We assume that most people understand the biblical description of Jesus Christ. This week our area-wide Gospel Meeting will cover that subject. It is not about what His role is in redemption or creation. It is not about what he did while on the earth. It is about his nature; that is, who he is. This morning, all the area churches are considering the same topic to serve as an introduction to the series this week. I want to invite and encourage you to attend as many of the meetings as possible. These meetings were designed with two things in mind: to present the Gospel and to provide an annual gathering of Christians in the area for fellowship. Those are two very good reasons to attend. I have enjoyed getting to know those who attend in the other congregations. We all need to have a renewed appreciation for who Jesus is.

Jesus once asked his disciples, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? (Matt. 16:13.) And, But whom say ye that I am?" (16:15.)

In order to introduce the overall subject without covering what other speakers will be presenting, think about the relationship of Jesus to the following people.

These two personalities appear in the Bible at about the same time period. John preceded Jesus both in birth (by six months) and in death (by about two years). (Luke 1 & Matt. 14.) Zacharias and Elizabeth were married when John was conceived, but Mary and Joseph were not. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. However, both were sent from God. The mother of John the Baptist, Elizabeth, and the mother of Jesus, Mary, were cousins. Therefore, Jesus and John were relatives. Both preached a similar message---repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. (Matt. 3:2, 4:17.) John was like Elijah of old in his style and personality. He came in the spirit of power of Elijah.

Isaiah foretold John’s mission. It was to "prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight." (Matt. 3:3, Isa. 40:3.) He called upon Israel to repent and get prepared to receive the Messiah. John’s pulpit was the wilderness of Judea and his baptistry was the Jordan River. He did not wear a suit and tie, but rather wore raiment of camel’s hair with a leather girdle about his loins. His diet was locusts and wild honey. He was a very successful evangelist baptizing all those round about Jerusalem, Judea and the regions about Jordan. He faithfully proclaimed his message without promoting himself above or on equality with his cousin, Jesus. He pointed Jesus out to his followers saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29.) John was beheaded because he boldly told wicked Herod that it was not lawful for him to have his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias. (Matt. 14:3-12.)

Jesus was not like John in many important ways. John was but a man and a prophet sent from God. Of those born of woman there is none greater than John. But he that is least in the kingdom is greater than he. Jesus was the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, and declared to be the Lamb of God that is able to take away our sins. John died because of the vengeance of a sinful woman and a wicked king. Jesus died, yes, at the hands of an angry and sinful people, but he came to die to take away our sins. Jesus was raised the third day for our justification. John must await the resurrection day with all the rest of the dead.

Jesus and Adam (Rom. 5:12-21, 1 Cor. 15:21-22, 47-49.)

Much further removed in time from one another is Jesus and Adam. They have less in common than Jesus and John. They are often presented in Scripture in contrast rather than in comparison. But they have this is common. Both stand at the head of the human family. Both are called Adam, "the first and the last Adam." (1 Cor. 15:45.) We have something in common with both. We share with the first Adam our physical likeness. As Adam died, so shall we. Since Adam brought sin in the world, all the descendants of Adam sin. We receive from Jesus a renewed heart and justification. As Adam brought condemnation upon all, Jesus brought salvation making it possible for all to be saved. Adam brought death; Jesus brought the resurrection from the dead.

Here are two important passages. "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." (1 Cor. 15:49.) "For as my one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." (Rom. 5:19.) What Adam and Jesus did in their lives affect, or can affect, the whole of mankind!

Because of the present conflict with the radical Muslims, we are hearing more about Muslims and Mohammed. What is the relationship between Jesus and Mohammed?

