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By Mike Caton

John 7:41a, Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Some claimed Jesus was the Messiah. Almost from the beginning, from the time of the first sin, the Jews (and even before there were any Jews) have been looking for a Messiah, or in Greek the Christ. When Adam and Eve sinned, God had promised a Savior, one who would crush the head of Satan. The promise of Messiah is a ribbon that runs throughout the Old Testament. Abraham was promised the Messiah would come from his line. David was told he would always have a descendant on the throne, the Messiah. The prophets spoke of a deliverer for the beleaguered nation of Israel, the Messiah. Every Jewish child was told of these and many more promises, and every Jewish heart longed for his appearing.

But over time their perception of the Messiah had changed. As people in any generation are prone to do, they see the political landscape, the economic troubles and so forth as more pressing than their spiritual condition. And in their minds, the Messiah transformed from a spiritual leader into a worldly one. Not worldly in the sense of sinful, but worldly in the sense of solving all of their worldly problems. It seems they have forgotten or downplayed their spiritual condition, again, as people in every generation are prone to do.

Maybe it would do us good to ask ourselves what kind of Messiah we are looking for. In our day and age, I see many who are still looking for that political Messiah. And it seems they have forgotten Jesus. Far too many are putting their hope in some system, some form of government that will solve all the world’s problems. But there is no way we can ever have peace, true peace, until we make peace with God. And making peace with God, on his terms, must involve a go-between, a sacrifice, the Messiah. And that Messiah is Jesus Christ. He is where our hopes must be anchored, where our priorities must be centered. There is no other way to be saved.

Father, thank you for Jesus. In his name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works part time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

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