The Real Jesus

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir to all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of his  person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excelllent name than they.
Hebrews 1: 1-4 NKJV

Just who is it that you think that the man Jesus is?  Is He certainly the risen Son of God as the scriptures tell us, or is He simply a decent, loving man.  Many become confused in their search for Jesus, focusing on His character instead of the very purpose for which He existed.  We make the claim that Jesus was none other than a kind hearted man who helped others who were in need.  By proclaiming this, we ignore what the scriptures have proclaimed about the coming Son of God.

He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and aquainted with grief.  And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.  Surely He has born our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by god, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.   All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53: 3-6 NKJV

Most of us know of the good works, kind words and miracles of the man Jesus.  It is this part of Jesus where many people stop in their quest to know and understand Him.  It is enough for them that Jesus was simply a good person who did what He could to help anyone in need.  For this is what counts after all, the actions of the man and not His intent.  We exalt Jesus for His miracles of healing, while ignoring the very lesson He taught to those whom He helped.  To many of these, one man showed them the love and compassion which nobody else would.  We fail to see these instances as a indictment on ourselves and a guide for us to follow, but instead revel in the mercy of this man Jesus.  It is true that Jesus bestowed love and mercy upon those whom He came across, but His calling was much more than saving lepers and turning water into wine.  For these are merely the physical attributes of a man who some revere as one of the worlds greatest humanitarians.  In some ways, we have been blinded by the miracles of Jesus.  Yes, Jesus was love and mercy, but He gave us much more.  We've heard what some today believe Jesus was, but who did His disciples think He was?

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"  So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be lossed in heaven."
Matthew 16: 13-19 NKJV

It seems that young Peter hit the nail on the head here.  For Peter saw through the miracles and parables of Jesus and came to know the man Jesus for who He was.  Of course Jesus was known by His own disciples, for they spent day after day sharing life with Jesus during His ministry.  There were plenty of opportunities for Jesus to share Himself with these young men who were His inner circle.  We today are blessed with a written record of the teachings which Jesus related to his disciples.   To His disciples Jesus was certainly more than just a good hearted humanitarian.  We today can look past the wonderous works of Jesus and gaze upon His true identity, the real reason for which He lived, gave His life as a sin offering and was resurected.  This He did for us.

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for  those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.  And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.  Father,  I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; For You loved Me before the foundation of the world."
John 17: 20-24 NKJV

The real man Jesus, giving of Himself that we may live.

~Scott~