The Son’s Inheritance - November 23rd, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

  

 Some of the worse spankings I received as a child came because I was a bit too insolent.  For example, I remember dropping a potato chip on the ground while we were at a picnic.  I did what any 7 year old boy would do; I picked it up and ate it.  Dad, of course, scolded me.  But I reminded him that potato chips come from potatoes which, I reminded him, come from the ground.  And besides, wasn’t he the one who told me to eat the skin of my baked potato, and they grow . . . That was about as far as I got.  Then I got what I deserved.

We all know that you don’t go around eating things that have fallen on the ground because of germs.  Germs are bad for us.  Germs are unhealthy.  We are supposed to be wary of germs; almost fear them.  And it seems that our fear doesn’t stop at germs.  Alarmists have given us lots of things to worry about.  We are continually informed about things which hurt our health, our well-being, and our world.  Not only are we to be concerned about germs, but certain foods and certain chemicals in our food as well.  We worry about failing health and looking old.  Even Nature may, at any moment, unleash its fury against our peace and security.  Fear the ocean because of all the man-eating sharks.  We are afraid of killer asteroids and killer tornados.  Alarmists have made us worry about Global Warming (oh, I’m sorry, that’s now called “Climate Change”).  And if all these scary things were not enough, we now are told to be alarmed about population growth.  It seems there are too many people on this planet, and in order to make things better, we need to drastically reduce the earth’s population.

About two and a half years ago, the United Nations met to discuss growing population trends, and they called all the countries of the world to enforce more population control.  Their fear is that at some point the earth will not be able to sustain such a large number of people.  These alarmists point to the fact that we humans are destroying the earth.  We are the earth’s greatest enemy.  This planet would be better off without us; at least that’s what some want us to believe.

If this world was the result of chance then its existence hinges precariously in the balance.  Tip the scales too far, and the whole thing will come crashing down.  But if this world has a Creator, and if this Creator is watching over His creation, and if this Creator continues to have a vested interest in His creation, then the Creator is not about to allow His work to fall apart.

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians he points out that this world was created through Jesus, by Jesus, and for Jesus.  And it is Jesus who holds all things together.  “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17).

The Colossian Christians had begun to worship angels (Colossian 2:18), and this is part of the reason Paul points to Christ and said that He is above all things, even in the spiritual realm, and that all things were created by Him and for Him.  Borrowing an image from Old Testament literature, Paul says that the “Wisdom” which crafted the world was Jesus (I was the architect at his side - Proverbs 8:30).  Paul even echoes the words of John the Apostle; where John says that “God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.” (John 1:3).  Paul wanted these Christians to put Jesus in His proper place of authority.  They needed to see that Jesus had a unique position over creation, and that He is the One who should be worshiped.

I understand why Paul told these things to the Colossian Christians, but how does this affect you and me today?  We certainly don’t worship angels, do we?  What difference does it make for us to know that Jesus was the Master Workman of creation?  I tell you that it is extremely significant for Christians to know this and understand this.  Knowing that Jesus, the Lord who died upon the cross to save us, was the agent of creation and the reason for creation, our hearts should move from fear to trust.  Think about this: In the beginning Jesus was the agent of creation.  In the end we will find that this creation was for Jesus.  In other words, He is the Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the end.  The reason we exist and the reason for all of creation is Jesus.  This world, this universe, and you and I are Christ’s inheritance.  “God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe” (Hebrews 1:2).  God’s certainly not going to promise Him something, only to let it slip away.  To give an inheritance, there must be something to give.  Paul also points out that between the beginning and the ending, Christ will sustain all things.  Jesus is in a place right now where he is holding all things together (He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command - Hebrews 1:3).  Jesus will not allow this world to fall apart until it is time.  And no force of nature, no power on earth, and nothing in the spiritual world will ever prevail against creation until that appointed time.  No prophecy of Nostradamus, no Mayan calendar, no asteroid from space will ever put an end to what Christ is holding together.  Not even Global Warming (oops! Climate Change) will bring about creation’s demise.  Christ will not allow this to happen to His creation until He is ready.  As a matter of fact, when the end does come, it will happen through Him.  He brought all of this into existence, and he will be the One to end this existence.

Too often humanity forgets that Jesus is still the author of creation.  He notices even when a sparrow falls from the sky.  This is His world, not ours and not Satan’s (although Man gave Satan rule on this earth, the earth still belongs to Jesus).  And although humanity may not be living in fear of angels like the Colossian Christians, we are still a people who look nervously over our shoulder at the next thing which might spell our doom.

Honestly I think we have misplaced fear.  We’ve become more afraid of the things that might kill us or make our lives more difficult.  We’ve become more afraid of running out of food or running out of money or running out of freedom than we have in fearing God.  But Christ commands “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:28-31). 

