Peter Mayen: Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost 25 October 2020: Who Is This Man Called Jesus? Matthew 22:34-46.
Prayer: Holy Father, breathe in us your Holy Spirit for the Honour of Your Holy Word, and by your faith in us, by obedience teach to trust you as you help us to hear and believe your word in Christ Jesus Name.
Jesus is not only the most important person who ever lived, but He is also the most controversial Messiah, the Son of our God. Throughout history, people have hated Him, ignored Him, loved Him, and He died for our His sake willingly. Two thousand years ago Jesus walked out of a carpenter’s shop and home to begin His ministry, and since then an increasing number of people have followed Him with their whole Hearts, Minds and Souls. We as Anglican Believers have shared, proclaimed, and trusted in the Love of Jesus Christ our King. That is why we have come and gather in worship and adoration and exaltation of His Holy name. We matter in having our relationship with Him by faith and through good work.
Who is this man called Jesus? Jesus asked that same question of His disciples: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matt. 16:13). The answers varied, from John the Baptist to one of the Old Testament prophets. But when He asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Christ (the Messiah). the Son of the living God” (matt 16: 15-16). Today, many Christians including us here still believes in the Messiah as the Son of the living God. We celebrate His birth on Christmas, worship, and bow down to Him as our Lord, and pray in His name. To us, He is the most awesome person whoever walked on earth because He is God’s Son. In the Holy Scripture, He is consistently and constantly being conferred these Kingly and Majestic Names : Messiah, Son of God, Savior of the world, reigning Lord, ruling Judge, and returning King , these names are just a few of them. Therefore, if Jesus is who the Scripture says He is, we are encourage to respond Him in the following ways: Believing in Him, trusting in Him whole-heartly, following in Him, serve Him, proclaim Him, know Him through God’s Word, and love Him. When we do this, it will impact every aspect of our own spiritual lives and relationship with God’s people and with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
What are Jesus’ attributes? Here are some of His Divine attributes in accordance with the Bible.
Jesus is our Creator.
All things were created by Him, we were also created by Him and through Him, and for Him with the Father (Col. 1:15-16).
Jesus is our Omnipresent God. As our Savior, Jesus lives within our hearts and is with us wherever we go (Psalm 139).
Jesus is our Omnipotent God. We know Him as God the Son who has all power to do whatever fits with His character and is in keeping with His Father’s will.
Jesus is Our Omniscient God. There are no secrets because our Lord knows all things with complete accuracy. Before we even utter a prayer, He knows what we will say.
Jesus is full of compassion, Merciful and love. We may freely call upon Christ to be merciful to us and need never worry that He will mistreat us. He called us to love others and care for their need as well.
Jesus is our Eternal and sovereign God. Jesus was born of a woman, but this is not when He came into existence. He has always existed as eternal Son of God, one of the three members of the Trinity. Genesis (2:26), “let us create both male and female in our image”.
Jesus is our Holy God. Because of His divine nature, Jesus was completely sinless to redeemed and transformed us from all our human frailties and brokenness.
Jesus is fully God and fully Human. Although He never ceased being God, Jesus was also fully human yet without sin. Because He lived as a man, He understands and can help us in our weakness.
Jesus has Deity as God. Jesus was also wholly divine with all the attributes and perfections of deity.
