Why is Christ important?

I'm not sure how to ask this- But: I believe I have a good relationship with God... It's a fairly new relationship, admittedly, but I realized about a year and a half ago that he was seeking me, and once I gained some awareness I was seeing/ experiencing 'him' everywhere. My question: What does Jesus have to do with all of this? I appreciate the model he set of God's love and how it manifested itself in human form... but, why are people praising Jesus, rather than God himself? I understand that folks see Jesus as God in human form, but... when he ascended... didn't God regain his original form? I don't know, big question....