Can I Trust Jesus?

Jesus. When was the first time you heard his name? Was it when you were at school? At church? Or maybe you heard someone using his name in a good way or bad way?

For some, Jesus is a historical person who lived and died. For others he was a great prophet and teacher. For some he will be someone who was a good person. But what if he is more than those things you think or have heard of?

What if Jesus is who he says he is? What if he is God in the flesh? The One who came to save us from our sins? The One who heals us? The One who gives us new life.

In Luke 4, Jesus went to the synagogue and when he was there, he read this scripture taken from Isaiah.

““The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. ”Luke 4:18-19 NIV

After Jesus read the scripture he sat down and said “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4: 21). This was a bold statement. What Jesus was saying to the people was, I am the person that was talked about in scripture. I am he!

And in the passage that Jesus read about himself, how did the prophet Isaiah describe Jesus?

Isaiah said Jesus would be the One who would preach the good news to the poor. Poor can mean socially and economically poor but it also means to those who are spiritually impoverished. Those who may have it all together financially, relationally, materially but they are lost in their hearts. They do not know their purpose or direction. They are restless and bored. They have everything but have nothing at all. The good news means because of Jesus, he is the One who gives us hope. He gives us new life. He gives us purpose.

Isaiah also said that Jesus is the One who frees us from captivity. Isaiah was talking about the captivity that the Israelites were in because of the Babylonian Empire but today in our context, we are talking about captivity to sin.

Sin causes us to be a slave, to feel frustrated, and to feel in bondage. But Jesus is the one who releases us from sin. His death and resurrection give us new life. We are free because he has paid the price! We can now walk in the newness of God and not in the bondage of sin.

Isaiah also said, Jesus is the One who gives sight to the blind. Today that means, Jesus is the one who heals us mentally, physically, and emotionally. Whatever trauma we have faced in life, whatever sickness we are facing life, whatever psychological damage we have had to experience -Jesus is the one who can heal us from all of those pains. He can heal us from abusive pain, sexual pain, abandonment, rejection, and physical pain. No scars are too hard for him. He is able and willing to heal us.

So, is Jesus your hope?

Is He your Savior?

Is He is your Healer?

We don’t have to serve many gods to have access to the One and true God. We just have to go to Jesus. His name is Wonderful. His name is Counsellor. His name is Prince of Peace, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9). He is all things to all people. And all we have to do is put our faith and trust in him and trust him for all things.

So are you trusting Jesus? Do you believe that he more than just a prophet, teacher, or friend? Do you believe that he is the Savior of the world and can and has saved you?

If Jesus is our hope, savior, and healer, then we can trust him.

May you experience Jesus new and afresh in your life and allow him to take you to a deeper level in your walk with him.

For the full sermon on this topic please click here.