22. The Lord Jesus Christ
Jones points out the Lord Jesus Christ is not only central but also vital: “The truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ is the central and the most stupendous fact in the history of redemption. It stands out as the unique event in all history. This truth concerning Him is the biggest and most as astounding event of all” (245). All history points to Him, and He is indeed the turning point of history: the birth of Jesus Christ divides up history into BC and AD. Add that, Jones says the “Bible itself makes it very plain and clear that the whole essence of the Christian is dependent upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ” (245). Jesus Christ is vital in Christianity: “The Christian faith is entirely concerned about Him, who He is, what He has done, and what He has made available and possible for us” (246).
Firstly, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies and promise. 2 Corinthians, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (1:20). Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promise that was given in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15). There are some other passages regarding to the prophecy of Jesus:
* “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 3:1).
* “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,/ who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,/ from you shall come forth for me/ one who is to be ruler in Israel,/ whose coming forth is from of old,/ from ancient days” (Micah 5: 2).
* “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 5.6).
* “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
* For to us a child is born,/ to us a son is given;/ and the government shall be upon his shoulder,/ and his name shall be called/ Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,/ Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace./ Of the increase of his government and of peace/ there will be no end,/ on the throne of David and over his kingdom,/ to establish it and to uphold it/ with justice and with righteousness/ from this time forth and forevermore./ The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
* “Who has believed what he has heard from us?/ And to whom has the arm of/ the LORD been revealed?/ For he grew up before him like a young plant,/ and like a root out of dry ground;/ he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,/ and no beauty that we should desire him./ He was despised and rejected by men,/ man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;/ and as one from whom men hide their faces/ he was despised, and we esteemed him not./ Surely he has borne our griefs/ and carried our sorrows;/ yet we esteemed him stricken,/ smitten by God, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:1-4).
* “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness;/ I will take you by the hand and keep you;/ I will give you as a covenant for the people,/ a light for the nations” (Isaiah 42:6).
Secondly, “the Bible also exhorts us to consider Him, because He is the only one by whom we can be reconciled to God, and by whom we can know God” (2510.
* “Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant” (Hebrews 12:24).
* “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
* “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).
* “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2.5).
Thirdly, “He holds all things in His hands” (252).
* “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).
* “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25).
* “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23).
Finally, “He is the one by whom the world is going to be judged” (252).
* “And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man” (John 5:27).
* “because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17.31).
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