We’re living in an era where God is calling us back to the basics. The world is on shaky ground right now. Politics, culture, education, religion. All of it has been called into question as people are searching for truth. As believers, this should excite us greatly. We know the person who is Truth: Jesus, the Christ. 

The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me. (Colossians 1:27-29 MSG) 

Everything the world is looking for can be found in the person of Jesus. He is the eternal Son in whom are all the mysteries, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding we could ever need. In him is also all freedom, holiness, righteousness, wholeness, and health. If we are going to move forward as “Christians,” it’s time we set our focus completely on the one who is the author and perfecter of our faith. 

I am aware that this can start to sound like a “Sunday School” message for kids. “It’s all about Jesus” can go in one ear and out the other. But maybe that’s what we need. A real dose of the simplicity of a child to focus our entire lives on our Lord and Savior who bled and died for us. He is really the only thing that makes this whole “Christian” thing worth it. 

With that being said, here are 5 simple “Sunday School” reminders that the person of Jesus reveals to us. And as you read these, remember that the goal is not to just know about Jesus, but to know Jesus. “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly]” (Philippians 3:10 AMPC). 

 

1. JESUS IS SAVIOR

His name literally means “The Lord is salvation.” He is the very person of salvation. To know him is to know freedom from sin. And let’s get specific here. The term sin simply means to “miss the mark.” Anxiety, depression, addiction, immorality, confusion, despair, sorrow, grief, trauma. Just to name a few. These are the things that Jesus bore on his body 2000 years ago so that you could be free from them. Take off the grave clothes, they’re not yours anymore. 

And if you are someone who struggles with any of those, there is no condemnation. Jesus is certainly with you in the valley of the shadow of death. But also be reminded of your full inheritance that he paid for! 

“To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” 

(Isaiah 61:3) 

The old is gone and you are a new creation in Christ! 

 

2. JESUS IS LORD 

What if I told you that you didn’t have to be in charge of your own life? We are sold so many self-help tips and online “how to make your life better” content that we forget that we have someone that is leading our lives for us. Forget about self-help. In fact, forget about self altogether! 

“If it depends on me, then I become proud when I succeed, and condemned when I fail. And it’s just a lot of work TRYING to be what I already am! Freedom from selfishness comes when the focus on “I” is completely gone! 

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 KJV). 

“Yet not I!” What a powerful phrase! The “I” there in the Greek is “ego!” The “I” was crucified with Christ” (From The Masterpiece of the Divine by Matt Spinks, 40)! “Jesus is Lord” is really good news! We have someone who is leading us, guiding us, and giving us his very life to infuse us with his victorious presence. If we were left to figure out life on our own, we would be screwed! 

His commands are good and not burdensome (1 John 5:3)! They are to keep us on track and empower us to be just like him! He is a perfect Lord! 

 

3. JESUS IS LOVE 

This is the resounding experience of anyone who has ever experienced and discovered Jesus for the first time. His all consuming, overwhelming, never-ending love that completely overtakes us. This is what we experience when we first “left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:11). It’s the healing, forgiveness, mercy, and grace of Jesus that awakens us to a whole new way of life. 

Unfortunately, through bad legalistic teachings and religious misunderstandings, we talk ourselves out of the eternal glory of God’s love. Sometimes we “move on” from the love of God and call it “maturity.” 

But 1 Corinthians 13 talks about true maturity. It’s not just a wedding passage! It reveals the very heart and nature of God! 

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;  does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) 

Prophecies will cease and knowledge will vanish. But faith, hope, and love remain forever! And the greatest of these is love! Remember your first love and how your heart beats for Jesus. He hasn’t changed! Unlearn legalism and religion that told you to “move on” from his love. His love is stable, constant, and eternal. It’s who he is. He doesn’t have to try hard to love you, it’s his very nature. 

Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. 

 

4. JESUS IS FAMILY 

Jesus was and is not alone. He is part of the Trinity, with the Father and the Spirit. We were created by a family and for a family. We are not orphans. We have a heavenly Dad who loves us, rejoices in us, provides all our needs, and will discipline us when needed. 

We have a comforter in the Holy Spirit who convicts us and leads us into all truth. And we have Jesus the Son who has shared his sonship with us and brought us into the family of the Trinity, by his death and resurrection. 

The Father, Son, and Spirit love one another, delight in one another, and as the early church fathers said, even dance with one another (Look up the Greek term: Perichoresis). Creation is a celebration of the glory of Father, Son, and Spirit. We experience great joy as we become a part of God’s family and realize we are not alone. 

Not only that, but we experience family with other believers! Christianity was never meant to be experienced alone. Reflecting the joyful and happy life of the Trinity, our faith is meant to be experienced in a happy, healthy, and loving community. And the mature among us should bear with the weak as we all grow together. 

As my Tio Alfredo Hernandez said, “It’s all about the people.” We get to experience Jesus in the people around us! We are each an expression of him. 

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10 NIV). 

 

5. JESUS IS COMING BACK 

This is meant to be really exciting news. The Jesus that we know and love will be revealed for the whole world to see. There are HUNDREDS of Old Testament verses that declare this is going to be a day of GREAT JOY. 

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:1-3

I’m sorry for the Left Behind fans reading this, but the early church was looking forward to the second coming of Jesus with joy and hope. It was never meant to be a scary thing for believers! John says that if we’ve been perfected in love, we should have no fear of punishment on judgment day (1 John 4:17-18). 

Jesus is coming back for his bride and he’s not taking us into some super spiritual place where angels are playing harps. He’s coming to the earth and setting up shop! The whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord (Isaiah 11:9)

And the Lord will be king over all the earth (Zechariah 14:9). 

Jesus is going to rule and reign with us and recreate the earth into heaven on earth. In fact, he already accomplished this reconciliation at the cross (Colossians 1:20). Now we get to see it all unfold and praise him because of it. It is far beyond our imagination all the amazing things that God has planned for us. 

 

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There are billions of other things that could be written about Jesus. These are just a few. My hope is that you would continue to follow the Spirit’s lead to focus completely on him. And that you would continue in the freedom, love, joy, righteousness, holiness, and hope that is our inheritance. This inheritance is a gift, through his blood. Don’t settle for anything less 🙂