The person of Jesus Christ is indispensable to Christianity. Christianity is Christ. While others have given the world philosophies and religion, Jesus came to give the world Himself. Other teachers have taught their developed philosophies and disciplines. Jesus gave us a life-system that only works with Himself as the central governing force of it.

The person of Jesus Christ is indispensable to our own lives. The core of Christ's teaching has to do with the fact that He has come to meet our most fundamental need. In this the teaching of Christ is eternally relevant. No matter what our racial, cultural or religious background may be, Jesus claims to be the only one who can meet our need for illumination, redemption and government.

Jesus' teaching ministry appears to be arranged around these themes. There are three major periods in His teaching ministry, with some degree of overlap. Although these roles are perfectly blended in Christ, each period of His teaching ministry tends to emphasize one particular role and highlights one dominant theme.

From the time of the commencement of His public ministry in Nazareth, Jesus preached the kingdom and fatherhood of God. This first phase of His teaching ministry focused primarily on His REVEALING WORK AS PROPHET. He announced the need for repentance (a change of heart and mind) for in Him the kingdom of God had arrived at our doorstep. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and his many parables are concerned with kingdom values, principles and priorities. This teaching period culminated with the revelation that He Himself was the King of the Kingdom of which He had been teaching. In this kingdom He is as indispensable to us as gas is to an automobile, electricity is to a light bulb, or food and water are to the human being. At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:15-19).

Immediately after this, Jesus' teaching ministry introduces a new theme. He begins to speak of His impending death. "From that time on Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." (Matthew 16:21). He spoke of His death as being an 'exodus', a departure; one that He would accomplish' at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). In this second period of His teaching ministry He describes His REDEEMING WORK AS PRIEST.

Most people's deaths are described as a 'consequence' rather than an 'accomplishment'. They die as a consequence of a disease, wound, or physical shut-down. They die as a consequence of sin (Romans 6:23). But Jesus said that He would lay down His life; not have it taken from Him. His death would have unique value in that it would be a perfect, once and for all sacrifice that would provide full compensation to erase our sin- debt before God. It is only through faith in His death and resurrection on our behalf that we can ever have assurance of a right-standing before our Maker.

The third phase of Jesus' teaching ministry takes place primarily during the week prior to His crucifixion in which He speaks of His RULING WORK AS KING. He teaches of coming judgment, the toppling of the temple, and judgment of nations. He gives us a glimpse at the overarching purposes of history, and our inevitable accountability before Him as the eternal judge and the sovereign ruler of heaven and earth in the future age. He now offers us the power to live in a right relationship with His ruling power through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

In all of this Jesus meets the deepest universal needs of humanity. He meets our need for illumination as Prophet. He meets our need for redemption as priest. He meets our need for government as King. In His light we shall see light (Psalm 36:9). His redemptive work is eternal (Hebrews 9:12) and full (Psalm 130:7). And of His kingdom there shall be no end (Luke 1:33).