Messiah and King

Following his Resurrection, Jesus began his reign from the Messianic Throne as prophesied by David – Psalm 2:6-9.

Only Jesus is the Messiah and King of Israel, only he is God’s Anointed. There will never be another, and all competing claimants to this designation are imposters and liars. This same Jesus reigns over the Earth today. His Kingdom is a present reality, and his reign will be consummated when he returns – (1 Corinthians 15:24-28, Revelation 1:4-6).

The Logos

The Prologue of John’s Gospel presents key themes of the Book, including the declaration that Jesus is the Logos, the “Word become flesh.” Life and Light are revealed in him to penitent men and women. He is the true “Tabernacle” where God’s “Glory” resides, not the tent in the wilderness or the Temple building in Jerusalem. The Son of God is the true and full expression of God.

Royal Servant

The theme of fulfillment is prominent in Matthew’s gospel. The promises of God are fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God sent to redeem Israel and rule the nations. Peter, for example, on the road to Jerusalem confirmed that he was the “Messiah.” Nevertheless, he failed to understand that he would accomplish that calling as the suffering “Servant of the LORD.”

The Living Word

God has spoken clearly and decisively in His Son, the same Word by which God created life and the ages.

The Gospel of John begins by identifying Jesus as the ‘Logos’ (λογος), the “Word” through which God made all things. This theme is prominent in John’s Gospel. It builds on traditional ideas from the Hebrew Bible about God creating the world through His spoken Word. Jesus Christ is the Living Expression of that Divine word - (“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made…” - Psalm 33:6-9. Compare John 1:1-4).

The Son of Man

In the three synoptic gospels, the term “Son of Man” is the self-designation found most often on the lips of Jesus. It is derived from Daniel’s vision of the one “like a Son of Man” who received the “dominion and kingdom” from the “Ancient of Days.” According to Jesus, “All the tribes of the Earth” will mourn when “they see the Son of man coming on the clouds of Heaven.”

The Kingdom Herald

Following his baptism, the Spirit “drove Jesus into the wilderness… for forty days and nights.” Like Moses on Sinai, the Messiah of Israel was alone in the desert where he was tested by the Devil and molded by God. He was tempted like Israel, only he overcame every challenge and emerged victorious and “full of the Holy Spirit.” Only then did he proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom, starting in the villages of Galilee.

Rend the Heavens!

Jesus first appears in the Gospel of Mark when John baptizes him in the Jordan River. The account identifies him with his hometown, Nazareth, a village of no consequence, though its insignificance plays a role in the story. He is the “Servant of the LORD” anointed by the Spirit who does not conform to popular expectations about the Messiah.

Voice in the Wilderness

The Gospel of Mark opens with a declaration from passages in the Hebrew Bible, providing the scriptural basis for the ministry of John the Baptist. It sets the stage for the mission of Jesus and his proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Thus, Mark’s account begins on a note of fulfillment. The Man from Nazareth is the Messiah and Savior promised by God in the Scriptures.

The Son of David

Jesus is the Son of David and heir to the Messianic Throne, the beloved Son of God, and the Suffering Servant of Yahweh.

The Gospel of Matthew declares Jesus to be the promised “Son of David.” This same Jesus demonstrated what it means to be the King of Israel, especially through his sacrificial death. Traditionally and scripturally, the hoped-for ideal king was linked to the House of David. With the arrival of the Nazarene, that understanding was forever altered.

His Name is Jesus!

Jesus means ‘Yahweh saves.’ In this Man of Nazareth, the Salvation promised by the God of Abraham and Israel has arrived for all men.

The child carried by Mary was “begotten of the Holy Spirit.” The angel instructed Joseph to name the child ‘Jesus’: “Call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” His name pointed to the saving act of God for humanity that was about to unfold. Men and women would behold the long-promised Salvation of Yahweh in Jesus of Nazareth.