The Uniqueness
of Christ
When Jesus asked His disciples,
¡§Who do people say that the Son of Man is?¡¨ they replied, ¡§Some say John the
Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the
prophets.¡¨ But Peter answered, ¡§You are the Christ, the Son of the living God¡¨
(Matt. 16:13-16).
What set Jesus apart as the
Messiah?
¡± His birth: He
was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born, as prophesied, in Bethlehem to a
virgin. Though angels announced His arrival and He reigns over all creation,
Jesus entered our world in a lowly manner so He could be identified with the
meek and the poor.
¡± His wisdom: At age 12, He spent three days with rabbis, asking questions that showed
his uncommon understanding.
¡± His baptism: Though
He didn¡¦t need cleansing, Jesus asked John to baptize Him so He could identify
with sinners and demonstrate His love to them.
¡± His temptation: Satan
tempted Him relentlessly for 40 days, yet He did not sin.
¡± His ministry: He
challenged man-made religious traditions. And by healing people--regardless of
nationality--raising the dead, and forgiving sins, He revealed that God wants
to be involved personally in our lives. Leading Pharisees wanted Him dead, but
the Father protected His life until the crucifixion.