Christ the Anointed One
The name Jesus means ‘the Lord saves’.
The name Christ means ‘Messiah’.
Both Christ and Messiah mean ‘anointed one.’
For what was Jesus Christ anointed?
When Jesus went to Nazareth, the place He had been brought up, He went into the synagogue and stood up to read. They handed Him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah from which He read:
The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
(Luke 4:18 – 19)
Then Jesus said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
Jesus Christ was anointed for a purpose!
- To preach good news to the poor.
- To proclaim freedom for the prisoners.
- To proclaim recovery of sight for the blind.
- To release the oppressed.
- To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
The anointing meets all of our physical, spiritual, mental and emotional needs.
Christ the Messiah
Many years before Jesus Christ was born, prophecy after prophecy in the Old Testament foretold of the Messiah. That by a miracle He would be born of a woman, a virgin, in Bethlehem. That He would come from the line of Abraham, be a descendant of Isaac and Jacob, from the tribe of Judah and be an heir to King David’s throne. That He would be anointed and eternal. His name would be called Immanuel (God with us). He would spend a season in Egypt, and a massacre of Children would occur at His birthplace.
Though a messenger would prepare the way for Him (John the Baptist) – He would be rejected by His own people. He would be a prophet, a Nazarene, be preceded by Elijah (see Malachi 4:5–6 and Matthew 11:11–15) and be declared to be the Son of God. A priest after the order of Melchizedek, He would also be called King.
Speaking in parables, He would bring light to Galilee. He would heal the broken hearted, would be praised by little children but would also be betrayed. The price of His betrayal would be thirty pieces of silver, and be used to buy a potter’s field. Though falsely accused He would remain silent before His accusers. He would be spat upon, struck and hated without cause. He would be numbered with the transgressors, mocked and ridiculed and given vinegar to drink. Evil men would divide His garments and cast lots for His clothing. His side, His hands and feet would be pierced, but not one of His bones would be broken.
Though forsaken by God as a sacrifice for sin, He would pray for His enemies. He would be buried with the rich, be resurrected from the dead and ascend to heaven to take His place at the right hand of God.
From His conception, His birth and life on the earth; to His death on the cross, His resurrection from the dead and His ascension to the right hand of God in heaven – Jesus Christ fulfilled every single one of the prophecies foretold about the Messiah.
Christ the Redeemer
What does it mean to be redeemed?
Redemption is the payment of the price to recover someone or something from the power of another, to buy it off or ransom it – From the Greek word ‘exagorazo’ (Strong’s concordance).
One of the words for redeem in Hebrew is ‘padah’. It means to liberate or deliver; ransom or rescue (Strong’s). By Christ’s blood on the cross we were redeemed, delivered, released, preserved and rescued from death, slavery to sin, and bondage to the law. The enemy no longer has any power over us because Christ purchased our Salvation on the cross. He paid the price for our full release, liberation, deliverance and rescue.
“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron”.
(Psalm 107:2–10, KJV)
- He redeems us from the hand of our enemy.
- He delivers us from our distress.
- He leads us forth by the right way, to a city where we can settle.
- He satisfies our longing soul and fills our hungry soul with good things.
Of those who once sat in darkness and gloom; who were once prisoners suffering in chains; the Psalmist says:
“He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains”.
(Psalm 107:14, NIV)
That is what it means to be redeemed!!!
Christ the “I Am”
When Jesus Christ the Messiah walked the earth, He made many bold claims about who He was. Many of these claims were preceded by the words “I Am.”
- I Am the bread of life (John 6:35)
- I Am the light of the world (John 8: 12)
- I Am the door of the sheep (John 10:7–9)
- I Am the good shepherd (John 10:11)
- I Am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25)
- I am the way and the truth and the life (John 14: 6)
- I Am the true vine (John 15:1)
But there was another claim that Jesus made. The name of I Am! (John 8:58). When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses said to God,
“Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is His name?” Then what shall I tell them? God said to Moses, I Am Who I Am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I Am has sent me to you”.
(Exodus 3:13 & 14)
God introduced Himself as the God of the Israelites – declaring His name to be
“I Am.”
So when the Jews asked Jesus indignantly “who do You think You are?”
(John 8: 53) and Jesus said to them “Before Abraham was born, I Am!” (John 8:58) they knew exactly what Jesus was saying.
In that one statement – Jesus the “I Am” – was telling them He was God!
Jesus also stated He was:
A King: “You are right in saying I am a King. In fact, for this reason I was born”
(John 18:37).
The Son of Man: He (Jesus) said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is He, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen Him; in fact, He is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, ‘Lord I believe,” and he worshipped Him” (John 9:35–38).
The Christ: “Again the high priest asked Him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am, said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:61 & 62).
The Son of God: “Why then do you accuse Me of blasphemy because I said, “I am God’s Son’? (John 10:36)
Teacher and Lord: “You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I Am” (John 13:13).
