This Jesus 7!

This Jesus 7!

Acts 1:11 AMP

[11] who said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This [same] Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

We have looked at and considered the events of the week of passion. We have gone with Jesus as he groaned in the garden of Gethsemane, where he prayed that the cup of suffering may pass over Him, but He was careful to add that it was not according to His own will, but the will of His Father. We say as He was treated like a criminal, flogged with whips, his head pierced with thorns, and His side with a spear. We saw a real criminal, a thief crucified with Him, also mock Him as he hung on the cross.  The worst was that as He paid the full price for my sin, the Father looked away from His Son. That must have been the most agonising experience for Jesus.

He died, and was buried. The leaders of His time thought that was the end, but in line with His many promises, death could not hold Him down, and the grave had no power over Him. I cannot imagine how heaven felt when the Creator was being treated terribly by the created, but it was all in line with the plan of God for mankind. Even the disciples did not initially believe that He had risen from the dead, and Jesus had to appear to them, even in a locked room, before some of them even believed. The work of salvation and redemption was now done, and Jesus had committed the work of discipleship into the hands of His disciples. 

He also promised them the right kind of help for the assignment He had given them. He was not going to leave them alone to fend for themselves, but they would get help for the work ahead. It must be a source of comfort and encouragement to us that we are not left to our own devices. We have the help of the Ancient of Days, the Omnipotent God who is also Omnipresent. Through the changing of the times, and the development of science and technology, one thing remains constant, and it is this promise: "I will never leave you or forsake you". This promise has remained in place all through the generations, and we are again reminded today that God does not lie.

The story has not ended. The One who gave the assignment and the required help will come back again. As it is the case with all His promises, He has not failed yet. The disciples were told, as laid out in the verse above, that it is this same Jesus that they had just seen taken up to heaven, that would also return one day. I have the assurance that I am not working in vain, or labouring to waste. The One who gave the assignment is watching and cheering me on. I do not define success the way the world does; God's approval and reward are all that matters. I look forward to the crown that is ahead. Are you? God's time of favour is here. 

Rest!

Rest!

Hebrews 4:10 AMPC

[10] For he who has once entered [God's] rest also has ceased from [the weariness and pain] of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly His own.

As we read the story of the people of Israel, we are reminded of what God's plan for them was, and how they always seemed to find a way to mess up. God is always faithful to His promises, and there is nothing that can stop His will from coming to pass. My life can be a hindrance to what He wants to do, but His Omniscience means that He knows what is coming, and He has adequately prepared for any eventuality. As part of God's will for calling out Abraham from his father's house, and promising him a land flowing with milk and honey, God was trying to establish a pattern of life and behaviour that would attract His blessings and favour. He wanted to lay down a model that the world could see and follow, if it also wanted the same favour and blessings that Abraham and his offspring received. This was a rest that was permanent, and one that would be sustained by obedience. 

However, as we know, there were many reasons why Israel could not just stay loyal. It could be because it did not really fight for the land that it was given, or it was easier to just blend in with the practices of the nations that were around it, or it was just too much work to stay faithful, when there were attractive options all around. I note that the rebellion and disobedience of Israel did not change God's plan; God already had a plan even for the disobedience, and He applied punishment  as it was due under His rules for Israel. We read of the exile of the nation at different times in their history, and how many died in foreign lands. It is a truth that God has no favourites when it comes to, and He will punish sin, no matter in whom it is found. However, His hatred for sin does not in any way dilute His love for the sinner. It is His love that underpins the message in the verse above.

It is God's desire that man has rest. He modelled this desire by working for six days on creation, and resting on the seventh day. He offers the same rest to all who would come to Him. He offers the same rest to all who would put their total trust in Him. As we know, God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. It is an offer open to 'he who seeks to enter into God's rest'. You enter by the only way God has laid down, who is Jesus Christ. You enter by total surrender and absolute trust in the finished work on the cross. He offers an end to the weariness and pain of human labors, which the people under the control and influence of the world cannot access. Today is another day that God has graciously given for us to access all that He has promised. Would you take Him up on His promises? God's time of favour is here.

This Jesus 6!

This Jesus 6!

1 John 3:16 AMPC

[16] By this we come to know (progressively to recognize, to perceive, to understand) the [essential] love: that He laid down His [own] life for us; and we ought to lay [our] lives down for [those who are our] brothers [in Him].

The writer of this letter is called John the beloved, and he was one of Jesus’ closest disciples, known for his deep love, devotion, and intimate relationship with Christ. He was also the brother of James, both fisherman by background, and part of Jesus’ inner circle alongside Peter. Another interesting fact about John was that he described himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved, not as a sign of favoritism, but as a reflection of his deep understanding of God’s love towards him, and his acceptance of Christ’s love. It is not that much of a surprise that he demonstrated his loyalty by staying with Jesus even at the cross, where he was entrusted with the care of Jesus’ mother. 

