The Enduring Wisdom of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in human history. More than 2 billion people today identify as Christians, following the teachings of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years after his life on earth. Even those who are not Christians are often familiar with Jesus’ message of love, forgiveness, and caring for those in need.
In today’s complex world, the simple yet profound wisdom of Jesus guides how to live meaningful and ethical lives. His teachings emphasize building one’s life on a solid foundation so that, like a house constructed on rock rather than sand, it will withstand any storms it encounters.
The Early Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ, the Son of God
According to Christian scriptures, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem to the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, making him the only begotten Son of God. Jesus grew up in Nazareth and around the age of 30, traveled to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist before embarking on his public ministry.
For three years, Jesus traveled with his twelve disciples teaching crowds about the Kingdom of God through simple parables and performing miracles. His following grew as he developed a reputation as a teacher, prophet, and healer who showed compassion to society’s outcasts including lepers, sinners, and tax collectors. The core of Jesus’ message focused on God’s unconditional love and the coming of His Kingdom.
The Arrest and Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
As Jesus’ influence expanded, opposition mounted against him from both the Roman occupiers of Israel and the Jewish religious authorities who felt threatened. Jesus was eventually betrayed by one of his disciples, Judas, and turned over to the Roman authorities who interrogated him.
Although the Roman governor Pontius Pilate found no grounds to condemn Jesus, he ultimately acquiesced to the demands of the crowd and ordered that Jesus be crucified. Jesus was brutally flogged and nailed to a cross on Calvary Hill where he died an agonizing death after several hours. Christians believe Jesus willingly sacrificed himself, taking on the sins of humanity so that all might be forgiven.
The Resurrection and Lasting Legacy
On the third day after his death, Jesus’ tomb was found empty by his female followers and he began appearing to his disciples, having conquered death and been resurrected. After forty days, Christians believe Jesus ascended bodily into heaven, promising to return.
Jesus’ short public life and ministry have reverberated through the centuries since, with billions accepting him as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah and incarnation of God on earth. The testament of his early followers who witnessed his resurrection became the seeds of Christianity, which has since become the world’s largest religion.
Core Teachings of Jesus Christ That Guide Our Lives Today
While volumes have been written analyzing Jesus’ teachings and examples over the last two millennia, several key messages emerge as pillars to build one’s life:
Love God and Love Your Neighbor
When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). These two core principles encapsulate how Jesus calls his followers to live – rooted in love for the divine and love for each other.
Forgive Others
Knowing that no one is without flaws or sins, Jesus stressed the importance of forgiveness. We all make mistakes or wrong others, so we should be quick to forgive others for God to forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15). This applies even to loving our enemies.
Care for the Marginalized
Jesus was often condemned for spending time with society’s outcasts – lepers, prostitutes, tax collectors, and more. His example challenges us to care for the disadvantaged, oppressed, and marginalized. Who are the marginalized today that we should love and support?
Value All Human Life
Every human being has intrinsic worth from the unborn to the terminally ill, from the wealthy to the poverty-stricken. Followers of Christ are called to value every human life as Jesus did.
Be Humble and Serve Others
Despite his divine status, Jesus modeled humility and service to others throughout his ministry. He demonstrated that the first shall be the last and cautioned against self-righteous pride. His example calls us to look for opportunities to serve rather than be served.
Seek God’s Kingdom
Instead of being consumed by material possessions, status, or power, Jesus instructed his followers to “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). When we fix our eyes on pursuing God’s ideals, priorities and eternal promises, we find meaning that endures.
By building our lives around these ethical pillars spoken by Jesus Christ himself, we construct our character, values, and purpose on an unshakable foundation able to withstand adversity.
Applying the Wisdom of Jesus to Build Your Life on Rock
It’s one thing to admire the teachings of Jesus, but another to actively apply them in shaping one’s character, decisions, and priorities. Here are some ideas to consider:
* Ponder how you can express selfless, unconditional love to both friends and strangers this week. Look for opportunities to forgive.
* Reflect on who the marginalized members of your community are. Reach out to offer support through volunteering or donations.
* Examine ways you may be seeking selfish ambitions rather than God’s Kingdom. What needs to change in your heart and habits?
* Make time for spiritual disciplines like prayer, Scripture reading, silence, and solitude to deepen your relationship with God.
* Find a faith community to participate in where you can grow in living out Christlike principles.
* Read through the Gospels again with fresh eyes, taking Jesus’ words personally as if he were speaking directly to you.
The teachings of Jesus provide profound guidance for living with compassion, integrity, and purpose if we take them to heart instead of just admiring them. They call us to fix our eyes on eternal rather than temporal things. By building our lives on Jesus’ words and example, we construct upon rock rather than sand. 2,000 years after his death, the teachings of Jesus Christ still light a pathway we can follow today.
Reference:
- Jesus is the Wisdom of God: This is a chapter from the Work and Rest God’s Way Family Guide, which explains why Jesus is the source of all wisdom and knowledge, and how His words are the ultimate authority for life and godliness.
- 8 Bible Verses about Christ’s Wisdom: This is a collection of verses that show how Christ became wisdom for us, and how in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- Endure, Endurance: This is a page from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website, which provides some verses that relate to the wisdom of Christ and how we can seek it through prayer.
- Wikipedia
