Thou Art The King of Israel; Both Lord and Christ - Part 2339

And Jesus said unto them, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature: he that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My Name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." (Mark 16:15-18)

Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in HIs Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, unto ye be endured with power from on high."

And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen." (Luke 24:47-53)

"Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, "Peace be unto you." And when He had so said, He shewed unto them His hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.

Then said Jesus to them again, "Peace be unto you; as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained." (John 20:19-23)

This is the moment in time that the prophets from afore had written of -- when God -- after His kindness and love would become our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7)As we know, the gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John record the life of Jesus Christ and His impact on those who came to hear His good news message. Throughout His time on earth, some were aware of who Jesus was. Think Simeon and Anna, and Mary the mother of Jesus who rejoiced "in God my Saviour." (Luke 1:46-48; Luke 2:36-38; Luke 2:25)

But even more so, Jesus shared His identity with His disciples when He said, "I and My Father are One!" (John 10:30) Later, Jesus reiterates this same point with His disciples that if they had seen Him, they would have seen the Father, and thus, know Him. (John 14:6-12)

Sadly, not everyone knew of the prophecies pointing to the Lord God who would come forth as a mighty man and Saviour. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6) Perhaps, this is why Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do men say that I AM?" The responses varied, including John the Baptizer, Elijah, Jeremiah, or the prophets.

"Then understood they how that He bade [them] not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" And they said, "Some say that Thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets." (Matthew 16:12-14)

"And He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town." And Jesus went out, and His disciples, into the towns of Cæsarea Philippi: and by the way He asked His disciples, saying unto them, "Whom do men say that I AM?" And they answered, "John the Baptist" but some say, "Elias" and others, "One of the prophets." (Mark 8:26-28)

"And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets. And it came to pass, as He was alone praying, His disciples were with Him: and He asked them, saying, "Whom say the people that I AM?" They answering said, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again." (Luke 9:17-19)

Then Jesus asks His disciples more directly. That is, "Who do you say I AM?" Note that Peter quickly responds, saying, "Thou art The Christ, the Son of the Living God."

Nathanael took the point further when he asks Jesus, "Whence knowest thou me?" Jesus answered and said unto him, "Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee." Nathanael answered and saith unto Him, "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said unto him, "Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these." (John 1:46-50)

Note that by the time we get to Acts, and Peter (standing with the eleven on the day of Pentecost) states that this same Jesus whom ye have crucified is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36-41) This marks the beginning of the New Testament church. Jesus has ascended and now through the Holy Ghost gives commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen. (Acts 1:2-3)

For clarity, Acts 1:1-11:

"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He [Jesus] was taken up, after that He [Jesus] through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He [Jesus] had chosen; to whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, BUT WAIT FOR THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER, WHICH, SAITH HE, YE HAVE HEARD OF ME. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."

When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, "Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" And He said unto them, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. But YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:1-11)

As we move through the New Testament, we begin to see Jesus for who He really was -- God manifest in the flesh; God our Saviour; King of kings and Lord of lords; Alpha and Omega; the first and the last; the beginning and the ending. (I Timothy 3:16; Revelation 1:8) And He willingly shed His precious holy blood for you and I on a cross so that we might have abundant everlasting life in Him.

Get to know the Lord Jesus this day. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you -- the mystery that was held in the bosom of the Father from the very beginning. Once you repent and are baptized in His Name -- the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be filled with the Holy Ghost -- His Spirit dwelling within. And He will never leave you nor forsake you!

Stand in the offering plate.