John had a deep understanding of love, truth, and the price that was paid to secure full and free salvation for all mankind. This is why the whole of 1 John is a revelation of the love of God, and what is expected of us who are the targets of this love. This is not a reality or an experience that can be kept personal; yes, it starts as something personal, but its value and effect cannot be kept personal. If I know I am loved, and that there is an eternal plan for me, it will impact everything I do, and how I do them. I will keep an eye on that eternal goal even as I also seek to make as many people as possible aware of who I have come to know and what I am in line to inherit. 

All the benefits listed above were made possible and attainable simply because Jesus submitted to the cross. There would have been no crown to look forward to if there was no cross. There would have been no glory to aspire to if there was no pain. God's love may never be fully understood if we did not see a practical demonstration of that love. What He did was to pay the full price for past, present and future sin. Reflect on this: even the sins that I will commit in the future and truly repent of have already been atoned for. Even for children yet unborn, as long as this earth remains in place, their sin is already atoned for, if they come to the saving knowledge of Jesus, before He returns to take His own home.

This calls for deep reflection, leading to the right and appropriate response. I cannot afford to let all that Jesus has done go to waste. I have the right example to follow; One has laid down His life for me. He gave me His all so that there is nothing too big for me to lay down for Him. It may not necessarily mean dying, but it is about submission and humility in true service for other people. Do people see the mark of Jesus in and on me? Can men point to a remarkable difference in my attitude and response to, as well as my interaction with other people? Can I truly lay down my life for my brothers, comfortable in the knowledge and personal experience of the love I have already received? God's time of favour is here. 

This Jesus 5!

This Jesus!

Isaiah 53:5 AMP

[5] But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was crushed for our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing]; The punishment [required] for our well-being fell on Him, And by His stripes (wounds) we are healed.

Long before the actual sacrifice was made, God had all the plans in place. Long before it became a physical reality, God already laid out the plan for the full redemption of man back to Himself. Isaiah prophesied about 600 years before Christ was born in the flesh, so he could not have had any inkling of what was ahead, if God did not reveal it. It is therefore not a surprise that the cross happened. It was not an accident of history that the cross happened. It was all in God's plan, and we can say, with every sense of gratitude, that our lives changed when God put His plan in motion and Jesus consented to be the sacrifice for sin. 

Read the verse above, and it would seem that it happened in the past. Isaiah must have been recalling something that had already happened, but as we know, at the time, it had not. From God's perspective, it was already settled. This is the God who calls the things that be not as though they were, and who uses the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one can boast in His presence. Check out all that Jesus went through, so He could offer the perfect sacrifice for my sin: He was wounded, He was crushed, He was burdened, He was flogged and then hung on a tree. Could any of us have gone through these experiences and remained faithful to the assignment? 

For all the experiences He went through, there is an equivalent gain for me. His wounds led to my salvation. His crushing led to my victory and success. His flogging sealed my hope, joy and redemption, as well as my healing. I could not get any of these things by wealth, circle of influence, connections, or anything else. Only the One who made the heaven and the earth could offer that which God could accept as full and final payment for present and even future sin. Reflect on this: for the first and last time, God the Father turned His back on His Son, because of the burden He carried. What a privilege. What a blessing. What joy. What peace. 

However, what the verse above also makes clear is that I have now been put on notice. I have no excuse if I miss out on all that God has made available. He has done His pwn part, and He invites me to step into the finished work. What this also tells me is that this work will not be repeated ever again. It is a one-off offer, and valid for this earthly phase. All I can do is only good for this present earthly phase. A day comes soon when I will get the due reward or punishment for my response to what I have been offered. May all the pain that Jesus suffered for me not be in vain. May I have no eternal regrets. God's time of favour is here. 

This Jesus 4!

This Jesus 4!

John 16:33 AMP

[33] I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

At some in the earthly ministry of Jesus, He knew the time for change had come, the end of the earthly phase of His assignment was close, and He needed to fortify His disciples with the right information on what was ahead of them. For four whole chapters in John, it was just Jesus and His disciples, men into whom He had poured Himself, taught them the principles and practices of God's kingdom, and challenged them to focus on both earthly impact and eternal life. It could have been easy for Jesus to avoid hard truths, but the verse above makes it clear that Jesus would have me know what is coming, so I can prepare the right way.

The cross was reaching out to Jesus; the world was mounting pressure on His disciples; there was uncertainty about what was ahead, and all Jesus could do was to again re-emphasize that this world will not get easier. Being in a fallen world means that, as long as I am in the world, it will hate me if I do not conform to its demands and standards. How can I expect the world's system to just stand by and watch me oppose everything it stands for? One great thing that happened here was that Jesus prepared His disciples for all that the world will throw at them. As it was then, so is it today: this world will not get better; only those who are in Christ have something to look forward to. 

Jesus teaches me to hold on to Him even when everything around me is falling apart. He encourages me to hold on to His Word even when nothing looks like it is working. The world has more questions than answers, but in Jesus lies all the answers to all the questions that the world may throw at me. The world has tribulation, distress and suffering, but Jesus has perfect peace. You cannot give what you do not, and you cannot sustain that which you did not initiate. Jesus is qualified to offer me peace because He is the Prince of Peace. Satan can only give lies as he is the father of lies. Which of these two options do you want to have as your eternal reality? 

