Tag: Christ

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Jesus: The Eternal, Effective Living Word

For John the Apostle, Jesus had to be viewed from eternity to eternity. His gospel, his letters, his Revelation, all serve to describe Christ in the wholeness of His holiness. There is none like Him.

The man Jesus, John heard with his own ears and saw with his own eyes and touched with his own hands. This aged Apostle was clear about this. He, like none other, put himself in the physical presence of the King.

John witnessed the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter and the glory of the Son of God on the Mount of Transfiguration when He shined brightly along with Elijah and Moses. This Apostle leaned upon Him at the last supper in the Upper Room. He stood at Golgotha beside Mary, His mother. There, Jesus committed Mary to John’s care. He dashed to the tomb, beating Peter with his determined sprint, as soon as he learned that the Savior’s body was gone.

The life of Jesus, the very real, human life of Christ, was something manifested to John. He took his commission seriously to testify to it. His documentation is thorough and detailed.

Signs and Conversations

John’s gospel features Jesus’ encounters not related by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This should not surprise or mystify us. John’s writings are dated decades after the appearance of the first three accounts of the life of Jesus.  He likely survived into his 90’s and his recollections complement the synoptic stories. His gospel invites us to behold the Lamb, born to take away the sin of the world.

How are we led to behold Him? John guides us in this by telling us of the Lord’s signs and His conversations.

Jesus’ first sign of extraordinary power comes at a rather ordinary event. A wedding feast is in crisis — the wine has run out and Mary seeks out her Son to fix the problem. Jesus, at first, appears unwilling to help. Undeterred, His mother simply told the wedding servants to do what Jesus tells them to do. They listen to Him and fill large jugs with water. Soon, the wine is flowing again, and this drink is commended as the best that any had tasted that day. Thus, John portrayed Christ as a party saver before he portrayed Him as a life saver.

Don’t miss the key element here.  The servants did as Jesus said. The Word of the Lord has power, and those who hear and obey experience this. Through the rest of the gospel, John tells of others who listened when Jesus spoke and were transformed.

Nicodemus, the Pharisee, was told he must be born again of the Spirit to understand Kingdom things. By the end of John, this religious leader, once so secretive about his belief in the Savior, felt compelled to go and wrap the Savior’s body for burial.

The woman at the well is won by His words about living water that come to those who worship in Spirit and Truth. She believed and convinced her whole town to come and hear Him.

The invalid at the pool of Siloam heard, “take up your bed and walk” and obeyed, even though it violated Sabbath rules. This man had suffered 38 years and was now on his feet because he believed what Jesus said.

The adulteress, thrust before Him alone, without her partner in sin, is rendered uncondemned and sent away with the admonition to “go and sin no more.” Consider this: even the woman’s accusers heard Jesus and fell under the sway of His words:  “Let the one without sin cast the first stone.” Slowly, the agitated, self-righteous mob thinned to nothing as the oldest to the youngest dropped their rocks under the weight of conviction.

Lord, God, Savior, Lamb

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard. …” These phrases open the letter known as 1 John. Jesus was and is the Son of Man and Son of God. What Jesus said and did in His time on earth manifested the reality of His being and character.

Jesus’ words were then and are now, eternal and effective. Read of Him. Learn of Him. Imagine yourself as a listener as He speaks. This isn’t so difficult to do. After all, more than 60 percent of John’s gospel is comprised of words from Him, words from the mighty God who is all and is in all. We can hear Him now as those gospel characters heard Him then.

John wrote at a time when some were attempting to redefine Jesus. Distortions and deceptions were circulated about the Person of Christ. Some described Him as a being less than God; others taught that He was some kind of being, other than human. John stood opposed to all such foolishness.

This last living Apostle sounded out the truth about Jesus as Lord and God and Savior. As believers, we must cultivate a true and faithful apprehension of the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Are we able to comprehend everything about who He is? Not likely. Human minds are too small and human logic too limited to explain eternal matters. It seems there will always be moments when we will have to cry out “I believe, help my unbelief.”

