For some, Jesus is someone they spend their whole life seeking after and living for. For others, He's just someone they talk about on Easter and Christmas. But who is Jesus? When we take the lights down after the holidays, who are we left with? Who is this man that so many are wanting to live for? Is He really worthy of our praise, or is He a fictional character in a fictional story?
Author C.S. Lewis once proposed the idea that Jesus is either a lunatic, a liar, or Lord. People are still wondering the same thing. Is He a lunatic, someone completely out of His mind? Or is He a liar, coming up with fairy tales and performing magic tricks? Or is He the omnipresent Lord, the maker of all the earth?
I think many people are afraid to even ask that question. We tend to hide our doubts, thinking we're less of a Christian if we ask these things. But sometimes, doubt can lead to beautiful things. So today, we're going to lay our doubts on the table, and ask a question that people have been wondering for generations: who is Jesus?
For years, people have been trying to figure out who Jesus is, and they're going to continue to for years to come. But I can say with absolute certainty that He isn't a lunatic. He isn't a liar. He isn't a fictional character in a fictional story. In fact, Jesus is beyond all forms of fiction. He is reality. He is the one true God, the creator of heaven and earth. None can compare with Him. How do I know this? Because I've seen Him. Not physically, but I've seen His goodness and love in more ways than I could ever count.
His presence has been with me through the ups and downs of life, and He has shown up every time I've needed Him. Just because He's God doesn't mean He's far away in the clouds. He's a God you can know personally. He loves you, and He's for you. This is Jesus. This is the God we serve; a God who deeply cares about each of us. He's not fictional, nor is He out of his mind. He is real.
No matter your religious background or who you think Jesus is, I invite you to lay down your doubts. Bring down the walls you've put up around your heart. I invite you to simply be still and open your mind to a God who is beyond your understanding. Today, we're going to look at who Jesus says He is, who His disciples say He is, and how we can know with certainty that they're telling the truth.
Maybe your whole life you've been listening to lies about who Jesus is. Perhaps people have said things like, "He can never forgive you," or "He doesn't have time for you." But truly, His heart desires to know you. And maybe you've been wanting to know Him. That can all start right here and right now.
"Bigger Than I Thought" by Sean Curran
Our view of Jesus is so small. From our limited perspective, it's easy to believe lies about Him. We think He's distant or too busy for us. We believe that with so many people in the world, He can't know us personally, and He doesn't care about our problems. But He's so much bigger than that.
Even during His time on earth, Jesus knew what was in each person's heart, as stated in Matthew 9:4. Romans 8:39 makes it clear that absolutely nothing can separate us from His love. That's such encouraging news, but what if we're doubting the mere existence of Jesus? The promise of Romans 8:39 might sound like false comfort if we're still not convinced that Jesus is real.
There are many arguments for why Jesus is real, and some people have their own set of arguments for why He is not. People will argue day and night and throw out scientific reasoning for both sides. But at the end of the day, what we're truly searching for isn't historical evidence (although there's much evidence out there).
We're searching for someone who can heal the hurt inside of us. Each one of us is longing for our maker. And if each of us is longing for something–or someone–bigger than us, something (or someone) must have put that longing inside of us. When we see the ocean waves crashing and the stars twinkling above, when we hear the birds chirping in the trees, we see the signature of the great artist.
The great maker of the whole world created everything in such a way that everything gives glory to Him. Everything on our planet below and the heavens above cry out with longing for its creator. There's no mistaking it. None of this could have happened by chance, and no one on earth is intelligent enough to orchestrate the great dance that is happening day and night in our solar system. There is someone greater than us who planned out every detail of creation. He's bigger than anyone could ever fathom, yet small enough to reach down and know us personally.
Singer/songwriter Sean Curran has a song that I love called "Bigger Than I Thought." The chorus says, "I stop all negotiations/With the God of all creation/You're bigger than I thought You were." We don't serve a God that we can make negotiations with--we serve a God who knows every detail of who we are, and He knows what's best for us.
If He created the stars, moon, sea, and every flower that has ever bloomed, truly He understands us. He's big enough to put the planets into orbit, yet small enough to get down on our level and empathize with what we're going through. It's a beautiful picture--although it can be confusing at times. But this is who Jesus is. He's all-powerful and holy, yet simultaneously all-understanding and relatable. He's a God that you can know. To me, that's who Jesus is.
"So I throw all my cares before You/My doubts and fears don't scare You/You're bigger than I thought You were/You're bigger than I thought."
"1,000 Names" by Phil Wickham
Let's take a step further. In last month's article, I tried to capture what the disciples must have been thinking during the week Jesus was crucified. They were battling every emotion conceivable because just like us, they were human. One of the biggest questions I believe they were asking is the same question that everyone on earth must ask today: "Who is Jesus?" This man that they were following was performing miracles and wonders, and in John 5:58 (NIV), Jesus even uttered the words, "Before Abraham was born, I am."
