The Life of Jesus: From Promise to Promise

Jesus is the greatest person to ever walk the face of the earth. He is the divine and sinless Son of God who came to earth to set men free from their bondage and sin, the only One through whom a person can be saved and made right with God. Jesus is the center and circumference of Scripture and the One promised by the prophets to be the deliverer of all mankind. He is the Messiah of the Old Testament and the Anointed One of the New Testament. He is Jesus Christ the Savior of the world and a friend to sinners. Above all, He is my personal Savior and Lord.

Early in my pastoral ministry I felt a deep urgency to prepare and preach a series of sermons about the life of Jesus. That series of twelve sermons was used of God to encourage those church members. Upon the completion of that sermon series, I tucked the printed messages into a notebook binder, where they lodged for many years. Recently, I felt compelled to expand that sermon series into what ultimately has become the basis for this book, The Life of Jesus.

The life of Jesus could never be completely described or accurately reported in human language. He is far more awesome than human words can express. This book is in no way an attempt to exhaustively reveal who Jesus is. However, following Frank C. Thompson's timeline in the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible (Fourth Improved Edition), I have attempted to show that the Messiah was the Promised One sent to all mankind. That promise was revealed through many of the Old Testament writers, and Jesus' birth was the incarnation of that divine pledge.

Jesus lived a perfect life, preached and ministered for three years, was arrested, crucified and died at Calvary as the eternal and perfect sacrifice for man's sins. Jesus rose from the grave on the third day and defeated death. After forty days, Jesus ascended to His home in heaven, and as He ascended, His angels promised that "this same Jesus that you see going into heaven will come again." Thus, I have entitled this book, The Life of Jesus, from Promise to Promise.

Jesus has changed and influenced countless lives in every age since His appearance. It is my sincere and earnest hope that He has touched your life. It is not God's will that any perish, but that all come to repentance. I trust that this book will better help you understand who Jesus is and how to know Him in a personal and deeper way. The Life of Jesus portrays Him from the time that the Old Testament prophets proclaimed the coming of the promised Messiah until the angel gave the declaration that He would come again.