Week 3 - THE CORE BELIEF

Session delivered by Rachel (info taken from PPT)

THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE LIFE OF JESUS?:
Most of the evidence about the life of Jesus comes from the accounts in the Gospels, but references to Jesus can also be found in the writings of Jewish and Roman historians eg Tacitus and Josephus who lived at around the same time. From these we learn that:
Before Jesus’ birth an angel told Mary that her child would be the Son of God. Jesus was born to Mary in Bethlehem in Judea (now part of Israel).
Choirs of angels announced his birth to shepherds, and Wise Men from the East visited him.
When Jesus was in his late twenties he began to teach and perform miracles. He gathered around him large number of followers, called disciples.

Why was Jesus executed:
His teaching upset the Jewish leaders and they called for his execution, saying that he had offended against the Jewish religion (blasphemy) and was also a threat to the authority of the Roman Empire.
The Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate ordered his execution by crucifixion.
His disciples said that three days after his death Jesus rose again, and appeared to them on various occasions. Eventually they saw him ascend from the earth and return to Heaven.

Understand the importance to Christians of Jesus’ death and resurrection:
By allowing his own son to die, God showed his love for the world.
Because Jesus died to save everyone from sin, his death means that all people have been given salvation.

How Jesus’ Sacrifice (death and resurrection) affects people’s lives today:
Suffering has meaning. People offer their suffering up for other people just as Jesus offered his suffering up for us.
 because Jesus rose from the dead, though you may have to suffer for a while- it will pass just as Jesus’ suffering and death passed.
 Jesus has given us Confession so that our sins can be forgiven, we can be healed and make a new start.
 because Jesus has forgiven us, we can show greater forgiveness to others.

Why is the Resurrection important to Christians? 
The resurrection is important because it is proof that Jesus is the Son of God and that he is the incarnation, God in human form on earth for only God can rise from the dead.
    Also the resurrection means that those who truly believe in Jesus will have eternal life in heaven with the father and death and sin will have been overcome.
    The resurrection brings back to all the believers the good creation and that God created the world for good. When Jesus rose from the dead he gave freedom from sins to his people.
   Jesus sacrificed his life for us and to cleanse the world of sin which was confirmed when he rose again, this was an act of love.