by Shannon Caughey

I remember the first day of football practice my freshman year of high school. Coach had us write our name on athletic tape and stick it to the front of our helmet. He was following a basic principle: to get to know who we are, he first needed to know our name—what we’re called. 

We can apply this same basic principle to getting to know Jesus. We find in the Bible that multiple names and titles are used for him and by him. Beginning with his personal name of “Jesus”—which in the original language means “the Lord saves”—what Jesus is called is filled with meaning and significance. Out of a desire to know Jesus more fully and to help others know him as well, in this series of devotions we’ll look at several of the names and titles of Jesus.

A prominent one is “Christ,” which is used for Jesus over 500 times in the New Testament. Often he is referred to as “Jesus Christ,” which may make us think that “Christ” is like his last name—what he’d put on the back of his uniform. But he is also regularly called “Christ Jesus.” Consider additionally a couple passages of Scripture: When the angel announces the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:11, he says, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Later in Luke, Jesus has this exchange with Peter about his identity: “‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Peter answered, ‘The Christ of God.’” (Luke 9:20)

“Christ” is not the equivalent of the last names given to us today. It is the Greek version (the original language of the New Testament was Greek) of the Hebrew term “Messiah.” “Christ” or “Messiah” means “the anointed one.” The Old Testament background is that when a king was selected, he went through a ritual of being anointed with oil, signifying he had been set apart for this role. The OT repeatedly looks ahead to a coming Messiah: an ultimate king who will save his people and whose kingdom will last forever. 

Jesus is that Messiah. He is the Christ, the one anointed by God to save and to reign. The people in Jesus’ day thought that when the Christ came, he would establish his rule through military might and save the Jewish people from being oppressed by foreign nations like the Romans. Jesus makes it clear that his mission is so much greater. Rather than taking up arms, Jesus lays down his life on the cross to save us from our sins. Through faith in him, anyone can be forgiven of our sinful rebellion against God and be welcomed into his kingdom. Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). 

To know Jesus as the Christ is to recognize him as both Savior and King. His saving work has past, present, and future dimensions. If we have put our trust in Christ Jesus, we can be sure that he already saved us from the penalty for our sin. Jesus made us right with God through dying on the cross in our place. He is also presently at work in us through his Spirit, saving us from the power of sin over us and enabling us to live more and more fully for him. In the future when we die or when Jesus returns, he will save us from the very presence of sin. All of this goes hand in hand with recognizing Jesus as King. To put our faith in him as the Christ is to submit to his rule over every area of our life—including our coaching. It’s to desire that Jesus reign over every thought, word, action, and interaction.

Coach, Jesus invites you to know him as the Christ. Trust and follow him as Savior and King. Point those around you to his salvation and reign. Pray that others would come to know Christ Jesus through you.

For reflection: Praise Jesus that he is the Christ. Thank him for his past, present, and future work of saving you. Express your desire that he would reign over every area of your life.