DEITY OF JESUS - Col. 1:15

I will not have time to cover two very important descriptions of the person of Christ on Sunday: first, the significance of his full title in the Bible: "the Lord Jesus Christ" and second, "the Offices of Jesus Christ."

First, the Bible refers to him as the Lord Jesus Christ. The term "LORD" represents a direct tie to the Hebrew word Yahweh. This is the most reverent name for God in all of scripture. The title Yahweh is considered so holy by Jews even today that the word is not spoken out loud. Usually the name Adonai or Lord is subsitituted in its place. The Hebrew Scriptures left the vowels out of the word because they didn't even want to spell it. This is the name assigned to Jesus by many authors in the New Testament. One declaration of this title for Jesus Christ is in Philippians 2:9-11. This New Testament hymn, probably sung in the church often, is recorded by the Apostle Paul as a clear explanation of the death and exaltation of Jesus Christ. He is elevated to the position of LORD by the LORD.
The personal name "Jesus" comes from the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning "the Lord (Yahweh) is Salvation." It is the name given to God's son by the angel as Mary listened. It is an expression of his humanity. Not that He is only human but that the LORD has taken on flesh in the person of Jesus.
Now, "Christ" is the term that ties Jesus of Nazareth to the Old Testament prophecies about the Coming One. Christ means "anointed one." The term is used often to describe the Kings of Israel and the Prophets as God's anointed servants. Jeremiah 33, Isaiah 9 and 11, all look forward to the Anointed One who will come to bring deliverance and who will reign. (You should check these prophecies out - written 400 years before Jesus)

Second, bridging the teaching of who Christ is and what He came to do is the concept of divine offices. God appointed Jesus to be "Prophet," "Priest," and "King." Each of these terms represent a feature in the mediating work of Christ between our Father in Heaven and Humanity.
The term Prophet means "one who speaks forth." In Israel, the idea became associated with one who speaks for God. It carries with it the notion of proclamation and preaching. This is why people got so excited when Jesus quotes the passage from Isaiah 61, "The Spirit of the Lord is resting upon me..." He was putting himself in the place of filling this prophetic office. Jesus said in another place, "these words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me" (John 14:24) He took the idea of prophet utterance to the hightest level. He is truly the One who speaks for God because He is God.
Jesus also filled the office of Priest. A priest is an individual set apart to represent God to people. In the Old Testamenet, priests offered sacrifices to God to secure divine favor and forgiveness. The book of Hebrews places Jesus in the office of priest, but not as a normal priest who must continually year after year make sacrifices for atonement. Jesus made a sacrifice once for all - His Life (Heb. 10:1-18).
Jesus can also be called a King. He is our Priest, our Lord, and our Master. More than these, however, he is the Triumphant One over sin, death, grave, and eternity. The Old Testament prophecies foretold of one who would unite in himself the functions of prophet, priest, and king. David was promised that his kingdom would not end (2 Sam. 7:16). Isaiah looked forward to an individual on whom authority would rest (Is. 9:6, 9:7) And finally, the Book of Revelation pictures the Lamb of God in the final triumph reigning as King of Kings (Rev. 11:15)

Jesus is amazing! I hope you will spend time looking over these scriptures. I am available for questions if you have any...Eric