Rev Janice Aiton
“WHO AM I?”
We have been looking at symbols in Scripture in some of our meditation evenings and tonight we turn our thoughts to the symbol of a crown. Jesus talks about being a King and that his kingdom is not of this world.
Passage to read from John 18
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”
Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Are there any words or phrases that speak to you, if so stay with them and meditate on them.
The crown reveals to us something of Christ’s identity. Identity “Who am I?” is such an important question that at some point (or at various points) in our life we ask that question.
We believe that the world is in the grip of an identity crisis, that took hold long before the surreal onset of coronavirus. So many people are lost and wondering about their identity. The developmental psychologist Erik Erikson believed that the formation of identity was one of the most important conflicts that people face. This identity issue may be more acute at present but it is one that has been with us for years. Sometimes we wonder actually “Who am I?”
When Jesus poses the question “Who am I?” to his disciples” he is not going through an identity crisis. Jesus knew his identity was in God and he was very secure in that identity, but he wanted to know if his disciples knew his true identity. As you would expect, it was Peter who was first to respond. He blurted out “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
What does the title Messiah mean for you?
What did it mean to people at that time?
Maybe you can reflect on the qualities you see in the Messiah and which ones matter to you the most. You may wish to consider the letters of the word Messiah to see more of Jesus’ identity.
The title Messiah tells us a lot about Jesus. It does mean the anointed one but if we take each letter of Messiah, it tells us something more about Jesus.
The letter “M” speaks of Jesus as majestic and meek. Majestic… he had a beautiful and powerful presence wherever he went which attracted people to him and grabbed their attention. It reminds us too that he left his throne behind to come and dwell among us and serve. He was the Lord’s anointed, yet he does not set out to draw attention to himself but rather to deflect attention from himself. He shows great humility in his works especially after his powerful signs and miracles. Meekness is about being humble but it does not mean as often misinterpreted that a meek person is a doormat for others to step over. Christ was humble, he was meek and he stood his ground against rulers, scribes and Pharisees with grace, wisdom and authority. M reminds me of Christ’s majesty and meekness.
E is for Christ’s eternal nature, before the world was made Jesus is there and at the end of time Jesus will still be there for he describes himself as the Alpha and Omega. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet, just as A and Z are the first and last letters in the English alphabet. Embedded between the beginning and the end are all the letters one would need to make words. Those letters, arranged and rearranged, make complete words, and those words are enough to fill Webster’s dictionary! Just as the alphabet is arranged to create a multiplicity of complete words in a dictionary, Jesus, as the Alpha and Omega, can completely meet the needs of every situation in life that we face. Christ reaches into our circumstances and brings his sufficiency, his power and his love. In Christ we are made complete. E.. reminds us of Christ’s eternal being and how in him we too are caught up into eternity.
S is for the name Son of Man which Jesus used frequently to describe himself, and the prophets did too. For me the title speaks of Jesus being the Son of God.. divine and the man reminds us of his humanity. The title as Son of man describes Jesus as divine and human.
S stand for Saviour and how we saw by Jesus death on the cross the full extent of his sacrificial love for us. He died in our place and bought with his blood our peace with God, ourselves and others.
Immanuel… tells of God being with us … Jesus being with us in all the situations of life. He has such a heart of care and love for us and he does all in his power to protect, guide and watch over us. He never abandons or forsakes us. He is always with us un till the end of the age.
A… reminds us that Jesus is almighty, that he is transcendent an that he has a power, wisdom and authority that come from above… his works are supernatural and miraculous.
H stands for Jesus’ ministry as a healer… Jesus is in the business of binding up the broken-hearted and bringing wholeness to people’s lives, no matter who they are or what they have done.
Majestic, Meek, Eternal, Son of man-divine and human, Saviour, Immanuel, Almighty and Healer give a strong picture of the person of Christ to us… this is who he is.. the Messiah.
Who am I … we are made in the image of God and are brothers and sisters in Christ. We as believers are hidden in Christ and are a part of his holy kingdom.
No doubt when you hear the word Messiah mentioned you think of Handel’s Messiah, and possibly of those stirring, powerful and truthful words which I will finish on
And he shall reign
for ever and ever.
King of kings,
For ever and ever.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Lord of Lords
For ever and ever,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.
Amen
