Who is Jesus? The Truth That Transforms Lives

“Who is Jesus?” - It may sound simple, but in this Crowd Church talk, John Harding suggests these three words carry more weight than any others you’ll consider.

Once you dig a little deeper, you'll find this question demands more than a casual shrug. Because if Jesus was who he said he was, it changes everything. And if he wasn't? Well, that changes things too. Either way, we can't just leave it in the "maybe later" pile. This isn't another "try harder to be religious" message—it's an invitation to wrestle with something that actually matters.

Paul's Final Chapter

We pick up the story at the end of Acts, with the Apostle Paul under house arrest in Rome. He's been shipwrecked, arrested, and is now awaiting trial before Caesar. Not exactly ideal circumstances for anyone, let alone someone trying to spread a message about a Jewish carpenter who claimed to be God.

But here's what's remarkable: Paul doesn't waste his situation. Each day, from morning till evening, he tried to convince his fellow Jews about Jesus. Chained to a guard, future uncertain, and he's still talking about Jesus.

The book of Acts ends without telling us what happened to Paul. Did he get released? Did he see Caesar? Our best guess is that after two years, Paul was released, went straight back to planting churches, before being re-arrested and executed by Nero around 68 AD. But what's clear throughout is that Paul never stopped answering that primary question.

Son of God, Lunatic, or Liar

John highlighted something C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity that's worth sitting with:

"A man who said the sort of things that Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic or he would be a liar like a devil of hell. You've got to make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let's not come up with some patronising nonsense about him being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

As John put it, the only satisfactory answer—according to the Bible, according to Jesus—is that he is God's Son, our Saviour, and that he is worthy of our worship and our very lives.

Why We've Stopped Talking About Him

John made an observation that stung a bit: one of the biggest problems facing the church in the Western world is that we simply don't speak of Jesus.

We'll talk about making our churches more attractive. We'll debate ethics and culture wars. We'll discuss how to be better people and succeed at life. But somehow Jesus himself gets pushed to the margins of our conversations.

John mentioned a book by Karl Madaris called "Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Non-Evangelism." The author spent decades living in Muslim countries and discovered something interesting: when you talk about Christianity, people are put off. When you talk about church, people are put off. But when you talk about Jesus? People are interested. There's something compelling about him that transcends religious structures.

There's also that famous quote often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: "Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words." It sounds humble and wise. But as John pointed out, there's no evidence Francis ever said it. In fact, if you read about his life, everywhere he went he spoke about Jesus. He used words.

Actions matter enormously. But on their own, they won't lead anyone into a relationship with Jesus. We need words, works, and wonders.

Wherever You Are

So where should we speak about Jesus? John's answer: wherever you are.

Paul was in prison, chained to a guard, awaiting trial that could lead to his death. Not exactly an optimal evangelism environment. But he spoke about Jesus anyway.

John shared a story about his nan—a lady called Ellen, or Nell. When she was in her 80s, John's mum would take them to a shopping mall, and Nell would be left on a bench to wait. Time and again, they'd return to find someone sat next to her, often in tears, with Nell praying for them or leading them to faith. She just took an opportunity to speak of Jesus.

No special programme. No fancy strategy. Just an elderly woman on a bench who loved Jesus and wasn't afraid to mention him.

Conversation Street

Do people talk about Jesus positively in the UK?

Andy raised this in the comments, and it sparked a good discussion. The general feeling was that people might speak positively about Jesus in a vague way—"he was a nice person" or "a good moral teacher"—but they're often more negative about the church and Christians themselves. The heckles tend to go up when you suggest Jesus might actually demand something of us, that he expects a response rather than just passive admiration.

Has Christian faith been watered down?

Chris asked whether we've diluted our faith. The discussion touched on fear of rejection and persecution, plus the reality that when we don't spend time with other believers or in God's word, we naturally become less like him. Matt reflected on how we've connected "church" with a building rather than a community of people—so it becomes something we "go to" rather than something we "are." That shift toward consumerism ("I don't like the worship style, so I'm not going anymore") has weakened us.

What about when we don't know what to say?

Miriam mentioned trusting God to give the right words in conversations. There's a verse about God filling our mouths when we open them, and another where Paul tells us to be prepared "in season and out of season." The Holy Spirit helps us—we don't have to have all the answers rehearsed beforehand.

The importance of critical thinking

The conversation touched on not just accepting what we're told about Jesus—whether from critics or supporters—but actually investigating for ourselves. Matt pointed out that when you push on C.S. Lewis's argument, you can't logically call Jesus just a "good moral teacher." Good moral teachers don't claim to be God unless they actually are. It becomes self-refuting.

Your Next Step

Here are some practical ways to engage with this:

1. Answer the question for yourself – Have you actually decided who you think Jesus is? Not what your parents believed, or what culture assumes, but what you've concluded after looking at the evidence.

2. Mention Jesus in a conversation – Not in a preachy way, but naturally. When something good happens, when someone asks how you're doing, when faith comes up. Just don't edit him out.

3. Read an eyewitness account – If you've never actually read what Jesus said about himself, try reading the Gospel of Mark. It's short and punchy.

4. Be prepared wherever you are – Like Nell on the bench, your next conversation about Jesus might happen in the most ordinary place. Stay open to it.

5. Don't wait for perfect conditions – Paul was in chains. You're probably not. If he could speak about Jesus from prison, we can probably manage it from our living rooms.

Why It Matters

Jesus is God. Jesus is King. Jesus loves you.

That's the message Paul was willing to die for. Not a set of religious rules. Not a political agenda. Not a self-improvement programme. A person—the one who can free you from shame and guilt, who knows you fully and loves you completely, who has a great plan and purpose for your life.

As John put it: "He is so wonderful. There's no one like him, no one compares to him. And why would we not want to share such good news with everyone we meet?"

The question remains: Who is Jesus to you?