The Jews would have been familiar with the words, "I am," because that is the very name of God. So in saying this, Jesus considered Himself equal to God. This would have been a shock to those who heard those words, and I imagine it might have even taken some of the disciples aback. But there was one disciple who seemed to understand the meaning of this.
Simon Peter was a bold guy. He spoke his mind and understood the gravity of following Jesus. Peter was willing to do anything for Jesus because he understood who He was. He recognized that Jesus is the messiah. In Matthew 16:13 (NIV), Jesus asked his disciples an interesting question.
He asked, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" The disciples responded by saying that some think He's John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or maybe one of the prophets of old. But then Jesus turned the question around. "'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say that I am?'" It was a loaded question, and I imagine some of the disciples probably didn't know how to answer. But Peter did. He stepped up and declared, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
If Jesus asked, how would you answer the question, "Who do you say that I am?" Would you say a good man or a prophet? Or would you boldly declare that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of the living God? Peter was a fisherman. He was uneducated, but he knew that there was something different about Jesus. So much so that Peter eventually died for the message of the gospel. If he went to such great lengths, certainly he was on to something.
Let's go back to C.S. Lewis' theory of Jesus being either a lunatic, a liar, or Lord. If Peter eventually laid down his life for Jesus, clearly, he didn't think Jesus was a liar. And no one would die for someone who's a lunatic. So Jesus must be Lord. There is no other option left.
If Jesus is Lord, what does that mean? I believe there are a thousand ways to answer that question. Because if Jesus is Lord, that means He is also our comforter. He's also Yahweh, the creator, the messiah, the list could go on forever.
Worship artist Phil Wickham recently released a song called "1,000 Names," and it epitomizes the character of Jesus. The bridge says, "You are Rock of Ages/You're the Great I Am/You are King forever/The beginning, and the end/You are Lord and servant/You're the Son of Man/You're the Lion of Judah/You're the risen lamb."
This is who Jesus is. This is the same Jesus that the disciples died for and the same Jesus that we get to live for.
"I know You by a thousand names/And You deserve every single one/You've given me a million ways to be amazed at what You've done/And I am lost in wonder at all You do/I know You by a thousand names, and I'll sing them back to You."
"So Will I" by Hillsong UNITED
Have you ever taken a moment to contemplate the complexity of the human body? For starters, there are 78 organs in your body. If you want to go beyond that, there are over 37 trillion cells in your body. And let's not forget that you're breathing right now because of a bunch of nerves in your brain that sent a message to the rest of your body, signaling that you need to take a breath.
It would take years of study to fully grasp the function of the human body. And even then, I think there would still be more to learn. The human body was uniquely created in such a way to keep itself alive, and when something goes wrong, it's able to let you know. It's an incredible, complicated design that could only be the work of a great designer.
Compared to the entire galaxy, our human bodies are so incredibly small. There are billions of stars in the sky and planets beyond our knowledge. Just like our human bodies were designed in such a way to keep themselves alive, the heavenly bodies were created in such a way that they don't spin out of control or fall from the sky. There's no mistaking it, everything was created with intention and purpose. Nothing is an accident--everything was uniquely made. And it was made because of our creator's great love for us.
Worship band Hillsong United has a song called "So Will I," and every time I listen to it, I'm amazed by just how incredible Jesus is. Jesus decided to come to our broken planet to live and die for our sins. And even before that, God chose to create this planet--all because of His love for us. There's a line in "So Will I" that says, "I can see Your heart in everything You've done/Every part designed in a work of art called love." This is Jesus.
From the complexities of our bodies to the vastness of the solar system, it's clear that everything was designed with a purpose. And everything was created because our maker loves us so incredibly much. This is who Jesus is: creator, maker, and designer. Messiah. Yahweh. Lord. Lover of our souls. The one who gave His life so that we may live. He is worthy of all our praise--even creation is praising Him. And if creation sings His praises, so will I. Truly, there is no one like Him. This is Jesus.
"As You speak a hundred billion galaxies are born/In the vapor of Your breath the planets form/If the stars were made to worship, so will I/I can see Your heart in everything You've made/Every burning star a signal fire of grace/If creation sings your praises, so will I."
Grace Chaves has been a fan of all things Christian music since 2016. She is NRT's news editor, and one of NRT's youngest writers. Homeschooled, Grace is an author, loves Jesus, concerts, and road trips.
NEW!BEHIND THE SONG
#1296 - Mary-Clair
A candid conversation about faith, vulnerability, and finding God
ADVERTISEMENT
NEW!MOVIE REVIEW Miracle
NRT reviews the new movie after attending the premiere
NEW!SERIES REVIEW
A Night At Wingfeather
We attended the show's premiere of the Angel Studios animated show
NEW!NRT LISTS
Worship Into 2026
Standout new worship releases that invite the Church to sing and reflect
NEW!THE CHH DROP
#261 - Gavin the Hotrod
What's new this week in Christian rap and hip-hop
