Colossions 1: 15 - 18 NKJV
The sign was indeed inviting, for a church. "Come inside and meet Jesus," was its welcoming message. Meet Jesus? How in the world could I meet a man who has been dead for centuries? How in the world could we ever meet a man who was...God. For the casual observer passing by this church in the north of Portland, one might assume that this Jesus was nothing but a local pastor inviting all into His church. Well, you would correct in your assumpton. This man, this Jesus is indeed a pastor and leader of the largest church in the world. In fact , Jesus sits at the head of the church of the Christ-ians. All who proclaim themselves to be christians are under His leadership {Colossions 1:18}. Indeed, if I claim to be a christian, then it is Christ Jesus who is the head of His church. Now, I've seen many a pastor come and go in my time. Some I've enjoyed, others not so much. However, I can admit that I've very seldom considered in my heart that it was actually Jesus who had that preeminence in the church and not a man appointed and annointed by men. Yes, I knew and loved Jesus, I just never realized Him as the head of the church. That position fell on the man in the pulpit on Sundays. I believe that this is where our major disconnect in christianity has come. For how can we call ourselves christians if we lack a relationship with He whom we celebrate? Jesus is more than just a storyline and certainly more than just a image on some painting. Indeed, as Jesus proclaimed, if we have seen Him then we have seen the Father as well {John 14:9}. This is exactly why He is sometimes refered to as the "God man," fully God and yet fully man as well.
24And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
Matthew 8: 24 - 27 NKJV
It is the apostle Paul who has proclaimed Jesus as the "Image of the invisible God." So, how is it that we can ever see God? We HAVE seen Him through Christ Jesus. Philip asked Jesus to "Show us the Father" {John 14:8}. Thomas doubted when those around him claimed "We have seen the Lord!" {John 20:25}. In my christian infancy, I often found it hard to trust in someone I could not even see. Unfortunately, I've heard this from other christians as well. I guess I feel as if I'm in good company if even Jesus' own disciples had difficulty comprehending just who He was. So who is this man Jesus? Well, it is Jesus who is the very image of the LIVING invisible God. We are told that no one has seen God at any time {John 1:18}. Yet we are called to worship Him and hold Him holy. Rather than calling this a leap of faith on our part, I would trust in what we know. We know that God was present at the begining of creation {Genesis 1:2}. We know that He created the heavens and the earth {Genesis 1:1}. We also know that through Christ Jesus that all things were created {Colossions 1:16}. Fully God, and fully man. I understand that many will find it hard to believe in someone whom they cannot see, I get it. What helped me into a relationship with Jesus was when I finally made it a personal relationship between Christ and myself. Instead of some pie in the sky wish, I came to see myself as Christ. The apostle Paul assures us of this truth in Romans 6 and also again in Galations 2:20. It is no longer I who live...but Christ lives in me. I've already met Jesus.
5Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” 8Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
John 14: 5 - 9 NKJV
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment