Before you can understand what Jesus did…
You have to understand who Jesus is.
You see, Christ’s work doesn’t make sense until you first recognize His person—fully God,
fully man.
Philippians 2:6–7 tells us that although He was in the form of God, He “made Himself of no
reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant.”
That’s the mystery of the incarnation—Jesus, the eternal Son, took on flesh to redeem the
very world He created.
But here’s something deeper:
Everything Jesus did was rooted in who He was.
He didn’t just perform great works.
He was uniquely suited—divinely equipped—to carry out the greatest mission of all time:
our salvation.
So when we talk about the work of Christ, we’re really looking at it in two great stages:
First, His Humiliation
The downward descent.
The Word became flesh. He was born in a manger, lived among sinners, and suffered at the
hands of His own creation.
John 3:14 and John 12:32 remind us that He was lifted up—not onto a throne, but onto a
cross.
That was the price of redemption.
But second, His Exaltation
The upward ascent.
Philippians 2:9–11 says “God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is
above every name.”
He rose in power, ascended to heaven, sat down at the right hand of the Father, and will
come again in glory.
And in these two stages—humiliation and exaltation—we begin to see the full picture of
Christ’s mission.
But His work doesn’t end there.
Throughout Scripture, we see Jesus operating in three divine roles:
Firstly, revelatory – He is the final Word from God.
Isaiah 59:2 reminds us that sin separates us from God—but Jesus came to reveal the
Father’s heart, to bridge the gap and show us the way back.
Secondly, ruling – He is the King over all things.
Ephesians 1:20–23 paints the picture: Jesus is seated above every power and authority. He
rules over heaven, earth, and the Church. Not one detail escapes His sovereign control.
Lastly, reconciling – He brings us back to God.
2 Corinthians 5:19 says, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.”
That’s the heart of the Gospel.
We weren’t just bad—we were separated. And Christ came to remove the barrier between
God and man.
Now, when we talk about His reconciling work, we can’t ignore one crucial piece: the
Atonement.
Through the centuries, theologians have debated the how—but here’s what Scripture makes
clear:
Jesus paid the debt.
Jesus bore the wrath.
Jesus took the place we deserved.
And through Him, we now have peace with God.
There are various ways scholars have explained this—ransom, substitution, victory, moral
influence—but all of them point to this one reality:
At the cross, God’s justice and mercy kissed.
So what does all this have to do with the Holy Spirit?
Everything.
Because while Christ accomplished the work of salvation, the Holy Spirit applies it.
The Holy Spirit is not an energy or a force.
He is the third Person of the Triune God.
Fully divine. Fully personal. Fully active in the lives of believers today.
Matthew 28:19 affirms this: “Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost.”
You don’t baptize someone into a metaphor.
You baptize them into a relationship with the living God—Father, Son, and Spirit.
Augustine once called the Holy Spirit “the bond of love” between the Father and the Son.
That’s a beautiful picture of the Spirit’s role—not just in the Godhead, but in us.
He brings us into communion with God.
He makes the work of Christ real in our lives.
He regenerates, indwells, empowers, convicts, comforts, and leads.
And without Him… none of this means anything.
So let’s bring it all together:
Jesus humbled Himself to redeem us.
He is now exalted as Lord of all.
He revealed the Father, rules the cosmos, and reconciles lost people to God.
And the Holy Spirit takes that glorious truth… and writes it on the hearts of men and
women.
This isn’t just doctrine—it’s destiny.
Your Savior is not distant.
Your salvation is not abstract.
And your Helper is not imaginary.
The Triune God is at work—in history, in the Church, and in you.
So the question now is…
Will you trust the Son?
Will you follow the King?
Will you yield to the Spirit?
Because the work of Christ isn’t just a chapter in a theology book.
It’s the heartbeat of eternity—
And your invitation to come home