Few will dispute that a man named Jesus lived some two thousand years ago and that He was an amazing teacher who changed the world forever. What separates Him from other good men is the audacious claim that He was in fact the very Son of God.

Jesus didn’t lead a mega church while He walked on earth, yet those who followed believed Him to be their promised deliverer and king. Consider how many since have come to believe He was the divine Son as a result of those first followers’ eyewitness testimonies.

Because His teachings were so contrary to traditions they had created, religious leaders of the day vehemently opposed Jesus and eventually succeeded in having Him put to death. Local Roman authorities likewise saw Him as a threat and became complicit in His death, carrying forth His execution. Consider how the religions and governments of that time opposed Jesus by unlawful and violent tactics, trying to destroy the church He founded.

Jesus remains a controversial figure even now. Modern portrayals give inaccurate views of His humanity. Variations in the beliefs and practices of His professed followers force the inevitable questions “Who is the real Jesus?” and “Why should I even follow Him?” Are His teachings practical in today’s post-modern and enlightened society, or irrelevant?

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3, NKJV). If Jesus is who He says He is — God’s Son who bore the world’s sin — that changes everything!

We’re in a unique situation, accountable for how we respond. We can know who this Man was and is! To enrich our lives today and in the kingdom to come, we must consider the reality of Jesus.