Christ the Bread of Life
Jesus said, “I Am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35). “I Am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).
Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.
(John 6:27)
Every person has a spiritual hunger and a spiritual thirst. We can look to many other things or to other people to try to fill that hunger and thirst. But there is only one on which our Father God has placed His seal of approval – the person of Jesus Christ.
- Christ is the living bread that came down from heaven and who gave His life for the world.
- The bread that comes from Christ is the only bread that endures to eternal life.
- When we come to the living bread of Christ we will never hunger again.
- When we believe in Him we will never thirst again.
Christ the Giver of Living Water
Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this He meant the (Holy) Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not yet been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (John 7: 37–39). (Jesus had not yet been crucified and had not yet been raised again).
When Jesus met a Samaritan woman at the well (with whom Jews did not normally associate with), He asked her if she would give Him a drink. This woman had had five husbands in an attempt to fill what was a spiritual thirst. In love, Jesus began to draw her attention to her spiritual thirst. Christ wanted her thirst to be met!
“If you knew the gift of God and Who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can You get this living water?”.
(John 4:10 & 11)
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13 & 14).
- Jesus has the only water that will truly satisfy our spiritual thirst.
- When we drink of Him we will never thirst again.
- This water becomes a spring welling up within us to eternal life.
Christ the Light of the World
Jesus said “I Am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). To walk in darkness is to walk without the light of life. It means walking without truly knowing God or having the light of God within us.
Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
(Matthew 6:22 & 23).
So how do we experience the light of life within us? Jesus said we will have the light of life when we follow him.
- As we begin to walk with Jesus our eyes and bodies become full of the light that comes from him.
- The light of Christ dispels all darkness over which Christ has complete authority.
- Bringing light into darkness allows us to experience Him.
- We walk a path that is secure when we walk the path that is lighted by Him.
Christ the Door of the Sheep
Jesus said, “Verily, verily, (truly, truly) I say unto you, I Am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I Am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:7–9, KJV).
- When we enter through Christ the door He becomes our shepherd.
- When we enter through Christ – we enter into eternal life and find safe pasture through him.
“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of His sheep. The watchman opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice” (John 10:1–5, NIV).
- Christ is the door to eternal life – He calls His sheep by name.
- When we know His voice we will follow Him.
- Christ knows by name, all those who follow Him.
Christ the Good Shepherd
“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:35 & 36).
Jesus said,
“I Am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep”.
(John 10:11)
“I Am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me – just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father – and I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:14 & 15). “I lay down my life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of my Own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again” (John 10:17–18).
- A good shepherd cares for his sheep.
- A good shepherd protects, leads and guides his sheep.
- A good shepherd gives safe pasture.
- Christ is our good shepherd.
- When Christ laid down His life for His sheep our lives were saved.
- He made the way for eternal life so we would always have a place of safety with Him.
Christ the Resurrection and the Life
Jesus said, “I Am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die”
(John 11:25 & 26). Jesus spoke these words to Martha after her brother Lazarus had died. Even though Lazarus had been dead for four days and had already been laid to rest, Jesus went to the tomb and said, “Lazarus, come out! The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them. “Take off the grave clothes and let him go”
(John 11:43 & 44).
Physical death comes naturally to all people because at some point all must die. But though our physical bodies die – those who have received Christ will go on to eternal life.
- Jesus has complete authority over physical and spiritual death.
- Following death in Christ comes resurrection life.
Jesus said, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death” (Revelation 2:10 & 11). Spiritual death, or the second death, only comes to those who haven’t received Christ. Those who do not receive and follow Him will never experience eternal life. But those who choose to believe in Him will live and never die!
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16)
Christ the Way and the Truth and the Life
Jesus said, “I Am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him” (John 14:6 & 7).
Jesus Christ says that He Himself is – not a way, but the way! Not a truth, but the truth! Not a life, but the life!
- There is no other way to the Father god but through Christ.
- There is no other truth but the truth that is found in Christ.
- There is no other life but the life that is found in Christ.
“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are One”.
(John 10:27–30)
- When we know Christ, we know the Father as well.
- Christ and the Father are one.
- We will never perish because Christ gives us eternal life.
Christ the True Vine
Jesus said, “I Am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I Am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to My Father’s glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples” (John 15:1–5).
Christ is the true vine. When we come to Christ we no longer rely on anything else, but we receive our nourishment and support from Him.
Staying connected to Christ means we listen to His voice (His words), and we produce good fruit when we obey Him. Christ warns that those who bear no fruit will be cut off by His Father, but that every branch that does bear fruit God will prune so that it becomes even more fruitful. God wants us to bear good fruit that is of Him, but we cannot bear fruit unless we remain connected to Him.
Those that do not remain connected to Him are like branches that wither, that are picked up and thrown into the fire and burned.
- When God’s words remain in us – we remain in Him.
- We can ask whatever we wish and it will be given to us.
- In this way God is glorified in our lives.
