Jesus is God, or as Christians have historically said, “the second person of the Trinity.” As God, he existed before the creation of the universe, as the first chapter of the Gospel of John explains. Because he is God, he has the right and power to rule in creation and in individual lives.
He became a man, born as a baby in Judea during the reign of Herod the Great, a little more than two thousand years ago. This is traditionally referred to as the “incarnation,” and was part of God’s plan to repair the effects of rebellion in the created order.
Although God’s plan will eventually culminate in Jesus’ rule as king on earth and in heaven, Jesus’ incarnation was a matter of humbling himself, and his life was ended in Jerusalem when he was executed by crucifixion on the order of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.
Although he really died, and was then buried, he was resurrected and appeared to many people over a period of about fifty days before ascending into heaven. He will return at the end of time to complete God’s restoration of creation and to rule over all.