Who Is Jesus?

 

At Christmas time, many celebrate the birth of infant Jesus. The story has much emotional appeal even for nonbelievers, thanks to the pregnancy of a young teen out of wedlock, the rejection she must have experienced from her community, her fear of losing her betrothed and even her life, and her fiance’s acceptance and protection of her and their infant (Luke 1:30-38; Matthew 1:18-25).

Then there is the dramatic appeal that lends itself to nativity displays and holiday pageants: the long, perilous journey of the young mother and her husband to Bethlehem, only to be relegated to a humble stable filled with barnyard animals; angels singing to shepherds on the hillside, filling the sky with glory and the air with song; the shepherds running to the manger to worship the infant (Luke 2:4-20); the star of Bethlehem leading kings from exotic nations, bearing expensive treasures, to worship the future King (Matthew 2:1-11).

But who is Jesus, really? Those who identify themselves as Christians should believe that He is the Son of God (Luke 1:35; Galatians 4:4; Matthew 3:17), sent in human form by God the Father (John 1:14) to be the perfect, sinless sacrifice to pay our sin debt by dying on the cross, to reconcile sinful man to holy God (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

Christians should believe that after an earthly ministry of teaching, healing, and being a perfect example of obedience to God (John 5:30), that Jesus not only died willingly at 33 years of age, but that He rose again on the third day (John 10:17), so that all who trust Him have eternal life (John 3:16).

Many people, even those from non-Christian religions, believe that Jesus was a good man, healer, and teacher, and they even acknowledge that he died on the cross. But fewer people accept the supernatural dimensions of the Christmas story and of Jesus’ life – that He was born to a virgin (Jeremiah 31:22; Luke 1:27-38; Matthew 1:20-23), that He performed many miracles (John 2:11; 20:30-31; 21:25), that He rose from the dead (Matthew 17:9; 28:7; John 2:22; 21:14; Acts 17:3; 1 Corinthians 15:20), and that He ascended into Heaven (John 3:13; Ephesians 4:10).

Those who place their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6) have accepted Him as our Redeemer (Job 19:25; Psalm 19:14; Isaiah 47:4), Who alone (Acts 4:12) can save us (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13) from eternal punishment in hell that our sins deserve (Romans 10:13). His completed work on the cross (John 19:30) was sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world (Acts 17:31; 1 John 2:2; 2 Corinthians 5:21), and His perfect righteousness enrobes all who trust Him (Romans 3:22; Isaiah 61:10).

Jesus is the Messiah (John 4:25) promised in Old Testament prophecy to deliver us from our sin (Daniel 9:25-26). He is the great High Priest Who once and for all delivered us from all our sins (Hebrews 10:10-14), and Who now sits at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 7:56; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 10:12; 12:2) interceding for us and defending us against the accusations of Satan (Romans 8:34).

Yet He is so much more! In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). Jesus Christ, the Word, is the Creator of all things (Colossians 1:13-16), the Son of God Who was made flesh to save us (John 1:14). From the beginning He was with God and He is God (John 1:1; 10:30; Philippians 2:6), and without Him was not anything made that was made (John 1:3). Not only did He speak the worlds into existence (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6-9), but He continues to sustain the universe, holding the planets in their orbit, the stars in their course, and our lives in the palm of His hand (Colossians 1:12-20).

Our Lord Jesus Christ is not only the beginning, present throughout eternity past, but also the ending, the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8, 11; 21:6; 22:13), the King Who will reign over the Millennial Kingdom and beyond through eternity future. Truly He is the same, yesterday, today and forever! (Hebrews 13:8)

As we celebrate the Nativity, let us not lose sight of the fact that the tender Infant laid in that lowly manger was actually our Creator; He is our Redeemer, Sustainer and High Priest; and He will be our King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16) to Whom every knee will bow (Romans 14:11) and every tongue confess His glory!

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

© 2018 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Triune Christ: Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer

In a previous post, we looked at the triune nature of Jesus Christ as Priest, Prophet, and King, worthy of our worship, loyalty and submission. Because He is pure, holy and just, He is filled with righteous anger and wrath at sin (Jeremiah 10:10; John 3:36; Romans 1:18). 

 

Yet the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 17:14; 19:16) is also a God of love (1 John 4:7). He has a gentler, more nurturing side, also described in three aspects as our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. 

