J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, coined the term “eucatastrophe,” which means “good catastrophe.” When it looks like a hero is doomed…but then the plot turns! The death of Jesus certainly qualifies as a eucatastrophe! As one writer explains, “Jesus’ crucifixion was the most evil event in history, but it secured the redemption of those who believe in Jesus’ substitutionary atonement for their salvation.”

Christ’s sacrifice made it possible for us (and all of humanity) to start over. That is why Paul depicted Him as the new Adam. Today, we begin the second section of our month’s study focusing on Christ’s role in salvation.

Paul explains that, through the first Adam, sin and death entered the world and affected all humanity (v. 12). No one was innocent then, and no one is innocent now. This “original sin” means we are all born with sin natures and stand condemned before God. The good news is that Jesus, as the new Adam, lived a perfect life of obedience to His Father. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, life is possible for those who believe. We stand justified before God on the basis of Christ’s righteousness (vv. 18–19).

Notice the contrast between the old and new Adam. What Christ achieved is greater than what Adam spoiled (vv. 15–17). Jesus didn’t merely undo the Fall, salvation is a step up! His gift is greater than any trespass. Good is greater than evil. Grace is greater than sin. Life is greater than death. Furthermore, while sin and its consequences were deserved, the gift of salvation is undeserved by us, to God’s greater glory. The result? Whereas once “sin reigned in death,” now grace reigns and brings “eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (v. 21).

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It may be difficult to understand why Jesus wanted or needed to be baptized by John. After all, Jesus had no sins of which to repent. But Jesus made it clear that being baptized was the Father’s will. When Jesus was raised out of the Jordan River, “[the] heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’” (Matt. 3:13–17). In this amazing moment, all three members of the Trinity were present: The voice from heaven was God, the Father, the dove was the Holy Spirit, and the Son, Jesus, was physically present (see vv. 6–10).

Why does it matter that Jesus is the second person of the Godhead? Jesus needed to be fully God and fully man in order to redeem us from the power of sin and death. Only the God-man could perfectly know and obey His Father’s will and thus be the atoning sacrifice. Only if we believe this, can we be “born of God” (v. 1).

Everything interconnects (vv. 2–5). To be spiritually reborn requires faith in Jesus Christ. Faith leads to obedience, which for Spirit-indwelt Christians is not burdensome but overcomes the world, that is, our sinful choices and patterns (James 4:4). Faith participates in Christ’s victory. To love God is to obey His commands, which requires faith and leads to victory. To love God is also to love His children, who are also doing all this alongside us.

God has given us eternal life through His Son (vv. 11–12). If Jesus is the source of life, and without Him there is no life, this is even more evidence that Christ is divine. He is indeed “God over all” (Rom. 9:5)!

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“A Japanese pastor wrote that the most important message of Christmas is that Jesus was born as a babe, weak and vulnerable to the world,” said artist Makoto Fujimura in his book, Refractions. “A baby is utterly dependent on a mother and a father, and others helping the baby to survive. Imagine, one who would claim to be the all-powerful Creator in flesh, becoming vulnerable and dependent on fallen human beings like us!”

“The Word became flesh” (v. 14) is one of the greatest truths and greatest acts of love the world has ever known. What does it mean to call Jesus the Word or Logos (v. 1)? To the Greek mind, Logos meant reason, order, and communication, both spoken and unspoken. To the Jewish mind, it meant the word of God, including both Scripture and God’s powerful word as seen in His creation (Genesis 1). The Word implied His sovereignty and represented the culmination of His plan and purpose. God’s word put into effect His plans and purposes. John surely knew and intended both meanings.

The miracle of the Incarnation certainly stunned both the Jewish and the Greek mind. Greeks would have been astounded to think of reason and thought as a Person, while Jews would have been staggered that the Lord of Hosts could become the man Jesus. Theologically, we too may have difficulty wrapping our minds around these truths, but John had seen it for himself (v. 14).

As a man, Jesus remained the eternal Son of God (vv. 1–2). And in yesterday’s devotional we read that He’s the Creator (v. 3). He came to give light and life, the hope of the gospel, to all who will receive it by faith (vv. 4–5). By believing and receiving, we gain the great privilege of becoming children of God (vv. 9–13)!

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In 1992, a new large mammal was identified for the first time in 50 years—the saola, a long-horned species of wild ox that resembles a deer or antelope. The saola, however, is both rare and shy. So when one was sighted in 2013 in central Vietnam for the first time in fourteen years, conservationists rejoiced. Said one leader: “This is a breathtaking discovery and renews hope for the recovery of the species.”

The beauty and variety found in nature remind us of Christ’s role in creation: “In him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities” (v. 16). As God, the Son created all else that exists, including the material world (the universe) and the spiritual world (angelic beings). How could both the Father and the Son be Creator? As persons of the Trinity, each is equally God. Since Christ is “the image of the invisible God” (v. 15) and God’s “fullness” dwells in Him (v. 19), then He must be God Himself.

In addition, creation’s continued existence depends on Christ. The Bible teaches that “in him all things hold together” (v. 17). We saw this yesterday as well. The Father created everything through the Son, whose “powerful word” sustains everything (Heb. 1:2–3).

