Category: Jesus

• To know Jesus as my Provider, there must be a need.
• To know Jesus as my Sustainer, there must be an extended difficulty.
• To know Jesus as my Comforter, there must be hurt.
• To know Jesus as my Healer, there must be infirmity.
• To know Jesus as my Deliverer, there must be a form of bondage.
• To know Jesus as my Peace, there must be turmoil.
• To know Jesus as my Light, there must be darkness.
• To know Jesus as my Resurrection, there must be death.

Our friend Harry from Jerusalem shared these statements one recent Sunday. The thinking can continue into every area of life… even those that help me examine my response. For example, to know Jesus as my Friend, I need to be a friend. He tells us, “You are My friends if you do what I command.” (John 15:14)

To know Jesus as the Way, I must count the cost and follow Him. To know Jesus as the Truth, I must believe what He tells me. To know Jesus as the Life, I must surrender self and receive Him.

One of the reasons the Son gives so much honor to the Holy Spirit is that unless we are convicted of our sin, we may not even realize we need a Savior. To know Jesus as my Savior, I need to realize my hopelessness. When I understand that Jesus gave His life for a lost one who did not deserve it, I cannot help but love Him and praise Him and follow Him daily.

“I tell you the truth: unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.” John 16:7-8

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly die. But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8

Jesus wants us to hear and really understand. He wants us to see and truly perceive. As a Teacher, Jesus expects a lot and challenges us when we think too ‘small.’ Here’s an example:

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:14-21)

Jesus referred to two occasions when He fed great multitudes with just a little food. The first miracle took place near Bethsaida on the west side of the Sea of Galilee, and the crowd would have consisted mainly of Jews. The feeding of the four thousand, not counting women and children, took place a little later on the other side of the Sea of Galilee in the region of the Decapolis. This area was inhabited mostly by Greeks and other Gentiles. So what did the disciples not perceive about these miracles? And what did leftover baskets of food have to do with anything?

I think this is what the disciples eventually concluded. The twelve baskets represented the twelve tribes of Israel, which included all Jews. The seven baskets stood for the seven Gentile nations that inhabited the Promised Land before it was given to Israel. (see Deut 7:1-2 and Acts 13:19) Jesus was saying: “Do you really think I’m worried about a loaf of bread in our boat? Come on… don’t you see? I have come to feed and save the Jews who are such a big part of My Father’s plan. AND I have come to save the Gentiles, who My Father loves more than you can imagine. But beware, there are Jews like the Pharisees and Gentiles like Herod who oppose Me and My Father. Don’t let them influence you.”

Isn’t it funny that despite our ignorance and ineptitude, God uses us to be a part of His wonderful work? Before the great ‘feeding’ miracles, Jesus sent the twelve apostles in pairs to the villages of Israel with instructions to drive out demons, heal the sick, and proclaim God’s Kingdom. Surely many of the huge crowd of Jews that Jesus fed were those who witnessed amazing signs or heard about Jesus through the obedience of the apostles.

In Mark 7, Jesus healed a deaf man in the area of Decapolis who could barely talk. After healing him, He told witnesses not to tell anyone. “But the more He did so, the more they kept talking about it.” (Mark 7:36) In the same vicinity in Mark 5, Jesus cast out Legion from a tormented man and sent the demons into a herd of pigs. When this man wanted to follow Jesus, He was instructed: “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:19) And that is what the man did. Perhaps many in the crowd of the four thousand were inhabitants of the Decapolis who heard about Jesus from the recipients of earlier miracles.

Today, we are Christ’s ambassadors in a desperate world. “God, give us the power to cast out evil, to heal the sick, and to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom. And give us the remembrance and the passion to tell of all God has done for us and of the mercy we have received. May we invite the multitudes to meet Jesus and receive true life from Him. Help us not to think ‘small,’ but to really see what You are doing. Amen.”

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Matthew 6:10

The Return of the King, directed by Peter Jackson, won eleven Academy Awards including Picture of the Year for 2003. Besides being the powerful conclusion to the Lord of the Rings trilogy filmed in beautiful New Zealand, I can’t help but think that part of the movie’s popularity involves something that resonates deep in the hearts of human beings regarding the true King.

Tolkien fans know Aragorn is the lonely Ranger called Strider who befriended four hobbits early in their journey. No one would have suspected that he was the one destined to be king of Middle-earth. Always content to be in the background, when danger appeared Aragorn was quick to respond with courage and an uncanny ability to defeat any foe.

