Lent has begun, a time for looking down the path toward Easter. We think of the path to the cross, the tomb, and the resurrection of Christ. In the next three blogs, we will highlight “last things” – his last prayer, his last healing, and his last offer of salvation.

For this writing, however, let’s gaze at a broad scope of our Savior’s life here on earth through the eyes of his disciple, John.

John referred to Jesus as the Word. In essence, “In the beginning was Jesus, who was with God and was, in fact, God. He was with God in the beginning.”

Another John (John the baptizer) introduced Jesus to the world. He said, “This Word (Jesus) has became flesh and is now dwelling among us as a real person. We come bringing our lambs to the altar and sacrificing them as though they carry our sins. Jesus will become that sacrificial lamb to bear our sin.”

John the baptizer urged the people to come to the water in repentance and be baptised as a symbol of their belief in Jesus to carry that sin.

Jesus said and did many things in those next three years or so. He gathered a few common men from Galilee to follow him and learn from him; John and Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanuel. They watched him perfom his first secret miracle at a wedding, turning jugs of water into wine.

That was only the beginning! As he gathered seven more disciples, he spoke to more than 5,000 men and women on a hillside. Miraculously, he fed them by multiplying only five loaves of bread and two fish.

When he spoke of God’s love to crowds of people, many came to faith in him; farmers, laborers, and craftsmen. Even a Pharisee (Nicodemus) came secretly seeking to understand him. Jesus explained that “God so loved the world that he gave his only son, and whoever would believe in him would not perish, but would have everlasting life.”

He spoke to women, even a woman of Samaria. In fact, she became the first one to whom he revealed himself as the Messiah! She became an instant missionary and many believed because of her testimony.

Jesus healed people, the poor, the rich, a Roman centurion’s servant, ten men with leprosy, ones who could not walk, or speak, or hear, even those who were possessed and delirious.

He brought life back to at least three who had died; the son of a widow, the daughter of Jairus who was a synogogue leader, and life back to Lazarus, a friend of Jesus.

Great as all these things were, a wonderful jewel of his ministry was the vast teaching he did. Thanks to the writings of John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Paul and others, these teachings help us learn from Jesus and practice what he taught.

As we move toward Easter, we will reflect on Jesus as our Savior and look at some of the “last things” he did.

 ~ Joyce ~