We place our hope in Jesus for our salvation in the life to come (when we die).  Can we not also place our trust in Jesus for our life today?  Have we forgotten that the One who holds us in His hand is the same One who is holding all things together (My Father, who has given them to Me,  is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. – John 10:29).

As the world panics all around us, I believe the Church has a responsibility to remain calm and assured amidst the chaos; amidst the stormy gale.  And I believe we can do this because the One who is holding all things together is the same One who said: For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.  “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!  “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  (Matthew 6:25-34)

Firstborn of All Creation - November 16th, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

Little Johnny was shopping with Grandma. One of the things she tossed in the cart was a package of pantyhose.  He sounded out the words "Queen Size" and exclaimed, "Grandma, you wear the same size as our bed!" 

Why thank you Johnny for reminded me of this.  And while you’re at it, why don’t you give me a paper cut and pour lemon juice on it.  Oh sure, the name might be the same, but it’s the application of that name that matters.

It’s the same with Jesus.  People might mention the name of Jesus, but it’s the application of that name that really matters.  For example, some people think He was a god who looked like a man (a teaching prevalent in the Emergent Church movement).  Some think He was a man who became a god (this view is held by the Mormons). Some feel that He was simply another of God’s prophets; a man that grew up in Palestine who became God’s messenger (this view is held by the Muslim faith).  However, among Christians, many believe that Jesus was divinely created (the virgin birth), and because of this He was a sinless man.  Then, after He was baptized and empowered by the Holy Spirit, Jesus began His ministry on earth.  He lived His life as God’s sinless witness, and the Father worked through Jesus to perform all those miracles.

Chances are, as a Christian, you know better than to think Jesus was simply a prophet like Moses or Elijah or Mohamed.  And you also know better than to think Jesus was a man who became like God.  That’s just nonsense.  Perhaps, in your Christian journey, you’ve embraced the teachings of the Emergent Church movement.  They are becoming more and more popular among some Christians, especially through teachers like Brian McLaren and Rob bell.  I run into more and more people who take away the humanity of Jesus by insist the cross was not necessary.  Perhaps you have heard their teaching.  They say faith is all that matters; claiming everyone gets to go to heaven, and questioning whether there is any sin.  But, most of the Christians I meet believe the last example; that Jesus was a man empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the work of God on earth; that it was God the Father who fed the 5000 or who healed the sick and cast out demons.  He did this through Jesus.  However, even this view diminishes who Jesus truly is.

Jesus was most certainly more than a sinless man gifted by the Holy Spirit and empowered by God.  He was and is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15).  In other words, God did not work through Him because He was a sinless man, but instead Jesus was and is God.  Jesus had authority and power to perform all those miracles we read about in the Gospels. Here in Colossians, Paul reminds us that Jesus is both God and Man.  He speaks of the dual nature found in Jesus.  And I understand that this is a difficult concept for us.  How can He be both?  If Jesus is not a man who became like God or a god who looked like a man, then what is He; who is He? 

First of all, Paul reminds us that Jesus is fully God.  In Colossians 2:9, Paul says, “In Him dwelt the fullness of God”.  In other words Jesus is fully God and God is fully Jesus.  Jesus said of Himself, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father”! (John 14:9).  The writer of Hebrews says that He is “the exact representation of (God’s) nature” (Hebrews 1:3).  Although some today insist that Jesus never claimed to be God, truthfully He never left His identity open for debate.  In John 10:30, Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.”  And according to theologian John MacArthur, “The one-ness that Jesus is claiming is not one-ness in purpose.  It is not one-ness in mission.  It is not one-ness in theological agreement.  The one-ness that he is talking about is one-ness in nature, one-ness in essence, one-ness in being”.[1]  In other words, Jesus says that He is God.  And God the Son created a sinless body in which He could dwell.  The Word became flesh.

The Gospel of John emphasizes the eternal nature of Jesus right from the beginning.  “In the beginning was the Word.  The Word was with God.  The Word was God” (John 1:1).  But then John goes on to add, “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as the only begotten from the Father” (John 1:14).  The Word which existed from the beginning became flesh.  And the same glory we see in the Father we now see in the Son.

          Paul reemphasizes this teaching from John by describing Jesus as the “firstborn of all creation”.  However, he doesn’t mean first in order as the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim, but first in authority or rank.  By taking on flesh Jesus takes His place within His creation as the one with the highest authority.  The Greek word used here (prototokos) is not a noun, but an adjective.  Since Jesus existed with God from the very beginning, and since Jesus is God (John 1:1), both John and Paul describe God in the flesh as Jesus, and describe Jesus in His glory as God.

