Tag: Jesus

The Identity of Jesus

On By BrianIn Book of Luke

Who is Jesus?  What is his identity?  As Jesus traveled around teaching and healing, people were talking.  They wondered who he was, and they came to some interesting conclusions, as we can see in Luke 9.

Popular Ideas (v7-9, 18-19)

Herod wondered who Jesus was and heard what people were saying.  Some thought Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead.  Others thought he was Elijah.  Still others thought he was another ancient prophet raised again.  When Jesus asked his disciples who people said he was, they responded with the same ideas – John, Elijah, an ancient prophet.  All three options agree on the idea that he was a prophet.  Curiously, all three ideas also agree that he was a dead prophet raised from the dead.

Today, people have their own ideas about who Jesus is.  Some children presumably might think Jesus is simply a swear word, as that is the only time they have ever heard the name.  Others think he was a great deceiver of the people.  Most I suspect would simply say he was a good teacher, a moral person, a spiritual leader akin to the Dalia Lama and others.  Who is Jesus?

His Claim (v20-22)

Jesus asked his disciples who they thought he was.  Closer to the source perhaps they had a better answer.  As usual Peter takes the role of the spokesman and suggests that he is the Christ of God; that is, he is God’s Messiah, the one predicted in the Old Testament to be sent by God, the coming king.  It is clear from parallel passages that Jesus agrees with Peter’s assessment…as far as it goes.

And yet the popular view of the Messiah at the time was that of a political leader who would free the Jewish people from their Roman oppressors.  And so Jesus goes on to redefine for them who he was as the Messiah.  He must suffer.  He would be rejected by the Jewish leaders.  He would be killed.  And then he would be raised from the dead.

The Old Testament speaks of one who will in fact suffer, be rejected and killed, an even hints at a resurrection in various places.  The clearest passage is surely Isaiah 53 which clearly predicts these things, as well as giving the reason – he will die to pay for sins.  As Jesus seeks to broaden their understanding of the Messiah, he points to himself as not only the King but also the Savior.

Sorting the Options

This didn’t fit with their understanding.  Indeed parallel passages tell us that Peter rebukes Jesus.  This view of Jesus overall doesn’t fit today either.  A good teacher is fine, but not the King and Savior of the world.  And yet, suppose I claimed to be sent by God to reign over you as king and to save you from your sins.  Would you call me a good teacher?  A spiritual leader?  No, you would think I was an egotistical nut.  Such claims to be king and savior negate the idea of being a good teacher, unless those claims are true.

Who is Jesus?  He is either the King and Savior as he claims or he is an egotistical nut, a fruitcake.  And yet he doesn’t act like a nut.  He is not at all like the mentally disturbed folks you might meet wandering around downtown cities claiming to be the Messiah.  He speaks and acts with sanity, and indeed with power – casting out demons, calming storms, healing disease, and even raising the dead.  The evidence, I suggest, points to him being who he claims to be – the King and Savior.  Have you come to believe in him as your King and your Savior?

The Provision of Jesus

On By BrianIn Book of Luke, Uncategorized

Can the provision of Jesus meet my needs?  This is an important question today as we live in a world of uncertainty.  Many are fearful of the future with a poor economy, lack of jobs, loss of money, and the list could go on.  Do we need to be afraid?  Or can we trust in the provision of Jesus?  We get a helpful glimpse of an answer in Luke 9:10-17.

Jesus is preaching to a crowd of over 5000 in a desolate place.  Evening comes, and the crowds are hungry.  This is a big need.  It would take a lot to feed over 5000 people!  Have you ever had a big need in your life? Maybe you do now.

Jesus tells the disciples to give them something to eat.  They rightly recognize that they can’t – this situation is too big for them.  Ever been there – in a situation too big for you?  Maybe you are now.

The disciples manage to come up with five small loaves and two little fish, but that won’t even feed the disciples, let alone the multitudes.  They consider buying food, but where would they get so much food?  There are no Super Walmarts.  The surrounding towns are smaller than the crowd with Jesus.  Even if they could find the food, how would they pay for it?  Mark 6 gives us the figure of 200 denarii.  Each denarius is a day’s wage.  Estimate $100 a day and you get $20,000.  How many of us have that kind of cash on us?  None of the disciples did.  No place to buy food and no money to do it.  The situation seemed impossible.  Ever been there?  Maybe you are now.

But Jesus thanks God (literally blesses God) for the food, divides it up, and they all eat, are satisfied, and have 12 baskets of leftovers.  There was a great need beyond any of them, and Jesus provided for the need.  How has Jesus provided for your needs in the past.  Times when the need was so great you didn’t see how it could be met, but He did.  I can think of ways God has provided jobs in incredible ways for me.  I asked the congregation Sunday, and we heard a number of wonderful stories of God’s provision.  Don’t you think he can provide for your need today?

Of course Jesus provides in different ways for different people.  He might meet a need miraculously like he did in these verses.  Or he might use others to provide for our need as he did when he sent the disciples out in verses 1-6.  Often he provides a job for us to work that our needs might be met.  He makes our gardens grow that we might have food.  And on and on the list might go.  Sometimes he provides in totally unexpected ways.  We are waiting for provision in one way, and he provides in a completely different way.  We don’t understand why, but how he provides is up to him.

