Who is Jesus to you?

An Easter Devotional by Heather Hanton

Over the past few weeks at our corps we have been doing a lent series called Lent Awakening. We’ve been looking at Jesus revealed to us, Jesus as our humble servant, and Jesus as our healer and how we can follow His example.

Jesus is so many things. I teach the high school Sunday School class at our corps. They are such a joy! I love them so much! I don’t teach from traditional Sunday School materials. Instead, I take the sermon topic for that Sunday write a lesson based on the scripture and theme that will be preached during the church service. The purpose is to connect the kids to the sermon. Our pre-discussion reinforces the topic, helps them to dig into the scripture on their level and apply it. Ultimately, my prayer is that during the sermon the kids will hear something more or at least something that we just discussed in Sunday School and there will be even more application!

When we started the lent series we wrote a list of how Jesus is described in the Bible. Here is what our class came up with by studying John 1:

According to John 1:1-14 Jesus is:

The Word
With God
Was God
All things were made by Him
Life
Light of all mankind
Came from the Father
Full of grace and truth.

That’s all just from John chapter 1!

We also looked up additional passages (that I provided) and added these to the list:

Emmanuel
Son of God
Savior
The Christ
Messiah
Fully Human
Fully God
Wonderful Counselor
Prince of Peace
King of Kings
The Light
The Way
The Truth
The Life
The Bread of Life
The Living Water
The Good Shepherd
Healer
Servant
Rabbi
Savior
Redeemer

Well-read theologians and Bible scholars will know that this is not an exhaustive list! But we filled an entire white board and ran out of room! We could’ve gone on and on.

So the question came up…who is Jesus to YOU? Who do you need Him to be in your life right now? My teenage Sunday School class had a lot to say about that.

I love the story of the healing of the man at the Pool of Bethesda in John 5. This man, paralyzed from birth, had been living at this pool for 38 years hoping to get to the water. It was said that when the waters were stirred up, the pool had healing properties but would only heal those who could get into the water first. This man believed this and so he lived at the pool for 38 years, hoping for a miracle. He was all alone. He had no family; no one to help him get to the water before everyone else.

For years he watched as the waters were stirred and tried to get in but others simply stepped over him as if he weren’t even there. The saddest part is, he had no idea that even if he actually did get down to the pool first, all that was there was water, not a miracle. After emerging from the water he would have been the same, crippled man. He may have even drowned because he had no use of his legs.

But then…Jesus came. In John 5:6 we read that Jesus took notice of him. He saw him and knew he had been there for a very long time. He went to him and asked, “Do you want to be healed?” He saw this man who had gone unnoticed, forgotten about, stepped over, a man who had believed a lie and was now with little hope. Jesus engages him in conversation, validating him as a person of worth.

And then the miracle – Jesus heals him and he would never be the same again!! What Jesus offered the man that day was a future with hope! He had an encounter with the Savior and his life was changed forever in every way possible! I wonder if he went shopping for shoes?!

That day, Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed. What is Jesus asking you today? He sees you. He knows you and knows how long you’ve been where you are. Is He is asking you: do you want to be healed? Do you want a deeper faith? Do you want forgiveness? Do you want peace? Do you want joy?

Jesus is asking. How are you responding?

We celebrate Easter this month. As we reflect on Jesus’ life and ministry remember that Jesus is all of those things we listed above…and more! He is our Savior from sin and the risen King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

So today, listen for His voice. Respond. And then watch His miracle-working power work in your life.

Heather Hanton
Media and Ministries Specialist
The Salvation Army Central Territory
Women’s Ministries Department