Christians believe that in Jesus, God revealed Himself as a human being, living on earth. His life and teaching have been admired by millions, and have formed the moral basis of much of our culture and society ever since. But Jesus did not see Himself just as a good moral teacher, but spoke of a new kingdom breaking in to history which centred on Him. What was even more unexpected was that having been put to death by crucifixion at a young age His followers were soon proclaiming that He had been raised from the dead, and had appeared to them. His death and resurrection, they said, had in some way given the human race a fresh start enabling people to be reconciled in their relationships with God and each other and to find forgiveness for the ways they had messed up.
The early Christians were just ordinary, fallible people, who became fired by the conviction that God accepted and loved them and wanted to use them in the service of His kingdom. Some were martyred for their beliefs, but then their hope was not confined just to life in this world but to a transformed existence beyond death.