Topic : Jesus Christ

Background

Jesus has been acclaimed as the greatest religious leader who ever lived, as being the most influential person to have lived on our planet, and as being unique to the degree that no one can be compared to Him.

But considering Jesus Christ merely on the basis of an exemplary life and His superior moral teaching will not remove the stumbling blocks to Christianity raised by an unbelieving world. The real test of what one thinks of Him must revolve around who He claimed to be and what He accomplished during His brief mission to our planet. Our conclusion must be that there is no Christianity without Christ; all centers in Him.

The predominant theme of the Scriptures is the Person and the work of Jesus Christ. He is God. He became a human being, died by crucifixion, and was buried. He rose again from the dead. He is the only, all-sufficient Savior of the world. He will come again to this earth. Removing this from the Scriptures robs them of all coherent meaning and continuity.

Jesus Christ is God:

Deity is the only explanation for all that He was and all that He did.

(1) He was pre-existent with the Father. “The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:2, 3, KJV). (Also see John 17:5 and Colossians 1:17.)

(2) He is the Son of God.

• His enemies admitted: “He...said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:18, KJV).
• Peter confessed: “And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69, KJV).
• Jesus affirmed: “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30, NIV).

(3) He was sinless, as only God can be.

• Jesus challenged His enemies: “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” (John 8:46, KJV).
• Peter testified: “...Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:21, 22, KJV).
• Paul stated: “For he...made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21, KJV).

(4) He forgives sin, as only God can.

• The Scribes said: “Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7, KJV).
• Jesus said: “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins...” (Matthew 9:6, KJV). (Also see John 8:11.)
• Peter wrote: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24, KJV).

(5) He performed miraculous works.

• He healed the sick: Matthew 8:9-13; Luke 4:31-44; 5:12-15; John 4:43 to 5:16; and other references.
• He fed the hungry: John 6; Mark 8, etc.
• He raised the dead: Luke 7:11-18; John 11:1-46.

Jesus Christ Became Man:

“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us...full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, KJV). (See also Philippians 2:7, 8.)

(1) His miraculous birth was prophesied 800 years before His coming: “Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14, KJV).

(2) The prophecy was fulfilled to the letter. “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus” (Luke 1:30, 31, KJV).

(3) Jesus demonstrated human characteristics: He became tired (John 4:6). He thirsted (John 19:28), He ate food (Luke 24:40-43), He showed feelings (Mark 6:34), He wept (John 11:35), He knew temptation (Hebrews 4:15), and He died (John 19:30).

Jesus Christ Accomplished the Works of His Father:

(1) He died on the Cross. This is the fundamental theme of the Gospel.

• The fact of His death—One-fourth of the Gospels are dedicated to His Passion and Resurrection. (a) For this purpose He came into the world (John 12:27). (b) His death was prophesied hundreds of years before He came (Isaiah 53:3-8).
• The meaning of His death. (a) It was a ransom for sin (Matthew 20:28; Romans 3:24; 1 Peter 1:18). (b) It was to pay the penalty for sin (Romans 3:24; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). Man is the object of God’s wrath because of rebellion and sin, but God took the initiative in satisfying His wrath by sending His own Son to Calvary. (c) It is a reconciliation. The enmity between us and God has ended (Romans 5:10), and we are restored to God (2 Corinthians 5:18, 19). (d) It is a substitution: He died in our place (1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21). (e) In summary, the matter of sin has been completely dealt with (1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 9:26; Hebrews 10:12).

(2) He was resurrected from the dead: This is unique and fundamental to Christianity.

• The reality of the Resurrection (John 20:1-10; 1 Corinthians 15:4).
• The credibility of the Resurrection: (a) Jesus predicted it: Matthew 13:39-41; Luke 24:1-7. (b) The tomb was empty: John 20:11-13. (c) Many witnesses saw Him alive: the women (Luke 23:55, 56); Mary Magdalene (John 20:1, 2, 11-18); Peter and the other disciples (John 20:3-9, 19, 20, 24-31; 21:1-14).

The Results of His Work:

(1) He ascended to His Father (Luke 24:49-53; Acts 1:6-11).

(2) He is our eternal Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 1 John 2:1.

(3) He is our Savior: “Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, KJV). “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31, KJV).

• He is the only Savior. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, NIV).
• He is a complete Savior. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25, KJV).
• He is a personal Savior. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness: and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9, 10, KJV).

The Consummation of His Work:

(1) He shall return again to this earth (Acts 1:11; Hebrews 10:37; John 14:3).

