Looking for the Messiah

The people of Israel were under the rule of the Romans when Jesus was born. They have had prophecies from hundreds of years ago about the coming of the Messiah (Christ, the Anointed One), whom they have been expecting to save them from foreign domination and to give them independence. When people saw Jesus doing miracles and proclaiming the kingdom of God, many Jews thought that this could be the promised Messiah. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem sitting on a donkey, many thought that He was making His entry there to proclaim His kingdom.

Jesus was the promised One and the fulfilment of the prophecies. But He came with a different kind of kingdom (Jn.18:36). He had come to offer Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins so that we could have an opportunity to enter God's kingdom defined by divine character (Ro.14:17). But when the people did not see Him leading them to deliverance from their political problems, they became so angry that they crucified Him.

Sin was the root of all the problems in this world, and God's solution was to take people from the grip of sin (Jn.1:29). But even now people do not realise this, and they are still looking for someone to take away their problems, whether they are sickness, poverty, unemployment, broken relationships, etc. They are therefore happy to hear about a miracle working Jesus whom they see as the solution. They are happy to come to Jesus, 'accept Him' or even get baptised and join a church, if only they can be freed from their problems. So they gather around in large numbers to listen to preachers who present to them this Jesus whom they are looking for. As in the time of Jesus and the Jews, they 'crucify' other preachers who proclaim the Jesus of the Bible, the Saviour of the world.

Where do we stand? How do we see ourselves? What are we looking for? What kind of Jesus are we really following? The Bible warns us not to be deceived by news about 'another Jesus' than the One who is real. Are we looking to be free from the problems of this world and become able to enjoy a good life, or are we looking for forgiveness of our sins and victory over sin? The sad truth is that a large number of people who consider themselves to be Christians are not so in God's eyes because they have not repented from their sins and rested in Jesus as their Saviour to give them victory. They are walking on the broad way that leads to destruction, but imagining that they are headed for heaven, because there are large crowds going with them (Mt.7:13,14).

But the real Jesus came to suffer and die so that those who want salvation can now be forgiven their sins and set free from the bondage of sin. He does not offer a problem free life but freedom from sin. Very few people see this Jesus because that is not what they are looking for. But those who recognise themselves as sinners, as themselves being a part of the problem and not victims, come humbly to Jesus and get saved.