This week, as we celebrate Christmas together, we are answering perhaps the most important question anyone can ask: Who is Jesus? We saw in our Bible study yesterday that in an act of deep love and sacrifice, Jesus came to earth and "became human and made His home among us" (John 1:14). Indeed, Jesus was fully human while He lived on this earth. This is not the complete picture of who Jesus is, however. You see, while He was on earth, He was not only fully human; He was also fully God. As He walked, talked, and taught, He was fully God, performing miracles, teaching profound truths, and, ultimately, rescuing humanity from sin.
The apostle Paul reminds us in Colossians that Jesus was fully God. He dedicated a portion of Colossians 1 to teaching about Christ and who He is. He wrote, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation” (verse 15). Jesus is “the visible image of the invisible God" because He is God. He has always been God, even when He came to earth to rescue humanity from sin. He never gave up His divinity.
One place in Scripture where Jesus addressed His divinity was in John 14, where He spoke with His disciples shortly before His arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection. In some of their final moments together, Philip, one of Jesus' disciples, said, "Lord, show us the Father" (verse 8). In response to this question, Jesus said, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show Him to you? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” (verses 9-10). Here in these verses, Jesus made it crystal clear that He was no ordinary man. He was God.
If we want to understand who God is and what He is like, we can look to Jesus. After all, He is God. Because He is God, He was able to rescue us from sin and death through His perfect life, death on a cross, and resurrection.
Take a few moments to write down what you learn about Jesus from Scripture. For example, we see that Jesus took sin seriously and He offered forgiveness to those who turned to Him. You can turn to the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for reminders of what we learn from Jesus during His life on earth. When you are finished making your list, pray. Declare what you know about God through the life of Jesus on earth and praise Him for all He is and all He has done for humanity.
1“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.
12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.[f] 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”
23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
30 “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, 31 but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.
