under a special agreement with
presents "The Way to Heaven"
under a special agreement with
Lesson 9: The Greatness of God's Son
Jesus Christ is the One in whom God has found His perfect delight.
On two occasions, God spoke from Heaven saying:
"This is my beloved son, in Whom I am well pleased."
God is so pleased and so delighted with His Son that He has put everything in His hands. The Bible says,
"The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand." John 3:35
In this lesson we are going to see something of the greatness and the glory of God's Son.
God's Son is the Great Creator
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ, God's Son, is the One who created all things. God's Word says,
"All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." John 1:3
The universe itself was created by God's Son. The Bible says,
"For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible." Colossians 1:16a
Not only was the universe created by Christ, but it was created for Him. The Bible says,
"All things were created by Him, and for Him." Colossians 1:16b
Scientists can tell us something of the beauty of nature and the vastness and wonders of the universe. But they cannot explain the origin of the universe, how it holds together, and why it operates as it does.
Not only did the Son create all things, but He upholds the universe which He created. The Bible says that He upholds "all things by the word of His power." (Hebrews 1:3)
The Bible says that it is all maintained by God's Son. God's Word says,
"He is before all things, and by Him all things consist (hold together)." Colossians 1:17
There is not a bit of creation that is not upheld and maintained by God's Son. God wants us to think about these things and to realize something of the greatness of His Son.
God's Son is the Great Revealer
Jesus Christ came into the world to reveal the Father. He came to tell us and show us what God is like. The Bible says,
"No man has seen God as any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared (revealed) Him." John 1:18
The only way we can know God is through His Son. Jesus said,
"Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." Matthew 11:27
Everything that God is has been perfectly revealed and expressed in His Son. The Bible says,
"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily." Colossians 2:9
God has been revealed so perfectly in Christ that Jesus could say,
"He who has seen Me has seen the Father." John 14:9
God's Son is the Great Savior
The name "Jesus" means "Savior."
He is the great Savior, the One who can save us from all our sins.
The most precious story in all the Bible is the story of how God's Son loved us, how He left His home in Heaven to come into this world to become our Savior.
As a Man, He humbled Himself. He even washed the feet of His disciples. He went about doing good. He healed the sick, He restored sight to the blind. He caused the lame to walk again. But His very purpose in coming was to die on the cross for our sins.
Jesus chose to go to the cross for us. He said,
"Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life… No man takes it from Me, but I lay it down of myself." John 10:17-18
On the third day He rose from the dead. He was still a Man but now He was a glorified Man.
As a glorified Man, Jesus appeared to His disciples for forty days after His resurrection. Then, as a glorified Man, He went back to Heaven to take His place at the right hand of God. The Bible says,
"This Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down at the right hand of God." Hebrews 10:12
In Heaven, the Lord Jesus is worshipped because of His great redeeming work. The Bible says,
"You are worthy… for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood." Revelation 5:9
God's Son is Lord of All
As a risen, glorified Man, the Lord Jesus returned to Heaven. There the Father gave Him the place of greatest honor.
- He is seated at the right hand of God the Father.
- It is His rightful place as the Son.
- No other place is suited to His greatness.
The position given to the Man, Christ Jesus, is far above that of angels or any power in the universe. The Bible says,
"He (God) raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come." Ephesians 1:20-21
God has given Jesus a name that is above every name. There has never been a name as great as His name and there never will be. The name "JESUS CHRIST" is above every name in this world or the world to come. The Bible says,
"God also has highly exalted Him, and given His a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11
If we could be lifted out of this world and taken to Heaven, the thing that would impress us most is that Jesus Christ has the place of supreme honor and authority in Heaven. He has the highest place in the entire universe.
God's Great Purpose
God has purposed that in everything His Son shall have the place of greatest honor. The Bible says,
"He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the Head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence (the place of highest honor)." Colossians 1:17-18
God has promised that one day He will have new heavens and a new earth where there will be no sin. The Bible says,
"We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness." 2 Peter 3:13
Everything in God's new universe will be in Christ's hands and under His control. The Bible says that God has made Him "the heir of all things." (Hebrews 1:2)
God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will be the center and the glory of a universe of joy and happiness and love. Every creature will praise and honor Him. The Bible says,
"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Revelation 5:12
In God's new universe, the Lord Jesus Christ shall reign for ever and ever.