Who
is Jesus for you? John calls Jesus the Lamb of God and thus signifies
Jesus' mission as the One who redeems us from our sins. The blood of the Passover
Lamb delivered the Israelites from their oppression in Egypt and from the
plague of death. The Lord Jesus freely offered up his life for us on the cross
as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. The blood which he poured out for us on
the cross cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin, and from the
"wages of sin which is death" and the "destruction of both body
and soul in hell".
It
is significant that John was the son of the priest, Zachariah, who participated
in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people. In
Jesus John saw the true and only sacrifice which could deliver us from bondage
to sin, death, and the powers of hell. How did John know the true identity of
Jesus, as the Son of God and Savior of the world? The Holy Spirit revealed to
John Jesus' true nature, such that John bore witness that this is the Son of
God. How can we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the
living God? The Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the
gift of faith. God gives us freely of his Spirit that we may comprehend - with
enlightened minds and eyes of faith - the great mystery and plan of God to
unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
John
in his characteristic humility was eager to point beyond himself to the Christ
(means Anointed One and Messiah). He did not hesitate to direct
his own disciples to the Lord Jesus. When two of John's disciples began to seek
Jesus out, Jesus took the initiative to invite them into his company. He did
not wait for them to get his attention. Instead he met them halfway. He asked
them one of the most fundamental questions of life: "What are you looking
for?" Jesus asks each one of us the same question: "What are you
searching for? Do you know the meaning and purpose for your life?" Only
God, the Father and Author of life, can answer that question and make our purpose
fully known to us. That is why the Lord Jesus invites each one of us to draw
near to himself. He wants us to know him personally - to know what he came to
do for us and what he wants to offer us.
When
we find something of great value it's natural to want to share the good news of
our discovery with our family, friends, and neighbors. When Andrew met Jesus
and discovered that he was truly the Messiah, he immediately went to his
brother Simon and told him the good news. Andrew brought his brother to meet
Jesus so he could "come and see" for himself. When Jesus saw Simon
approaching he immediately reached out to Simon in the same way he had done for
Andrew earlier. Jesus looked at Simon and revealed that he knew who Simon was
and where he came from even before Simon had set his eyes on Jesus. Jesus gave
Simon a new name which signified that God had a personal call and mission for
him. Jesus gave Simon the name "Cephas" which is the Aramaic word for
"rock". Cephas is translated as Peter (Petros in Greek and Petrus
in Latin) which also literally means "rock". To call someone a
"rock" was one of the greatest compliments in the ancient world. The
rabbis had a saying that when God saw Abraham, he exclaimed: "I have
discovered a rock to found the world upon." Through Abraham God
established a nation for himself. Through faith Peter grasped who Jesus truly
was - the Anointed One (Messiah and Christ) and the only
begotten Son of God. The New Testament describes the church as a spiritual
house or temple with each member joined together as living stones (see 1 Peter
2:5). Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones. The Holy
Spirit gives us the gift of faith to know the Lord Jesus personally, power to
live the gospel faithfully, and courage to witness the truth and joy of the
Gospel to others. The Lord Jesus is ever ready to draw us to himself. Do you
seek to grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ?
(Servants
of the Word)
Fr. Phil
