Dec 65 min read

The Lord Jesus Christ: What His 3 Names Mean

When I was 6 years old, Jesus was as real to me as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Queen Elizabeth, and the yellow brick road of Monroe Avenue.

They are all gone now, replaced by another President, King, or Macadam. Jesus is still there, and I have learned much more about Him over the next 72 years. You will, too, as you read today's article.

Learning about Him is one thing, walking with Him through life is a much deeper and transforming experience.

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Everybody knows something about Jesus, but few see Him in all His fullness. The Bible is the place to begin. Let’s start with His name: The Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ

Who is Jesus? These three words express the essence of our faith as Christians. Indeed, they are perhaps the fullest expression of our faith possible. The fullness of this unique eternal Being is seen in each word.

Lord:

First, both eternally and chronologically, Jesus is Lord, that is God, the King or immortal Being to whom all deference belongs, the One in charge. The most well-known Biblical reference to this is the first verses of the Gospel of John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Jesus:

When He was born into this world, the eternal Lord took on human form from His mother Mary, was born into a family, and was named Jesus* (4BC-30AD).

An asterisk after a name means that person in in SPIRITUAL LIVES.

Jesus grew up and lived His life just like you and me. He was under the authority of His parents and learned to live in a family with brothers and sisters. But Jesus did not become a carpenter like Joseph. Instead, He became a preacher, like His cousin John*, (4BC-26AD) who baptized Him in the Jordan River to signal the start of Jesus’ ministry.

One of the first things He did was to find men and women to help Him spread the good news that the kingdom of God was coming and open to anyone who believed in Him. Jesus lived with these companions for three years and shared with them His power, love, and faith.

People knew He came from God because of how He spoke and what He did. Soon after His baptism Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding of one of His friends. He healed people from all kinds of sickness and disease and even raised the dead! He did this not simply to show His power, but because He was “moved with compassion” when He saw people suffering.

He loved them and “was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd.” Mark 6:34 Indeed, He saw Himself as the Good Shepherd and said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep,” John 10:11, and that is exactly what He did.

How wonderful that you and I can be friends with the Lord of the universe! We can have this two-tiered relationship with the Lord Jesus, but the second portion, the friend part, is of our own choosing. It is completely voluntary.

Christ:

Although this word is so closely tied to the name of Jesus that we use it as a surname, it is not a name at all, but a title. It means “the anointed one.” It was He who was promised to Eve, the One Who would “bruise” the serpent’s head, He who would lift the curse of sin and restore all creation to its original goodness.

Christ was the “promised One” the original sacrifice for sin, “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” Revelation 13:8, the “second Adam” Who would complete God’s work of salvation for humankind.” For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:22.

Unlike Jesus, who was born flesh and blood, whose life had a beginning, “Christ”, like ‘” Lord,” is an eternal concept without beginning or end. It may be viewed as an “office” like “president’ or “public advocate.

People of Jesus’ time were looking for this “Christ” (the “Messiah” of the Old Testament) as He had been promised throughout history but particularly in the time frame set by Daniel* (623-539BC), which was exactly when Jesus was born.

You see this in the story of the Wise Men from the East who were searching the skies for the star announcing the birth of “the king” and Herod* (74-4BC), whose immediate question was “Where Christ should be born.” “The Christ” had no identity yet, but this was the question on everyone’s lips. This was what they asked John and Jesus Himself. John immediately identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God” and shortly after God the Father showed Simon Peter (1BC-67AD) that Jesus was the Christ.

That day, on that cross, Jesus became Christ as He gave His blood that you and I “might not perish but have everlasting life.” He became our Redeemer, our Savior, and He is in that role today, our Advocate, offering us forgiveness of sin and Life, everlasting Life to you and me with His own assurance that whoever “cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37

So Who is Jesus?

Well, fundamentally, Jesus made that very clear with His own words:

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. – Revelation 22:13

However, whether this is your first time hearing who Jesus is, or you have been following Him all your life, our search and calling to KNOW Him, isn’t over. So, how does one get to know such a Being, divine yet human, all-powerful and all-knowing and yet still “meek and lowly of heart,’ full of compassion and love?

Well, I have been learning more and more about Jesus since I was a little boy, and He has revealed Himself to me in different ways at different times. That testimony that He has given me is one thing I’m sharing on this blog, but there are 7 ways to learn deeper understand the answer to “Who is Jesus” that anyone can do!

In fact, I wrote another article outlining them in “7 WAYS HOW TO KNOW JESUS BETTER”. IF YOU’VE ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE, AND WANT TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN KNOWING JESUS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GIVE IT A READ!

Still have questions about Who Jesus Is?

If you have any questions on how to practice one of these disciplines, I encourage you to leave a question in the comments, and connect with me and the community for Jesus we have on FACEBOOK.

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To Jesus ev'ry day I find my heart is closer drawn,

He's fairer than the glory of the gold and purple dawn;

He's all my fancy pictures in its fairest dreams, and more,

Each day He grows still sweeter than He was the day before.

Refrain:

The half cannot be fancied, this side the golden shore;

O there He'll be still sweeter than He ever was before.

2 His glory broke upon me when I saw Him from afar,

He's fairer than the lily, brighter than the morning star;

He fills and satisfies my longing spirit o'er and o'er,

Each day He grows still sweeter than He was the day before. [Refrain]

3 My heart is sometimes heavy but he comes with sweet relief,

He folds me to His bosom when I droop with blighting grief;

I love the Christ who all my burdens in His body bore,