Academics tell us there is no credible explanation for the sudden birth and spread of Christianity in the first century except that a man called Jesus actually existed. But who was he? 

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For over 2000 years, people have debated this.

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Most of us would say he was a good man, with good teaching, although it's challenging to keep it all.

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Some believe he was a prophet, but he doesn’t seem to have been a very good one because he didn't point to God! Rather, he called people to believe in himself as though he were God, saying things like “I am the way, the truth and the life”. A bit arrogant or crazy if not true.

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For us at Shirley Baptist Church and millions of followers of Jesus around the world, we have come to believe that Jesus was and is God in human form. This begs another question: why would God become a man?

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God the creator understandably cares deeply about all that he made. His character is best summed up in one word – love. So what can a loving God do about the mess the world is in? Well, he sends us Jesus!

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Jesus comes to model, explain and bring about solutions. It might be helpful to identify five problems to which Jesus provides the answer…

Jesus, the answer to…

Division, confusion and injustice

Jesus came to model a radical life of love that, when copied and obeyed, is a new kingdom that is good news for everyone but especially the poor, hurting and excluded. But more than telling us how to live, Jesus sends his Spirit to live in us when we invite him in; he guides and strengthens us to live a life more like Jesus. We call this discipleship.

Meaninglessness, emptiness and pointlessness

When we live our lives for ourselves, it feels pointless because this is not what we were made for. We were made to love. Jesus came to command us to love one another. When we use the unique talents and character God has created in us for his purpose of love, then we find the true life in all its fullness. We call this calling.

Jesus said he came “to seek and save the lost”.

Regret, shame and guilt

Because we don’t live the way God intended and because we hurt others  (whether deliberately or inadvertently) then the closer we get to God the more we become aware of our inadequacy. Some of us, without even coming close to God, carry deep shame that we can’t seem to shake off. Disciples of Jesus believe he died on the cross for each of us, and, if we admit our failures and bring them to him for forgiveness, he can wash and cleanse us, helping us to become free from guilt. We call this salvation.

Self-hatred, low self-esteem, and a sense of isolation

Bombarded with so many angry voices from life and religion, we are all looking for someone who loves us for who we are, not for what we can do for them or for what we have achieved. Through the wonder of both Christmas and Easter, Jesus reveals his remarkable love for each and every human being - saving us at such a costly price to himself. In Jesus we see the remarkable undeserved, unfailing love of God. We call this grace.

Death, suffering and loss

There is so much suffering in the world; we long for a world where we are free from illness, injustice and death. Jesus came to show us that there is an invitation to that new world. By coming back to life (the best explanation for the empty tomb being the beginning of Christianity), Jesus demonstrated that death is not the end and that those who admit their need for salvation and choose to be his disciples will also one day rise from the grave to a new eternal life of joy and peace. We call this hope.​