Who is Jesus?
The Son of Man, a sinless savior for the world, a friend to the lonely, a healer for the sick, and a teacher to all who will listen. Who is this man that can fit into all of these categories? His name is Jesus. AND contrary to popular belief, He did not come to condemn this world, no friends, He came to save it. So what’s the good news in that? The good news is Jesus came for YOU and me.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18
in the beginning:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John (the baptist). He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:1-14
Who is jesus?
When Jesus spoke to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
Friends, we see this theme of “light”. What does light do for us? Light enables us to see. Apart from Jesus we cannot see, we remain spiritually blind.
I want you to imagine for a moment that you are in a completely dark room with a couple of people in it. Everyone is worried, panicked, and lost. No one can find their way because they are simply without light. Some people move around trying to accomplish things, despite it being dark. Those people repeatedly fall into things causing them to stay frustrated, lost, and without hope. That is until someone in the room notices a bright light outlining what appears to be a door.
The person who noticed the door, began turning the doorknob and realized it was unlocked. He opened the door explaining not only the color he could see, but the freedom that was awaiting him if he walked through. He said, “Come with me” and the door closed behind him. There were a few, by faith, who believed what the friend had seen. One by one, they opened the door to follow the light.
The Choice is yours.
Then there was a group who stayed in the dark room, refusing to believe what the others described to be waiting on the other side. Even though they saw a glimpse of that bright-bright light shining through each crevice of the door and they heard the genuine joy, peace, and excitement from each friend who opened, they never went.
Friends, that light making a way through the darkness was Jesus. That freedom waiting on the other side of the door was paid for by Jesus. And even though the door was unlocked, the choice to open it and walk through to experience all that was described, was theirs. There was no special key or perfect way to open that door. There was just faith and belief required to get there.
Friends, that door is still unlocked. There is still a way through the darkness, will you believe and open it?
Jesus calls the underdog
As Jesus began healing and teaching many, he called people to follow him and be his disciples. He taught in such a way that the crowd was intrigued, no one had spoken the things Jesus was saying before. As he was building his ministry, you will notice Jesus was not picking the most liked, qualified (to the world’s standards), or “holy” people to join him. You will still see that today as you spend time with and hear the testimonies of those who are following Jesus. I want to look at Matthew from the bible for a moment.
Matthew was a tax collector before He left his job to follow Jesus. Tax collectors were hated by everyone. In the show, The Chosen, my small group and I have been fascinated and drawn to how Matthew is portrayed. There is one scene in particular where a Roman Guard is asking him about his family and Matthew mentions how his family has nothing to do with him.
Later on Matthew says, “Everyone hates tax collectors. We are worse than the Romans. You were born a Roman, but I chose to be a tax collector.” This just gives some insight on how exiled people with this profession were. Matthew even befriends a dog (if you watch the show you know he appears to be very tidy and scared of germs), and dogs back then were not looked at how they are today. He’s even made fun of for having a dog, perhaps he felt equivalent to the dog.
a friend for the lonely
I can only imagine how lonely Matthew felt. How much his soul longed for genuine connection and belonging. When everyone turned away from him, Jesus was there. Jesus saw Matthew’s heart. He not only became a teacher to Matthew, Jesus let him feel loved, heard, seen, and a sense of belonging he was not used to. Jesus was a friend for Matthew, when no one else would be.
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees (religious teachers- strict on law), saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew 9:9-13
A sinless man’s prayer for his sinful friends
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.
All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”
John 17:6-19
Jesus’ prayer to his father about you and me
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one- I am in them and you in me- so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
John 17:20-26
Soon after this He chose to be taken away and pay the ultimate price for our sins, our freedom, and our relationship with the Father.
A healer for the sick
Jesus choosing to die for us would have been enough, but He performed many miracles while he was here. He restored a blind man’s vision, cleansed a man from leprosy, and much more. Jesus was not only healing people physically, he was doing something on the inside of them. He was teaching them a new way of life that was less about following all of these rules/ religion and more about love and faith.
“Jesus went through Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain. The demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.”
Matthew 4:23-24
Who is Jesus to me?
He is my best friend and holds a special place in my life that no one could ever replace- why? Because when I was at my lowest/ loneliest place, I cried out to him and He was there. He revealed himself to me in a way I had never seen before. He began filling me with this indescribable peace, in a season that felt like utter chaos. Jesus became the hope that I so desperately needed.
He endlessly pursues me and reveals things to me so I know He’s listening. That reminds me, He’s the best listener. I may not see him physically sitting next to me when I am talking, but I feel his presence.
So who is Jesus to me? He’s everything mentioned throughout this post. BUT if I had to sum it up… He’s my safe place. 💛
My hope is that through these scriptures and stories, you will naturally see the characteristics of Jesus without me having to say them.
Now I have to ask, who is Jesus to you?
Who is Jesus to you?