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“’But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Matthew 16:15-16).

If you were following our blog back in March of 2012, you may remember that we wrote on the “Christ”. I began my particular post that week with Matthew 16:16, which is part of the quote above. I could essentially re-write the same post for this week, since “Messiah” translates to the Greek “Christos”, which then translates to the English “Christ”. However, I want to go a little deeper this week than I did back then. In that post, I focused mainly on the meaning of the name “Christ” and how it has united all believers worldwide under the one “Christian” faith. This week, I want you to think about what the “Messiah” personally means to you.

Now, I want to make myself clear that the Christ did not come to this earth in the person of Jesus of Nazareth so that he could be our own personal genie in a bottle. Too often, Christians have personalized Jesus so much that they have created a proverbial box for him to fit into. This has been one of the main causes of denominationalism in the Church. Followers of Jesus have decided to be selective in the attributes of the Messiah that they accept and the ones they deny. While most would not outwardly declare this, it becomes obvious in how they live, how they treat others, and what they treasure. Even the Apostle Peter, who made the very declaration quoted above, fell into this trap as shown in the verses that followed in Matthew 16. Jesus is the Messiah, which means he is the Anointed One of prophecy, the King of kings and Lord of lords, and the sovereign Judge and Ruler of all. If you worship a Messiah that you believe is going to wash away all of your troubles and bring you worldly prosperity, you are not worshipping Jesus. I urge you to truly see him as Lord over every area of your life.

Aside from the names for the Messiah that have to do with his power and authority over all, there are many in the Bible that have to do with his personal relationship with us. One of the more well-known passages of prophecy about the Messiah in the Old Testament is Isaiah 9:1-7. This is a passage that is frequently read around Christmastime each year. In v. 6, there are four names listed for the coming Messiah: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace”. The great thing about our Messiah is that he is ALL of those things and many more rolled into one. But let’s be honest. All of us, at different times in our lives, are in need of one of those persons more than the others. So, as I asked you to think about earlier in the post, what does the Messiah mean to you?

Let’s take a look at each of the four names mentioned in Isaiah 9:6. Are you in desperate need of some wise and WONDERFUL COUNSELING? I have, at two different points in my life, seen a professional Christian counselor to deal with some deep wounds and issues I have had. While I would certainly recommend those individuals to others and can truly say that they are centered in God’s Word and led by his Spirit, they don’t hold a candle to receiving “wonderful counseling” directly from God through the Messiah. Unless you’ve experienced that, you may not know what I’m talking about. But, I can assure you that if you spend time listening during prayer instead of just talking and immerse yourself in God’s Word, He will most certainly give you the answers that you need. The Messiah made direct contact between sinners (us) and our holy God possible.

Maybe you need to know that God is in fact MIGHTY. Sometimes, the problems of this world can seem so overwhelming. Truthfully, they absolutely ARE overwhelming without the Messiah. When someone you dearly love suddenly passes away, or when you lose your job that you are depending on, or when your spouse suddenly decides he/she no longer wants to stay committed to the union he/she made with you before God and your families, how in the world can you believe you are ever going to get out from underneath that avalanche? The answer and hope are found in the Messiah who declared, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b).

Perhaps you have been abandoned by your biological father either by choice or by circumstances over which he had no control. Maybe he passed away far too early for you to be ready, or maybe you never knew him or can’t remember much about him due to his choice to abandon you. Worse yet, maybe your father was a source of pain and bitterness for you due to abuse or neglect. If any of these things are true, you are in need of the EVERLASTING FATHER. In the Messiah, you have a Father that “will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5b). It is frankly impossible for him to abandon you. He will not leave you, as that would break a promise, and He will not die, as he is indeed everlasting!

Finally, maybe your life is full of turmoil, dissension, and dysfunction when it comes to your closest relationships. The Messiah is your PRINCE OF PEACE. As you allow him to come into your heart, renew and transform your mind, and guide your actions, you will experience the kind of “peace of God that transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). You’ll learn to “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44), “bless those who persecute you” (Romans 12:14), and “make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification” (Romans 14:19). You may not be able to control the actions of others, but you’ll find true peace and comfort knowing that you are walking with the Messiah and that he approves of you.

I can honestly say that I have personally experienced the Messiah as each one of these four titles and many others at different crucial times in my life. You can experience the same, if you haven’t already. As you think about what the Messiah means to you and who you say he is, remember that he is your Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. In other words, he is EVERYTHING you will ever need, from beginning to end!