What makes someone trustworthy? Character, past, and consistency are good indicators of a person’s trustworthiness. A person demonstrates his dependability through his character. One’s past actions are also good gauges of a person’s reliability. Reliability can be determined by how consistent one is in word and action.
Using these criteria, can we determine that Jesus is trustworthy?
Jesus is our resurrected Lord. Jesus, as a boy, was found in the temple after three days (Lk 2:46). The Word of God puts an emphasis on three days because it is a reminder of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus suffered, died for our sins, and was raised on the third day (Mt 16:21; 1 Cor 15:3-4).
If Jesus had not been raised, then we would still remain in sin, and our faith would be futile (1 Cor 15:17). Jesus is the object of our faith. Without the resurrection, there is no Jesus, and without Jesus, there is no faith. Thank God, then, that Jesus was “delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Ro 4:25). His resurrection is sufficient – sufficient to reconcile us to God, sufficient to atone for our sins, and sufficient to satisfy God fully.
Jesus is the Son of God. “And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers” (Lk 2:47). Because Jesus is the Son of God, He has wisdom and intimate knowledge of God. He has declared that He is the temple of God (Jn 2:18-22). He has the divine authority as Messiah to cleanse the temple. In Luke 2:49 He asks, “Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” Whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father (Jn 14:9). He has the “form of God,” the nature of God (Phil 2:5-7). Jesus affirms that He is indeed the Son of God (Mt 16:16-16). He is divine (Mt 18:20), omnipresent (Mt 28:20), Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8), eternal (Jn 1:1), and Creator (Jn 1:3). He preserves and sustains all of creation (Col 1:17). He is the giver of life (Jn 5:21) and He is equal with God (Jn 5:17-18). Jesus is Elohim.
Jesus obeyed. Jesus obeyed the law actively and in its entirety (Luke 2:49, 51). He honored His parents. He did not fail like man, but kept the law (Ja 2:10, Mt 19:21-22). He fulfilled the law (Mt 5:17-19). He is the end of law for righteousness (Rom 10:4). As a result, we can also be righteous in Jesus (2 Cor 5:21).
Jesus is humble. Jesus increased in favor with God and man (Lk 2:52). The word favor here is related to grace, like how Mary found “favor with God” (Lk 1:30). God gives grace and shows favor to the humble (Ja 4:6). Jesus humbly came to finish the work of God. He voluntarily took a position of servanthood from His birth. God received His sacrifice and was satisfied.
Through the grace of God we have been given the ability to know Jesus personally, by Scripture and prayer. We know the life of Jesus as it is recorded in the Word of God. Luke gives us a glance into Jesus’ past as a boy so we can know the consistency of His character. Jesus humbly came as God Incarnate, lived a life of obedience to God, suffered on the cross, and was raised on the third day. Jesus does not change; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). He is our resurrected Lord who lives. Jesus is indeed trustworthy, and we can confidently place our trust in the humble, resurrected Son of God, Whose sacrifice was sufficient to satisfy God.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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