 

The Creator spoke us and the universe into existence (Colossians 1:16); the Sustainer satisfies all our physical and spiritual needs to maintain life (Ephesians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 9:10-12); and the Redeemer or Deliverer (Romans 11:26) bought us with the price of His own shed blood, freeing us from the bondage of sin and death (Romans 3:23-25). 

 

Names of Jesus reflecting His creative powers include Maker, Builder, and Author. Jesus is the just, pure, and righteous Maker (Job 4:17; 36:3) of all men (Proverbs 22:2), of the heavens and earth (Isaiah 51:13), and of the Holy City (Hebrews 11:10).

 

Our Maker is therefore worthy of our worship (Psalm 95:6), respect (Isaiah 17:7), and obedience (Isaiah 45:9).

He is the Master Builder Who places us on His sure foundation (Hebrews 3:3; Matthew 16:18), and the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). 

As the Sustainer, Jesus Christ feeds us. He is the Bread of Life (John 6:32-:51) Who came down from Heaven, the Living Water, and the True Vine (John 15:1,5) Who nourishes us as a vine brings life-sustaining nutrients to its branches. 

The roles of Jesus as the Sustainer, Who upholds all things (Hebrews 1:3) include Physician or Healer, Teacher, and Bridegroom (Husband and Spouse). The Physician heals our diseased bodies, casts out demons, cleanses us from our sins, and restores our troubled souls (Matthew 8:16; 9:12; 10:8;  Mark 2:17; Luke 4:23). 

The Teacher taught from the Scriptures, in parables, and by example. His teachings are the words of eternal life (John 6:68; I John 1:1). 

The Bridegroom (Matthew 9:15; 25)  is the perfect Husband (Isaiah 54:5), Who loves us with self-sacrificing agape love (Ephesians 5:25), Who will always be faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9) and Who will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). 

We are further blessed that our Spouse is the fairest and chiefest of ten thousand (Song of Solomon 5:10). His matchless beauty (Isaiah 33:17) is compared to that of three plants: the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley (Song of Solomon 2:1), and the glorious Branch of the LORD (Isaiah 11:1; 4:2;  Zechariah 6:12;; Jeremiah 33:15, 23:5). 

The sustenance of Jesus Christ is the only source of everlasting life from the Father, for He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one can come to the Father except by Him (John 14:6). 

Three roles of Jesus befitting His nature as the Truth (Revelation 3:7) are the Faithful and True Witness (the Amen; Revelation 3:14; 1:5; 19:11; Isaiah 55:4), a Covenant of the people (Isaiah 42:6) in that He is the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Messiah, and the Testator (Hebrews 7:22; 9:16,17) Whose death allowed all believers to be joint heirs with Him. 

The Sustainer also guides us on our journey through life, for He is not only the Way (John 14:6), but also the Light (Isaiah 9:2; Luke 2:32; John 1:4,9, 8:12, 12:35,46), and the  Shepherd Who leads us out of danger and to safety (Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34:23; John 10:11,16; Zechariah 13:7; Isaiah 40:10-11; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:4) because He Himself is the Door of the sheep (John 10:7). 

Even the selfless love and care of Christ the Shepherd has three progressive stages. He is the Good Shepherd Who knows His sheep and lays down His life for them (John 10:14-16). The power of His resurrection makes Him the Great Shepherd Whose blood is the everlasting covenant (Hebrews 13:20). When we see Christ in His glory at the judgment seat, He shall be as the Chief Shepherd  (1 Peter 5:4). 

As the Light, Jesus is described as the Morning Star; as the Dayspring (dawn’s first light; Luke 1:78), and as the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2). The Morning Star, which refers to Venus or other bright planet when visible in the east before sunrise (Revelation 2:16,28), is also known as the Star (Numbers 24:17) or Day Star (2 Peter 1:19. These names remind us that His Light is always there to guide us, faithful as the sun rising every morning, brightening our days, and giving us hope when darkness seems to surround us. 

The Sustainer also guards and protects us with His infinite strength (Joel 3:16), which is like a strong Tower (Proverbs 18:10) or Fortress (Psalm 31:3; 71:3) protecting us from the storms (Isaiah 25:4; 32:2) or our enemies (Psalm 31:2, the spiritual Rock of our salvation (Matthew 16:18, Psalm 61:2; 62:7; 71:3; 94:22; 2 Samuel 22:47; 1 Corinthians 10:4), and a Foundation or precious and living chief Corner Stone (Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, 1 Corinthians 3:11, 1 Peter 2:4,6). 

