I have written this week with the Lord’s help about “The Identity of Jesus Christ.” The scripture text for this article comes from the book of Matthew. This book is the first book of synoptic gospels. There are three synoptic gospels, namely Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author of this book is Matthew, aka “Levi.” He was the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14) (Luke 5:27). He was a Jewish tax collector for the Roman government before Jesus called him to be his disciple (Matthew 9:9) and then later ordained him to be an apostle (Matthew 10:3). The book of Matthew was written for all mankind in general, but to the Jewish people in particular, the author stressed “the kindly nature of Jesus Christ” and showed him as the Messiah-King of the Jews. He used Old Testament messianic prophecies to show Jesus as the promised Messiah, by giving in this book a record of his words and deeds and each of them were fulfilling these prophecies concerning him. There are sixty references to the Old Testament and forty quotations from the Old Testament prophecies in the book of Matthew. For this Pastor’s Desk, we want to focus our attention upon Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. This is recorded in (Matthew 21:1-11), (Mark 11:1-11) and (Luke 19:28-24). This was a time of great celebration when Jesus came into Jerusalem, and it was the beginning of Passion Week. (Matthew 21:1-5) says = 1And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them and straightway he will send them. 4All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. Jesus riding on an ass, and the colt of an ass was to be a sign to the Jewish nation that Jesus was their Messiah-King and that this was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah in the Old Testament. Read: (Zechariah 9:9), and that this was a witness or visual aid as to “The True Identity of Jesus Christ.” (Matthew 21:6-9) says = 6And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest. The word, Hosanna, means = save now or save we pray. It is a shout of welcome, a cry of joy for the presentation of the Messiah-King to his people. The multitudes announced Jesus as the Son of David, who would come and save his people from the oppression of all their enemies and bring the Jewish people back to a time of power and great authority. Read: (Psalm 118:24-26). But the multitudes were still spiritually blind, and without understanding as to The True Identity of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the King of the Jews, but he was also the Saviour of the Jews, Samaritans, and the Gentiles. His first coming to the earth was to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). He came to give us eternal life, and to rescue our souls from eternal damnation. Thank you, Jesus! (Matthew 21:10,11) says = 10And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. This passage of scripture is the scripture text for this article and when we read it, we wonder why they did not know The True Identity of Jesus Christ. He had ministered to the people for three- and one-half years. He healed them when they were sick he cast out devils he gave sight to the blind he raised people from the dead, and he preached and taught them the word of God. But they still asked the question, who is this? The multitude said to the people of the city of Jerusalem, this is everything we need him to be in our lives! Zion Temple First Pentecostal Church should really know The True Identity of Jesus Christ he has done so much for us. We have been divinely preserved by the Lord for over 100 years. The storms of life have come, the tests and trials have come, and the winds of adversity have blown against Zion, but it is still standing. God has kept our church under his wings and held back sickness and disease. The COVID-19 did not destroy all the Saints. Some may have passed away from it, but the church is still safe and healthy. We should not have to ask the question, who is this? Our church should know The True Identity of Jesus Christ! Let us praise him today. Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus! Suffragan Bishop Charles L. Smith, D.D. April 13, 2025
