 4: Unconscious Competence - You don't have to think about knowing—you just know. You've mastered it. It has become second nature.
In Luke chapter 8, Jesus tells us the Parable of the Sower also called "4 Soils." In verse 10, Jesus said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak parables, so that, though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand."
Jesus' mission on earth was intentional. He first performed miracles so that people would be willing to listen. In all, the bible shares dozens of miracles Jesus was willing to perform (written down by those closest to Him) so that people would pay attention.
Many times, Jesus communicated in parables (a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson) to compel sincere listeners to pay attention, focus, and commit to understanding what he was teaching.
It's ok to be "skeptical." There are many verses in the bible that speak to Jesus and the apostles encouraging people to "do their homework first."
In Acts chapter 17, verse 11 Luke says, "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."
Like the Berean Jews, I encourage you to approach this sincerely. If you approach learning about Jesus in a distracted or half-hearted way, you will very likely not understand His message and Good News and, as a result, not make a clear and informed decision about Him.
The reality is you are showing up with life experiences and possibly some expectations and/or pre-conceived notions about Christianity, God, Faith, and/or Jesus. It is a mistake to let one or more of these keep you from using The Bible as your source for ultimately making the important and very personal decision to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior (and all that goes with this decision)...or not.
For those of you who have never read the bible, Luke (widely considered to be the first "historian" of Christianity) took it upon himself to thoroughly investigate what was being told to him because, like us, he did not have the benefit of seeing Jesus for himself. Like us, Luke had a choice. He could believe what others were telling him or not believe. He chose to investigate everything himself and create a written account of what he found - so that he could also make his own informed decision. His "findings" were put into the Bible as the Book of Luke.
I highly encourage you to read (or listen) closely to the book of Luke before making a decision. Don't "turn away" from making an informed decision about Jesus until you know.
Finally, while some people understand and/or are convinced quickly, it may take you more time. Don't get discouraged if you "don't get it" quickly. Take your time so you can make an informed decision.
If you are new to learning about Jesus, God, and/or The Bible, please remember - the Bible is one full story about Almighty God. It may take you longer before you have a clear understanding and are ready to make an informed decision about building a right relationship with God through Jesus.
2. Get a Bible. I suggest a Study Bible. I have The Life Application Study Bible by Zondervan (New International Version/Translation). If you cannot get a bible, download the Bible app on your phone.
Personally, I have found great reinforcement by reading the bible first, then using my study bible to reinforce what I've read (so I can better understand its meaning).
3. Read/reread the Gospel of John (Start with Chapter 1:1-18) Why? John introduces Jesus as God, the Creator, and the Savior of the world. Set aside 5-10 minutes today to read John 1:1-18. Ask yourself this question: ‘What does this passage say about who Jesus is?’
4. Understand the key characteristics of Jesus: The Bible provides us with these verses that help us understand who Jesus was, is, and always will be.
Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 16:15-16, Mark 1:1, Luke 22:70-71; John 8:24)
Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah (Matthew 26:63-64, Mark 14:61-62, Luke 9:20, John 4:25-26)
Jesus came to call sinners (Matthew 9:13, Luke 5:32)
Jesus has the power to forgive sins (Mark 2:9-12, Luke 24:47)
Jesus has authority over death (Matthew 28:5-6, Mark 5:22-24, 35-42, Luke 7:11-15, 24:5-6, John 11:1-44)
Jesus has the power to give eternal life (John 10:28; 17:2)
Jesus healed the sick (Matthew 8:5-13, Mark 1:32-34, Luke 5:12-15, John 9:1-7)
Jesus taught with authority (Matthew 7:29, Mark 1:21-22)
Jesus taught us how to pray (Matthew 6:5-13, Luke 11:2-4)
Jesus taught us how to live (Matthew 5-7)
Jesus is compassionate (Matthew 9:36, Mark 1:41; 8:2)
Jesus experienced sorrow (Matthew 26:38; John 11:35);
Jesus never disobeyed God (Matthew 3:15, John 8:46)
5. If you haven't yet, take time to actually open the Bible and read the scripture verses above (don't just "gloss over" these verses and move on).
6. Read and understand Jesus's parables.
7. Watch this video: Alpha film series: Who is Jesus?
Why did Jesus come?
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
- John 3:16-17 (NIV)
"Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’"
- Luke 5:31-32 (NIV)
"and whoever wants to be first must be slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
- Mark 10:44-45 (NIV)
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
- 1 John 4:9-10 (NIV)
Additional Scripture Verses
Galatians 4:4-5
Isaiah 53:5-6
Romans 5:8
Mark 10:14-16
Mark 10:17-27
God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ to show us how to Live, Love, and to freely offer each of us the most precious gift we will ever get in our lives (should we each personally choose to accept it): Salvation - God's gift of forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, who died for our sins.
Actions You Can Take
1. Find somewhere quiet (grab a cup of coffee, etc) and read/reread these scripture verses and additional scripture verses. Without God sending Jesus to live on earth, our opportunity to receive God's gift would not be possible.
2. Recognize that a right relationship with God means believing Mark 10:17-27.
3. Consider changing your attitude, if necessary, towards knowing God. In Mark 10:14-15, Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." As you may be already aware, complete intellectual understanding is not a child requirement. Children believe simply by trusting us. Jesus was saying that people should believe in him with this kind of trusting, childlike faith.
