As we continue to ask the question “who is Jesus?” it is important that we grasp the importance of Why Jesus?
During these next few weeks, you will read here in the Blog, and hear me say time and time again in Virtual Church, that Jesus is the Son of God who takes away the sins of the World. He has been ever since the beginning; he was with God in creation. Jesus has always been and he always will be.
Starting with creation humanity was intended to be one with God. We are “co-regents” as Mike Breen puts it. God gave Adam and Eve freedom to enjoy the garden and, under his guidance, to rule. However, the devil set out to destroy this bond and, in tempting Eve to partake of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge, came between mankind and their creator.
The prophecy which is spoken by God over Eve and the serpent points to the hope that we have in Christ. It is a reference to the Messiah that was to come and the Rescue Plan of God to reconcile humanity to himself.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
Satan is constantly trying to interrupt and obliterate the ability for mankind to have a relationship with our Father in heaven. We saw last week, when briefly looking at Jesus being tempted in the wilderness, that the devil went to great lengths to ‘get in the way.’ The reference above to the striking of the heel points to the attempts of Satan to defeat Christ as he walked on this earth.
We can take solace, however, that Christ was and remains to this day undefeated. That a strike to the heel is not deadly, though may cause pain and troubles. On the flip side, a strike to the head is a blow which is less easily overcome. This foreshadows Jesus rising from the dead and defeating Satan, offering salvation to all who believe.
Why Jesus? Because without him there would be no salvation, and that helps us live into the truth of who Jesus is.