Who is Jesus?

When you walk into the Church of Ss. Peter and Paul in West Clandon you will find the this image of Jesus Christ. It is a focus for prayer and devotion for those who worship and pray in the church, a reminder that, just as he promised, Jesus is with us for ever.

The Lord Jesus stands at the heart of the Christian faith. He has fascinated, strengthened, inspired, and drawn people to follow him for two thousand years and he continues to change people’s lives today.

Christians believe that Jesus isn’t just a good man, a brilliant teacher of noble truths or a powerful healer. Christians believe that in him God became a human being. Christians call this the Incarnation. Christians believe that because God became a human being who gave his life for us and conquered death for us by rising again, we can be united in love with God, who is the source of all life and goodness, and live transformed lives now and for eternity. An ancient Christian writer called Hillary of Poitiers wrote about this beautifully:

God is enclosed in the shape of a tiny embryo in the womb of the Virgin and grows in size. He who upholds the universe, in whom and through whom everything came into existence, is brought forth according to the law of human birth; he at whose voice the angels and archangels tremble, and the heavens, the earth and all the elements of the world melt, is heard in the cries of a baby. He who is invisible and incomprehensible, who cannot be judged by the reckonings of sight, sense and touch, lies wrapped in a cradle. If any consider these conditions unfitting for a God, they will have to admit that their indebtedness to such generosity is all the greater the less they are suited to the majesty of God

Hillary of Poitiers, On the Trinity II.25

The same belief is expressed in the well known Christmas carol Hark! the herald angels sing:

Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

If you would like to find out more about Jesus and how he can make a difference in your life you can join our next Hope Explored course or visit www.explorechristianity.info