[Uniqueness of Christ] Jesus' Unique RelationshipSample

In Practice

No other human being in history who ever claimed equality with God could demonstrate it as Jesus Christ did. He had such a close relationship with His Father, and their love for one another was so beautifully expressed.

Jesus was able to express that equality without taking anything away from the Father and even giving glory to Him. Jesus was able to do this because He is God!

Jesus also did everything He came to do. When He stood up in the temple and read the prophecy about what the Messiah would do, He was reading about Himself. He did all that the Father told Him to do. Even though Jesus was equal to God, He gave deference to the Father all the time. He said He only did what the Father told Him to do, and whatever He saw the Father do, He did.

Moreover, He backed every one of His claims with action. He forgave sins, healed, proclaimed freedom to the captives, proclaimed the gospel, and did all the things the Father did because He was and is equal to the Father.

I used to work for my dad's company. Many of his customers would tell me I talked like my father or was like him. This used to disturb me until one day. I understood that there was no greater compliment someone could offer than saying: "I see your father in you."

Imagine what it must have felt like for Jesus to know that people saw the Father in Him. This confirmed He was doing exactly what He was supposed to do and doing it so well that He had become the visible manifestation of the invisible God.

When Jesus claimed equality with God, publicly saying He was the Son of God, He sentenced Himself to die on the cross. Jesus was found innocent in all of His trials. What ultimately sent Him to the cross were His claims about being the Son of God, equal with God. Had He not said a word about who He was, He would not have gone to the cross. Yet Jesus went to the cross in obedience to the Father.

The cross was a public demonstration of the depth of Jesus' love for the Father and for us. God and Jesus want to draw us into their relationship; they never intended to keep it for themselves. We are called to be part of that beautiful relationship.