Unwrapping the Names of Jesus -Day 6
He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” John 1:41. KJV.
Beloved, I love Christmas time, the birth of Christ, the baby in the manger, Jesus, the King of Kings, and yes, He is the Messiah.
The name to unwrap today is Messiah. Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah which means “the anointed one.” To be anointed is to be set apart, and we see this in the Old Testament when a priest would name a King such as with King David. Jesus is the only one who is both anointed King and Priest.
John the Baptist is the forerunner to Christ, and he was mistaken to be the Messiah. But like there is only one you, there is only one Messiah. John the Baptist foretold of the Messiah. Who are you telling of Messiah, that Jesus is the son of God? We all have a sphere of influence. God brings people to us daily to share the good news. God is at work all around us, and He invites us to join Him in telling the good news of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the anointed beloved Son of God.
However, Jesus wasn’t what the Jewish people expected, they wanted a military leader who would liberate them from Roman oppression, but Jesus was meek and mild in Spirit. Also, it was not time to set up Jesus’ earthly kingdom. So Jesus answered the Jewish prayer, but they rejected him as their Messiah.
Read with me of this rejection, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,” John 1: 11-12. KJV.
Daily, we have a cross to pick up and carry. Reading the Bible, praying, and witnessing to others creates within you a purpose. Each day I ask the Lord to make me a light, to allow me to share his love, to spread kindness and love. A practice I have started is instead of saying I will pray, when I see a need, I pray at that moment, whether in a text or a comment on Facebook or with a patient at the hospital, I pray.
The miracle of Christmas is the opportunities we have to share the love of Jesus; as we unwrap the names of Jesus, how can you today proclaim the name of Jesus the Messiah?
Father God, thank you for the hope we have in Jesus, the Messiah. Thank you for sending Your Son as the anointed King of Kings, the anointed Christ, the Messiah.
Beloved, you are one of a kind, so special. Perhaps today, you could get some oil and anoint yourself for service. But, then, who will you share the good news of the Messiah?
