Dr. John Blanchard estimated that since the dawn of civilization, about 60 billion people have walked planet Earth. Of those, only a handful made an impression that actually changed the world. Of that handful, one stands head and shoulders above all others. His name is Jesus. Socrates taught for 40 years, Plato for 50, Aristotle for 40, and Jesus for only 3, Yet the influence of Christ’s 3-year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all ancient times.
Jesus Christ lived in the flesh about 2,000 years ago in the small country of Israel, yet His birthday divides history’s timeline into “B.C.” and “A.D.” Jesus’ earthly ministry lasted three short years, yet His message travels around the world by every means and mass media. Christ never wrote a book, yet libraries could be filled with volumes written about the Lord Jesus. He never painted a picture, yet the world’s greatest artists have painted Him with awe. Jesus of Nazareth has inspired the world’s greatest dramas, music, and literature. He had no formal education, yet thousands of schools and universities have been built in His name. The great historian Kenneth Scott Latourette said, “Jesus has had more effect on the history of mankind than any other of its race who ever existed.”
Jesus never raised an army and yet, multiplied millions have been martyred for Him. He never traveled far from His birthplace, yet His testimony has gone around the world. He had only a handful of followers, but they changed the world. He had a public ministry of only three years, yet here we are, 2022 years later, saying “Jesus, your name is wonderful”—because He is the exact representation of the invisible God. The visible Jesus makes the invisible God known. The only way you can ever fully know God the Father is through Him. Jesus, Himself said: All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. (Matthew 11:27)
To rightly answer the question “Who is Jesus?” we must go to the divinely inspired Word of God. Philippians chapter 2 is a good place to begin because of all we learn there about Jesus. It says about Jesus that “Who, being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:6-7) The Infinite becomes an infant, fulfilling Isaiah 7:14, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son…” Jesus Christ, the sovereign, sinless, supernatural Son of God, born of a virgin, was totally, completely obedient. God calls His Son, the Lord Jesus, “God.” He is God the Son. God says it through the prophet Isaiah, “…the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father…” (Isaiah 9:6). He is the sovereign Son of God.
Bishop Lalachan Abraham
