The Importance of Jesus

Importance of Christ

Why is Jesus important? Well in the Bible Jesus is claiming to be God! And if this is the case, I would say that He is pretty important! Below are some verses that help us see the importance of Jesus, and who He really is. God in the flesh.

This verse confirms that the Jews instantly grasped the implications of His remarks that He was God.

So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.
John 5:18 NLT

There was no doubt in the minds of those Jews that Jesus was claiming to be God. Both Father and Son are committed to the perfect protection and preservation of Jesus’ sheep. Jesus’ assertion that He was One with the Father affirmed His claim to deity and caused the Jews to seek His execution

The Father and I are one.” Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?” They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.”
John 10:30-33 NLT

Jesus claims to be both Messiah and the coming Judge.

But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Mark 14:61-62 NLT

Jesus here stresses that the Father is known through the Son and that to know the one is to know the other.

“Where is your father?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”
John 8:19 NLT

Here Jesus declared Himself to be Yahweh, the Lord of the OT. Declared Himself to be the eternally pre-existent God who revealed Himself in the OT to the Jews.

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am!”
John 8:58 NLT

Jesus did not expect to be believed merely on His own assertions. He did the same things that the Father does. His enemies should consider this in their evaluation of Him. The implication is, however, that they were so ignorant of God that they could not recognize the works of the Father or the One whom the Father sent.

why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”
John 10:36-38 NLT

They know God because they had come to know Christ in His ministry and soon in His death and resurrection. To know Him is to know God. This constant emphasis on Jesus as God incarnate is unmistakably clear in this gospel.

If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.
John 14:7-11 NLT

Having completed His work, Jesus looked past the cross and asked to be returned to the glory that He shared with the Father before the world began.

After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.
John 17:1-5 NLT

“My Lord and my God!” With these words, Thomas declared his firm belief in the resurrection and, therefore, the deity of Jesus the Messiah and Son of God. This is the greatest confession a person can make.

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
John 20:27-29 NLT