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Meeting the Messiah face to face

“The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am he.’” (John 4:25-26)

Jesus’ words must have come as a shock. The Samaritan woman had already grasped that He was a prophet. But now He claimed to be the Messiah, the Christ! She was longing for the Messiah to come but had not expected to meet Him personally, “disguised” as an ordinary man.

Simon Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, had a similar experience. When He first saw Jesus’ miraculous power at work, he was astonished. He fell down at Jesus’ knees and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). Peter realized that Jesus was more than a human, even though He was so near and looked like a normal man.

During Jesus’ earthly life, many people did not recognize Him as the Messiah and the Son of God. But one day, Jesus will return in glory. Then people will see Him “as He is” (1 John 3:2). Then every person will bow down to honor the name of Jesus and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

Are you looking forward to this moment? Why, or why not?