As Jesus was praying, God the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And God the Father’s voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to full and true life. (Luke 3:22; Col 2:9-10)
This builds on My Jesus (Part 1)
Christ Performs Heart Transplants
Last year, the United States recorded its one millionth organ transplant, a historic milestone for medical procedures that save many lives. But sadly, approximately 5,000 people die waiting on transplant lists ever year and many donor organs are unnecessarily discarded. Organ donors and recipients hope that by sharing their success stories, they will inspire more people to sign up to donate organs and help save lives.1
My Jesus is the Great Physician who has given new hearts for God to millions of people over the past 2,000 years. That’s the greatest miracle! Still, many people die without taking advantage of God’s gracious offer of new life. Christ longs to gather us as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but most people are not willing.2 Patients who receive physical transplants are overjoyed to receive a new heart. Yet, that joy is bittersweet because the cost of that new heart was someone else’s life. For one patient to live, another had to die. My Jesus came to be the substitute for humanity. He lovingly laid down His life for His friends.3 Christ Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. By His wounds we have been healed.4
More on Christ’s Sinlessness
Because Jesus is 100% God and 100% human in one person, He got physically, mentally, and emotionally tired just like we do when He was here on earth. But He never crossed the line into sin. He got angry in a righteous way at money changers and religious phonies in the Temple because they kept people from coming near to God. Christ wept over the death of His close friend Lazarus. He was so overwhelmed with sorrow before the cross that He sweated blood. It is a rare medical condition called hematidrosis. Jesus gets our lives, because He is human too, as well as God!
No understands like Jesus; Every problem He sees and feels.
Tenderly He whispers comfort, And the broken heart He heals.
In spite of His suffering, Jesus denied Himself and focused on saving others. He had pity on widows, orphans, outcasts, foreigners, underdogs, and underprivileged people. He cared for poor, sick, and disabled people. He loved runaways, castaways, lepers, and refugees. Christ was gracious to people who sinned and were sinned against. He loved being with children and they loved being with the Lord. Jesus was and still is a man with feelings like us!
So when we have catastrophic crises or everyday struggles we can’t handle, my Jesus can handle them! Christ is our high priest who is able to empathize with our weaknesses, because He has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. So let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive Christ’s help in our time of need.5
Jesus’ Sinlessness Shows His Deity
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist. He believed in God as the Creator and Sustainer of all living things. Motivated by Jesus’ Gospels, Pasteur wanted to use his medical knowledge to help heal the sick. He said: “I would not know how to account for the life of Christ if He were not the Son of God.”
My Jesus is holy, blameless, pure, unstained by sin, yet also the Friend of sinners.6 He was above reproach, not guilty of any wrong. His enemies accused Him of loving unloved and unlovely people, but that was compliment! Even at Christ’s unlawful execution, when one soldier saw how Jesus died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Even as Christ was dying, the Lord prayed for His enemies while they were torturing and killing Him. Christ said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”7
My Jesus Is the God-Sent Messiah
That’s what His title Christ means. It’s not His last name, but His official title. It means Jesus is God’s Anointed One, our Redeemer, Liberator, and Deliverer. He is my Wonderful Counselor, my Mighty God, my Everlasting Father, my Prince of Peace. Christ lived the life we should have lived and He suffered the death penalty we deserved. Then He came back to life again for us who belong to Him to shepherd us all through this life and into heaven.
- In His life, Christ is an example showing us how to live
- In His death, He is a sacrifice making atonement for our sins
- In His resurrection, Jesus conquers guilt, darkness, and the grave
- In His ascension, He is King of kings and Lord of lords
- In His intercession and praying, Christ is our merciful high priest.8
My Jesus rose from the grave, just like He promised. It wasn’t a fake. Roman soldiers were expert executioners. And nobody moved His body. Jews and Romans carefully guarded His tomb, around the clock. The disciples didn’t hide Christ. They were too afraid to do anything, hiding like scaredy-cats after Jesus died. But when they saw Christ risen, alive, and well, victorious over sin, Satan, death, and hell, they were overjoyed. And they started spreading the good news everywhere. The risen Savior gave them new focus, new strength, new courage. Christ gave them fresh faith, hope, and love.
Closing Words
Jesus says; “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”9 That’s my Jesus! Why not follow Him as your Lord and Savior too?
To be continued
Notes (various Bible translations used): 1 ABC News (9-9-22). 2 Luke 13:34. 3 John 15:13. 4 1 Peter 2:24. 5 Heb 4:15-16. 6 Heb 7:26; Luke 5:20, 7:34. 7 Mark 15:39; Luke 23:34. 8 Adapted from Martin Luther. 9 Rev 1:8, 21:6, 22:13.