          I know.  This is a concept very difficult to grasp.  And truthfully, theologians have been struggling with this for years.  With finite minds we try to understand the workings of the infinite.  So we are naturally going to struggle with this.  But it is a truth taught to us by Christ Himself.  “I and the Father are one”, He has said.  And even though “Christ sometimes operated in the sphere of His humanity and in other cases in the sphere of His deity, in all cases what He did and what He was could be attributed to His one Person”.^[2]  Only God could forgive sins.  Only a man could be killed.  Only God had power over death and life.  Only a sinless Man could atone for the sins of Humanity.

          As the second person of the trinity, Jesus possesses the same characteristics we see in God, yet they are contained in human flesh.  Jesus willingly surrendered portions of His true nature (for example, omnipresence – to be everywhere at once), in order to dwell in a human body.  Paul reminds us that “Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up his divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross”. (Philippians 2:6-8).  Christ took on flesh, and chose to live according to the same limitations you and I have.  He grew weary.  He got hungry and thirsty - things He would not experience in Heaven.  He lived in a frail body that could be cut and wounded.  He could bleed to death.  But even thought His body was like yours and mine, that body contained the second person of the Trinity.

Paul reminds us first that Jesus is the exact representation of the invisible God.  What we know of God we can see lived out in Jesus.  And secondly he reminds us that not only has Jesus existed eternally with the Father, but that He has been given authority over all creation.  Paul says that Jesus wasn’t “born”, but that He chose to limit Himself and live like one of us in a sinless mortal body.  And what that means is that for 33 years God Himself walked this earth.  God took on flesh and became like us.  And because of this, the world has never been the same.

This doctrine of Christ (called the Hypostatic Union) was important in Paul’s time, and it’s just as important today.  It is vitally important that we understand Just who Jesus really is. English pastor J. S. Baxter summarized this best when he said “Fundamentally, our Lord's message was Himself. He did not come merely to preach a Gospel; He himself is that Gospel. He did not come merely to give bread; He said, "I am the bread". He did not come merely to shed light; He said, "I am the light". He did not come merely to show the door; He said, "I am the door". He did not come merely to name a shepherd; He said, "I am the shepherd". He did not come merely to point the way; He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life".

Truthfully, Jesus never gave us the option of deciding for ourselves who we want Him to be.  The character of Jesus is not open to personal preference or opinion.  The only option He gave us was to either accept Him for who He is and be saved, or ignore Him and face judgment.  “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).  Honestly, if Jesus was merely a good man filled with the Spirit and empowered by God, then I can understand why people get offended when Christians say “no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).  But if He is truly God in the flesh, then His words, His commands, His teachings, and His death need to have absolute sway over our life.

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[1] http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/43-54/I-and-the-Father-Are-One-Part-1

^[2] Enns, P. P. (1989). The Moody handbook of theology (227). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.

No Other Name - November 9th, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg




Bob and his wife live up north. One winter morning while listening to the radio, they hear the announcer say, "We are going to have 4-6 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the even numbered side of the street so the snowplow can get through." Bob's wife goes out and moves her car. A week later while they are eating breakfast the radio announcer says, "We are expecting 6-8 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the odd numbered side of the street so the snowplow can get through." Bob's wife goes out and moves her car again. The next week they are having breakfast when again the radio announcer says "We are expecting 8-10 inches of snow today. You must park”, then suddenly the electric power goes out. Bob's wife is very upset. With a worried look on her face she says, "Honey, I don't know what to do. Which side of the street do I need to park on so the plow can get through?" Bob says, "Why don't you just leave it in the garage this time?"
I’m not sure if Bob’s wife appreciated that answer. I’m sure it caused hard feelings. He wasn’t being sensitive about her confusion. And we all got a good laugh at her expense. But Bob’s frankness in pointing out the obvious reminds me of something that happened with two apostles of Jesus. They said something that not only offended a group of religious leaders but continues to offend people today.

One day the apostles Peter and John healed a lame beggar right outside of the Temple. Well, the religious authorities didn’t like this, specifically because Peter and John used that opportunity to teach people about Jesus and tell them about the resurrection of the dead (Acts 4:1-2). This upset the religious authorities, so they had the apostles arrested. Now if I were Peter or John, I’d be thinking back to what happened about two months prior to this event. This same group of religious leaders had demanded Jesus’ crucifixion. So when these men asked “by what power, or in what name have you done this (the healing)”, I’d be tempted to soften my words; to be a little vague on my answer. “I don’t know what happed sir. We were just coming to church and we saw this guy lying along the road, so we said, ‘aw, get up and walk, for crying out loud’, and that’s just what he did. It must have been God at work here. Hallelujah!” Well, that’s probably what I would have said. It’s not offensive. It doesn’t cause any hard feeling. It helps us all get along. It doesn’t mention the name of Jesus. I mean, the name of Jesus can be so offensive. That’s why these religious leaders will command Peter and John to stop mentioning the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18).  But instead of being politically correct, Peter says “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved”[1] (Acts 4:12).

