Jesus is our Savior, Redeemer, and so much more. He didn’t just appear on the scene as a baby in a manger. He has been around since the beginning, and He has a special role and nature within the Trinity. Here’s how the song Wonderful Merciful Savior describes Jesus.
“Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb
Could rescue the souls of men.”
Wow, what an image of Jesus. In this blog post, it’s hard to describe the fullness of everything Jesus is, but I’d like to explore a few of His traits that make Him the wonderful merciful Savior He is.
Word
As I mentioned, Jesus is present in the Trinity long before His entrance as a baby. In the act of creation, Jesus is the Word that God spoke to bring creation into existence. So, when God the Father said, “Let there be light,” Jesus was the Word, not the one speaking, but the Word through whom creation came into being.
I got my degree in communication and I love words! I think that’s why I love the idea that Jesus is the Word! Our words are our outward expressions of what’s inside us, and it’s the same with Jesus! He is an outward expression of God the Father’s mind, heart, and will. God willed that light would exist and His divine will was expressed through His Son. I know, it’s a lot to wrap your mind around. I had to stop and just take it all in before writing about it. Jesus is the living, active, powerful Word of God.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
John 1:1-3
This is one of my favorite Scriptures because it shows how Jesus was right there doing His part in creation, the Word, the Command God spoke to bring creation into existence. It’s hard to understand, but so powerful.
Shepherd
We like to think of God the Father as the shepherd guiding His lambs, but Jesus is also the shepherd. Yes, He is the sacrificial lamb, replacing the need for animal blood as atonement for sins with one sacrifice for all time. There’s another angle though, because Jesus says the good shepherd lays His life down for the sheep.
I love farm animals, and sheep are one of my favorites because of all their imagery in the Bible. Sheep aren’t the smartest animals, and they are pretty defenseless, so they need a protector who must rescue them from a lot of scary situations. They need to be led to the right grazing pastures and drinking water, but they also need to be rescued from the grip of wild animals or found when they go astray.
So many times, God has rescued me or found me when I was lost, and that makes Him a great shepherd. Our relationship with Jesus can be described as the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
John 10:11
Jesus laid His life down for us so that we could be saved. He protected us from hell so that we could be with God for eternity. He secured our future with His death and resurrection. If we are His sheep, we live in community with Him, we know His voice, and we follow Him.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
John 10:27
How great it is that we can have a personal living and active relationship with our good shepherd, who not only laid down His life for us, but also leads and guides us now with His voice.
Friend
What a friend we have in Jesus! Not only did He redeem us, but He wants to be our friend in that deeply personal way only Jesus is capable of. He is that friend who sticks closer than a brother. He is acquainted with our sorrows, shares our joy, hears our prayers, intercedes to the Father on our behalf, and walks with us through life. He is still as living and active in the lives of God’s people as He was in the very first moments of creation.
“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
John 15:15
Honorable mention to Jesus as the Vine, which I almost picked for this last section. Since we are as close to Him as branches are to a vine and we draw our energy and ability to bare fruit from Him, it makes sense that we would also be His friends. We are connected to Him, and we didn’t choose Him, Jesus chose us. It is such an honor to be chosen by my Savior and best Friend.
As a lonely girl who really struggled with my mental health and self-worth for years, it has been such a comfort to know that Jesus is nearby. He has cried with me, listened to me, and helped me in so many ways.
I recently heard a statement that has really stuck with me, and I think it’s a great way to round out our conversation on our beloved Jesus. Our value is not measured in what we do, but in the price, Jesus was willing to pay for us. Jesus paid it all so that we, His enemy, could be His friend. What a precious gift I could never repay, so I’ll give Him my heart, my obedience, and my life.
If you haven’t yet met Jesus as your personal Savior and Friend, we’d love to introduce you to Him.
Katelyn