Jesus was born in the normal way, grew in the normal way, got hungry and thirsty and tired, ate and drank and slept. He looked normal, talked in ordinary language, and walked in the normal way. He had emotions like compassion, surprise, sorrow and apprehension.

He was a human — but he was such an extraordinary human that, after he ascended to heaven, some people claimed he was not human after all. So, what sort of person was he? The Christian faith centers on Jesus Christ. We need to understand what kind of person he is. See Who was Jesus?, part of our series on Basic Christian Beliefs.

Jesus did not stay dead for long. Over a period of 40 days, the disciples saw Jesus on numerous occasions. Then he rose into heaven. But Jesus is not taking a vacation. His ministry continues, even in heaven. He serves and leads the church, interceding for us, helping us, preparing us for eternal glory. See Jesus: alive forevermore

In Acts 1:9, we are told: "After Jesus said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight." I would like to address a simple question: why? Why was Jesus taken up in this way? See The ascension and the return, by Michael Morrison

Critics and inquirers alike often question a core tenet of Christian belief -- that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human. Some claim Jesus was an exceptionally gifted man but not God. Others say he was God, only appearing to be human. Some insist that Jesus was a reincarnated angel. Others claim he did not become God until his resurrection. See The dual nature of Christ, by Ted Johnston

Christianity is based largely on trust. We have been given exceedingly great and precious promises, but for the most part they remain as promises. We have eternal life, we are told, but we still die. We will be raised incorruptible, but in this life our bodies still degenerate. We have fellowship with the Father, we are assured, but sometimes he seems terribly distant. How can we be sure it is all true? See Can you trust Jesus?, by Joseph Tkach