Jesus is Incomparable

There is nothing like awaiting the birth of a child. Using social media, young parents announce the expectation by all means of creative imagery. Pink or blue cakes accompany gender reveals. Newborn photos are all over Facebook.

We haven’t even gotten to how the prospective grandparents act yet! “I’m gonna be Grandfather” or “I’m gonna be a grandmother” fill every new conversation.

Sometimes the older generation seems to think the only reason they ever had children was for the chance to have grandchildren. Pity the young mother who stands in the way of her own mother and that new grandchild. She might get bowled over like a 10-pin.

New Children are Like No Other

Followers of Jesus rejoice over His birth like no other. His arrival, called the Incarnation, is celebrated every Christmas, and taught all year. It is one of the main beliefs of the Christian faith.

In the midst of the celebration, we often forget that Jesus was actually promised well in advance of His arrival. He wasn’t a surprise arrival; His was the most famously predicted birth in history. Consider the words of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah: “Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel” (7:14).

In another chapter, Isaiah prophesied, “Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds” (53:4-5).

Jesus Is Like No Other

Pastor Tony Evans notes the importance of these prophecies: “The Bible has been substantiated both historically and archeologically as more accurate than any other book handed down through time. Research and analysis by historians, linguists, sociologists, and archeologists have demonstrated the soundness of the Scriptures through forensic science, the discovery and study of ancient literature, and much more.”¹

The birth of Jesus was more than that of a future king of Israel. It was more than the birth of a significant teacher and rabbi. The birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of messianic prophecies centuries old. He was the promised Messiah who would bear the sins of the world. His birth was the fulfillment of God’s promise to His people. The birth of Jesus was a world-changing event! 

Jesus Is More Than

This current session of Bible Studies for Life will be dealing with how Jesus is like no other person who has ever lived. He also affects us like no other person who has ever lived. As Tony Evans says, “Jesus became like us in order to bring us back into a relationship with God. He entered our world in order to give us a way out of it. He died so that we may live. He gives us life for now and life for eternity.

This study is for all of us. “Jesus Christ is more than theology on a shelf, a picture of a man with a halo, or miracles from long ago. He is your friend like no other.”²

Yours for the Great Commission,

 

Ronnie W. Floyd

Senior Pastor, Cross Church

General Editor, Bible Studies for Life

President, Southern Baptist Convention

References

^{1, 2}– Bible Studies for Life, Like No Other, Tony Evans

All scripture Holman Christian Standard Bible.