Day 2 – Who is Jesus?

Tom Marxen The Nature of God 18 October 2023 Hits: 39

It is important to understand that these few paragraphs cannot adequately describe everything that Jesus is. After the resurrection, Jesus explained to His disciples that everything written in the Bible (Torah, Prophets, Psalms) were written about Him (Luke 24:44). The entire Bible is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The last statement in the book of John who spoke of the life and revelation of Jesus and who was the most intimate disciple of Jesus said:

John 21:25

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. ESV

The world knows that 2,000 years ago a man named Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in what is now called Israel. He traveled about the region and gained a large following. After a few years, the religious leaders in Jerusalem falsely accused him of crimes and handed him over to the Roman authorities. They executed him by nailing him to a cross. A short time later, his followers preached in the name of Jesus Christ, whom they said rose from the dead.

Jesus in the Bible

These are the facts upon which even the greatest skeptic will agree. But there is so much more to Jesus than that. Where he came from, what he did on earth, what he can do for us now is all revealed in the Bible. This book contains the record of Jesus and was written by the generation of people who heard him teach and saw his deeds. Here is what the Bible teaches us about Jesus Christ:

1. Jesus is God.

John wrote about Him: In the beginning was the Word [poetic description of Jesus], and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1 ESV). He created the world and all that is in it (John 1:3). The religious leaders of his time understood that Jesus claimed to be God (John 5:17-18). Paul wrote that when Jesus died, the Father revealed to the entire world that He was God (Philippians 2:5-11)

2. Jesus is the Son of God.

According to the Bible, “Son of God” means: (1) He is fully God. (2) He is one of three persons who together make up the One God. This concept is called the “Trinity.” The religious leaders of Jesus’ time understood this concept: This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:18 ESV)

3. Jesus became human through the virgin birth.

The eternal Son of God already existed in heaven (John 17:5). Through the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20), He was born as a human being, who was then named Jesus (Matthew 1:25). To demonstrate that Jesus was not a mere man (Colossians 2:9), God chose a virgin to give birth to Him (Luke 1:34-35).

4. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

Anytime we disobey God is called sin.

Romans 3:10-12

"None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."ESV

The penalty for sin is death, but God in his love wants us to live. Therefore, he sent the promised Messiah (also called Christ) to save the world (John 1:41). The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to earth to die in our place. Because He lived a life without sin, only He was qualified to pay for our sins by His death on a cross. He then demonstrated His power over death when He rose from the grave three days later. Only through Jesus can our sins can be forgiven and we can come to God (Acts 4:12). Jesus Christ is the Savior of everyone in the world (John 3:16).

5. Jesus performs miracles.

All through his time on earth, Jesus performed miracles. He healed the sick (Matthew 8:16 among many other instances), controlled the weather (Mark 4:39), multiplied food (Matthew 14:14-21), and provided money when needed (Matthew 17:24-27). Even after leaving the earth, He still does miracles in people’s lives (Acts 3:12-16).

6. Jesus changes lives.

People who followed Jesus turned away from their sins. He cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2) and she became a devoted follower who told others that Jesus had risen from the dead (John 20:16). Zaccheus, a tax collector, repaid people whom he cheated when collecting taxes and gave half of everything else to the poor (Luke 19:1-10). When followers were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, they were able to declare the message of Jesus, perform miracles, and live free from sin (Luke 10:1-20).

For nearly 2,000 years, Jesus Christ has been changing the lives of people all over the world. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV). He can change your life as well. Jesus will deliver you from sin’s addiction (Romans 6:22), renew your mind (Romans 12:2), and heal your hurts (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

7. Jesus lives in heaven at Father God’s right hand.

After Jesus rose from the dead, He ascended to heaven to where He is still a man interceding for all of us before the throne of God.

Romans 8:31-39

If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

"For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ESV

8. Jesus will return to judge all humanity.

While he was still on this earth, Jesus said, Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man [a title Jesus used for Himself], and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30 ESV). When Jesus returns, He will separate those who will live with Him forever in heaven from those who will be punished (Matthew 25:31-33).

The important question for us is “Who do you say that I am?”

Luke 9:18-20

. And he (Jesus) asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" 19 And they answered, "John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen." 20 Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of God." ESV

9. Jesus Christ will receive you if you come to Him.

Jesus said, Whoever comes to me I will never cast out (John 6:37 ESV). This was why He came to earth—to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10 ESV). It does not matter what you have done, Jesus still wants you to come to Him. He said, I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32 ESV).

If you have never stepped into the Covenant provision that is given to us through Jesus you can ask to become a partaker with the following (or similar prayer).

Romans 10:9-10 says:

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ESV

Pray with me now to make Jesus Christ your Savior and your friend.

"Thank you, God, for loving me and sending your Son to die on the cross for my sins. I give Jesus control of my life. Help me to be the person that You want me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Discussion Questions:

Day 1 - The Triune Nature of God