This Jesus

 Good morning!

 

I read an article on social media that talked of Jesus, the one Christians believe is God incarnate, as he lived his life on earth some 2,000 years ago.  The article emphasized the life of Jesus being one of love, inclusion, and forgiveness.

I see this a lot now in various posts, articles, and memes.  The statement is indeed true.  Jesus did model love, inclusion, and forgiveness.  We must, if we are to be followers of Jesus, emulate that as best we can.

However, I am concerned that when we begin to see Jesus ONLY in this light, we miss some things very important in our understanding of who God Incarnate really is.  We have to understand that we are not dealing with a god who is indifferent to sin or ignores our shortcomings.  We are not dealing with a god who let’s us go our merry way doing and engaging in whatever thing or activity we want, and then says, “Awww, it’s OK.”  We’re not dealing with a god who pretends that our shortcomings and sins don’t really exist or don’t matter, and we can all be one happy family.

We are dealing with a God who has been working ever since Adam and Eve to redeem the creation and create a way for his fallen, sinful humans to be accounted as righteous in His sight so that we can be in His presence, and He in ours…consistent with His immutable attributes of love, justice, mercy, judgment, grace, and yes, wrath.

This Jesus, who we often place in an exclusively love and inclusion box…by the way, that’s often the most comfortable for us…for Jesus to be in that box…this Jesus is that God.  This Jesus, who we see as the kindly man going about loving and forgiving, is the God who paid the ultimate price, the only price that was sufficient, for our shortcomings and sin.  This Jesus is the one who

   Is the creator of all that was, is, or ever will be.

·         Is the "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

·         Told the woman who was about to be stoned because of he sin to, "Go, and sin no more."

·         Is the Angry Son who drove out the money-changers from His Father’s temple and who lit into the Pharisees and Scribes for their hypocrisy.

·         Wept over Jerusalem because of its collective unbelief just before His crucifixion.

·         Emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and was obedient to the Father by dying on a Roman cross.

·         Is the Angry Son who drove out the money-changers and who lit into the Pharisees and Scribes for their hypocrisy.

·         Is the One described by John in Revelation 1...this is the vision John saw of Jesus…the hair on his head white like wool, as white as snow, his eyes like blazing fire; his feet like bronze glowing in a furnace and his voice like the sound of rushing waters:  his face shining like the sun in all its brilliance…and coming from his mouth was a two-edged sword.

·         Said that the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

 He…this Jesus…is the one who said, according to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13…The Son of man will send out His angels and they will gather out of His kingdom all those people who cause others to fall away [from God] and those who [continue to] sin.  He will throw these people into the fiery furnace where there will be crying and excruciating pain.  Then the people who did what was right will shine out like the sun in their Father's kingdom.  The person who has ears [to hear with] ought to listen [to this] carefully.

 And he, this Jesus, is the one who said, "Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

 So, why am I telling you all of this?  In order to say this:  Jesus is way more than the itinerant preacher...way more than the One who includes, forgives, and loves, although He is indeed the perfect example of those things.

The questions are, should we emulate the earthly life of Jesus as best we can?  Certainly.  Do we refrain from casting the first stone because we ourselves are not without sin?  Yes.  Do we do our best to value all people, cultures, races, etc. as children of God and our neighbor?  Of course.

We are in no position to be the arbiters and enforcers of what we perceive as the good and the right.  God is perfectly capable of running the world without our help, of with our help, if He so chooses.  Besides, when we insert ourselves into judgment-making without authority from God, we only mess up things with our biases and warped world views.  Every.  Single.  Person.  Has a biased and warped world view.  Every one.

Maybe we need to experience God in a new way.  I’m wondering if that "new way" may very well be having a much more complete picture and concept of Jesus as presented in all of Scripture.  Friend of sinners?  Yes.  One who forgives?  Certainly.  Compassionate on the outcast and lower classes of society?  For sure.  Almighty God who judges rightly and promises that we will reap what we sow?  We’d better believe it.

Thanks, and may God continue to bless you.