Jesus was born by a Virgin-Mary. To become the Holy, sinless God-man, Jesus our righteousness, and hope of our eternal salvation. had to be conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin Mary, the descendant of King David. This was the only way He could represent all humankind and be the sinless Lamb of God who was qualified to atoned for our sins with His death on the cross. How do you/we know Him, trust in His sacrificial love, in which He had offered His Holy life to mediate, making our peace for us with the Father. Where is Jesus today? According to Scripture, He is seated at the Father’s right hand, making intercession for us (Rom. 8:34). Jesus also stay within our hearts, with His Father and the Holy Spirit constantly praying for our flourishing, when we are weak and needy. Having faith and assurance of salvation through Christ is knowing that we are totally liberated, free at last. Jesus said in the Gospel of John 8:36, “If the Son gives us freedom, we are free indeed”. His Spirit came to indwell in us and seal us all into the family of God our Father, through the renewal and transformation of our lives, let us love, forgive and encourage each other as redeem Heirs and Heiress free people of God. Because we know and trust Jesus Christ is consistently and permanently dwelling in us and we also dwell in Him by the power of the Holy Spirit. What was Jesus’ mission on earth? I believe Jesus came to reveal the Father to us and the whole world. Jesus told His disciples, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Because He was God, everything Jesus did and said revealed the Father’s nature and works. He came also to redeemed humankind. Jesus came to offer Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. He came to equipped and inspired us, so that we know the power of being love, being forgiven and being transformed to shine and the light and salt in this world, full of many untold challenges. Now everyone who believes in Him, including us, are encourage to repents daily and turn to from performing unwelcomed practices, and embrace the freedom and righteousness of grace flowing from the throne of God, and for us to accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Redeemer of our lives. He is the Lord and Savior who came to saved us. He came to assured us of life after death. When Christ overcame death and rose from the grave, the issue of eternal life was to be settled once and for all our challenges. Without His resurrection, we would have no hope of life after death and no confidence that all that Jesus said was true. To promise us resurrection. Because Jesus was raised up, we can be sure that we too will be resurrected when He returns (1 Cor. 15:20, 51-58; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10). All that we have in Christ is beyond our understanding. He is given us His amazing promises and is continually working in and for us. Who did Jesus say He was? The Good Shepherd (v. 11); The Bread of Life (6:48) The Vine (15:5); The Way, the Truth, and the Life forever (14:6) The Light of the World (8:12); The Door for the sheep (10:9) . What does Scripture say about Jesus’ Name? We know in our human cultures, naming a person matters, because it defines identity, carries purpose and sense of belonging to a particular nation, family, and lineage. For example, our first-born son, is named Thor meaning Mighty one, because our great grandpa was a mighty diviner. Your names define you all as V.I.P (very Important and Peoples) under God and in the world. Jesus Name by angel Gabriel means: to save all people from Sins. (Mathew 1:21). His name is above every name. “Every knee will bow” and “every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11). Even the world’s tyrannical, the most ferocious and immoral people who have rejected Jesus humble way of leading and saving will bow their heads down before Him in shame and guilty of sinful behaviours. Those who want to control everything at the expense of the poor will one day fall to their knees and be forced to admit that He is the Lord over all things. Jesus Christ is the only Name by which we are saved (Acts 4:12). There is salvation in no one else in heaven and beneath the earth better the Name of Jesus Christ. His Name indicates His mission as the world deliverer and trust Liberator of all Humankind. We know before His incarnation, an angel gave his name to Joseph: “You shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Jesus is called the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16). He came from the heavenly Father and is one with Him. There is none like Jesus Christ, our King and Lord. He never wrote a book, but He is the subject of the greatest Book ever written we now treasured, called the Holy Bible. He never wrote a song, yet He is the subject of many Hymns sang by Christians around the world, because His Holy Spirit indwelled our hearts. He never owned a home, but He has prepared one for us, encouraging us to care and love the less of His Kingdom, feeding, healing, clothing and visiting those in need in our lives, loving our neighbors and foreigners as He has loved us all without being prejudiced and negligence. He never traveled more than one hundred miles from home, yet the entire world is in His presence, because, He was in the beginning, as the Alpha and Omega, Our God. He did not have a medical license but is known as the Great Physician and Healer of many infectious diseases, both spiritual, physical, emotional, and social blind spots. He never ordered an army, but He could bring down every kind of Kingdom an imaginable, by telling the trust with love and humility, during His great temptation by Satan and when stood accused before Pontius Pilate. Herod could not kill Him. Satan could not seduce Him. Death could not destroy Him. The tomb could not keep Him.
Jesus’ names in Scripture describe His attributes and
His mission. (Isaiah 9:6-7), Isa 7:14) and Revelation 21&22.
Who is the Man called Jesus, the Holy Bible Illustrated Him as?
King of Kings, Son of God, Lamb of God, Prince of Peace
Wonderful Counselor, Immanuel, Word of God, Prophet, Alpha and Omega, Lord of Lords, Great High Priest, Morning Star.
Invitation Reflection responses:
Why is Jesus worthy of your faith, devotion, and worship? How can you focus on Him in your or our Faith journey as Pilgrimage on Earth? Let us cat out all doubts concerning Who This Jesus Christ Is, and we are all encourage to be believing in What He has accomplished for our salvation, trusting in His Holiness and Kingship without allowing ourselves being distracted by all the activities, preparations, and expectations of this life, that soon faded away like a vapor, but HaReceiving Jesus Christ as Our Saviour and setting our Hearts as our unshakable anchor in this life and the glorious life that is coming with Him when He return to take us home in Heaven. God bless you all in Jesus Christ Holy Name.
Amen. Peter Mayen.