March 29, 2019

Jesus is all that I need


My devotional source gave the following assignment for today:  In John’s Gospel, list Christ’s various titles and their significance.” I read through only eight chapters and found the following:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

The Word, signifying that Jesus is God expressing Himself to those who will hear.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. (John 1:9)

Jesus is the Light, God shining in darkness.

The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

The lamb in the Old Testament was sacrificed for sins but this had to be repeated. This Lamb Jesus was sacrificed once forever for the sin of the world.

Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” (John 1:38)

Rabbi, Jesus is the Teacher of truth.

He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). (John 1:41)

Jesus is the Messiah, the One who delivers from sin, the anointed One sent by God.

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49)

Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, unique, God in the flesh. He is the King of Israel, of the linage of David and thus qualified to rule God’s people.

And he (Jesus) said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:51)

Son of Man is the title Jesus gave to Himself referring to His humanity and His role of taking our sin upon Himself, paying our penalty for sin.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Jesus is God’s only Son, there is no one like Him!

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. (John 3:29)

Using the imagery of a wedding, Jesus is the Bridegroom and believers are His bride, forever united and in an intimate relationship.

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. (John 3:31)

Jesus is above all, not just because He came from above but also that He is holy and without sin, an unusual person in a sin-filled world.

The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) (John 4:9)

A Jew, born into the people group that God selected for His own thousands of years before He came. He was one of them and they didn’t recognize Him.

The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. (John 4:19)

Jesus is a Prophet, declaring truth from God, divine utterances that express and communicate His will to the people.

So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” (John 6:41)

Bread from heaven refers to Jesus’ promise to spiritual feed and sustain all who believe in Him, like manna in the wilderness filled the need of their ancestors many years before He came.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68–69)

Jesus is the Holy One of God with superior moral and qualities in contrast with what is human.

So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:57–58)

I AM, a phrase used by God to Moses, is hard to define but ‘self-existing One’ is part of what it means. Here Jesus is saying He is God, the I AM of the Old Testament.

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Dear Lord Jesus, when I sing that You are all I need, the reasons become obvious in the names used to describe You . . . and this is only a few. You are everything that I need. Thank You for coming, for dying, for rising from the grave, for making Yourself available to me, for granting me faith to believe and the grace to walk with You in unspeakable joy!

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