In this biblical worldview, creation implies rulership. The phrase “firstborn over all creation” (v. 15) doesn’t indicate Christ is a created being but rather means He holds the first position and is the King over all creation, as when the writer of Hebrews called Him the “heir of all things” (1:2). To the created world, Christ is the reconciler or redeemer of all who respond in faith (v. 20). He accomplished this through His sacrificial atonement on the cross— the hope of the gospel (vv. 21–23)!

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In his worship song “Knowing You, Jesus,” Graham Kendrick proclaims: “Oh, to know the power of your risen life / And to know you in your sufferings / To become like you in your death, my Lord / So with you to live and never die.”

When we know Jesus, we know God the Father as well, for the Son is the Father’s final, complete, and perfect revelation of Himself (John 14:7–10). In this first chapter of the book of Hebrews, we are told that “in the past God spoke” through prophets (v. 1), “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (v. 2).

The Son is called the “heir of all things”—King of the kingdom of God—and the universe was made through Him (v. 2). Only God Himself matches this description. According to verse 3, the Son is the “radiance of God’s glory.” This is a relationship of identity. Just as light and its source cannot be separated, only God can shine forth God’s glory. That means the Son must be God as well.

Here we read that Jesus is “the exact representation of his being” (v. 3). Again, this indicates identity. While the Son and the Father are not the same Person, they are both God. Furthermore, the Son sustains “all things by his powerful word” (v. 3). Only God can do that, so once again, the Son is God. If He is who God is and He does what God does, then He must be God Himself!

In God’s plan of redemption, the Son “provided purification for sins,” then “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (v. 3). No man could have done either of those, nor could any angel (v. 4). Only the Lord Himself qualifies. Therefore, Jesus is God!

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Do you know who Jesus is? A recent survey revealed poor understanding of key doctrines, including those about Jesus and salvation, even among evangelical Christians. For example, 52 percent of evangelicals believe people are basically good. An astonishing 78 percent think Jesus is a created being (a heresy known as Arianism). And more than half of evangelical Christians, as well as two-thirds of Americans in general, agree that “God accepts the worship of all religions.”

This is one reason we’re devoting the entire month to a study of Christology (the theology of the person, nature, and role of Jesus Christ). We’ll look at important Scripture passages that help us understand more fully who Jesus is. And we will examine the names of Christ. By asking “Who is this Jesus?” we hope you will come to know Him better and rejoice even more during this Christmas season.

First, we will focus on Christ’s divinity. Jesus told the apostle John in the awe-inspiring vision that opens the book of Revelation: “I am the First and the Last” (v. 17). He said it again at the end of the book: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (22:13). This figure of speech, repeated three times for emphasis is called a “merism,” and it conveys the idea that Christ is the beginning, the end, and everything in between.

He’s the center and in Him we find the meaning of history, redemption, and everything else. Nothing exists apart from Him (Col. 1:15–17). This expression also indicates that He is incomparably above all other gods (Isa. 44:6–8), and He is the Creator of all (Isa. 48:12–13). Only an eternal God could make such a claim!

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Every year different organizations host a Pi competition. In this competition, contestants recite as many digits of the number Pi as they can from memory. The top record holder is Suresh Kumar Sharma who recited 70,030 digits over the course of seventeen hours. The interesting thing about this challenge is that no one will ever master it. The number of digits in Pi is infinite. Yet, that does not keep people from trying!

In some ways this has a parallel with Psalm 145. Near the beginning of this praise psalm, David admits that God’s greatness is such that “no one can fathom” it (v. 3). It is not possible to fully articulate God’s attributes or to describe His nature. Yet, that does not keep David from praise. This psalm praises God from A to Z!

David reminds Israel that praise continues from one generation to the next: “One generation commends your works to another” (v. 4). The next few verses put this into action. The new generation praises God, and David responds, “They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works” (v. 5). One of the joys of worshiping in church is when the elderly and youth, believers of every generation, join in praising God side by side.

David rehearses many of God’s attributes: “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love” (v. 8). He does not tire of recounting what God has done. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). He is the true King and sovereign over all creation (vv. 1, 13).

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The worship of idols was an important part of life for Israel’s neighbors. Skilled craftsmen created idols from the finest materials available. Priests would perform elaborate ceremonies to endow the idol with the presence of the god. The idol would then be treated as royalty. The object would be clothed and “fed” with the best, treated with awe and reverence.

Psalm 135 is a rousing praise psalm to remind Israel that the Lord is greater than the gods of the nations. It was also a stern reminder to Israel that worshiping idols was foolish. These idols were “silver and gold, made by human hands” (v. 15). They had mouths, eyes and ears that did not work (vv. 16–18). These gods could never save or deliver like the Lord. The psalm reminds Israel that the Lord is the One who delivered them from Egypt and brought them into the land of Canaan (vv. 8–12).

Living in the twenty-first century, it is easy to think we are immune to the danger of worshiping idols. But an idol is anything in which we place our allegiance, trust, or hope instead of God. An idol could be our reliance on social media for affirmation or the hope we entrust to politicians. There are hundreds of ways we can fall into the trap of idol worship. An added danger is that we become like what we worship (v. 18).

The good news is that if we worship God, we will grow to become like Him. As Paul explained, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Cor. 3:18).

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