By: Matt Gargiulo, Associate Pastor at Zion Community
For many, the Christmas season is one of the busiest times of the year. We plan and attend holiday gatherings and celebrations with our family, friends, houses of worship, and places of employment. We work to find the perfect gift for those we care about. We rush from one special event and task to another.
And in the midst of it all, the Advent season calls us to a time of preparation and expectation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ.
While much can be disputed about our world’s history, the fact that the Jesus of the Bible truly existed is not one of them–there’s just too much evidence.
Unfortunately, that’s where the agreement ends. From the time Jesus began his ministry, people have been divided over his true identity. Even today, people are still divided over their beliefs about Jesus.
In John 7, Jesus receives a mixed reaction to his offer of “living water.”
Some in the crowd proclaimed that He was the Prophet, or even the Messiah; while others, like the Pharisees, denied His divine identity altogether.
Some understood that Jesus was the prophet written about by Moses. Others believed He was the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah. Some said Jesus couldn’t be the Christ because He was from Galilee, not Bethlehem. (They were not aware of His ancestry or the fact that He was born in Bethlehem).
The “division among the people over him,” (v. 43) led to the religious authorities sending officers to arrest Jesus, but they returned empty-handed.
“The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, ‘Why did you not bring him?’ The officers answered, ‘No one ever spoke like this man!’ (v. 45-56).
While many of the Pharisees would argue that Jesus was the deceiver, this scene concludes with a familiar name, Nicodemus, encouraging the Pharisees to allow further discussion before providing judgment.
Today, many continue to make conflicting claims about Jesus.
There are unique arguments about who Jesus is. We live on a unique side of history, where we have the full biblical story that reveals the Truth about Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
From the book of Psalms, we hear of God’s faithfulness to the line of David through all generations. From the Gospel of John, we hear of Jesus being the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life, the Living Water, and the Light of the World.
The question remains: Who is Jesus? Some say he was just a religious leader. Others argue that he was simply a good moral figure.
This Advent Season, may we acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, our faithful Savior who invites us to participate in the Kingdom of God, redeeming and restoring all creation even today.