Jesus of Nazareth, known as Yeshua HaMashiach in Israel, is the central figure in Christianity and the Messiah promised in the Hebrew Scriptures. His life, death, and resurrection define the hope and redemption available to all who believe. Born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth, His presence in human history cannot be overstated. The accounts of His life are recorded in the New Testament, which reveals that He was not just a man, but the Son of God, sent to restore humanity’s relationship with the God.
Jesus’ teachings were revolutionary, not only because of the wisdom and authority with which He spoke but also because of the wondrous love He demonstrated. He called people to love their enemies, forgive unconditionally, and to seek God’s Kingdom, not as a distant place but a present reality. He taught repentance and a transformed life, not simply through ritual, but through the profound change of the heart. In Him, God’s Kingdom was accessible to anyone willing to surrender their life to Him.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus performed miracles that proved His divine authority, healing the sick, casting out demons, and even raising the dead. These signs were not just demonstrations of power but signs pointing to His identity as the Messiah. His compassion, healing, and teachings were a testament to His love for humanity and His desire for people to experience God’s love in tangible ways.
But the depth of His love for humanity is not just seen in His words or actions. It is most vividly displayed in His suffering. For me, this became so real during a vision that I had one day while sitting in my backyard with my now husband. We were just having a simple conversation, and I shared some of my struggles. But in an instant, it was as though I was knocked out of my own mind, and I was no longer on that blanket. I found myself in a vision, in the courtyard of the Roman guards where Jesus was bound to a whipping pole. The scene was vivid and overwhelming.
I saw Him there, bound and mocked, surrounded by Roman guards who were laughing, jeering, and abusing Him. One of them held a whip with nails attached to the end of a long rope, ready to lash out. Another soldier turned and took thorned vines growing on the wall, twisted them into a crown, and then sauntered over to Jesus. He slammed it onto His head. And I felt that. I could feel the thorns piercing His forehead, the blood pouring down His forehead.
Then, they put a robe on Him, against the raw, bloody wounds on His back; wounds from the beatings He endured. I felt a percentage of that pain too, the sting and the hurt. But not even coming close to the pain He went through, of course. The scene then flashed to Jesus on the ground, His wrists were being nailed to the wooden cross. The sound of the hammer driving those nails through His flesh echoed in my mind, and I felt it. I felt those nails go through His wrists with every hit of the hammer.
In that moment, I heard Jesus speak directly to me. He looked at me deep into my soul and said, “I DID THIS FOR YOU. Now what are YOU going to do about it?” His words cut through me like nothing I had ever experienced.
As the vision ended, I came out of it crying, overwhelmed by the intensity of what I had just witnessed. My boyfriend told me later that I was crying and pleading, “Don’t! Stop! Why?” It was as though I was there with Him, experiencing His suffering in a way I never thought possible. I realized then that what Jesus did was not a distant event in history, it was personal. He did it for me. And He did it for you.
The rejection of Jesus by the religious leaders of His time led to His crucifixion, a death meant for the worst criminals and political rebels under Roman law. But Jesus’ death was not an accident nor a result of human schemes; it was the fulfillment of divine prophecy, a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The crucifixion was a moment where God’s love for humanity was most clearly displayed. Jesus, though completely innocent, took upon Himself the sins of the world, our sins, offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice for all.
On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death and proving that He was indeed the Son of God. His resurrection was the ultimate victory over sin and death, offering eternal life to all who believe. The risen Christ gave His disciples the great commission to spread His message to the ends of the earth. His resurrection is the cornerstone of Christian faith, symbolizing hope, redemption, and the promise of eternal life for all who follow Him.
Jesus’ message continues to impact not only Christians but the entire world. His teachings on love, grace, and forgiveness have shaped ethics, justice, and social movements. The Sermon on the Mount, in which He taught the Beatitudes, still serves as a foundational moral compass for many people, inspiring actions of peace, mercy, and justice. Through His life and resurrection, He called humanity to a new way of living, marked by reconciliation with God and with one another.
What sets Jesus apart from other religious figures is His claim to be both fully God and fully man. His divinity and humanity are key to understanding His role in salvation. As the God-man, He bridges the gap between God and humanity, offering forgiveness for sin and a way to experience God’s presence in everyday life.
Jesus is the promised Messiah—God incarnate, who came to fulfill all the prophecies of the Old Testament. His resurrection ensures that those who follow Him can have eternal life. Jesus invites us into a personal relationship with God, His Father and through Him, we are able to understand God’s love and truth in a way that transforms us.
Though many religions respect Jesus only as a moral teacher, for Christians, He is much more. He is the Savior who bore the weight of ALL humanity’s sins, your sins and mine, and offers reconciliation for ALL with the Father. His teachings reveal the heart of God’s will for humanity: love, grace, and the transformation of the heart. Those who believe in Him experience a life empowered by the Holy Spirit, and with it, the hope of eternal life.
In other faiths, such as Islam, Jesus is also highly regarded, though as a prophet rather than the Son of God. However, if the followers of Islam were to read their entire book with an open heart, they would see the inconsistencies and contradictions about Jesus. The Quran acknowledges Jesus’ birth and his miracles but denies His divine nature and the truth of His crucifixion. It presents a distorted view of His role in salvation, leaving out the critical truth that Jesus is not just a prophet but the very Son of God, the Savior who died for the sins of the whole world. There are numerous contradictions in how Jesus is described in Islamic texts compared to what the New Testament teaches, making it clear that the full, unaltered truth about Jesus can only be found in His own words and in the accounts of those who followed Him.
Ultimately, the life and message of Jesus offer a wonderful invitation: to trust Him, to believe in His sacrifice, and to experience the power of His resurrection. His call to follow Him transcends time, culture, and circumstance, offering a way to eternal life through faith in Him alone. It is this truth—the truth of Jesus as the risen Savior—that can transform lives today, offering a hope that no other philosophy or religion can match. His life is the greatest revelation of God’s love, and His resurrection remains the ultimate symbol of victory over sin and death.
The vision I experienced was not just a powerful encounter—it was a direct reminder of the personal sacrifice Jesus made for me and for all of humanity. He didn’t just endure pain for the world in general; He endured it for you too. His words to me, “I did this for you,” remain a call to all of us to stop, reflect, and truly ask ourselves: “What will we do in response to this love?” I accept Him and go out and teach you… which is… The Greatest Commission.
I hope this message blessed you. If so, please leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from you.
The top image was done by me on scratchboard, back in June, 1997 just after the vision.
I was totally amazed when I described it to chatgpt that it got every nuance of my vision!!!!!:
The only difference was Yeshua was looking directly AT ME.