Jesus was born about 4 BC in Bethlehem; Mohammed was born about 570 AD in Mecca in present day western Saudi Arabia. Both stand at the head of two very different religions. Islam means submission, but that submission is not necessarily voluntary. It often is by force at the point of the sword. Jesus allows everyone the right to choose. Submission is based upon desire and love for Christ. Jesus is the central character of all the Holy Scriptures; Mohammed is not even mentioned once in the sacred writings, either by name or inference. Jesus is referred to in the Koran. Mohammed wrote about himself: others wrote about Jesus. Jesus was sent from God; Mohammed was not. Mohammed had many wives; Jesus never married. Mohammed committed sins; Jesus never committed any sins. Mohammed founded a false religion; Jesus founded the Kingdom of God and serves as its Head. Mohammed died and remains in his tomb: Jesus was nailed to a cruel cross and buried in Joseph’s tomb. But he arose the third day giving all of mankind the hope of the resurrection from the dead. No one should follow Mohammed because he is dead, because he was but a man, because he committed sins, and because to do so would make you carnal. No one should worship Mohammed, but everyone should worship the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

The same things that we have just said about Mohammed could be repeated for all the self-appointed prophets. They do not stand on equality with Jesus. It is blasphemy in the highest degree to exalt oneself to the status of Jesus Christ. The apostle John wrote, "Whosoever denies the Son, the same hath not the Father, but he that acknowledges the Son hath the Father also." (1 John 2:22.)

Jesus in coming from heaven to earth was made in fashion as a man. He took upon himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. (Phil. 2:7-8.) This means that he took upon him a human body. This is what "incarnation" means. There is one and only one incarnation in Scripture. It was a one-time event, never to be repeated. Jesus described it this way: "I came forth from the Father and am come into the world; again, I leave the world and go to the Father." (John 16:28.) Paul wrote, "Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (1 Tim. 3:16.)

Jesus loved us and died for us. We are sinners; He is righteous and without any sins of his own. The Hebrew writer gave this five-point description of Jesus. He was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens." (7:26.) He bore our sins; we bear his righteousness. We are called Christians after his name, as a bride wears the name of her husband. He is the Savior; we are saved by him.

Because of the deity of Jesus, though appearing in a human body and being born a Jew, we do not and should not think about Jesus as being identified with any particular race of people. His traits are like those of the Father. He identifies himself with everyone without respect of persons. His character is one that everyone can and should embrace. We should all seek to be like him.

Jesus is also compared to two preachers in the Old Testament, Jonah and Solomon. Jonah was sent to preach to the exceeding wicked Ninevites. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. The Jews despised the Assyrians and for good reason. They were extraordinarily brutal in battle and in their treatment of captives. Jonah shared the feelings of his fellow Jews against the Ninevites. When God told him to go preach to them, he did not want them to repent and be spared. But they did, at least, at first.

This is what Jesus said about the people of Nineveh. "The men of Nineveh will rise in judgment with this generation and condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here." (Matt. 12:41.) The one greater than Jonah is Jesus.

Jesus also said, "The queen of the south shall rise up in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it; for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, a greater than Solomon is here." (12:42.) Solomon had been blessed by God with a greater degree of wisdom than any man. He wrote a book, Ecclesiastes, pondering the meaning of life. He dealt with the tough issues of life facing them squarely. To say that someone is greater than Solomon in wisdom is quite a statement. This shows the wisdom of our Lord and how we should listen to him. No one ever understood life and could expound its meaning more than Jesus Christ.

The Hebrew writer makes a special point of comparing Jesus with angels. The key word in Hebrews is the word, better. We have a better covenant established upon better promises. (Heb. 8:6.) Jesus is said to be "made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." (1:4.) None of the angels ever wore the name, Son. (1:5.) The angels worship Jesus. (1:6.) Jesus was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. (2:9.) Jesus did not take on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (2:16.) Jesus was crowned with glory and honor because of his submission to the will of God. He was raised and rules over the Kingdom of God.

How does Jesus compare with God Almighty? We can understand how one man can excel and be greater than another man. But how about God? This is what the Bible says. "Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image (exact representation—NIV) of his person." (Heb. 1:3.) "For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (Col. 2:9.) "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." (John 14:9.) "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth." (John 1:14.) "That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father." (John 5:23.)