December 28, 2021 -- John 5:18, 25-29 -- Do you know, really know, Who Jesus Is?

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
John 5:18, 25-29 ESV

When you are sharing Good News with a person who does not know Jesus Christ, the question often arises, “Who is Jesus?” The Jewish person will wonder, is He really ‘the Messiah’, that is, the anointed one of God promised in the Old Testament? A Jehovah Witness cult member will discount Jesus as the Son of God, co-eternal with God and the Savior-Judge of the World. Those who follow the Koran denigrate Jesus, claiming when he returns he will witness to their prophet. Many church-going Christians do not have a true concept of Who Jesus really is. Alistair Begg stated in a recent podcast that many evangelical Christians delight in Jesus or God as some sort of divine genie. Just rub the belly of God and get what you want.

Who then is Jesus? According to Jesus’ own words, He is fully God. He is LORD over the living and the dead. He has dreadful majesty in that He has the authority to execute judgment. According to the judgment of Jesus some will rise to eternal life, and others will rise to the resurrection of judgment, that is, be sent by Jesus to hell, ‘where "'the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched’ (Mark 9:48). How does knowing this change you? The response of the heart committed to Jesus is a desire to know Him better and understand Him as the revelation of the Father.

Read the Bible so that you will know Jesus—the Savior and Judge of the world. Spend time thinking on such things, so that you will know Him better. Seek out a Christian friend whose walk with God you admire and ask him to help you understand the Bible better so that you can grow in your faith. Ask the Spirit of God Who lives in you, to make Jesus more dear to your heart and more vividly known to your imagination and ever more the Person Whom you worship. The greater your love for the Son, the more your heart will be drawn to the Father Who sent the Son. As your worship and love increase for the Father and the Son, your hearts will be made more open to the work of the Holy Spirit, Who cleanses you and gives you even greater faith, insight, love and hope which is securely anchored on Jesus. All of this spills over from a heart overflowing in devotion to Him so that you will witness to Jesus.

Spirit of God, increase my faith! As I read the Bible, help me to see Who Jesus truly Is. Spirit of the Living God, bring me into contact with other Christians whose faith will stimulate in me a longing for deeper faith and greater knowledge of Jesus Christ so that what I believe truly reflects what You have revealed in the Word. Spirit of God bring me to people who need to know Who Jesus truly is and give me holy boldness to share the Good News of Who He Is. Mighty God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, in my life, in Your Church, in Your world—be glorified! Amen.

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