MISTAKEN IDENTITY

Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son… Matthew 13:55

Years ago I was getting my hair cut at a salon and the woman cutting my hair kept calling me by the name of Steve. After she did this a few times I said, “My name is actually Ted, not Steve.” She came around the front of chair, looked me right in the face and said, “Are you sure?” I replied, “Yes, do you want to see my license”? She was amazed that I was not Steve. Apparently, Steve and I looked somewhat alike.

Talk about mistaken identity. This has happened to Jesus multitudes of times since He was on the planet. People think He is someone He is not. In the above verse the hometown people just believed Him to be “the carpenter’s son.” They thought this because they did not know the whole story or at believe the whole story of who He is. Others in those times believed He was John the Baptist, Elijah or one of the prophets (Mark 8:27-28). Still others saw Him only as a teacher, Rabbi, or a good man (John 1:38; John 7:12). Then there were those who said Jesus was a deceiver and was empowered by Satan (Matthew 27:63; Luke 11:19). None of them understood who Jesus is.

When Jesus asked His disciples “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus went on to say, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being” (Matthew 16:17). Jesus also said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 8:44). We cannot understand who Jesus is unless God Himself reveals Him to us. We can know that God exists, but we cannot have a relationship with Him through Jesus unless the Father draws us to Jesus.

Consider yourself mightily blessed if you know Jesus. That could only happen because the Father did a work in your life. The Holy Spirit of God used the Word of God as the Father drew you to the Son of God. May many others around us be drawn to Him as well and may we be used in that drawing process of others coming to understand who Jesus is and trusting Him! May it be so!

Father, thank You for drawing me to the Lord Jesus and revealing who He is to me. Holy Spirit, thank You for convincing me as to Who Jesus is. I am grateful to know Him and to be able to serve Him. May I do so for the rest of my life here on this planet. I so look forward to being in Heaven with Jesus and all who love Him.