(2) Believers in Christ shall be bodily resurrected to begin a new, undying life (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58).

(3) He will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords over His new creation (2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 22:3-5).

The Billy Graham Christian Worker’s Handbook (Minneapolis: World Wide Publications, 1984), pp. 152-154

My king was born king. The Bible says He is the seven-way king. He is the king of the Jews. That’s a racial king. He is king of Israel. That’s a national king. He’s a king of righteousness. He’s a king of the ages. He’s the king of heaven. He is the king of glory. He’s the King of kings and Lord of lords. Now that’s my king.

Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don’t try to mislead me. Do you know my king? David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.

He’s enduringly strong, He’s entirely sincere, He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful. That’s my king. He’s God’s Son. He’s a sinner’s savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He’s august. He’s unique. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He’s supreme. He’s preeminent. He’s the loftiest idea in literature. He’s the highest idea in philosophy. He’s the fundamental truth in theology. He’s the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion. That’s my king.

He’s the miracle of the age. He’s the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He’s available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick, He cleans the lepers. He forgives sinners, He discharges debtors, He delivers captives, He defends the feeble, He blesses the young, He serves the unfortunate, He regards the aged, He rewards the diligent, He beautifies the meek. Do you know Him'

Well, my king is the king of knowledge, He’s the well-spring of wisdom, He’s the doorway of deliverance, He’s the pathway of peace, He’s the roadway of righteousness, He’s the highway of holiness He’s the gateway of glory, He’s the master of the mighty, He’s the captain of the conquerors, He’s the head of the heroes, He’s the leader of the legislators, He’s the overseer of the overcomers, He’s the governor of governors, He’s the prince of princes, He’s the king of Kings and the Lord of Lords. That’s my king. Yeah! That’s my king.

His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Well. I wish I could describe Him to you. But He’s indescribable. He’s indescribable. Yes. He’s incomprehensible. He’s invincible, He’s irresistible. I’m trying to tell you, the Heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explain Him. You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your hands. You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him. Well. The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. The witnesses [at his trial] couldn’t get their testimonies to agree. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him. That’s my king. Yeah!

He always has been, and He always will be. I’m talking about He [who] had no predecessor and He [who] has no successor. There was nobody before Him and there will be nobody after Him. You can’t impeach Him, and He’s not going to resign. Praise the Lord! That’s my king. Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well. All the power belongs to my king. We around here talk about black power and white power and green power, but it’s God’s power. Thine is the power. Yeah! And the glory. We try to get prestige and honor and glory to ourselves, but the glory is all His. Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, and ever, and ever, and ever. How long is that? And ever, and ever, and ever, and ever, and when you get through with all of the forevers, then “Amen.”

Dr. S. M. Lockridge, Dallas, Texas, quoted by Max Anders in Jesus, Knowing Our Savior, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publ., 1995), pp. 33-35

My song shall bless the Lord of all,
My praise shall climb to His abode;
Thee, Saviour, by that name I call,
The great Supreme, the mighty God.

Without beginning or decline,
Object of faith and not of sense;
Eternal ages saw Him shine,
He shines eternal ages hence.

As much, when in the manger laid,
Almighty Ruler of the sky,
As when the six days’ work He made
Fill’d all the morning stars with joy.

Of all the crowns Jehovah bears,
Salvation is His dearest claim;
That gracious sound well pleased He hears,
And owns Emmanuel for His name.

A cheerful confidence I feel,
My well-placed hopes with joy I see;
My bosom glows with heavenly zeal,
To worship Him who died for me.

As man, He pities my complaint,
His power and truth are all divine;
He will not fail, He cannot faint;
Salvation’s sure, and must be mine.

Olney Hymns, William Cowper, from Cowper’s Poems, Sheldon & Company, New York

Consider the themes of the sixty-six books:

