Jesus is the Christ!  Christ means the anointed One, the Messiah.  So, the question then is this, “How did Jesus become the Anointed One?”  Truth is Jesus has always been the Anointed One, but there was an appointed time when Jesus was about thirty years of age where His earthly ministry would begin.   The Gospel of John tells how John baptized Jesus with water, and after that John saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus.  John had previously been told by God that the one upon whom he would see the Spirit descend and remain would be the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.  (John 1:19-34)

Immediately after the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days.  Jesus, upon His return, went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath. He read a portion of scripture from the scroll of Isaiah.  ”THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” Luke 4:18-19  Then He said, “Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

So, who anointed Jesus?  John the Baptist saw the heavens open up and Spirit of God descend upon Jesus, and then he heard a voice say, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” This pretty much answers the question, but let us not forget the prophetic scripture from Isaiah which states “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME…”

The next question is, “Why did God the Father anoint Jesus His Son with the Holy Spirit?”  Luke 4 states, “TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”   Consider how this coincides with John 3:16.

The most important reason God anointed Jesus was because of His great love for us.  God, through Jesus and His anointing, completely sets us free, transforms our lives, and brings us into full relationship with God.  God loves us so much! His desire is that no one would perish, but that all would come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)  This is why Jesus seeks today to pour His Spirit out upon all of us.

Remember what John the Baptist heard God say about Jesus.  “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” John 1:33 Jesus is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.  He poured out this wonderful anointing on the day of Pentecost, and He is still doing it today.  We need only ask Him to anoint us with His Spirit so we too, like the believers in the book of Acts, can be used by Him as mighty witnesses to help more people discover the life changing power of the Gospel.

Pastor Jonathan