Another reason why I have joy is because my eternal hope has been sealed. Jesus makes it clear that I should be courageous, confident and filled with joy because He has overcome the world. How do I know this? It is because I am alive today. It is because there is a joy in me that no situation can take away. It is because the One in me has already conquered death and the grave. His victory is not subject to the whims of the world. His victory is not the type that the world can debate or deny. His conquest is accomplished. His death and life make it possible for me to experience His life too. His victory over death has become my victory too. Is it the same for you? God's time of favour is here.

This Jesus 3!

This Jesus 3!

Hebrews 12:2 AMP

[2] [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].

The verse above charges us to look away from all that will distract us. This tells me that the default setting of the natural man is to be engaged in many things, and not that one very important thing. The world seeks to give us several options, and seeks to keep us focused on things that look 'legitimate' but are also distracting us at the same time. It is very important to take care of our families, as well as the needy around us, but it must never be at the expense of a living, breathing, healthy relationship with this Jesus. As we go through life, earthly pursuits and priorities will change in line with our age and health, but the one thing that will not change is our need for God. 

The verse above does not leave us clueless. It tells us what to avoid, and what to focus on. It tells us to look away from all that will distract and to focus our eyes on Jesus. Focus is 'the act of concentrating full attention, effort, or energy on one specific task, object, or person while filtering out distractions'. It takes all or full attention; as long as there is shared attention, it is not focus. It is clear that we will not be able to do this without help, and that is why Jesus offers us Himself as the Source of all that we need, and the end-goal of our faith. He is the One who births our salvation, and He is the One in whom we find purpose, direction, and fulfilment. 

If someone is both the Author and Perfecter of faith, it means that He is also responsible for alll that happens between start and end. He does not have a great start and a terrible end. He did not come to the earth in human form, and then avoid the walk of shame that led to my salvation. He went all the way by standing in my place, taking on my guilt and shame, and even suffering the rejection of His Father as He hung on the cross. You do not do these things unless you know the value and purpose  behind the pain. Jesus knew the pain that was coming, but He also knew the joy that was ahead. He kept His eye on the prize, which were the lives that would come and put their trust in Him.

The joy ahead made the cross worth it.  The cross brought shame, but it was the pathway to the glory that was ahead. He already had glory, but there was no way to describe the glory that would be made manifest in mortal man. Picture a mortal man being the carrier of an immortal God. Picture an immortal God, who brought Himself down to the level of mortal man, so He could bring mortal man to realms of glory beyond man's understanding. All of these were made possible by the focus of this Jesus. He has finished the work of the cross, and He is still working to bring to completion the work He has started. Have you met this Jesus? God's time of favour is here.

This Jesus 2!

This Jesus 2

Matthew 20:28 AMP

[28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [paying the price to set them free from the penalty of sin].

All through the lifetime of Jesus on earth, men came to know different things about Him. Yesterday's focus was on the early days of Jesus' ministry, just before God made that public declaration of Jesus being His beloved Son. Today's focus is on the disciples who had followed him for a few years now. They had seen Him perform miracles, and had also heard Him teach with authority. They had seen Him oppose the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, and the teachers of the law of His time. The disciples had also heard Him speak about the coming suffering on the cross, and this must have been hard to take. How could a man who was this powerful, raising people from the dead, be put to death in such a shameful manner? The image they had of Jesus did not match what He was telling them. What version of this Jesus do you have and know? 

Interestingly, in the midst of all these news, the mother of two of the disciples saw a great opportunity to get something for her sons. She must have seen a glimpse of the glory that awaited those who followed this man to the end, and she wanted something eternal. She wanted preferential treatment for her sons, though there were 10 other disciples. I am not sure why she thought this was a good idea, but before we point a finger at her or the sons, can we also take a look at ourselves? What is the motive for my service? Is it earthly applause or recognition? Why do I serve as I do? If my assignment was in an obscure corner, where no one noticed, would I still give my best? Is the title men call me more important to me than how God sees me? James and John could also have pushed their mum to approach Jesus to make that request. I deal with a God of totally absolute knowledge, before whom all secrets are laid bare. He cannot be deceived by external show which is devoid of personal devotion. 

It is this same Jesus that makes it clear what His mission on earth is, and what He expects from those who claim to follow Him. Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man, which is a source of comfort to us that Jesus has walked in our shoes, and is able to provide the help we need. His life is also an example we can emulate: He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. He is God, but He left all that glory in heaven, and came in the image of those who needed help. In His glory, death could not touch Him, but in His humanity, He has laid the path for us to be reconciled to God, and to have access to all that we need for life and Godliness. We could not pay the price for our sin, but He did, fully satisfying God's righteous requirements, and now, we are set free from the penalty of sin, and assigned eternal life with God. This is where I am now. This is who I am now, all thanks to this Jesus. Do you know this same Jesus? God's time of favour is here