by Chris Elrod
What makes Jesus special? This may be one of the most loaded questions ever. Scripture says so much about the identity of Jesus! There’s Jesus the man, Jesus the Son of God, the Son of Man, the great High Priest, the Lamb of God, and we could go on and on. Each of these things speak to what makes Jesus so special! Many of them are intertwined and are dependent on one another.
It’s important to understand who Jesus is because we need to understand who we serve. In understanding Jesus’ identity, we understand not only what makes Jesus special, but find motivation to serve Him faithfully, and we are moved to worship. Jesus is incredibly special and knowing Him leads us to living a life that will bless others.
In Matthew 1:21 Jesus hasn’t even been born yet, but His mission is known. He’s going to save His people from their sins. Jesus’ purpose on earth was clear— He was to be the one His people needed to save them from their sins. He didn’t come to solve world hunger, to ease the political landscape, or to simply show people how to be happy. He came to save them from the bigger problem: sin.
His mission stays clear throughout His life! He says in Luke 19:10 that He “came to seek and to save the lost.” As He talks more and more about His mission, it becomes clear He was aware of how His mission would be accomplished. In Matthew 20:28 He explains His time on Earth isn’t about being served but about serving others and giving “His life as a ransom for many.” In Matthew 26:26-29 Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, after giving thanks for the fruit of the vine, He says, in verse 28, “for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Jesus knew He was going to bleed and die in order to complete His mission. This doesn’t deter Him though. Sure, He wished there was another way (Matthew 26:39), but what He wanted more was to do the will of His Father. He wanted to save us!
There’s a lot that makes Jesus special, but at the top of the list sits this reality. Jesus is our Hero! He is the one who comes and saves us from our sins! When we were helpless and could do nothing to save ourselves, Jesus appeared and went to the cross dying in our place, so we could be saved. Jesus is our Hero!