Jesus of Nazareth is perhaps the most fascinating man in all of human history. For millennia, people have been divided over who, exactly, this mysterious figure was. Some say he was a good moral teacher. Some say he was a prophet. Some say he is the Christ, the Son of God. But regardless of one’s personal beliefs, at least two things are evident:    he existed, and;  his impact on the world was and is undeniable. What is it about Jesus that captivates us, even to this day? While it’s impossible to capture every single aspect of him in such a short time, we can gain a remarkable sense of who he is by examining the ultimate source of truth: The Bible.

Jesus, The Son of Man

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

What does it mean for the Word to become flesh? In this case, the writer John is referring to the Word of God – in other words, the very essence of God Himself. Christians believe that there is one God, manifested in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Son, took on the form of a human and became like one of us. While the concept of the Trinity remains strange and elusive, it tells us an important truth: God Himself walked the earth as the man Jesus.

As the Christmas story goes, Jesus was born of the virgin Mary in the town of Bethlehem. For most of his life, it seems that he lived a relatively normal life. He was raised in the Jewish tradition. He was a carpenter alongside his father, Joseph. He ate and drank and had a body just like ours. All of this to say: Jesus was 100% human. And as we will see later, he was also 100% God.

Jesus, The Itinerant Preacher

“Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God.” Luke 8:1

When Jesus began his ministry, he went from town to town preaching on all sorts of topics, but with one main theme: “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” Now, the Jews had heard this message before; in fact, this was God’s main message to Israel for much of the Old Testament. The religious leaders and teachers would have studied the scriptures day and night, soaking in this very same message. But Jesus presented it in a completely new way. Matthew 7:28-29 says, “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”

Of course, Jesus spoke with authority because he had ultimate authority. Jesus captivated the crowds. He often spoke in parables, stories that even his disciples couldn’t understand. And he told the crowds about the only way to salvation: through himself. This was perhaps the most controversial of his teachings. In fact, it might have been partially responsible for the religious leaders’ desire to kill him. Jesus’ claim to be divinely involved in the salvation of man was what set him apart from all the other prophets who had gone before.

Jesus, The Miracle Worker

“And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.” – Matthew 9:35

As amazing as Jesus’ preaching was, there was a far greater attractor: his miracles. In the New Testament, we see Jesus performing all kinds of signs and wonders: turning water into wine, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind. He even raised a man from the dead! There seemed to be no limit to what he could do. He did these things mainly for two reasons: to show the world who he was and, ultimately, to glorify His Father in Heaven.

Imagine being an Israelite in Jesus’ time. By now, it had been centuries since God had intervened in a big way in their lives. They had likely heard stories of all the miracles in the Old Testament, but many probably doubted. Jesus’ ability to perform miracles assured them that God was still at work – and that he was working through a man named Jesus.

Jesus, The Messiah

“And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” – Daniel 7:14

Daniel prophesied Jesus’ coming over 700 years before his birth. And he was certainly not the first one to do so. By the end of the Old Testament, the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people, was in turmoil. They had been conquered and oppressed time and time again by foreign nations. But God promised them a savior – the Messiah.

For years, Israel had been waiting for this Messiah, someone who would defeat their enemies and restore their kingdom. Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies – every single word. But when he came, most failed to recognize him, for he was not who they expected. Jesus was not a mighty military commander or political ally. He was not a ruler or a king – at least not in the way they were hoping. Jesus came not to save them from political unrest, but from their sins. Even more radically, Jesus would die not only for them, but for the whole world.

Jesus, The Son of God

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” Matthew 16:15-16

At the end of his ministry, Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of his disciples. Jesus was unjustly put on trial and sentenced to crucifixion. He was mocked, beaten, and spat upon. He was forced to carry his own cross, and he died the most painful death in history. While different scholars blame different groups for Jesus’ crucifixion, the Bible makes it clear that this was part of God’s divine plan. Jesus died for a reason: for the punishment of all our sins. How could he do this? The answer is this: he was the Son of God.

Jesus was perfect in every way. He was the only human to never sin. He was the only sacrifice worthy enough to pay for the sins of the world. And so he gave himself up for the sake of sinful humanity. But three days later, he rose from the grave, defeating sin and death once and for all. Jesus was 100% God. And he proved it by overcoming the grave.

Jesus, Our Savior

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Jesus’ sacrifice so long ago still has huge implications for us today. Just as he died on the cross, he bids us to die to our sins by believing in him. When we repent and confess that his blood is our only hope of salvation, we die to our old selves. And just as he rose again, he gives us new life – eternal life – in him.

Jesus is the only one who can fix the problem of sin that separates us from our Creator. He is the only one who can reconcile us to right standing with God. He loved us too much to leave us without hope. Though he ascended 2000 years ago, the offer still stands. He offers salvation freely, not because we deserve it, but because that is who he is.

C.S. Lewis once famously said, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse.“

Jesus’ claims are bold. His actions are bolder. They demand a response, of one kind or another. Jesus desires for you to believe in him. He desires for you to know him. He desires for you to receive salvation and be transformed by his love and grace. How will you respond to this man? Will you resist the gift that is offered to you? Or will you simply fall on your knees in awe?

 

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