Pastor Christina | Posted on |

DAY 16 - WHO IS JESUS?
Is Jesus really who he said he was?
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:17 (ESV)
OUR DEVOTIONAL
Is Jesus really who He said He was? That’s a HUGE question people have wrestled with for over 2000 years! Is Jesus the Son of God, the Savior of the world, or was He just a regular man who fancied Himself equal with God?
As a pre-Christian, I didn’t give Jesus’ deity any brain space. He was simply someone I never thought about…until I was faced with the Holy Spirit’s insistent nudging at the depths of my unsettled soul. “Life can be so much more. Grab hold of Me and let Me free you.”
My neighbor invited me to church, and I discovered my unforgiven sins were keeping me from being in God’s presence. I’m a natural problem solver and like to know how things work. If my sin keeps me away from God, there must be a solution. Aha, research! Enter the book of John, clearly explaining Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. The book of Romans followed, telling why He is the ultimate solution. I was left with the question “Is this all true? Is Jesus really who He claimed to be?”
During the first century, some members of the Corinthian church were confused about Jesus as well. The Apostle Paul encouraged the church to look at the facts surrounding Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 15) and make an informed decision: Is Jesus who He says He is, yes or no? As with the Corinthian church, we all must gather the facts and critically decide for ourselves. Was Jesus just a regular guy, if He existed at all? Maybe He was just a pretty cool prophet. Or was Jesus exactly as He claimed: fully man and fully God, sacrificing Himself out of love for all of humanity?
I looked at evidence from the Word, historical documents, and the changed lives of other believers, all the while bringing my questions straight to the Lord. And yes, He answered me. If you’re uncertain about Jesus, there’s no time like the present to dig deep and discover truth for yourself.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
JEREMIAH 29:12-13
FAMILY MOMENT
Ask the kids “How do we know George Washington was the first president of the United States?” Listen to their responses and then ask “How do we know that Jesus really did die, was buried, and then came back to life as He said He would?” Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-9 (The NIrV is a great translation for early readers). Discuss the Apostle Paul’s statements and how those could be counted as evidence for Jesus’ being who He said He was.
PRAYER & REFLECTION
Who is Jesus to you? Really ask yourself. If you’re not sure where you stand on this question, I encourage you to research facts as I did, pray to the Lord for clarity and discuss your thoughts or struggles with a trusted friend or pastor.