2. Jesus gained followers like preachers did in his day Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:15- 16)

3. Jesus of Nazareth Christ Messiah – Anointed One Son of God Incarnation – Made in flesh Jesus is God’s own son made flesh “Truly God and Truly Man” Jesus is both divine nature and human nature

4. God created the world and wanted to share it with us so he created humans God’s wish is that we would live together with God in harmony and love Grace – God’s life and love poured out to us Sin – humans ignored God and turned away from God God did wondrous acts of love and sent prophets to let us know he was there When we didn’t listen, God sent JESUS

5. God became Jesus to walk alongside us to learn about how he lived so we can follow his living model of life in God W.W.J.D By becoming human for us in Jesus, God offered us a share in divinity

6. Accepting Jesus as God = Matter of FAITH God loves us with a TOTAL, INFINITE, and UNCONDITIONAL LOVE God chose to be with us so he could communicate with us and relate to us There would be no better way for God to be with us than for God to become one of us

7. Need to accept Jesus as FULLY HUMAN and FULLY DIVINE Jesus experienced life as we did – joys, frustrations, loneliness, fears, stress, anger, longing for acceptance He never chose to respond sinfully He always chose the RIGHT path Jesus became one with us in all things except SIN

8. Matthew and Luke said Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus is conceived Annunciation “Announcement of the baby Jesus” (Luke) Jewish girl Mary is engaged to Joseph, a carpenter. Angel Gabriel tells Mary in Nazareth about how God chose her to bear a son named Jesus (“Yahweh saves”) Angel told her that the child would be conceived by the Holy Spirit and Mary responded “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” Joseph wanted to leave Mary but recognize God’s plan for him

9. Nativity story – Jesus’ birth Bethlehem – “City of David” Place where Jesus was born Luke’s gospel – Shepherds coming to the stable to worship Jesus Matthew’s gospel – Wise men (Magi) led by the star offered homage to Jesus Jesus = source of hope for poor people and those on the fringes of society (Luke) Jesus = light to the nations (Matthew)

11. Jesus was circumcised 8 days old Jesus was presented to the Lord of the Temple as the firstborn male Jesus = carpenter Learn compassion and sensitivity from his parents and studied Hebrew and religion

12. Jesus getting lost in Nazareth Perceptive, devout and faith filled Obedient to his parents

13. John the Baptist – Cousin and wandering prophetic preacher Baptized Jesus at 30 in the Jordan River After Jesus was baptized, he realized he had a mission – a mission of great pain and suffering “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased”

14. Before Jesus began his ministry he spent 40 days in the desert to pray, fast and be in solitude Temptations in the Desert Jesus was tempted 3 times by the devil to give up his complete dependence on God Jesus resisted the devil and reminded himself the message of God “This is my Son, the Beloved” After the desert, Jesus went back to Galilee to preach. He was filled with the HOLY SPIRIT and had a sense of purpose

16. A Community of Disciples Disciples – People around Jesus who would learn from him and carry on his mission even after he was gone 12 Apostles – those closest to Jesus (Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Judas Iscariot) They were fisherman – not prepared to be spiritual leaders Jesus had a way of seeing the giftedness and talents in others

17. Jesus’ Mission = To proclaim the Kingdom of God Kingdom of God – It is a reality that will come and to live the Kingdom in the present Jesus dedicated himself to living the Kingdom in the midst of the people People expected a military king to rule and conquer the land, but Jesus proclaimed about a Kingdom of love, not of political rule or power

18. How did Jesus know what God wanted? Jesus was related to God, aware of God’s life within him, and loving him and moving him to fulfill his mission Jesus called God “Father” Abba – “my own dear father” Jesus promoted God not as his own father, but rather “OUR FATHER” Jesus taught us to pray simply and trustingly to God as Father, without trying to impress God with fancy language The Lord’s Prayer (p. 103)

19. Jesus was the embodiment of God’s love Living in the Kingdom of God meant Living in the Father’s love Surrounded by that love Breathing it Being saturated by it Letting it be the guiding element behind social and community life. Jesus’ message to us: God is OUR FATHER and we are all LOVED by God

20. Healing and life-restoring miracles: He cured those with leprosy, blindness, and epilepsy. He saw their truth faith and offered them healing in their body and spirit Nature miracles: The miracles of loaves and fishes and calming the fierce storm. When he saw people suffer, he wanted to heal them

21. Inclusion of outsiders: Jesus welcomed children, ate dinner with sinners, and those who were “low-lives.” He treated as his friends those who were rejected: foreigners, women, the unclean, the insane, the poor, and the sick.

22. Love of enemies: Jesus reminded us to love not only friends but enemies as well (p. 104). He forgave those who hurt him on the cross The confronting of hypocrisy and religious legalism: Jesus challenged the Pharisees and Sadducees by debating with them about Jewish law. Jesus loved the Law but did not want to see it abused as a way to control people