The Life of Jesus

 

I never had a personal experience with Jesus.  Even though, I was baptized and had confirmation classes at 16 in the Lutheran Church I didn’t not understand about Jesus’ life.  Not until I heard Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s teaching about Jesus could I appreciate what Jesus went through and what he accomplished for us.

From the beginning Jesus’ life was controversial.  Most Christians believe that Jesus was born by virgin birth.  Some believe that Joseph was the father even though he and Mary were only engaged.  If we study the bible, we can learn what really happened (Luke 1:38) When Rev. Moon had his visitations from Jesus, he revealed many truths to him.

The fact is that Jesus started a history-changing revolution to the point that we started a new calendar beginning with his life; B.C. for before Christ and A.D. for Anno Domini.

 

The Life of Jesus as taught by Dr. Michael Balcomb, president, Family Federation for World Peace

For the last couple of months I have read over many essays and sermons on the life of Jesus which I like to share here:
 

Who is Jesus?

I purposely ask ‘who is he’ because he is still alive in the spiritual world.  Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one, the savior, and the Son of God.  After he resurrected, he appeared to his disciples (John 20:1-29) in his eternal spiritual body which he could manifest in a substantial form because of his Divine nature.  For the first time in all of human history, we learn about the eternal spiritual world, which Jesus opened the path to paradise (Luke 23:39-43).  Because of his complete obedience to God, he gave up his life on the cross and accomplished our spiritual salvation.
 

 

Where did Jesus live?

Jesus lived in Judea the land between the Mediterranean and the Dead Seas.  At the time of his birth it was a Roman province.  Jesus was born in Bethlehem in a manger.  When the ruler Herod heard about the birth of the “King of the Jews” he sent for Jesus to be killed.  That’s why Mary and Joseph with the newborn baby had to flee to Egypt and stay there until Herod died. There is not much biblical record about the time ‘the holy family’ spent in Egypt. Author Paul Perry wrote a book about that time.  The next account of Jesus’ life is that he entered the temple in Jerusalem at age 12, (Luke 2:39-52) talking with the priests.  Again, for the next 18 year until 30, when he started his public ministry, we don’t know where Jesus lived.  During the three years of his public ministry he went all over Judea, eventually entering Jerusalem where he was captured and then executed.

 

How did the people of his time receive him?

After the incident at the temple we don’t know much about Jesus’ life until he started his public mission at 30.  There are many speculations including that he traveled to India.  The Bible only mentions that he worked with Joseph as a carpenter.  His public mission started at 30 as recorded in Luke 3:23 From then he traveled for 3 years all over Judea, teaching the Good News, the Gospel.  Initially, Jesus was welcomed by the common people.  His cousin John the Baptist testified to his mission and baptized him at the river of Jordan.  He gathered multitudes, he performed miracles, and he forgave people’s sins when he saw their belief.  The Scribes and Pharacies became jealous of Jesus’ popularity and eventually, he was handed over to the Roman authorities, and Pilate condemned him to die.

 

When did Jesus’ destiny change?

There were dual prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the mission of Jesus.  One was for him to be accepted to become the ‘Lord of Glory,’ the other one was in case Jesus would be rejected, and he would become the ‘Lord of Suffering.”  

When Moses and Elijah appeared to him on the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17) Jesus learned of his shortened life.  The disciples who were with him were afraid because they had never seen ‘spirits’ (Moses and Elijah had passed to the other world long before).  Jesus told them not to share this experience with anybody until he would also go the spiritual world. 

Because Jesus was the Messiah, he insisted on a triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  Even though he knew he had to die, he wanted the people to know who he was and that this was the time for the Kingdom of Heaven to be built as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9 and recorded in Matthew 21:5.  He wanted to proclaim to all of Israel and the future generations what could have been.

 
 

What could Jesus have accomplish if didn’t have to die?

 

We know that Jesus forgave sins while he was preaching and witnessing to the people (Matt. 9:1-2; Matt. 9:22; Mark 10:49-52).  According to the Divine Principle, the teaching of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, Jesus came as the second Adam.  As such he was to restore what Adam missed to do because of the Fall of Man. Adam was to become a mature man (be fruitful) and get married to Eve (multiply).  Together they were to be good shepherd over the earth (have dominion over the earth – Genesis 1:28)

Just recently there was news about The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife, discovered by Harvard professor Karen King.  She announced that archeologists had found a fragment of an ancient Christian-Gnostic papyrus in which Jesus mentions his wife and defends her before the other disciples as most worthy.  Dr. Andrew Wilson, Professor at the Unification Theological Seminary, wrote a lengthy article about the perspective of the Divine Principle on these findings.

Surely, the descriptions of lineages in the bible are a proof of the importance of lineage.  It was God’s desire to establish his pure lineage here on earth and create ideal families.  Also with Jesus’ untimely early death, he was able to bring spiritual salvation, but talked about his return in order to bring salvation to both the spiritual and physical realm and to establish the Kingdom of God on earth.

 

I like to finish with a reference to a website: “Real Deal Easter” which just recently opened up by Bob Selle.  Mr. Selle gives some very crucial guidance for anyone who is seeking a personal relationship with Jesus. 

If you have question regarding spiritual experiences or near death experience (NDE), I like to refer to Eben Alexander, M.D.’s The Easter Question.  Dr. Alexander is the author, 'Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife'

 

As I mentioned before I belief that the greatest accomplishment of Jesus is that he showed us the possibility for eternal life.  Through his resurrection and appearances to his disciples as well as many of his followers and believers over the centuries, Jesus is alive and we can have a living relationship with.  The salvation he brought us is unique.  There is no other teaching that brought that kind of freedom and enlightenment, and it shows that Jesus in all his glory and grace can give to us forgiveness and peace.