Praise God that He is not only our Creator and Sustainer, but that He is our Redeemer (Job 19:25; Psalm 19:14; 78:35; Isaiah 41:13; 43:14, 44:6,14), Who set us free from sin and death! (Romans 3:23-25). He is known as the Redeemer, Deliverer (Romans 11:26), and Arm of the Lord (Isaiah 51:9; 52:10; 53:1; 62:8), mighty to save but tenderly protecting us (Isaiah 40:11).  

He paid the price in full for our freedom, giving every drop of His precious blood to pay our sin debt in full. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the completed work to buy our liberty from the bondage of hell. Praise God that whosovever believes in Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, and Himself the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, has everlasting life! (John 3:16).

© 2012 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Who Is Jesus?

At Christmas time, many celebrate the birth of infant Jesus. The story has much emotional appeal even for nonbelievers, thanks to the pregnancy of a young teen out of wedlock, the rejection she must have experienced from her community, her fear of losing her betrothed and even her life, and her fiance’s acceptance and protection of her and their infant (Luke 1:30-38; Matthew 1:18-25).

Then there is the dramatic appeal that lends itself to nativity displays and holiday pageants: the long, perilous journey of the young mother and her husband to Bethlehem, only to be relegated to a humble stable filled with barnyard animals; angels singing to shepherds on the hillside, filling the sky with glory and the air with song; the shepherds running to the manger to worship the infant (Luke 2:4-20); the star of Bethlehem leading kings from exotic nations, bearing expensive treasures, to worship the future King (Matthew 2:1-11).

But who is Jesus, really? Those who identify themselves as Christians should believe that He is the Son of God (Luke 1:35; Galatians 4:4; Matthew 3:17), sent in human form by God the Father (John 1:14) to be the perfect, sinless sacrifice to pay our sin debt by dying on the cross, to reconcile sinful man to holy God (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

Christians should believe that after an earthly ministry of teaching, healing, and being a perfect example of obedience to God (John 5:30), that Jesus not only died willingly at 33 years of age, but that He rose again on the third day (John 10:17), so that all who trust Him have eternal life (John 3:16).

Many people, even those from non-Christian religions, believe that Jesus was a good man, healer, and teacher, and they even acknowledge that he died on the cross. But fewer people accept the supernatural dimensions of the Christmas story and of Jesus’ life – that He was born to a virgin (Jeremiah 31:22; Luke 1:27-38; Matthew 1:20-23), that He performed many miracles (John 2:11; 20:30-31; 21:25), that He rose from the dead (Matthew 17:9; 28:7; John 2:22; 21:14; Acts 17:3; 1 Corinthians 15:20), and that He ascended into Heaven (John 3:13; Ephesians 4:10).

Those who place their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6) have accepted Him as our Redeemer (Job 19:25; Psalm 19:14; Isaiah 47:4), Who alone (Acts 4:12) can save us (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13) from eternal punishment in hell that our sins deserve (Romans 10:13). His completed work on the cross (John 19:30) was sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world (Acts 17:31; 1 John 2:2; 2 Corinthians 5:21), and His perfect righteousness enrobes all who trust Him (Romans 3:22; Isaiah 61:10).

Jesus is the Messiah (John 4:25) promised in Old Testament prophecy to deliver us from our sin (Daniel 9:25-26). He is the great High Priest Who once and for all delivered us from all our sins (Hebrews 10:10-14), and Who now sits at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 7:56; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 10:12; 12:2) interceding for us and defending us against the accusations of Satan (Romans 8:34).

Yet He is so much more! In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). Jesus Christ, the Word, is the Creator of all things (Colossians 1:13-16), the Son of God Who was made flesh to save us (John 1:14). From the beginning He was with God and He is God (John 1:1; 10:30; Philippians 2:6), and without Him was not anything made that was made (John 1:3). Not only did He speak the worlds into existence (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6-9), but He continues to sustain the universe, holding the planets in their orbit, the stars in their course, and our lives in the palm of His hand (Colossians 1:12-20).

Our Lord Jesus Christ is not only the beginning, present throughout eternity past, but also the ending, the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8, 11; 21:6; 22:13), the King Who will reign over the Millennial Kingdom and beyond through eternity future. Truly He is the same, yesterday, today and forever! (Hebrews 13:8)

As we celebrate the Nativity, let us not lose sight of the fact that the tender Infant laid in that lowly manger was actually our Creator; He is our Redeemer, Sustainer and High Priest; and He will be our King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16) to Whom every knee will bow (Romans 14:11) and every tongue confess His glory!

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

© 2018 Laurie Collett