Jesus is one person with two natures; 100% human and 100% divine. This accomplishment is wonderous and mysterious. One great thing about Jesus’ humanity is that we know he relates to us. He’s been there and done that. He knows pain. He felt, and continues to feel, rejection from people who should know better. Jesus can honestly sympathize with our hurts, temptations, wants and fears. He knows what our worst hurts feel like, but unlike us, he volunteered to experience them for love’s sake.
One great thing about Jesus divinity is that his sinless life, his sacrificial death, and his resurrection victory became our mercy and power for salvation. The Apostle John proclaims the heavenly nature of Jesus in the poetically succinct introduction to his gospel.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with 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.
Because a proper understanding of Jesus divinity is still debated by Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, some kinds of “Christian” groups, and our culture, here is a quick reference to Scriptures that demonstrate Jesus’ divinity:
Jesus claimed to possess what properly belongs to God.
- In Matt 13:41 he “will send out his angels.”
- In Matt 12:28, 19:14, and 21:31, 43 he has authority over and intimate knowledge of the kingdom of God. In Mark 2:8-11 he forgives sins.
- In Matt 25:31-46 Jesus has the power and position to judge all the people of the world.
Jesus has always been with God.
- John 1:1, Jesus – the Word – is with God at the beginning and is God.
- In Genesis 1:26 “God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness”. God refers to himself as “us” and “our” indicating that the relationship between the persons of God existed from the beginning.
Jesus is the creator.
- In John 1:3 Jesus – the Word – is the creator. “All things” were made through him. Then John reiterates; EVERYTHING!
- In Colossians 1:15-20 and Hebrews 1:1-3 Jesus is both creator and sustainer of the world, “in him all things hold together.”
- These are the actions of our Lord, God, and Savior, the person of Jesus. Spend some time thanking God for entering our world and pray that people in your world would know him.
John Riley
Pastor of Junior High Ministries