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What difference
does Jesus the Messiah make?
Does it really make
a difference to our lives that a man by the name of Jesus lived
2,000 years ago? Why should this affect your life and mine
today? Does Jesus have big implications only for those who
claim to follow Him?
To answer these
questions we must take a close look at the claims that Jesus made
about Himself and we must understand what He offers to those who
believe in Him (see
Jesus' claims).
The "I
am" sayings of Jesus (see
Jesus' "I am" sayings)
include some very beautiful statements about how Jesus does not
simply bring a message about spiritual truth but is Himself the
answer to our deepest longings. As the One who offers eternal
life, Jesus claims to be all that we need in order to be forgiven
for our sins and to live in a way that pleases our Creator. |
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Jesus claims to be able to give us a never-ending source of
life that will last forever, as He said to a woman getting water
from a well, |
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"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but
whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the
water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to
eternal life." (John 4:13-14 NIV) |
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| In another passage,
Jesus calls out to those who feel weighed down by burdens,
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"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I
will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from
me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will
find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my
burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV) |
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Millions of
believers down through the ages have joyfully witnessed to how their
lives have been wonderfully transformed by faith in Jesus.
People have been completely changed, not by their own ability to
maintain righteous standards but by trusting in a person, Jesus
Christ.
When other people
have seen this change in a new believer, sometimes people who were
formerly hurt by him or her, they have been amazed at what the Lord has
done. To read the true stories of eight people who have been
changed in this way, click here:
Testimonies
On a daily basis,
Jesus makes a difference in the lives of those who believe in Him
because the pressure to work hard to satisfy religious requirements
is gone! The Holy Injil teaches us that what we were
unable to do with our own good works, Jesus the Messiah has done
100% on our behalf. He did this by bearing the burden of our
penalty for all of our offenses against our Creator when He suffered
in our place on the cross. |
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But
now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been
made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus
Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and
are justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:21-24 NIV) |
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The
Prophet Isaiah spoke about this 700 years before the
coming of the Messiah: |
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"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was
crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought
us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has
turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the
iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV) |
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The Messiah's sadness in suffering on
our behalf is replaced with joy, as another verse in the same
passage from the Prophet Isaiah reads: |
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"After the suffering of his soul, he will see the
light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my
righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear
their iniquities."
(Isaiah 53:11 NIV) |
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To those who believe in Jesus the
Messiah as Savior, these are hopeful words. At the same time,
if we accept
Jesus' claims at face
value, we must conclude that we will all stand before Jesus on the day of
judgment and that it is only by faith in Him that we can hope to
approach our Creator, whom the Bible calls our Father. |
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