John 4:25-26
The woman said to Him, 'I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.' Jesus said to her, 'I who speak to you am He.'
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Jesus with that simple statement to the Samaritan woman at the well are words that ring with glory for all time with the eternal truth of God's Word when He proclaims, "I am He!”
The Lord would question His disciples asking them, “who do people say I am?” {Mat.16:13} To which they then responded in a number of ways, all of which missed the mark. So He followed up with what is the single most important question ever asked, 'Who do you say I am?" And Peter, a fisherman not a theologian nor a highly trained Pharisee or any other type of religious leader of the day, only a man who had surrendered his life to follow Jesus, said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” {Mat.16:16} He got it right. And now you, who do YOU say He is?
It often seems that so much of what we see in the church today appears to be a focus on seeking what the Lord can do for us materially rather than spiritually. I am put in mind of the words made famous by John F. Kennedy in his inaugural address when he was being sworn in as President of the United States in 1961, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Do you not think that might be a good way to approach God in prayer? Consider the words of Jesus as He said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)
That becomes a not burdensome task when we realize that Jesus said, “It is finished.” {Jn.19:30} Everything that had to be done has been done! The balance of the New Testament is basically commentary and teaching about that truth! We do not have to, actually cannot, do works that will achieve our salvation; He did the work on the cross! The apostles asked Jesus what they could do to work the works of God and He responded saying, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” {Jn.6:28-29} And that belief should be evident in and through us as we live a Spirit-led life. Jesus stated in the Sermon on the Mount that we are to “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” {Mat.5:16}
And please remember that God has already promised to meet ALL of our needs through His riches in glory in Christ. {Php.4:19} We do not have to convince the Lord to be good to us, we have been freed from the burden of works so that we can serve in love!
Consider the apostle Paul, a prisoner being taken to Rome, he was shipwrecked on the island of Malta along with all the others aboard that ship—sailors, soldiers and prisoners alike. {Acts 28:1-6} He was gathering firewood on the shore when a venomous snake bit him and fastened itself on his hand. The locals who were there were saying, ‘that guy is as good as dead!’ (my paraphrase} Paul did what needed to be done—he shook the snake off and kept on going! God had told him that he would stand before Caesar, and as he said in the midst of the storm, “I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.” {Acts 27:25} So, let’s add one more question to those mentioned above: “Do you believe this?”
“Jesus therefore said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.” (John 8:28)
TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART |
