A.When Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”, Peter gave the right answer, saying, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:13-17).
1.Others were saying the Jesus was John the baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another prophet.
2.However, Peter saw the works of Jesus and heard His words, and he knew the truth about Jesus.
B.Most people living in the United States still believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, but many do not truly know who Jesus is.
1.The purpose of this lesson is to ensure that we do have a good understanding of who Jesus is.
2.In truth, one lesson is not nearly sufficient to declare Jesus fully, but this one will give a fundamental understanding about Jesus.
II.JESUS IS…
A.Just as Peter said, Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of the living God.
1.The word "Christ” (from Greek) or "Messiah” (from Hebrew) means "the anointed one.”
a.In the Old Testament, prophets (1Ki. 19:16), priests (Ex. 29:7), and kings (1Sam. 10:1; 16:13) were anointed with oil as a means of ordaining them and consecrating them to their offices.
b.In prophecy, the Christ (Messiah) was promised as the one who would fulfill all of these offices (Ps. 2:2; 45:7; Isa. 61:1).Jesus is the Christ who now reigns as prophet, priest, and king (Deut. 18:15; Luke 4:18; Acts 2:36; 3:22; 9:22; Heb. 1:9; 4:14).
2.The fact that Jesus is the Son of God shows His relationship with God and His equality with God (see John 5:17-18).
3.It may not be surprising that God would choose His own to be the Christ, but when we consider that it required the awful suffering of the cross, it is truly amazing.
B.Jesus is also the Word through whom all things were created and are sustained.
1.Consider the following passages regarding Jesus as our Creator and Sustainer.
a."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was in the beginning with God.All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:1-3)
b."He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Col. 1:15-17)
c."God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.” (Heb. 1:1-3a)
2.These passages reveal the awesome creative and sustaining power of Jesus, and this makes His meekness, humility, and sacrifice even more impressive.
C.Jesus is the one who came from God in the flesh, died on the cross, and was raised from the dead.
1.Notice the following passages concerning Christ’s coming in the flesh, dying on the cross, and rising from the grave.
a."And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
b."Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:5-8)
c."For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…” (1Cor. 15:3-4)
2.It is truly amazing that the Creator of the world came into His own creation, lived in the flesh as a man, died a sacrificial death, and arose from the grave so that we, His creatures, could be saved.
D.Jesus is the Lord who ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
1.According to Acts 1:9-11, Jesus was taken up into the sky and back to heaven forty days after His resurrection.Notice also the following passages that describe what then happened in heaven.
a."This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:32-36)
b."When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.” (Heb. 1:3b-4)
2.Jesus is not only the Christ and the Son of God, but He is also our Lord.This means that He is our Master and authority in everything (Matt. 28:18a) and that we must do His will (Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 6:46).
E.Jesus is the Savior and High Priest for all obedient believers from every nation.
1.Consider the following passages concerning what Jesus has done for Christians.
a."Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb. 5:8-10)
b."But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Heb. 9:11-12)
2.Jesus is the Savior and sympathetic High Priest for every obedient believer, which means that He has entered the tabernacle of heaven and offered His own blood for the redemption of those who have faith in Him (see Heb. 4:14-5:7; 9:13-10:18).
F.Jesus is the Judge of every soul.
1.Notice the Scriptures’ description of Jesus as Judge.
a."Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 5:28-30)
b."For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2Cor. 5:10)
2.Jesus, who was judged Himself by men as being worthy of death (John 19:7), will judge all men by the standard of His own word (John 12:48; Heb. 4:12), yet with mercy and grace to those who have faith in Him.
III.CONCLUSION – DO YOU KNOW JESUS?DOES JESUS KNOW YOU?
A.The Bible has many other things to say about Jesus, but these points demonstrate how important it is for us to know all about Him.
B.Do you know Jesus?If you don’t know Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God, the Creator and Sustainer, the one who died on the cross and was raised from the dead, the Lord who ascended to heaven, the Savior and High Priest for all obedient believers, and as the Judge of all, then you do not know Jesus.
C.Perhaps the more important question to ask is: Does Jesus know you?
1.Be assured that He knows who you are, but He may not know you in the sense of recognizing you as one of His own disciples (see Matt. 7:23).
2.For Jesus to know you, you must follow Him as His devoted disciple.There is no more important relationship to have than one with the Savior.
3.Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me” (John 10:14).
