Pastor’s corner - What if God was one of Us?

I dare you to prove me wrong on this one. Since the beginning of time, there is only one historical figure whose name is used as a cuss word. Only one name gets dragged through the mud daily when it is used in moments of surprise, anger and frustration.

And strangely enough, the name is not Hitler or even Satan. Stranger still, it is the name of the only human being who lived more unselfishly and loving than any other human who lived or ever will live.

Jesus Christ

No one trips and yells, “Oh Buddha!!!” No one gets completely ticked and mutters, “Joseph Smith”. Nope. For some reason only the name of our Savior seems to satisfy those who seek scornful speech.

I know why. It is because this name represents someone special: the single most important figure in all of history. It’s no wonder then that those who reject Him spiritually find it quite easy to curse Him verbally.

But I think it goes deeper than that. Jesus Christ is not only the most important Person ever to have lived, He is also the most unique. So I would like to throw an incredibly important question your way. It’s a question that can’t be ignored, because the way you answer it determines the direction of your life now and the destiny of your soul forever.

Who is Jesus?

How you answer this tells me whether you are a Christian, in a cult, clueless (in a good way), or couldn’t care less. It also lets me in on what you believe about life and how you look at others.

Why does your answer tell me so much? Because of who Jesus is - that’s why!

So in case it has been a while, or perhaps never since you’ve put some serious thought into this serious question, let’s get some answers from the Book of Answers so we will know how to answer those who want to go beyond the cuss word to God’s Word.

The Bible tells us that in the person of Jesus was the union of the two natures: a Divine nature meaning that He is God, and a human nature meaning He is also a man. Jesus is God in flesh (John 1:1,14; 10:30 -33; 20:28 ; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 1:8.) He is fully God and fully man (Col. 2:9). He is not half God and half man. He is 100% God and 100% man. When He came to earth that very first Christmas, Jesus as God became a man and added human nature to Himself (Phil. 2:5-11). So bottom line is that in Jesus there is a coming together in one person of a full human nature and a full divine nature. Here are some examples on how this works:

Jesus as God - He is worshipped (Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33 );

He is prayed to (Acts 7:59 ); He is sinless (1 Pet. 2:22 ; Heb. 4:15 ); He knows all things (John 21:17 ); All the fullness of deity dwells in Him (Col. 2:9); He gives eternal life (John 10:28).

Jesus as Man - He worshipped the Father (John 17); He prayed to the Father (John 17);

He was tempted (Matt. 4:1); He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52 ); He has a body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39); He died (Rom. 5:8).

So the answer to the question of “who is Jesus” is answered very simply.

He is the God-Man.

As God, He is the Ruler of the universe. In fact, Scripture tells us that “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). In other words, all people will either recognize Jesus as God in this life, or in the life to come. The one option people don’t have is to ignore Him. The tragedy is that those who wait until the afterlife to bow their knee to Jesus will find that it is too late. They will spend an eternity in hell wishing that they would have answered the question of “who is Jesus” correctly while they still had a chance.

As Man, He is the Savior of the world. He died so we could live, but also much more than that. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 2:18 and 4:15 that Jesus (as a human) suffered as intensely and was tempted as convincingly as anyone. Whatever you are going through, whatever is tempting you; He knows. He walked this earth for 33 years as a man, yet never once blamed God for His suffering or gave into temptation. Not only can Jesus completely relate to where you are, He can also provide the victory you need.

There are a lot of folks who have a lot of definitions for Jesus, but in the end they end up being contrary to what Jesus clearly said about Himself. Jesus is God, and as such, he is the Lord of the universe. Jesus is Man, and as such the Savior of the universe.

So the next time you hear the name of Jesus being used as a curse word, remember that He is the Man who was cursed on the cross for you. The next time you feel out of control, remember that He is the God who is in control of everything.

Think of the areas of your life where you are most tempted. Perhaps it is in a relationship with friends who don’t serve God, gossip, or images that are so easily available on television and the internet. Remember that as a human Jesus was tempted in the same ways, yet never sinned. Bring your temptations to Jesus in prayer right now and ask Him to give you the victory that He has already won for you! Remember also that Jesus is not some unfeeling, distant God who cannot feel what you feel. Take your depression, suffering, or even just day to day annoyances to Him right now, because He has definitely been there!

Jesus set the pattern for the most compassionate and giving person ever to have walked the earth. As people who have been blessed with the true knowledge of who he is, we have a responsibility to be Jesus in other people’s lives. This includes sharing the Gospel with our friends and families, and also sharing the love of Christ with those in need. Over the next week or so, make a promise to Him that you will tell at least one person about who He really is, and also that you will donate a few hours of your time at a homeless shelter, assisted living facility, or any place else where people are that desperately need to know who Jesus is.

Ken McNaughton, pastor

Community Bible Church