He also provides in various amounts.  He provided more than enough for the crowds in our passage.  In verses 1-6, he presumably provided just enough.  Verse 5 suggests there were times when they didn’t get any food, but God still provided enough to keep them going.  None of them starved.  Which reminds us that we could get by on much less than we think.  Paul tells us that if we have food and clothes, we should be content (I Timothy 6:8).  Most of us have much more than that!

Our greatest need, however, is not even food and clothes.  Our greatest need is God, a relationship with him, a home with him forever.  This too is provided to us by Jesus who died for our sins and rose again to give us a new life with God.  Should he choose to withhold food, clothing, or health, still in him we have our greatest need met.  The Psalmist reminds us of this in Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  One day it will come our time to die.  He will withhold our physical needs.  But he will provide something greater – a home with him.

With all this in mind, how should we face the future?  Do we need to be afraid?  Or is the provision of Jesus enough to meet our needs?  The answer is found in the feeding of the 5000.  The answer is found in our own past experiences.  He is more than able to meet our needs.  So let us:

  • Seek.  Seek his provision for our needs.  Let us pray as Jesus taught us to pray – “Give us this day our daily bread.”
  • Trust.  Trust the Lord to take care of us.  We need not be afraid.  God will give us what we need.
  • Be Content.  God may provide abundantly or just enough.  He might provide for us to come home to him.  Regardless of how he provides, let us be content.
  • Give Thanks.  God provides for us in measureless ways.  We always have reason to give thanks to God.

Web Weekly

On By BrianIn Idolatry, PASSION Points

Here are some recommended links from the past week related to Three Passions living:

Tullian Tchividjian uses a quote from Elizabeth Elliot to help us ask the much needed question – why do we serve? He also provides a wonderful quote from Cornelius Plantinga that reminds us of who truly satisfies.  Timothy Keller likewise calls us to find our contentment in God alone, and not in what he does for us.  It strikes me that all three of these links ultimately deals with the issue of idolatry.

Finally Joshua Harris gives us a poem from Kevin Hartnett that helps us reflect upon the cross.

Gospel Shaped Death

On By BrianIn Book of Luke

Some say there are only two things certain in life – death and taxes.  I would suggest that there are a few more certain things, but death is certainly certain.  Even though we live in denial, death could come to our door at any time of any day.  We will die.  How should we approach death – apart from the gospel?  And how should the gospel shape our approach to death?

In Luke 23, Luke relates the story of the two criminals on crosses on either side of Jesus.  One criminal joins the mockers, but the second rebukes him – “Do you not fear God?”  Presumably these two criminals dying outside of Jerusalem are Jews with an understanding of who God is from the Old Testament.  They know God is holy and just – he will punish sin.  They know God created us to live in a perfect loving relationship with God, but that we sinned against God bringing death and separation and judgment.  Perhaps they have heard Jesus warn of hell – a place of separation and judgment after death.  Indeed, do you not fear God?  You are about to die and face his judgment.  You have every reason to fear!  Without some good news we are in a heap of trouble.

But the second criminal has noticed something.  This Jesus has done nothing wrong.  The rest of the New Testament confirms his observation – Jesus was without sin.  So if sin brings death, but he is without sin, why is he going to die?  Clearly this is further than the thief is thinking, but Peter gives the answer – Jesus is dying for our sins (I Peter 2:24).  He is taking our sins upon himself, and the death, judgment, and separation that goes with those sins.  Why?  So we can escape God’s judgment and be reconciled to God.  Again, this is more than the criminal understands, but he somehow realizes that salvation is available from this man dying on the middle cross.

And so the criminal does the only sensible thing. He asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom.  He looks to Jesus.  He is trusting, believing in this man to save him.  And Jesus tells him that they will be together in paradise that very day.  By looking to Jesus, he has escaped eternal judgment and separation from God.  Instead he has received eternal paradise with Jesus.  No wonder that Paul later says that death is gain.  Why?  Because he will be with Jesus (Philippians 1:21-23).

The gospel utterly turns our approach to death around.  Instead of separation there is relationship.  Instead of judgment there is pardon.  Instead of hell there is paradise.  Instead of fear there is anticipation.

And yet that is only part of the gospel.  For Jesus will not only die and be buried, but he will be raised from the dead.  And because he is raised from the dead, those who look to Jesus will also be raised from the dead when Jesus comes back.  We will be victorious over death like Jesus (I Corinthians 15).  And we will dwell in a new heaven and earth forever with the Lord (Revelation 21).  We not only look forward to paradise with Jesus, but even more we hope in our own resurrection.  And this hope is not “I wish it were true” hope.  It is a certain hope based on the very promises of God.

Yes, there are more things certain than death and taxes.  Death is certain.  But for the one who looks to Jesus, paradise with him after death is certain.  And the resurrection when he returns is certain.  And so the gospel shapes our approach to death from fear to anticipation and hope.  May we live and die with this anticipation and hope alive in us as we look to Jesus.

