Bible Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-6
There is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5
Talk about this: Have you ever been in a fight where you wrestled to the ground or popped someone? And the bigger question: What was the fight about?
We fight over silly stuff. We settle differences in stupid ways. But it might surprise you that people throughout history have fought over the question “Who is Jesus Christ?” How can anyone get into a battle over Jesus? Why would mentioning his name make people mad?
Maybe you’ve noticed that you can mention “God” and nobody minds. But as soon as you say “Jesus,” people often want to stop the conversation. They might even say something goofy like, “I don’t mind talking about religion, but I don’t want to talk about Jesus.”
How is Jesus different from other religious leaders? Why don’t names like Buddha, Muhammad, or Confucius get people upset?
Well, there’s a huge difference between Jesus and all those founders of other faiths. The others didn’t claim to be God. Jesus did. That’s what makes him utterly different from other religious leaders. It’s why people fight over him.
Jesus clearly claimed to be God himself. He presented himself as the only way to a relationship with God the Father, the only source of forgiveness for sins, and the only way of salvation.
For many people, that’s too big to believe. Yet the issue isn’t what we think but rather who Jesus claimed to be. What does the New Testament tell us?
His name is a great place to start. “Jesus Christ” is actually both a name and a title. The name Jesus comes from a word meaning “the Lord saves.” The title Christ comes from a word for Messiah and means “anointed one.” So “Jesus Christ” tells us that Jesus is both Savior and anointed King.
Jesus let people worship him (see Matthew 14:33; 28:9). That’s an honor only God should receive. Sometimes Scripture actually commands us to worship Jesus as God (see John 5:23; also Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 5:8-14).
Maybe you have heard the phrase “the deity of Christ.” This phrase means that Jesus is divine—he is God. He’s the Creator of the universe who came to earth as a person, Jesus of Nazareth. He’s the God who created you, and his power keeps you alive. Jesus is your best friend, but he’s even more than a good friend. He’s God.
TALK: How would you answer a non-Christian friend who asks, “Who is Jesus?”
PRAY: You can enjoy Jesus, relate to Jesus, learn from Jesus—but don’t forget to worship Jesus. Do that now.
ACT: Share with a non-Christian friend the true identity of Jesus.
