Jesus was a living human being, who was brought up in a simple family. The Bible tells us he experienced the full range of human emotions. He chose a small group of men to work closely with him. Despite the taboos of his day, women were also close friends and followers. He also had friends who turned against him and betrayed him to the authorities.
He taught about God and life, in what he referred to as the Kingdom. He did this through stories and images that the local people could understand. Much of what he said was based on the Jewish teachings that he had grown up with. He healed people from all kinds of physical, emotional and spiritual sicknesses, and showed amazing courage in making direct contact with the outcasts of the society of his day.
Jesus was also different from any other person, teacher, or healer. He showed he had command over creation in calming a storm, walking on water and multiplying a small quantity of loaves and fish in order to feed a huge crowd. He spoke of 'My Kingdom' and asked people to follow him. He spoke of himself as 'I am', a phrase previously only attributed to God, and suggested that to have seen him was to have seen God. In one act of healing he specifically claimed to have forgiven the man's sin.
It was these claims that drove the authorities of his day to have him tried and executed by crucifixion. He was buried by his followers and Roman guards were placed on watch by the tomb. Three days after his death he met some of his followers, women and men, and showed himself to be alive. This was the final proof for them that Jesus was indeed uniquely God and human.
After a short period of time with his followers, Jesus was then supernaturally taken from them. Some time later, following the instructions of Jesus, the original group of men and women were waiting in prayer in an upstairs room, when the Spirit of God came upon them in such a way that they knew this was the moment to go and continue teaching and healing as Jesus had previously done. The Christian Church grew from this moment in history with phenomenal rapidity. There are now millions of Christian believers covering every nation in the world.
