Tag Archives: Jesus

Thirty Musts of the Messiah

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 “I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place, you may believe that I am He.” John 13:19 ESV1

Read John 13:18-20

At the Last Supper in the presence of His closest disciples, Jesus said these words:

“‘I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place, you may believe that I am He’” (John 13:19).

This statement was made in context of His upcoming betrayal. This disloyalty had been predicted centuries before. Right before His comment, Jesus referenced the prophesy (see John 13:18 and Psalm 41:9).

Before too long, the disciples would be thrown into much confusion. Because the soon-to-occur events wouldn’t fit their preconceived ideas of how the Messiah would defeat their enemy, they would be tempted to doubt the Master they had followed for three and a half years was Who He said He was. So, Jesus reminded them of this Messianic prophesy.

As Jesus Himself explained:

“‘Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled’” (Luke 24:44b).

If even one of the prophesies concerning the Messiah didn’t match Jesus, He would not be the promised Anointed One. So, let’s look at thirty specific Messianic prophesies and their fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

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A Friend, a Father, and a Little Bit of Faith

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“Everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” Luke 11:10 ESV1

Read Luke 11:5-13

If you have been around Christianity for any length of time, you are probably familiar with the Lord’s Prayer.2 You may have it repeated several times with others in church services, on your own in times of need, or even at an occasional sporting event. As many times as you have heard and/or said it, you probably even have it memorized. If asked, you could probably recite it now. But are you as familiar with the parable Jesus shared with His disciples to reiterate this teaching on prayer?

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The Head and Feet of Jesus

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But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing for Me … She has done what she could; she has anointed My Body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”  Mark 14:6-9 ESV1

Read Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9 & John 12:1-8

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus, therefore, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So, they gave a dinner for Him there” (John 12:1-2a) “in the house of Simon the leper” (Matthew 26:6b). “Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with Him at the table. Mary, therefore” (John 12:3a) “came up to Him with an alabaster flask” (Matthew 26:7a) containing “a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard” (John 12:3b), “and she broke the flask and poured it over [Jesus’] head” (Mark 14:3b) “and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3c). What a touching scene—Jesus spending time with His dearest friends, celebrating a miracle, being emotionally encouraged as He prepared for the future, soaking up the personalized way each of those in attendance shared his/her adoration of Him, all while a beautiful fragrance filled the air. But not everyone was feeling the love.

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What to Do with This?

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And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:11b ESV1

Read John 7:53-8:11

There is an account in our translations of The Holy Bible which most of the earliest manuscripts do not include. And those that do contain it, don’t always have it placed where we find it in our Bibles. Those who study language, word usage, and writing styles don’t know for sure who recorded this event or why it was placed where it now appears when the Canon of Scripture was compiled. It seems as if some really religious and learned individuals don’t know what to do with this passage. But I assure you, the most common sinner who understands the meaning of this portion of Scripture will know exactly what to do with it.

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Truly Amazing

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Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me.”  Matthew 19:21 ESV1

Read Matthew 19:16-26, Mark 10:17-27 & Luke 18:18-27

Most of us want to be amazing at something. We want to stand out above the crowd in some area. We want to be noticed for some significant accomplishment. As a society, we venerate the surprisingly talented. We revere the exceedingly intelligent. We are mesmerized by the astonishingly beautiful. We worship the incredibly athletic. We esteem the exceptionally wealthy. And we honor tremendously influential. Because we are constantly trying to earn accolades and be more amazing than the next guy, we completely miss a great secret: it is actually a blessing to be extraordinarily average, because those who do have a great deal of talent, intelligence, beauty, athletic ability, wealth, or influence are often at a disadvantage.

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Who’s Your Daddy?

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“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4 ESV1

Read Matthew 18:1-14, Mark 9:33-50 & Luke 9:46-50

In my life, I have worn a variety of hats. My different responsibilities have put me in positions where I have observed many arguments. Some of these arguments have been laughable, others hurtful. Many were passionate discussions which worked out themselves; others become quite heated and needed intervention.

When working with people, it doesn’t take long to discover competition is part of the human make up. We instinctively want to be on top. We tend to assume we are right, and when there are conflicts, we feel others must be wrong. We humans continually evaluate where we fit in any given group. From the time we are children, we compare ourselves and consciously (or unconsciously) compete in attempts to be the best, the fastest, the smartest, the prettiest, the most talented, etc.

An argument common among young boys takes the competition past their own abilities and focuses on the attributes of their fathers. It is not unusual, from time to time, to hear a boy exclaim, “My daddy is stronger than your daddy!” The argument need not necessarily focus on strength; maybe a boy claims his father is smarter, or richer (or any other appropriate adjective) than the fathers of those around him. But the statement is always made with the child’s confident expectation that his assertion will put him on top and finalize the argument.

Once, when Jesus’ twelve closest disciples were arguing among themselves, Jesus extinguished the heated debate by drawing their attention to the greatness of His Father.

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A Little Change and Much Change

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Jesus said to [Peter], … “Go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to [the collectors of the two-drachma tax] for Me and for yourself.” Matthew 17:26b & 27b ESV1

Read Matthew 17:24-27

My favorite motion pictures are those which are based on true events. Because they deal with real people overcoming genuinely insurmountable challenges, these movies inspire me. They give me the confidence to believe that if these ordinary people with extraordinary character can prevail in such difficult circumstances, maybe I, too, can make a difference in the situations which I face.

Often these films conclude with photos of the actual people on whose lives these stories are based. Some directors are better than others at choosing actors who authentically represent the physical characteristics of those they are portraying. But what about films depicting the events surrounding Jesus’ earthly ministry? Almost every such movie I have ever seen characterizes Jesus’ twelve closest disciples as older men—some balding, others with salt and pepper hair and beards, and still others with ample waistlines. We don’t have any photographs to make comparisons, but I don’t believe The Twelve looked like that at all!

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Ultimate Healing

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“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” Luke 24:5b-7 ESV1

Read Matthew 27:1-28:10, Mark 15:20b-16:7; Luke 23:1-24:12 & John 19:1-20:18

“Ultimate” is defined as “1. last; furthest or farthest; ending a process or series … 2. maximum; decisive; conclusive … [and] 3. highest; not subsidiary.”2 The next healing we will consider is the ultimate healing Jesus ever consummated. It is chronologically the last healing He completed during His earthly ministry, but it is also the supreme healing. It is the panacea, the catholicon, the cure-all. Let’s dig in and discover why this healing is so matchless and so far above any of the other amazing healings Jesus ever brought about.

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Choosing Forgiveness

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Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” John 18:11 ESV1

Read Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-50, Luke 22:47-53 & John 18:1-11

Have you ever been let down by someone you counted on to stand beside you? Or have you been betrayed by someone you had considered a friend? Have you ever been slandered by someone you had tried to help? Or have you been abandoned by someone who was supposed to love you?

I have. I can answer in the affirmative to each of those questions. Even though years have passed since some of those incidents took place, when they are brought back to my memory, the pain floods in anew and emotions rise in me which I thought had long ago subsided. Most of us can probably identify with such hurts. Jesus can too. But how we deal with being rejected may be quite different than the way Jesus did.

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All In Love

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And Jesus said …, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” … And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. Luke 18:42 & 43b ESV1

Read Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52 & Luke 18:35-43

In the autumn, Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths (see John 7:10). In the winter, He was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication (see John 10:22-23). But, in Jerusalem, His life was in danger, so “He went away again across the Jordan … and there He remained” (John 10:40) until He heard that His friend Lazarus from Bethany needed help. Against the advice of His disciples, He, to revive Lazarus, went dangerously close to Jerusalem again (see John 11:18).

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