GENTRY — “The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.” John 4:25-26

Who is Jesus? Is He just a great teacher and prophet, as many today would say? Who did Jesus claim to be?

When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well in Samaria and answered her question regarding true worship of God, she said, “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.”

Jesus’ answer was straight to the point: “I that speak unto thee am he.”

Jesus Himself claimed to be the promised Messiah, the Anointed One - Christ in the Greek - together with all that the Scriptures taught concerning the Christ. He claimed to be the LORD’s anointed of Psalm 2 - the only-begotten Son ofGod who would judge and rule the world. He was and is the promised prophet of Deuteronomy 18, the perpetual priest after the order of Melchizedek of Psalm 110, and the eternal king of Jeremiah 23; Micah 5; and 2 Samuel 7. Jesus’ knowledge of this woman’s life - past and present - was proof of the truthfulness of His claim.

Elsewhere, too, Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. To Nicodemus, He said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” ( John 3:14-16). To the Jews He said, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), claiming to be the great “I Am,” Jehovah God Himself in human flesh.

Why did Jesus reveal to this woman His true identity? At the very beginning of His conversation with the woman at the well, Jesus had told her, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water” (v. 10). Jesus desired that this woman look to Him for forgiveness and life everlasting. He had compassion on her, a love for her soul and desired her to receive from Him life-giving water - the Holy Spirit, faith and eternal salvation.

Who speaks to us through the pages of Scriptures? Who confronts us with our sinfulness and also offers us forgiveness and life in His name? Is it just a man? A great teacher? A prophet sent from God? No, it is the promised Christ, the Messiah, God the Son in human flesh and the Savior of the world.

Why does Jesus reveal Himself to us? Why does He open our eyes and let us see and learn from the Scriptures that He is indeed “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16; cf. v. 17)? It is because He desires our salvation. He desires to give us to drink of HisSpirit and have faith in His innocent sufferings and death in our stead that the thirst of our souls would be satisfied and we would find in Him forgiveness for all our sins and everlasting life! He does not want us to be lost and forever condemned but desires us to know Him, trust in Him and reign with Him in His everlasting kingdom.

God grant to you and to me the blessing of knowing Jesus for who He truly is, and the blessing of faith in His name that our thirsting souls might be satisfied and we might live forever with Christ Jesus.

Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for revealing to us in Your Word that You are indeed the long-promised Christ, the Messiah and Savior of the world, that we might place our hope and confidence in You and not be condemned along with this world but have everlasting life with You in Your eternal kingdom. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll, The Still

Small Voice, Gentry, Scripture

quotations are from the King

James Version of the Bible]

For The Record, Pages 4 on 02/03/2010