Who is Jesus? #4 (Immanuel cont.)

Jesus told his disciples on one occassion (Matt. 26:11), "The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me (with you - LT). Wait! What's this? Jesus was/is "God with us." How can he say he would not be with them always? Does He all-of-a-sudden lose his "Immanuel" status? In what we have called the "Great Commission" he said he would always be with them (Matt. 28:20).
What's the deal here, Jesus? Why would you not be with them?. The obvious answer is that, at some point, they would not see his phycial presence anymore (when he ascended into heaven) but His spirit...His essence....His truth....His spiritual presence would always be with them.
The point Jesus is making in the Matthew 26 passage is that He would be gone from their presence phycially so they had better keep focused on Him, His minsitry and what they were to be learning from Him. Now was the time to keep their eyes...hearts...thoughts fixed on him!
So here we are today. You have Jesus with you now. I don't want Him to ever leave.

Who is Jesus? #3 (Immanuel)

".. and they will call Him Immanuel - which means, 'God with us.' (Matthew 1: 23)." Surely our Heavenly Father knew who Jesus was. The name He gave Jesus through the pronouncement of this angel was Immanuel which means God with us. Jesus was/is God among His people.
Had God not been among His people before? We can think of many times in the Old Testament when the presence of God brought fear and trembling into the heart of the people. His presence was positioned on the mercy seat atop the Ark of the Covenant.
This "God with us" presence was different. There was a very special purpose for this presence and because of that purpose we see God crying, God walking, God laughing, God purging, God teaching, God praying and God dying.
Jesus is first introduced to us as "God with us." What does that mean to you? Don't you feel God reaching out to you saying, "I don't want to be distant and removed from you. Why do you want to be distant and removed from me?" "I gave you my presence in my son. Now, how about giving me your presence?"

Be Strong and Courageous,

L.T.

Who Is Jesus? #2

Would you believe that in some people's minds, Jesus was Satan himself? It happened after he had driven a demon out of a man who had been unable to speak. The religious scholars (Pharisees) of the day said he could only do this if he was prince of demons. What audacity! What blindness! The "prince of peace" is called the "prince of demons." Some people will do or say anything to not believe.
Two different mindsets witness the demon-possession healing and react in two different ways. Some were amazed because they had never seen anything like that before. Others, who also had never seen anything like it, crowned him prince of demons.
Who is Jesus to you. What is your reaction to the miracles he performed in the Bible and to the miracles he performs today?
Are you amazed? Are you blown away? Or are you ready to credit the works of God to some evil power - anyone but Jesus? Where are you? Who is Jesus to you?

Be Strong and Courageous,

L.T.

Who is Jesus?

The theme for our church for this year (2005) is, "It's all about You, Jesus." It probably wouldn't surprise you to learn that our theme song is, "Heart of Worship," from which the key phrase is taken.
It is a tough theme. It will be tough to carry out in our lives. For most of us, our lives are all about us. It is a "me" world.
The next few blogs will be ramblings about this theme and then on to trying to answer the question, "Who is Jesus?" Ask that question in any group and see what the response is. You will get some answers that you expect: Savior, Lord, Redeemer, Son of God, etc. Some will have no answer. Every now and then, someone gives you their heartfelt answer.
One young man recently answered that question by saying for him, Jesus was his "scapegoat." Think about that one for a while and we will continue tomorrow.

Be Strong and Courageous,
L.T.