Imagine its Christmas. I love Christmas; its my favorite time of the year. In fact, I think everyone who celebrates Christmas probably has very fond memories. Perhaps one of those memories is of a nativity scene, and in the center of that nativity scene is a baby lying in a cattle trough. Most of the Christmas songs we scene refer to this as a manger. Many people in this world know Jesus as the baby who was born "upon a midnight clear", in the "little town of Bethlehem" on a "Silent Night". But who was the real Jesus? Who was be beyond the baby we sing about in Christmas carols, or the word we might say in anger or fear?
This question can be simple yet complicated to answer. There are whole schools that have been founded to understand who Jesus was, what he said, why he said it and what it all means. The simplest way this question can be answered is to explain who Jesus was not.
1. He was not a mere preacher.
Even if you don't attend church, you have probably witnessed someone preaching. Reading verses from the bible, they tell us how God says we should live and how we should treat others. On top of that, they visit you in the hospital when you're sick and pray for you when you're hurting.
Jesus did more than that. He did more than teach; he lived out what he was teaching. He was perfect. And he spoke with authority in his voice. Mark 1:22 says "And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes." He spoke with knowledge and the authority that is due someone who claims to be the Son of God.
2. He was not a myth.
Even if you don't believe a word Jesus said, you do have to realize that Jesus really existed. Historical accounts from various historians of the time record the movements of Jesus Christ. What makes these accounts important is that none of them claim He is the Son God; they merely state that he existed.
3. He was not a sinner.
There is a distinction between us and Jesus; while we are sinners, Jesus was not. This means that He never cussed out one of His disciples for saying something stupid during His teaching or lusted over a woman. He was never hatefully angry; when he was upset, it was for the good of mankind. Jesus was flawless and died flawless. The cross that Jesus was killed on was a punishment reserved for criminals. What makes this so significant is that Jesus was not a criminal because he never did anything wrong.
This leaves us with a perfect picture of a perfect person, which is exactly what Jesus was. He was God in human form. Romans 5:6-8 says:
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus had a mission; he came to teach us how to live like God and then to die. Its like this that we need to live. If Jesus was an example, we must be the people to follow that example. Jesus was more than a baby; He became a man who lived out a perfect life and died a perfect being. And He offers that to us. He offers us a perfect eternity with Him. All we have to do it accept that.