As promised, Jesus sent us the Person of the Holy Spirit to live in us, to help us, and to guide us in all truth. We proclaim the truth of Who He is and enter into the fellowship of Light.

This fellowship is the communion of those cleansed from sin by the Blood of the Lamb of God. It is a fellowship of love, and it is where we find our joy is complete.

It is a fellowship in Jesus, the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

 

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The Last Are First

The last shall be first. Jesus wanted His disciples to get this principle into their hearts. It wasn’t an easy task.

The top dogs, the big wigs, the bosses, and the rulers, and the chiefs – these were and are the people of status and prestige. And those following Jesus, at times, thought that being with Him would lift them to greatness. They were right about this, but the greatness that God would bring them to was something out of this world.

As we read through the middle of the gospel of Mark, we are given some glimpses of just how ambitious and opportunistic and exclusive these men could be. Toward the close of Mark 9, Jesus confronted His men about a discussion they had been having on the road to Capernaum. His question silenced them “for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest” (Mark 9:34).

First place, Jesus went on tell them, would belong to the one who served all and who served best. For emphasis, He brought a child before them and embraced him. Love children and be children at heart, He would go on to say. Care for the little ones and be small in your own eyes, He told them.

John, perhaps attempting to change the subject a bit, interjected with a report:  “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us” (Mark 4:38).

Jesus was not impressed. “Don’t stop him. He who is not against us is one of us,” the Lord said. “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward” (see Mark 9:38-41). Small things done from the heart in the purpose of God are big deals to Him.

Were the disciples getting Jesus’ point? Uh, not really.

In Mark 10, mothers brought their children to Jesus only to have the disciples push them back. “But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).

Children, the least and the last in Roman society, Jesus put first. We must be like them, the Savior said. Our hearts have to be open to wonder and aware of our need for wisdom.

My 1-year-old granddaughter visited my wife’s office; a marvelous building that sits by Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and is windowed all the way round. When little Kate got down to walk, she went straight to one of the windows to look at the river with its boats, buildings, and birds. She just kept whispering, “Wow, wow, wow.”

The last shall be first. The little one rejoiced at a scene seemingly so ordinary to most of the adults in the room.

The words, “Our Father,” should ever be on our lips. Hungry children know who to call for food. Frightened children seek out the face of a parent for assurance and protection.

Our problem is that we get too big – too full of ourselves.   John and James wanted special seats in the Kingdom that Jesus is destined to establish. To make sure Jesus got the message, they sent their mom to make the request for chairs at His right and His left. This scene came not long after a rich young ruler approached the Master, perhaps thinking he’d be a good addition to the team.  Jesus loved the young man, but saw that his things and his money had a hold on his heart. “Go sell all that you have and give to the poor, then come follow Me,” Jesus told him (see Mark 10:17-22).

We must decrease in our eyes; He must increase. The last shall be first.  God does amazing things with small stuff, with pebbles even.

Goliath stood ready to fight, taunting the army of Israel. David showed up with his shepherd’s staff, a bag, and a sling. He snatched five smooth stones from a river and ran toward his enemy.

One of those pebbles became a deadly weapon and an instrument of triumph. David slung it hard and fast. Goliath took a shot between the eyes, fell on his face, and lost his head.

I know, this is such a gruesome story following all the talk about children and childlikeness. But it’s a true report, and it drives home my point.

Those pebbles rested in the water for who knows how long. They were probably jagged rocks at first, but the flow of the river made them ready for the war.

Be small. Be children in the arms of God. Be a pebble that rests in the water that flows from the fountain of life. Be refreshed by the Word of God as you hear it and read it in the power of the Holy Spirit.

One day, you may find yourself flying through the air on a mission from God. You will be a stone of victory in an impossible situation. You will be used for the glory of Christ. You will be celebrated as one great in His Kingdom.

For the last shall be first.