Resurrection Reflections

On By BrianIn Holidays

Last week I reposted daily Passion Week reflections from last year.  For daily resurrection reflections from last year, see below:

Sunday – Rejoice: Celebrate His Resurrection

Monday – Received – Embrace the Gospel

Tuesday – Raised: Live Your New Life

Wednesday – Reigns: Submit to Your King

Thursday – Resurrected: Victory Over Death

Friday – Returning – With the Lord

Saturday – Reborn – Hope in Your Inheritance

Sunday – Ransomed: Praise to the Lamb

Why We Celebrate

On By BrianIn Holidays

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” – I Corinthians 15:3-4

Of first importance is that Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead.  That he was raised is what we celebrate today.  As the angels told the women:

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen.” – Luke 24:5-6

Why does this announcement fill us with such joy?  Why do we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus?

Because he was raised, we too have been raised to a new life in Christ (Romans 6:1-4).  Through faith in Jesus, we have become new creations.  No longer enslaved to sin, we are now free to serve the living God.

Because he was raised, he is coming back for us some day (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).  He will not abandon us.  One day he is coming for us!  Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Because he was raised, we too will one day be raised (I Corinthians 15:20-23, 50-58).  Death is not the end!  Like Christ we will be raised with perfect bodies that will never suffer again.

Because he was raised, we have a glorious inheritance (I Peter 1:3-4).  Who can begin to fathom the glory that awaits us!

Because he was raised, we will praise him forever for saving us and making us his people (Revelation 5:6-14).  What a glorious day it will be when we all gather before the throne and proclaim, Worthy is the Lamb!”

He is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Passion Week Saturday Reflection

On By BrianIn Holidays

Saturday: Pain of Loss and Failure – Struggling Without Hope

Read Luke 22:31-34, 22:54-62, 23:50-56

Prayer: Father, I cannot imagine this day for Peter. What was it like for him to lose Jesus and fail him all in one day? To struggle without hope? And Father, if Jesus had remained in the grave, I too would be without hope. All would be lost. Help me today to remember how hopeless life would be without the glorious news that tomorrow brings. Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: What would your life be like if Jesus had stayed in the grave?

Praise: No singing today. Wait with anticipation for tomorrow.

Passion Week Good Friday

On By BrianIn Holidays

Morning: Plot – The Plans of God and Men

Read Luke 22:1-6, 22:47-53, 22:63-23:16

Prayer: Father, how shamefully they treated your Son. Judas plotted against him and betrayed his friend. The religious leaders plotted against him and made a mockery of justice to have their own way. And yet all their plots were part of your bigger plot to save me. Thank you for my Savior. Amen.

Noon: Pardon – In My Place

Read Luke 23:16-25

Prayer: Father, Barabbas should have died that day, but Jesus died in his place. The cross should have been mine, but Jesus died in my place. He died for my sins, for my rebellion. He who was perfect paid the penalty for my sins that I might go free. Jesus, thank you for taking my place. Amen.

Evening: Passion – Remember the Cross

Read Luke 23:26-49

Prayer: Father, words are so cheap, but thank you for the cross. Thank you for forgiveness. Thank you for the hope of paradise. Thank you for Jesus. Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: How does reflecting on Christ’s passion fuel your love for him?

Praise: Spend some time singing songs about the cross.

Passion Week Thursday Reflections

On By BrianIn Holidays

Morning: Passover – The New Covenant

Read Luke 22:7-23

Prayer: Father, thank you for the new covenant you have made with me through Jesus Christ. Thank you that his body was broken and his blood poured out to pay for my sins that I might walk with you. Thank you for the regular reminder given to us in the Lord’s Supper. Amen.

Noon: Perfect Servant – Follow His Example

Read Luke 22:24-30

Prayer: Father, your Son came to serve, and too often I join the disciples seeking to be the greatest, seeking to exalt myself. Help me to humbly serve as Jesus served. Help me to be a servant to my family, to your church, wherever I go. Amen.

Evening: Prayer – God’s Will, Not Mine

Read Luke 22:35-46

Prayer: Father, like the disciples I too am weak, and I need your help to overcome temptation. Awaken me from my spiritual slumber that I might pray. Let me join my Savior in seeking your will. Too often my way is not your way. Help me to submit to your way no matter what the cost. Dear Father, not my will, but yours be done. Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: In what current situations do you need to submit to his will?

Praise: Sing “Have Thine Own Way Lord”

Passion Week Wednesday Reflection

On By BrianIn Holidays

Wednesday: Prophecy – Be Alert

Read Luke 19:41-44, 21:5-38

Prayer: Father, your Son predicted the Fall of Jerusalem, and it happened. Your Son predicted his return – help me to be ready. Help me to be alert. While I wait, help me to be ready and watchful for opportunities to bear witness for Christ. Help me not to get so weighed down with the cares of this life that I fail to be alert to your opportunities and your return. Even so, come Lord Jesus! Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: What keeps us from being more alert to his coming?

Praise: Sing “Christ Returneth!”

Note: Reflections for Thursday and Friday will be in three parts – morning, afternoon, and evening.