The inspired writers of Scripture admit that we do not have everything Jesus’ did during his brief life on earth. It is not an exhaustive record. But we do not what we need to know his life and to believe in Him as the Son of God.

"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book. But these are written that you might believe and that believing you might have life through his name." (John 20:30-31.)

Jesus’ life is recorded in so many ways for us. A good record exists in prophecy before he was born among men. Some scholars say that over 300 details concerning his life exist among the writing prophets of Israel. Many brief gospels tell His story. We have four of them: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In addition we have his life written upon the hearts of men. Paul wrote,

"Forasmuch as you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." (2 Cor. 3:3.) This is what Jeremiah had promised years before that God would write the new covenant upon the inward parts, upon the hearts of men. (Jer. 31:31.)

It is not the length of the record that is important; it is the essence or substance of it. Jesus’ story is uniquely important. Everyone should know it well. Hearing it produces faith. (Romans 10:17.) Paul summed it up with these words:

"Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (1 Tim. 3:16.)

Following a summary like this one, I want to tell again the story of Jesus.

The Gospel of John makes this point early in the record. He began with these words: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. . . and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." (John 1:1, 2, 14.) Incarnation simply means that the Word existed in the beginning and came to earth in the form of human flesh. The virgin birth of Jesus declares this truth that He was not born as other men are. He lived with the Father before his birth. Jesus prayed in the Garden, "Now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." (John 17:5.)

Jesus was also called Immanuel, which means God with us. (Matt. 1:23.) Near the Christmas season, Paul Harvey often reads a touching story that illustrates the incarnation simply. He told about a man who stayed home while his wife and children went to church services. He said that he did not believe what they were preaching about Jesus. While home alone, he looked out his window to see birds flying about and landing in the snow. They were cold and hungry. Some were crippled and dying. He went outside and opened the barn doors to let them go inside to find food and to be warm. But the birds were not accustomed to going inside his barn. They were frightened. They continued to flutter around in the yard. The farmer did not know what to do to encourage them to go inside. He thought, If I could just become a bird for a few moments and show them that I do not intend to hurt them. Then I could fly inside the barn and they would follow me. The birds could eat the seed and be warm again. Then he realized what he had said was just what the preacher had been saying about why Jesus came to earth. Then he got dressed and went to he church services.

Jesus came to earth to show us the way to life and to let us know that God wants only what is good for us.

When Jesus was about thirty years of age, John the Baptist immersed Jesus in the waters of the River Jordan. (John 3:25-36, Matt. 3:13-17.) This is one of those significant events in Jesus’ life. His immersion by John was not important because it washed sins away. Jesus had no sins to be washed away. However, John’ baptism was for the remission of sins, just as our baptism. (Mark 1:4, Acts 2:38.)

Jesus did teach for all men to believe in Him and to be baptized. He said, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. He that believes not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16.) If Jesus who had no sins submitted to being immersed in water, how much more should I who have sins obey the will of God in being baptized. Luke recorded this about some who rejected John’s baptism:

"And all the people that heard him and the publicans justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of him." (Luke 7:29-30.)

On this occasion of Jesus’ baptism, God acknowledged him as his Son.

"And Jesus, when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:16-17.)

This was an important moment in Jesus’ life. Afterwards, he began his public ministry which would last only three years. Most of what we have recorded about Jesus is concerning these last years before his death. We have many of his miraculous deeds and great messages to man.

Immediately following his baptism, he was led by the Spirit in the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matt. 4:1.) Jesus’ ministry began with a major confrontation between Jesus and Satan. Lest we think this strange that Jesus, being God’s Son, would be tempted by the devil, listen to these words:

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:14-16.)

Jesus, being made manifest in the flesh, could be tempted just as we are. No one should think, as some did in the first century, that Jesus must have lived in some different kind of body than we have. This account of the temptation and his death shows that he lived as a man, yet without committing any sins.

The major characters in the Bible all had a "wilderness experience." There was Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Jesus and Paul. They had these experiences for a variety of reasons. But central to all are these reasons: so that they would decide in their deepest being to place God in exclusive control of their lives, so that they could decide on the deepest level of life to trust God no matter what they faced, so they would understand the reason for their lives, and so that God could equip them for greater service and usefulness.