So it is with the true King who has saved us and called us for His glory. Born in a stable, raised in the poor village of Nazareth, content to live in obscurity as the son of a carpenter, Jesus was identified as the Christ by His Father after being baptized in the Jordan River. In meekness and power, the King “went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38)

With His Father’s authority, Jesus lived and proclaimed a Kingdom that is vastly different from the kingdoms men build. Most of the religious did not recognize the King… who was also their God. They opposed Him because His words and ways did not match their own. They hated the One who came to save them. Notice Jesus’ anger and sorrow in Mark’s story:

“Now He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a paralyzed hand. In order to accuse Him, they were watching Him closely to see whether He would heal him on the Sabbath. He told the man with the paralyzed hand, ‘Stand before us,’ then He said to them, ‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do what is good or to do what is evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they were silent. After looking around at them with anger and sorrow at the hardness of their hearts, He told the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. Immediately the Pharisees went out and started plotting with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.” (Mark 3:1-6 HCSB)

What sets Jesus apart is the love with which He operates. He loved the man with a disability, but He also loved the ones who plotted to kill Him. He proved this love by dying for us all. The King of kings abdicated His rights and chose not “to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

The King now calls us to walk this noble path. We might say, “But I don’t have the faith or the love to live like Jesus!” This is true… without God; but “with God all things are possible.” We all have a measure of faith, and the Lord asks us to use the faith we have… to give, to pray, to heal, and to be His witnesses. We all know the love of God, and so Jesus asks us to share this love He has given us with everyone we encounter. Remember that “God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Rom 5:5) Let’s love fearlessly!

As we remind one another of our King’s return and as we proclaim the Gospel to the world, may we walk with His kindness, His purpose, and His joy. Happy New Year!

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.” I Peter 2:21

An angel appears to Mary and communicates an upcoming birth… An angel appears to Joseph in a dream to confirm Mary’s story… Unborn John the Baptist leaps in his mother’s womb when Mary visits Elizabeth… Angels visit shepherds in a field… A star leads wise men to Bethlehem… A Baby is born to a young Jewish virgin.

These are some of the miracles we remember at this time of the year. Of course the greatest Miracle is Jesus Himself… God made flesh… Immanuel – ‘God with us.’ As the Christmas parties and shopping and gift-giving take place all around the world, the Holy Spirit wants everyone to know the Miracle.

Jesus is the Message to the world. When we see Jesus, we see God. When we listen to Jesus, we listen to the Father. God reveals Himself through the Miracle of His Son. For those confused about God or hesitant about trusting a father or leery about religion, the Holy Spirit says: “Come to Jesus.”

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed Heir of all things and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)

We know Jesus worked many miracles while on earth, and today He continues to work miracles… in us! We are not only cleansed because of Jesus… we are changed because of Jesus. God is not content to just forgive us, He aims to transform us into the image of His Son. “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son…” (Romans 8:29)

When an angry, selfish, arrogant person comes to Christ and becomes peaceful, generous, and humble… the miracle of Jesus is at work. The ongoing work of God is to reveal His Son through us. May we present ourselves to Him as willing instruments, and may Christ be known in our world.

“This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ in you.” Colossians 1:26-27 (The Message)

Merry Christmas!!

Since the year 2000, I’ve been a part of a group that might know the solution to a problem our country seems to be struggling to solve. Though this group is very diverse with people from all races and walks of life, I’ve never witnessed prejudice or internal strife. What we all have in common is the secret to our harmony, but no one would choose to join… we are all dying.

Strangers are uncomfortable but friends smile when I talk about dying because I’ve been discussing it for seventeen years. But it is true that I’m closer to the end of life on earth now than I have ever been… and so are you! Over fifty friends from our group have passed away, including dear Mary whose funeral I attended this week, but the rest of us will stay positive.

No one really has the time to point an accusing finger when we are dealing with so serious an opponent. Instead, everyone pulls for one another. The differences among us are abundant, but we are all quick to encourage the struggling or give helpful information to the newcomer. We feel we are all in the same boat.

As fine a solution as ‘dying’ is to societal unrest, it is still not ‘the solution.’ Our support group is quite imperfect… and we realize that even if the cure for cancer is discovered today, we’re still going to die. Though few like to discuss death, it is our common destiny. God calls it the ‘last enemy’ and He is the only One who can defeat it.

The Holy Spirit wants every individual to know that apart from God’s solution we are already dead – separated from Him, the perfect Father. His Son is ‘The Solution.’ If we will humbly turn from our own ways and put our faith in the Lord Jesus, we will find life.

If dying people in a support group dare not argue or fight, how much more unified should those be who stand at the foot of the cross, trusting the Innocent One who died in our place? And when we realize He took away our sin and defeated death, should we not offer ourselves as those who simply want to carry out His good plans? Praise God for the Gospel.

“As for you, you were dead in your sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:1-10