God With Us: The Coming of the Savior

Jesus: He Lived Among Us

Jesus Christ. The single most important figure in all of human history. His birth was known by few, but is now celebrated by millions each year. His life was one of simple obscurity, yet today his name is spoken throughout the world. His death- the turning point of history-changed our lives forever. From Voice of The Martyrs comes a vivid, animated retelling of the life of Jesus as seen by the last living apostle, John. As you watch Jesus: He Lived Among Us, you will walk in the shoes of John, watching Jesus' miracles, hearing his teaching, experiencing his love, and coming to understand the depth of a gospel that would drive his followers to live a life of hardship, persecution, and imprisonment.

A Story For All

The very power of a story lies in the fact that it is meant to be shared. A story is not half as captivating, encouraging, enjoyable, or powerful unless it is told to another person. A story that is true, on the other hand, is twice as encouraging, twice as captivating, and twice as powerful. Therefore, should not a story that is true be shared with others? This is the concept that drives Jesus: He Lived Among Us. The movie is told in a series of flashbacks from the apostle John's perspective. John, now an old man and exiled on the island of Patmos, is sharing his story- and the story of Jesus Christ- with his Roman guards. Driven by his desire to fulfill Jesus' last command to "make disciples of all nations" (see Matthew 28:19) John passionately shares the story of his life, and the life that changed it forever, with those who had never heard it before. Inspiringly, it is this same desire- that individuals could see and hear the story of Jesus for the first time- which led Voice of The Martyrs to write and produce Jesus: He Lived Among Us. Written with the persecuted church and countries closed or hostile to the gospel in mind, Jesus: He Lived Among Us was first intended to be used by missionaries and evangelists as a tool to share the story of Jesus in an impactful, vivid way with those who had never heard it before. Jesus: He Lived Among Us has since been translated into ten languages reaching thousands of people with the story of Jesus Christ. Even if you may not be actively pursuing missions overseas, this film is a challenging reminder to anyone that we are all called to "go and make disciples." As you watch John share this true story, you as well will be encouraged to share it, because this story is a story for all.

A Glimpse Into An Apostle's Life

Besides being a tool to evangelize, or simply refresh your heart on the message of the gospel, Jesus: He Lived Among Us offers an insightful glimpse into the life of the Apostle John, as well as stirring up questions to ask of ourselves. Although this story is told in a series of flashbacks near the end of John's life, we first encounter him, chronologically speaking, mending fishing nets with his brother James and his Father in their simple fishing boat as it gently rocked in the waves of the Sea of Galilee. Yet, when Jesus walked past and called to them the Bible says, "Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him" (see Matthew 4:22). This heart attitude- one which is willing to immediately, without hesitation, jump up and follow Jesus- is a lesson each of us can learn as we watch the story unfold through John's eyes. It is with this same boldness that we read of John and Peter standing before the Jewish council after healing a lame man in the temple courts shortly after Jesus' ascension (you can read the story in Acts 3:1-4:22). These two men, who were some of the first to cast aside their old lives and follow Jesus, still stood and courageously preached the good news after he walked with them no more. We see this same courage and eagerness of John's in Jesus: He Lived Among Us as he boldly and confidently defends his savior, even as he is sitting in chains on a far away island, ridiculed by his two Roman guards. He asks a simple question of them, "How can I?" How could he recant his beliefs, or stop teaching about Jesus Christ when he knew his story to be true? How can we?

An Opportunity For Conversation

As you ponder the lessons and hard questions that arise from Jesus: He Lived Among Us you will find yourself with the opportunity for conversation. Conversations can be dangerous, because they are composed of questions, and questions require answers. If, however, you are willing to sit, like John, and answer them you will find yourself with opportunities to share and discuss the best of stories. If John had not seen the place God had sent him (the Island of Patmos) and the people he was with (the two Roman guards) as both an opportunity and a gift he could have been quite miserable in exile. John, however, had a story and a heart that desired to follow his Savior and so he answered a question and started a conversation. As you watch Jesus: He Walked Among Us you will find opportunities to start conversations with your family, your friends, and your Savior. Like John, however, you must use the places God has put you and the time he has given you to share the story. Because, after all, aren't stories meant to be shared?

Jesus: He Walked Among Us is a film that will encourage and challenge viewers of all ages to follow in Jesus' footsteps, to speak with boldness and courage, and to immediately respond with joy when he calls. Jesus: He Walked Among Us is not rated and may include violence and issues not suitable for young children. Voice of the Martyrs recommends this film for children aged seven and up. Parents are encouraged to review Jesus: He Walked Among Us for their children, but this series is acceptable for most audiences.