Jesus Overcame the Things Which Limit Us

The thesis of this post is that Jesus conquered the parts of the human experience which cause so many of us to fail or stumble. What exactly did Jesus overcome? A few things will immediately occur to most of us when we consider this question. Nevertheless, I'm also afraid that most of us have entertained a much too narrow view of the scope of what Christ overcame during his time on this earth. In short, Jesus overcame the things which hinder and limit us in our existence as humans on this planet called earth.

Consider this list of the parts of our experience as humans which Christ overcame:

1. He overcame the system which man has created on this planet. Jesus told his disciples: "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

2. Jesus overcame the temptations to focus his energy and attention on the satisfaction/gratification of his own physical needs, to test God's faithfulness and word, and to betray his obligations to God in exchange for a prominent place in this world (Matthew 4:1-11).

3. Jesus also overcame the god of this world, Satan the Devil (Matthew 4:1-11 and Hebrews 2:14).

4. Jesus overcame our human tendency to succumb to depression (Isaiah 53:3).

5. Christ also overcame the shame which so often originates as a consequence of how we are treated by others (Hebrews 12:2).

6. He overcame the sins which so easily beset and condemn us (II Corinthians 5:21 and I Peter 2:24).

7. He overcame death (Revelation 1:18, Romans 6:9, Hebrews 2:14).

8. Jesus overcame the grave which receives and holds most of us when we die (Revelation 1:18, 20:13-14).

9. He will finally overcome the forces of humankind and completely frustrate their attempt to defeat him (Revelation 17:14) - a future tangible and final defeat of the human system which has dominated this earth since our appearance on its surface.

Moreover, the fact that Jesus overcame all of these things which cause us to stumble and fall is underscored by something Christ said to his disciples in the book of Revelation:

"The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne." (Revelation 3:21)