John 4: 25-26
‘“The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’
Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you—I am he.’”
Getting Jesus to admit he was the Messiah was a full-time job for some of the Pharisees. Try as they might they could not pin him down because Jesus knew that any direct claim to be the Son of God would send them over the edge. Out here in the desert of Samaria, there are no Pharisees around. In fact, it is likely that Pharisees would have gone out of their way to travel around Samaria instead of going through it as Jesus did with his disciples. So here, in the shadow of Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal, Jesus is alone with a woman who knows where she is in Samaria and in history but is totally lost spiritually.
It is in this setting that Jesus feels free to declare who he is. Without equivocation and using very directly language Jesus states, “I, the one speaking to you — I am he [the Messiah].”
Q: My question for you today is which approach do you prefer and why? Do you prefer the unequivocal Jesus who states, “I am he,” or do you prefer the approach where Jesus shows you who he is and challenges you to decide for yourself who he is?
Bonus Question: What do you think others prefer?
I live in total peace and security knowing our God is Sovereign in every aspect of our lives, including our salvation, which I believe was an act of my own free will, but with loving guidance and revelation from God. Guidance and revelation given freely to all mankind.
Romans 1:20, For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities. His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
John 16:8, and He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgement; 9, concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10, and righteousness, because I go to the father and you no longer see me; 11 and concerning Judgement, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
He will use us from time to time, politely told me to move over when He chose me to speak with a proclaimed transgender who I escorted to alter call at the end of service. Another time He said no to a man who needed help with his life. I simply told the man I had told him 5 times how to straighten his life out through Jesus Christ, and he kept refusing. I had nothing more to say. two days later the man came to me bawling, told me he needed Jesus, we went outside the plant in downtown Portland, knelt on the sidewalk and he accepted Christ.
I think it’s good to leave the approach of each person up to God.
Jesus already told us who He is,..I’m sure some would prefer Jesus to show up again and tell them who He is,..but He already did that and only the chosen ones have listened so far,..I am going with Ron’s answer here about leaving the approach of each person up to God,..because it is free will and a choice we all have to face,..I think people like a challenge,..they certainly challenge themselves to strive for a better life or so they think anyway,..
There are some people that work real hard at staying away from God,..they don’t want nothing to do with Him,..they don’t want to know or even get to know Jesus,..but then there are those where the seed has sprouted and His Word is planted deep in the hearts of those that have listened and have accepted the truth of and about Jesus. We continue to scatter the seeds so God can do the rest,..seeking that fertile soil for God’s harvest to produce 30, 60, or even 100 fold. It is soo sweet to be able to see, touch and taste what God shares with us of His marvelous abundant bounty.
I would love to have him physically come and talk to me have lunch go for a walk and talk about everything how could I say no to something like that.