Who is Jesus?
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1.14
The man Jesus, from Galilee in the 1st century, is divine. He is the Son of the one living God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father Almighty is the loving maker of all things visible and invisible. The Holy Spirit is the Lord and Giver of Life. The Son is the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom all things were made by the Father, both in heaven and on earth. But He is also of the same existing substance as the Father. He is very God of very God, Light of Light. He was not made. He is God.
When Jesus became man by the Holy Spirit and was born of Mary, God became man. It was once again through the Son that the Father brought to life a new creation! Jesus’ life penetrated the fallenness of this world just as light banishes darkness. For just as light is distinct in nature from darkness, and so too is Jesus’ life distinct in nature from all other human life. Jesus is one person with two natures, human and divine. These two natures are united in who He is without mixture, confusion, or separation. All the qualities and powers that are in us, as well as all the qualities and powers that are in God, are present in the one person of the man from Galilee. Paul quotes from what seems to be an early Christian hymn when he states, ‘In Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily’ (Phil. 2.6; Col. 1.19, 2.9). He suffered hunger, temptation, weariness, and human pain to the point of weeping. He was despised and rejected by others, and he knew suffering and illness. But he also could not sin, as it was in His divine nature to do his Father’s will. The untarnished nature of his humanness destined Him to be the perfect sacrifice for human sins. He suffered the agony of death by a cross.
All of this was for us. Humanity is like sheep straying away from a shepherd, each person turning to their own way and departing from God’s good and perfect way. But the Lord Jesus took God’s good and perfect way and obeyed God even when it lead to death. When He was beaten, His sins were not being repaid – He had none. He was wounded for ours. When Jesus was crucified and died, He was not suffering the punishment for His sin – He had none. He tasted the bitter punishment of sin, which is death, for us. His untarnished life was crushed life to atone for every other, for all who carry a mark of unpunished sin. He carried the cross for you. He took on your shame and took it to the grave.
What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John 1.5
The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15.26
But that is not the end. Death came through a human being, Adam, leading humanity into darkness. The resurrection of the dead for all humanity comes through a human being, Jesus, who is the Light of life! He rose from the dead on the third day, and His disciples and hundreds of followers saw their same Lord and God in an imperishable human body. He was born in dishonor, weakness, and a physical body – and He was raised in glory, in power, in a spiritual body. The Life that Jesus brings conquers death, and brings life to everyone. Jesus is still alive in the flesh – and right now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven! He will come again to judge the living and the dead, and His Kingdom will have no end.
Is the Lord Jesus your Saviour and your closest Friend? When we repent of our sin and believe in Him, He promises to come again to take us to himself, so that where He is in His Father’s house, we will be also. While we wait for His return, where we are, He is – He has made his home with us through His Holy Spirit that dwells in us. Through God’s saving work on the cross, we have been made new creatures, being spiritually born again in newness of life, and destined for life eternal! His Kingdom has already come, for we are being transformed into the likeness of King Jesus – we are already his heavenly citizens, redeemed and clothed with His love and power.
This Lord and God, this divine King of the new creation, lives in my heart and is my dearest human friend. He calls out today to every person, because He loves them dearly:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11.28-30.