Questions about Jesus?

If you want to know about Christianity, this is the question to ask. The heart of the Christian faith is not a life-style choice or a set of beliefs, but the person Jesus. His impact has been extraordinary. James Allan Francis puts it like this:

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. 

He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never travelled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth - His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.

His impact has been so great because after his death he rose from the grave. He is God's Son, sent into the world to save people from their sin and to offer a new and perfect life.

The best way to find out about Jesus is to read one of the eye-witness accounts of his life. You can find these online at Bible Gateway. Alternatively, pick one up for free at St Mary's. If you want to start with the shortest gospel, pick Mark! 

Christianity Explored

This is another great way to get to the bottom of who Jesus is. Christianity Explored is an informal course which takes people through Mark's gospel, as well as giving space to ask any questions. We run these courses regularly at St Mary's; read more on our Christianity Explored page. Christianity Explored also has a good web site with further resources to help answer questions.