• In Genesis, He is the Creator God.
• In Exodus, He is the Redeemer.
• In Leviticus, He is your sanctification.
• In Numbers, He is your guide.
• In Deuteronomy, He is your teacher.
• In Joshua, He is the mighty conqueror.
• In Judges, He gives victory over enemies.
• In Ruth, He is your kinsman, your lover, your redeemer.
• In I Samuel, he is the root of Jesse;
• In 2 Samuel, He is the Son of David.
• In 1 Kings and 2 Kings, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords
• In 1st and 2nd Chronicles, He is your intercessor and High Priest.
• In Ezra, He is your temple, your house of worship.
• In Nehemiah, He is your mighty wall, protecting you from your enemies.
• In Esther, He stands in the gap to deliver you from your enemies.
• In Job, He is the arbitrator who not only understands your struggles,—but
• has the power to do something about them.
• In Psalms, He is your song—and your reason to sing.
• In Proverbs, He is your wisdom, helping you make sense out of life and live it successfully.
• In Ecclesiastes, He is your purpose, delivering you from vanity.
• In the Song of Solomon, He is your lover, your Rose of Sharon.
• In Isaiah, He is the mighty counselor, the prince of peace, the everlasting father, and more. In short, He’s everything you need.
• In Jeremiah, He is your balm of Gilead, the soothing salve for your sin-sick soul.
• In Lamentations, He is the ever-faithful one upon whom you can depend.
• In Ezekiel, He is your wheel in the middle of a wheel—the one who assures that dry, dead bones will come alive again.
• In Daniel, He is the ancient of days, the everlasting God who never runs out of time.
• In Hosea, He is your faithful lover, always beckoning you to comeback—even when you have abandoned Him.
• In Joel, He is your refuge, keeping you safe in times of trouble.
• In Amos, He is the husbandman, the one you can depend on to stay by your side.
• In Obadiah, He is Lord of the Kingdom.
• In Jonah, He is your salvation,bringing you back within His will.
• In Micah, He is judge of the nation.
• In Nahum, He is the jealous God.
• In Habakkuk, He is the Holy One.
• In Zephaniah, He is the witness.
• In Haggai, He overthrows the enemies
• In Zechariah, He is Lord of Hosts.
• In Matthew, He is king of the Jews.
• In Mark, He is the servant.
• In Luke, He is the Son of Man, feeling what you feel.
• In John, He is the Son of God.
• In Acts, He is Savior of the world.
• In Romans, He is the righteousness of God.
• In I Corinthians, He is the rock that followed Israel.
• In II Corinthians, He the triumphant one,giving victory.
• In Galatians, He is your liberty; He sets you free.
• In Ephesians, He is head of the Church.
• In Philippians, He is your joy.
• In Colossians, He is your completeness.
• In I Thessalonians, He is your hope.
• In I Timothy, He is your faith.
• In II Timothy, He is your stability.
• In Philemon, He is your benefactor.
• In Hebrews, He is your perfection.
• In James, He is the power behind your faith.
• In I Peter, He is your example.
• In II Peter, He is your purity.
• In I John, He is your life.
• In II John, He is your pattern.
• In III John, He is your motivation.
• In Jude, He is the foundation of your faith.
• In the Revelation, He is your coming King.

“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.’’ (Colossians 1:17)

Source unknown

To those who love the Lord I speak;
Is my Beloved near'
The Bridegroom of my soul I seek,
Oh! when will He appear'

Though once a man of grief and shame
Yet now He fills a throne,
And bears the greatest, sweetest name
That earth or heaven have known.

Grace flies before, and love attends
His steps where’er He goes
Though none can see Him but His friends,
And they were once His foes.

He speaks;—obedient to His call
Our warm affections move;
Did He but shine alike on all,
Then all alike would love.

Then love in every heart would reign,
And war would cease to roar;
And cruel and bloodthirsty men
Would thirst for blood no more.

Such Jesus is, and such His grace;
Oh, may He shine on you!
And tell Him, when you see His face,
I long to see Him too.

Olney Hymns, William Cowper, from Cowper’s Poems, Sheldon & Company, New York

How bless’d Thy creature is, O God,
When with a single eye,
He views the lustre of Thy Word,
The dayspring from on high!

Through all the storms that veil the skies
And frown on earthly things,
The Sun of Righteousness he eyes,
With healing on His wings.

Struck by that light, the human heart,
A barren soil no more,
Sends the sweet smell of grace abroad,
Where serpents lurk’d before.

The soul, a dreary province once
Of Satan’s dark domain,
Feels a new empire form’d within,
And owns a heavenly reign.

The glorious orb whose golden beams
The fruitful year control,
Since first obedient to Thy Word,
He started from the goal,

Has cheer’d the nations with the joys
His orient rays impart;
But, Jesus, ’tis Thy light alone
Can shine upon the heart.

Olney Hymns, William Cowper, from Cowper’s Poems, Sheldon & Company, New York

Born in a stable
His mother a virgin
He was raised in a carpenter shop
His parents were poor
His people were slaves
His friends were a lowly lot
His chances in life are very slim
He’s expected to be a slave
But people in darkness
Saw light in Him and hope of freedom He gave.

