LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil​
 
Sunday 12th April 2026

JESUS IS THE CHRIST

Scripture Reading: John 20
 
_And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. *John 20:30-31*_
 
In keeping with Jesus’ commendation for those who have not seen yet believe, John speaks about the purpose of the gospel he had written about the Lord Jesus.
 
In the presence of His disciples. John says Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in His gospel. The important thing to note is that Jesus did these signs in the presence of His disciples. They were not secret signs that were inconsistent with the nature of Jesus, or the nature of the signs recorded in the scriptures. We cannot, therefore, use this caveat to endorse all sorts of bizarre behaviours from preachers.
 
The pattern of what is acceptable as a sign and miracle must fit into what is recorded in scripture and affirmed by the Apostles of Christ.

That you may believe.

John notes that what is recorded in his gospel and, by extension, all the other gospels, were written so that we would come to faith in Christ. The gospels were not written as ‘showoffs’ for Jesus. They are a testament of who Jesus was so that those who encounter Him will believe in Him. Reading the gospels must lead us to faith in Christ.

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

This is what we must believe. It is a specific belief. Until we have this firm conviction about who Jesus is, our faith will be faulty. Jesus is the promised Redeemer who came to settle the debt of Adam’s transgression, which subjected humanity to death – spiritual and eternal separation from God.

In believing you have life.

 In Christ Jesus, we are reconciled to God. Believing in Him gives us access to His life. The Christian life is the life of Christ in the believer. We partake of the life of Christ by believing in Him as both the crucified and risen Lord. The one through whose death, our sins are forgiven and through whose resurrection, God justified us and made us His children.

Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. I commit to this belief for all of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen._