Who is Jesus? - Ruminating in the Word of God.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 22:70,

"They all asked, 'Are you then the Son of God?' He replied, 'You are
right in saying I am.'"

After Jesus had been arrested, he was asked by the chief priests and
teachers of the law if he was the Christ, "'If you are the Christ,'
they said, 'tell us.'" Luke 22:70. He explained that although they
would not believe him, he would nevertheless take his seat "at the
right hand of the mighty God." Verse 69. Their response was what
sounds like a victory cheer, "Why do we need any more testimony? We
have heard it from his own lips." Verse 71. Now, with what they
mistakenly took for blasphemy, they felt they had all they needed to
hand him over to Pilate to be executed. When Pilate asked Jesus if he
was king of the Jews he replied, "Yes, it is as you say." Luke 23:3.

The Scriptures consistently present Jesus Christ as the second person
of the Trinity, "The Son of God." In Romans 9:5 we read, "...from them
[the Israelites] is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God
over all, forever praised! Amen."

I love the way the letter to the Hebrews starts, "In the past God
spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in
various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,
whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the
universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact
representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful
word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the
right hand of the Majesty in heaven." Hebrews 1:1-3. The writer of
Hebrews goes on to say more about Jesus Christ in quoting Psalm
45:6-7, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and
righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved
righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set
you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."

In calling God his own Father, the Jews understood what Jesus was
saying and expressed their hostility of the notion, "For this reason
the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking
the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making
himself equal with God." John 5:18.

It is the truth of this that lies in the heart of saving faith. Our
embrace of both who Jesus Christ is and what he has done is what
brings salvation. Romans 10:9-10 says, "If you confess with your
mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him
from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you
believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess
and are saved."

Jesus Christ is God, as the second person of the Trinity. All who
embrace him in faith must recognize him as such. This is what makes us
children of God, "to all who received him, to those who believed in
his name, he gave the right to become children of God", John 1:12.

As Jesus asked his disciples in Luke 9:20, so he asks us all today,
"But what about you? Who do you say I am?"

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com