What did Jesus do for you/me/us?
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
- Luke 19:10 (NIV)
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
- Mark 10:45 (NIV)
"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."
- Titus 3:4-7 (NIV)
"He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; 'by his wounds you have been healed.'"
- 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
- John 3:16-17 (NIV)
“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.”
- Matthew 4:23-24 (NIV)
Additional Scripture Verses
2 Corinthians 5:21
Ephesians 2:4-5
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Jesus came to share the Gospel a.k.a. "Good News" with us. He came to be an example. He came to die for our sins. Read/Reread Matthew 4:23-24 as many times as it takes to thoroughly appreciate what he was willing to do (IN PUBLIC and in front of and for thousands of people). How many times would Jesus have to performed a miracle in front of you for you to believe?
He came to provide us with a path to a right relationship with God Almighty while here on earth and, more importantly, for eternity. He taught us to pray. He defeated death by being crucified on the Cross, coming back to life, and ascending into heaven.
Actions You Can Take
1. Read the Miracles of Jesus, his apostles, and disciples.
Why? Because Jesus provided proof. Jesus lived. Jesus performed miracles so that the people he healed (and those who witnessed these miracles) would have proof.
2. Consider these questions:
Should you believe all of the miracles Jesus performed publicly and in front of thousands of normal people just like you and me?
Should you believe the teachings of Jesus, often told in parables?
Should you believe the 12 apostles (who Jesus personally called to follow/help him spread the "Good News"), like Matthew, who took diligent notes about what he saw and turned it into The Gospel according to Matthew?
Should you believe the 12 apostles, who because of what they saw and believed, all died (were essentially murdered) for what they believed?
Should you believe disciples, like Paul and Luke, who wrote several books of the bible based on what they saw, heard, and thoroughly investigated?
Should you believe the thousands of people who witnessed and benefited from Jesus's teachings and miracles?
These are the really important questions you will have to answer now that you are getting to know Jesus.
3. Read these following scripture verses so that you can understand that Jesus came to fulfill old testament scripture and, most importantly, the will of God. Biblical scholars believe over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament point to Jesus as the Messiah. Here are just a few...
Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) - "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." See also Isaiah 35:5-6; Isaiah 40:3; Isaiah 50:6; Isaiah 53:7; Isaiah 53:12; Isaiah 61:1-2
Micah 5:2 (NIV) - “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Isaiah 11:1 (NIV) - "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit."
Jeremiah 33:15 (NIV) - “In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land."
Ezekiel 37:24 (NIV) - “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees."
Hosea 3:5 (NIV) - 'Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days."
4. Read the Lords prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). For those who believe, they realize the 4 most important "activities" you can do are: Love God with all your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul (fully surrender to Him daily); Read the Bible; Pray; and Love/Serve Your Neighbor.
5. Read Matthew Chapters 5-7 (also known as His Sermon on the Mount). Jesus was a Rabbi...a teacher. Here is the NIV Version of Jesus teaching his disciples and speaking to 5,000 people...
6. Appreciate all that has been done for you by God. Before Jesus came, God's chosen people (The Jews) were the only ones who had a path to Him. Jesus came to share the Gospel "The Good News" that God was establishing a new way for all of us to know Him. Jesus is that new way. It is God's will, His perfect justice, and love that, through Jesus Christ, we may have a right relationship with God here on earth and in eternity. We have God's revealed Word, The Bible, to give us the full meaning of Jesus's death and resurrection. While God gave us free will to choose to follow Jesus (or not), we have no excuse for unbelief. There is simply too much evidence.
7. Read and understand Jesus's parables.
Why did Jesus have to die?
His death and resurrection
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished."
- Romans 3:23-25 (NIV)
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)
"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
- Isaiah 53:5-6 (NIV)
"In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."
- Hebrews 9:22 (NIV)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
- John 3:16-17 (NIV)
Additional Scripture Verses
The Death and Resurrection of Jesus
Matthew 26-28
Mark 14-16
John 18-21
We have a problem. We have all sinned. We have all failed to obey God and His commandments. Because of this, we are broken. We are alienated and separated from God Almighty creator of heaven and earth. Separation from God is death. Without Jesus, there is nothing we can do to become united with Him.
Here's the "Good News" (The Gospel according to Jesus Christ): God sent an offering to us in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ. Because Jesus never disobeyed God and never sinned, only he can provide us with a path between God and you/me/us.
That's why he died. In freely obeying God and offering His life FOR US and dying on the cross FOR US and in our place, he took responsibility for our sins, our wrongdoings, and our debts upon Himself so that we don't have to suffer the consequences...if we freely make the very personal decision to choose to believe and accept this gift.
On behalf of YOU, ME, and all human beings who choose to follow Him by faith alone, not works, Jesus has taken all our past, present, and future sins...and washed them away so that we can have new life. Because of this gift, we are forgiven. We have a path to God. Jesus found the way!
But that's not all...Jesus's resurrection from the dead is proof (witnessed by many) that his sacrifice on the cross was acceptable to God. With His resurrection, we have new life if we choose to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and declare that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. All who believe are freely given this new life, this new path to a right relationship with God through Jesus. Amen.