Some people claim he’s a great teacher. Others think he’s a prophet. Some dismiss him as a liar or even a madman. Millions hail him as Savior and Lord. Whatever people think of him, nobody can deny that he stands at the very crux of human history.

The biblical record of his life shows that Jesus was born to a virgin, lived a sinless life, taught throughout Palestine for about three years, was crucified and then rose back to life three days after his death. The Bible claims that more than 500 people saw him alive after this miraculous event. How could a mere man have lived such a life? The miracles Jesus performed, his death on the cross, his resurrection, his ascent to heaven–all point to the fact that he was no ordinary leader.

Hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, prophets predicted his coming. The Old Testament, written by many people over a period of 1,500 years, contains more than 300 such prophecies. All of these details came true, including his miraculous birth, his sinless life, his many miracles, his death and his resurrection.

By his own account, Jesus claimed he had the power to forgive sins, to cast out demons, and to determine people’s eternal destiny. He even declared he himself was God!

Declaring that he was God so angered the religious and political leaders of his day that they had him crucified. They buried him in a borrowed grave, and three days later, he rose from the dead.

The resurrection of Jesus is what makes Christianity unique. In fact, the validity of Christianity hinges on the proof of the resurrection of Jesus. If the resurrection never took place, then the Christian faith is based on a lie and people have no true hope for life after they die. But if it is true, then we can do nothing else but accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and receive his gift of love and forgiveness.

Throughout the centuries, most great scholars who have considered the proofs of the resurrection have believed, and still believe that Jesus is alive.

What Does Jesus Have to Do With You?

Is Jesus still interested in us? What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Christ, and in what way does it impact our lives? And how does someone go about making that kind of commitment?

Those are good questions, and typical of someone who understands the significance of Jesus. Here is some information to help answer these and other questions you may have about Jesus.

Because of Jesus’ resurrection, his followers do not honor a dead founder

They have a vital, personal relationship with him. Jesus Christ lives today and faithfully enriches the lives of all those who trust and obey him. Throughout the centuries, multitudes have acknowledged the worthiness of Jesus Christ, including many who have greatly influenced the world. French physicist and philosopher Blaise Pascal spoke of people’s need for Jesus when he said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, which only God can fill through his Son Jesus Christ.”

WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW JESUS PERSONALLY?

You can! Because of God’s deep love for you, he has already made all the necessary arrangements. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can enjoy a personal relationship. Jesus made it possible to bridge the chasm which separates us from God. The following four principles will help you discover how to know Jesus personally and experience the abundant life he promised.

Principle 1: God wants to know you personally

God LOVES you and created you to know Him personally.

Principle 2: Man is separated from God

Man is SINFUL and SEPARATED from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love

A great gulf separates man from God. Man is continually trying to reach God and establish a personal relationship with Him through human efforts, such as living a good life, philosophy, or religion. But Man inevitably fails. The third principle explains the only way to bridge this gulf.

Principle 3: Jesus is the provision for sin

Jesus Christ is God’s ONLY provision for man’s sin. Through him alone we can know God personally and experience God’s love

God has bridged the gulf that separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins. But it is not enough just to know these truths.

Principle 4: You can experience Christ’s love

We must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; then we can know God personally and experience His love

Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (a spirit of repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive us of our sins and make us what he wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of our will.

Jesus Christ is waiting for an invitation to come in to your life. In fact, he says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in” (Revelation 3:20).

Perhaps you can sense Christ knocking at the door of your heart. You can invite him in by faith right now. God knows your heart so it doesn’t matter exactly what words you use. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, pray it right now and Jesus Christ will come into your life just as he has promised. Once you invite Christ into your life, he promises to never leave you.

Hebrews 13:5 “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”

To know God personally is the greatest decision you will ever make. If you’ve just asked Jesus Christ into your life, please click here and tell us about it. We would love to hear from you.

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