Eternal Jesus

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Take a minute to focus on who God is—the God of Abraham and God of creation is the same God you worship today.

What does it mean to say that Jesus is eternal? Describe the concept in your own words.
Read John 8:56-59 in your Bible.

“Jesus said to them, ‘I assure you: Before Abraham was, I am’.” —John 8:58

Jesus used the phrase “I am” in John 8:58 to refer to Himself. This phrase was first used in Exodus 3:14 when Moses asked God who he should say sent him to the Israelites.

• Why do you think it bothered the Jews that Jesus claimed to exist before Abraham?

Now, read Colossians 1:15-20 in your Bible.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” —Colossians 1:15

Consider this:
Jesus isn’t only like God; Jesus is God. The death of an ordinary man on a cross would have no ramifications for the rest of us—the One to die had to be perfect, spotless, without blemish. Only Jesus, fully God and fully man could take on the sins of the world and offer us the opportunity to be restored to a right relationship with God.

• Through Jesus, we are able to see the invisible attributes of God and witness His character. In the space below, list some of Jesus’ characteristics that help you understand more about who God is.

RESPOND

The reason Jesus came to earth in human form was to restore our relationship with God and to help us know Him on a deeper level.

• Think of some people who need to experience restoration in their relationship with God. List their names in your journal and commit to pray for them this week.
• In your journal, record some steps you can take to share Jesus with the people you listed above.

BEHIND THE STORY

Jesus is fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. Everything unravels without Christ’s divinity—it is essential to the Christian faith. Jesus’ deity is what allows us to be able to be in relationship with God.(1)

THE POINT

God revealed Himself to us through His Son so that we could know Him and be restored to a right relationship with Him.

(1)“The Baptist Faith and Message,” The Southern Baptist Convention, 2000. Accessed via http://www.sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp.

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from EC magazine. @ 2015 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Weekly Devotions