October 1 I Tuesday

Isaiah 11-13

Ephesians 4

“However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’––the things God has prepared for those who love Him––these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit.”

—1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Who is Jesus Christ? We may think it is a very basic question but it is the most fundamental question that we could ask. I remember on one occasion talking about who Jesus Christ is to a high school class in England. At the end of the lesson, a girl came to me and said, “You sure do swear a lot.” I was puzzled by her remark and responded, “Swear?” She said, “Yes, you kept saying, ‘Jesus Christ.’ We are not allowed to swear in class normally.” Her only understanding of the words “Jesus Christ”––the name Jesus Christ––was a swear word. But why it was a swear word she did not know; she was just very impressed that I could swear in class and get away with it, by talking about Jesus Christ. This is because Jesus Christ has been relegated into a little more than that for many people.

If we get Jesus Christ wrong, we will get everything else wrong about the Christian life. Yet we must recognize that we do not know who Jesus Christ is simply by somebody presenting a convincing argument to us, no matter how reasonable it seems. Scripture tells us that our knowledge of Christ essentially comes to us by revelation from God. Paul tells us, “Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3).

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi with His disciples, He asked, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” The disciples told Jesus all the rumours that were going around about Him, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked again, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” And Peter boldly responded, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” At this answer, Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:13-17).

Peter’s response on the person of Jesus Christ is absolutely correct and it is not because he did the arithmetic and worked it out to one conclusion but the Father gave Peter a revelation of who Jesus Christ is. There comes a moment when the Holy Spirit switches the light on. This is why in our evangelism, we need to be utterly and completely dependent upon the Spirit of God to reveal and open the eyes of unbelievers as to who Jesus Christ is.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing to me who Jesus Christ is. May Your Spirit open the eyes and the ears of my unbelieving family and friends to truly encounter Jesus Christ.