We have been deceived into believing that God promises us life without struggle, without the wilderness experience. We do not make firm decisions about our commitment to God. We seek for the physical, for pleasures, for an easy life. We think that the fulfillment of life is found in pleasure and the security of life is found in money.

After this confrontation with Satan, Jesus was then prepared to face the difficulties ahead, the opposition, the taunting, and the cross. He had fully committed his life to God in baptism and in his deep trust in God. Jesus did not just quote Scripture to Satan. Those passages expressed that he knew what God wanted for him. That is exactly what we must decide.

Jesus transfigured himself on the mount; that is, he revealed more of his divine nature and glory to three of the apostles, Peter, James and John.

"And (Jesus) was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light. And there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him." (Matt. 17:2-3.)

Peter was so overtaken by the sight that he proposed building three tabernacles (churches), for Moses, Elijah and Jesus. Peter’s zeal often outran his thoughts. God interrupted Peter with a bright cloud appearing overhead and the words, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear you him." The three apostles fell on their faces. When they lifted up their eyes, they saw "Jesus only" standing there. These two words are filled with meaning. Concerning man’s salvation, there is only Jesus who can save.

"Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12.)

The Hebrew writer often pointed out that Jesus is greater than those before him. He is greater than Moses, the lawgiver, and Elijah the great prophet. He is divine. He revealed a greater measure of his glory to impress Peter, James and John with that truth. They needed to know that He was God visiting man.

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." (2 Peter 1:16.)

Everyone should the facts of Jesus’ death, the meaning of it, and its application to us. The fact that he died is a matter of historical record, both biblical and non-inspired. Why he died is the purpose of all gospel preaching and letters to churches. Jesus said that his blood was to seal the new covenant and it is for the remission of sins. (Matt. 21:28.)

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." (1Peter 3:18.)

"For he hath made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Cor. 5:21.)

"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered, and being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." (Heb. 5:8-9.)

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." (Eph. 1:7.)

When Jesus died, one of his sayings on the cross was "It is finished." The plan of God for man’s redemption now has been accomplished. The predestined event of all ages came to pass as God willed it. Jesus was as a lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8.) The slaying of bulls and goats would be no more. The evening sacrifice ceased as foretold by Daniel the prophet. The one-time sacrifice of God’s Son would stand sufficient for all the ages to come, having power to forgive every sin and cleanse every conscience.

I want to make a special note in the midst of naming these special events in Jesus’ life. It is worth noting that all of these form one story and have value in the overall context of the message of redemption. But for a king to claim to be virgin-born, has little or no meaning. He is simply making a claim to foster the image that he is a god. But his life belies the claim. There is no redemptive value in a mere man making such a claim. The fact that Jesus died on a cross alone would have little value. That fact fits in the overall context of God coming to earth to redeem man. But he did not simply die, he arose again the third day. If Jesus had remained in Joseph’s tomb, man would have no hope of living again. But he arose!

The message of many eye-witnesses is that Jesus lived again after his brutal death by crucifixion. Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians that Jesus was seen by over five hundred brethren at one time. Most were still alive when Paul wrote this about 20 years after Jesus arose (approx. 54-55 AD.) I believe that Jesus arose the third day because of the united voice of many witnesses.

"And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Him God raised up the third day and showed him openly. Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he arose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. To him give all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts 10:39-43.)

Probably, one of the most neglected events in Jesus’ life is the ascension to heaven. Many stop far short by going and staying at the cross. He arose and ascended.

"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. While they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel. Which also said, You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11.)

"Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his glory, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Heb. 1:3.)

Jesus could not serve as a priest on earth because God had already ordained priests to serve on earth. They were Levites. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah. His priesthood was after the likeness of Melchisedec. Therefore, Jesus began serving as our High Priest after he ascended into heaven. We talk so much more about Jesus as Savior than we do as our High Priest. The two roles belong together. His role as priest is based upon the sacrifice of himself on our behalf. He offers prayers to God on our behalf.