Who is this Jesus?

Two thousand years ago, there was a man called Jesus who had quite an impact on his people. Now, two thousand years later, people are usually comfortable when discussing him. Why? Who is this person that so long after he lived on this earth, the mere mention of his name immediately creates tension?

This is Michael Mazzalongo inviting you to stay with us for this week's edition of Bible Talk as we try to answer the question: Who is Jesus?

What Is the Bible About?

We're going to start today by talking about Jesus Christ because we want to find out who this person is. A lot of people want to know: Who is Jesus Christ? We're going to try to come to a reasonable answer.

If I were to ask you, "What is the Bible about?"–what's this book about? There are 66 different books in this one book. If I were to ask you to give me one word, the word I would give you is Jesus Christ.

The Bible talks about a lot of things, but it really talks about Jesus Christ. That's what the book is about. There's no arguing about this–the Bible talks about the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament: Preparation

Different parts of the Bible talk about different things. For example, the 39 books of the Old Testament don't mention Jesus in particular. Instead, they talk about the Jewish people, the nation of Israel, and how God prepared a people in history for the coming of Jesus Christ.

Here's God in heaven saying, "I'm going to send Jesus to earth." What is he going to be? Chinese? Ukrainian? Jamaican? God created a brand-new people so that Jesus would enter history through them. He created the Jewish nation.

The purpose of the Jewish nation was to create a historical stage upon which Jesus Christ could make his entrance into history. That's what the Old Testament is about. It tells us how the Jewish people were formed–their religious rituals, their wars, their settlement in the Promised Land, the building of the tabernacle, their worship, kings, victories, defeats, prophets.

All of it was written to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus Christ.

The New Testament: The Reality of Christ

Then we get into the New Testament and read the Gospels–Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These four men write specifically about Jesus. They don't say, "One day Jesus is going to come." They say, "Jesus is here. We saw him. We touched him. We talked to him."

Think about that–some people actually touched Jesus Christ. They passed him bread. They spoke to him at dinner. They lived with him.

He was a real person. He was God–but he was a real person.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell us about his life, his sufferings, his ministry, his miracles, his death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and teachings.

The Book of Acts and the Epistles describe how Jesus' disciples established the early church and how the apostles instructed believers on how to organize and deal with problems.

Finally, the Book of Revelation gives encouragement to the early church as it faced persecution. All 66 books come to one conclusion: Jesus Christ is God and Lord.

Thomas: A Man Who Doubted

Instead of asking someone who believed easily, I want to look at someone who doubted–Thomas.

Thomas was one of the twelve apostles. He lived and worked with Jesus for three years. He saw the miracles. He saw Lazarus raised from the dead. He saw Jesus crucified.

After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to the apostles–but Thomas wasn't there. When they told him Jesus was alive, Thomas said he wouldn't believe unless he saw the nail wounds and touched them himself.

John 20:24–28

Eight days later, Jesus appeared again, and this time Thomas was present. Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

- John 20:28

Thomas' Confession

There are three important things in Thomas' confession:

1. He acknowledges Jesus is God.
   No hesitation. No qualification. "My God."

2. He accepts Jesus as Lord.
   If Jesus is God, then he is Lord.

3. He offers worship–and Jesus accepts it.
   Jesus does not refuse it. He receives it.

The entire Bible narrows down like a pyramid to this diamond point: Jesus Christ is God and Lord.

Why This Makes People Uncomfortable

When people are faced with the question "Who is Jesus?" they become uncomfortable. Why? Because if he is God, then their lives must change. That's the dilemma.

Real People, Real Decisions

The program then included interviews with various individuals answering the question: Who is Jesus Christ to you?

Responses included:

• "The Son of God."
• "The Savior."
• "God made man."
• "A prophet."
• "A very interesting person."
• "I don't know."

Some described the moment they truly understood the Scriptures and felt "cut to the heart." Others spoke of realizing Jesus was not just an idea but a living person who loved and sacrificed for them.

Several described transformation–peace, purpose, direction, submission, joy, and a new way of living.

Not Brainwashing–A Real Experience

Some argue that belief in Jesus is just a crutch. But believers point to:

• The empty tomb
• The miracles
• Fulfilled prophecy
• Eyewitness testimony
• The power of the Gospel

Human beings invent things to gain advantage or comfort–but no one has improved on Jesus in 2,000 years.

What Does It Cost?

Following Christ costs everything. But the irony is this: we don't truly control our lives anyway. Surrendering to Christ means giving up the illusion of control and gaining something greater–eternal life and purpose.

The Decision

Nothing truly happens in a person's faith until they decide for themselves: Who is Jesus Christ? The Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.- Romans 1:16

Conclusion

The question remains: Who is Jesus Christ to you?

Until you answer that question personally, nothing changes. We invite you to be with us next week for another edition of Bible Talk.