Jesus, The First, Last, and Only Savior

Article for April 27, 2025

John 20:30–31 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Smitten, the Apostles and disciples that followed Jesus Christ were smitten in His presence.  They followed Jesus enamored by everything He said and maybe listened more than just hearing.  Jesus was the long-awaited Savior that was promised, and this promise was repeated from generation to generation.  Though they were with Jesus, much did not sink-in to their understanding.

 Could this be the savior or is this another one of those counterfeit saviors whom we have witnessed before.  After all, they were able to kill Jesus as they had killed others who made such claims.  We are told in Acts 5:34-39 Gamaliel warned the council of Pharisees that there were others who claimed to be something they were not, and they killed them, and their followers scattered.  Gamaliel said, ‘if it is of man then it will fail, but if it is of God there is nothing you can do to stop it.’

We read and hear the witness of those who walked with Jesus.   These witnesses we believe because they walked with Jesus.  Even Paul we can believe because he witnessed Jesus in His resurrection form even though it was after His ascension.  Gamaliel was right in what he said.  Nothing has stopped the progress of God’s will, and nothing can stop it, it is of God.

John 21:25 25Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

At the end of John 20, and 21, John tells us that Jesus had done “many other things”.  This should not be surprising to us as John says there would be more books than the world could contain.  There would be more books than man could read, and we only know of a minute amount that Jesus did on this earth.

But as John writes, all was written for us that we could believe.  And we believe as we read and hear it from firsthand witnesses who walked with Jesus.  But here is the truth of it all.  Those who walked with Jesus believed, but their belief and faith were solidified when they witnessed the resurrection of their Lord and our Lord Jesus that indeed He is the Christ.

Revelation 1:4–18 17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

We have a resurrected Lord and Savior.  We know now Jesus Christ lives.  And greater is our belief that our Lord Jesus Christ is a living God whom we can trust and put our faith into.  “Fear not,” our risen Lord is with us, and He holds the keys of, “Death and Hades”.

John 20:26b–29 “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed is the many who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Greater, or more blessed is those who believe who have not seen.  Jesus Christ is real, the word of God is real, and our salvation bought by the body and blood of our Lord is real.   Therefore, as all the word of God is real then the forgiveness of sins is real, everlasting life is real, and our eternal life and relationship with Jesus Christ is real.

Acts 5:29–31 29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Man is constantly trying to undo or redo God.  Man has wanted and still wants full control.  It is impossible to give full control over to man because man has and uses his sinful nature.  Man cannot save man, but Jesus Christ died so that mankind can be saved as we are not the creator but the created.  It had to be done. 

Think about this.  Mankind thought they could get rid of God and therefore hung the Christ on a criminal’s cross.  They only succeeded in killing the body.  But here Jesus triumphs with an entry to see His Apostles after His resurrection from the dead.  Jesus triumphs by showing Himself to four hundred more people in His resurrected form.  Jesus triumphs in that all became known through His resurrection that He is the Word, and the Word of God is true and can be believed and His word is trustworthy and true. 

Acts 5:32 32And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

God prepares us to believe, to have faith, and to know we have a trustworthy Savior Jesus Christ.  God is also preparing us for our eternal life, its real, its going to happen, and it is good for us all.  Amen.

Written by Pastor Curtis A. May