Source Unknown

All of the power of Heaven and earth
God had invested in Him
He’s to die on the cross
Descend into hell
Meet the devil
And take the keys from him

So He yielded Himself
To the death on the cross
Cried “It’s finished!” and bowed to die
In the regions of hell
The devil celebrated,
“We’ve destroyed the King!” he cried.

In the midst of the celebration
Footsteps were heard
Walking the corridors of hell
The shouting stopped
When a voice rang out
Twas a voice that rang like a bell

Satan trembled as he recognized Him
Who came to deliver His own.
“Oh shut and lock the gates!” he cried.
“Don’t let Him ascend to His throne!”
So the gate swung shut In the face of the King
To prove God’s salvation untrue

But He shook hell’s gates
And cried, “Lift up your heads
The King is coming through!”
So out of the devil’s prison house
Went a procession led by the King
Shouting — “Now, O grave,
Where is your victory'
And where, O death, thy sting?”

Who is this King of Glory'
The Lord God mighty in battle is He.
Who is the King of Glory'
Maker of Heaven and earth supreme.
Who is the King of Glory'
The One that not even death could stop.
Who is this King of Glory'
Why He’s the babe in the manger
And the little boy from the carpenter shop.

Source Unknown

Hail Sovereign Love that first began
The scheme to rescue fallen man
Hail matchless, free eternal grace
That gave my soul a hiding place.

Against the God that built the sky
I fought with hands uplifted high
despised the mention of His grace
Too proud to seek a hiding place.

Enwrapped in thick Egyptian night
And fond of darkness more than light
Madly I ran a sinful race
Secure without a hiding place.

But thus the eternal council ran
“Almighty Love, arrest that man!”
I felt the arrows of distress
And found I had no hiding place.

Eternal justice stood aview
So to Sinai’s fiery mount I flew
But justice said with frowning face,
“The law is not a hiding place.”

Thus I wandered ’lone and feared
Till mercy’s angel soon appeared
And led me at a placid pace
To Jesus for a hiding place.

On Him Almighty vengeance fell
That would have sent a world to hell
He bore it for a sinful race
And thus became our hiding place.

Should sevenfold storms of thunder roll
And shake this globe from pole to pole
No thunderstorm can daunt my face
For Jesus is my hiding place.

A few more days at most
We’ll land me on fair Canaan’s coast
Where I shall sing the songs of grace
And see my glorious hiding place.

- Major John Andre

Source unknown

There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express.

Billy Sunday, in a sermon, “Wonderful,” quoted in The Real Billy Sunday

• He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life.
• Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.
• Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest.
• Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King.
• Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons.
• Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears.
• Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.
• Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd.
• Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death.

Gregory of Nazianzus, A.D. 381

• God Came Near, Max Lucado, Multnomah Press, 1987, p. 53
• Touch the World Through Prayer, W. Duewel, OMS, pp. 33ff

“I would propose that the subject of the ministry of this house, as long as this platform shall stand, and as long as this house shall be frequented by worshipers, shall be the person of Jesus Christ. I am never ashamed to avow myself a Calvinist; I do not hesitate to take the name of Baptist; but if I am asked what is my creed, I reply, “It is Jesus Christ.” My venerated predecessor, Dr. Gill, has left a [theological heritage] admirable and excellent in its way. But the [legacy] to which I would pin and bind myself forever, God helping me,...is Jesus Christ, who is the arm and substance of the gospel, who is in Himself all theology, the incarnation of every precious truth.”

C. H. Spurgeon, first words in the pulpit of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London

D. M. Stearns was preaching in Philadelphia. At the close of the service a stranger came up to him and said, “I don’t like the way you spoke about the cross. I think that instead of emphasizing the death of Christ, it would be far better to preach Jesus, the teacher and example.”

Stearns replied, “If I presented Christ in that way, would you be willing to follow Him?” “I certainly would,” said the stranger without hesitation. “All right then,” said the preacher, “let’s take the first step. He did no sin. Can you claim that for yourself?”

The man looked confused and somewhat surprised. “Why, no,” he said. “I acknowledge that I do sin.”

Stearns replied, “Then your greatest need is to have a Savior, not an example!

Source Unknown

The Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook, Walter A. Elwell, Editor, (Harold Shaw Publ., Wheaton , IL, 1984), p. 384