Had Peter not uttered those highly divisive words, he could have avoided a lot of anguish for himself and for the church. But, guided by the Holy Spirit, Peter says NO OTHER NAME. Salvation cannot be found through anyone else.

This is a rather bold claim; one that continues to set the world on edge. Oh, everybody’s for God. The name of God doesn’t offend too much, just the radical crowd. But mention Jesus and oh my, watch the sparks fly. That’s why some have tried to soften the name of Jesus. Some try and appease the world by circumnavigating around Jesus and insisting there are other ways to get to God. A movement called Progressive Christianity officially “Recognizes the faithfulness of other people who have other names for the way to God's realm and acknowledge that their ways are true for them, as our ways are true for us.” [2] And yet Peter asserts that there is “no other name”.

So, is this claim true? Is Jesus really the only way to heaven? If He’s not then He was a liar. Either that or He was delusional, because He even said these things about Himself. To Nicodemus Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”. [3] (John3:16). And to His apostles He says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”[4]. What kind of man would say such things? What kind of man would insist “no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6)? Either Jesus was really who He said He was, or He was a madman. We must choose one or the other. There is no middle ground. We cannot say that He was simply a good man; a man filled with the Holy Spirit who taught us how to be good and how to love both God and one another. Not even those who were alive when He walked the earth took this middle ground. John points out that “a division occurred in the crowd because of Him.” [5] (John 7:43). Either people believed Him, or they thought He was mad.

As Jesus walked on earth, people were constantly amazed at what they heard and what they saw. The crowds were amazed at His teaching (Matthew 7:28). His disciples were amazed when the wind and the waves obeyed Him (Matthew 8:27). “What kind of man is this” they asked. Even Peter realized that this person standing before him, who looked like the son of a man, was the Son of God. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”[6] (Matthew 6:16).

Just as the world has been diminishing God to a size it can manage, so too is Jesus being reduced to nothing more than a spiritual man; a man filled with the Holy Spirit who attempted to turn our eyes back to God. Theologians, biblical scholars, and seminary professors have taken the Jesus we encounter in scripture and reduced Him to simply a deified man; a man who demonstrated god-like character. This is why I believe the time has come to pursue a bigger Savior.

There is no other name by which we might be saved because there was no other “man” like Jesus. No other name would be sufficient to atone for man’s sin, and no other person could become the perfect sacrifice for man’s sin. No other god took on flesh. No other man was sinless. Paul writes in Colossians, “For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ”[7] (Colossians 2:9). In other words, what we have come to see and know of God, we also see lived out in Jesus. And this truth became foundational to the new Church.

I believe Christians today have no idea who Jesus really is. I believe far too many Christians have softened the claim that Christ made 2000 years ago. We want the world to like us, so instead of speaking truth, we bring Jesus down to our level. We make Him one of us. He becomes the world’s best friend. This is what was happening in the Colossian church, which is why Paul begins his letter reminding them just who Jesus really is. And if we are to stand firm in the truth of Jesus, we need to know the real Jesus as well. So for homework I want you to read Colossians 1:15-23, and in the next few weeks we will take a deeper look into the characteristics found in no other name.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. (3rd ed.) (Ac 4:12). Carol Stream, IL
[2] http://www.progressivebrethren.org/Home/ProgressiveChristianity.html
^[3] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 3:16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
^[4] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 14:6). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
^[5] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 7:43). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
^[6] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Mt 16:16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
^[7] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Col 2:9). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

Pocket God - November 2nd, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

I have a very bad habit of taking popular song and twisting the lyrics.  I do it for Christmas Carols.  “Later on, we’ll perspire, cause we’re sittin to close to the fire”.  I do it for popular rock songs.  Instead of singing “It’s a hard day’s night”, I’ll sing “It’s a long sermon, and I’m sleeping like a log”.  I’ve learned that there are others who do the same thing.  And no song is sacred.  I once heard a favorite Christian song for children twisted into “Jesus loves the predestined children, all the predestined children of the world.  Jesus only loves a few, not you or you or you.  Jesus loves the predestined children of the world”.  People even twist Jesus and Christianity into songs that make us laugh.  They should make us cringe, though.  One song, made popular in the movie Cool Hand Luke, proclaims “I don’t care if it rains of freezes as long as I have my plastic Jesus sittin on the dashboard of my car.  Through my trials and tribulations, and my travels through the nations, with my plastic Jesus I’ll go far”.  Yes, it makes me giggle.  But the world doesn’t need a plastic Jesus.  It doesn’t need a pocket God either.

A number of years ago someone created a game called Pocket God.  In the game, you are god to a group of people living on an island, and you decide what their life will be like.  But based upon some of the choices, it seems the developers sure have a twisted idea what “God” must be like.  Considering that some of the options are throwing people into volcanos, using islanders as shark bate, or creating earthquakes to destroy their homes, it appears that God, at least for the developers of this game, is nothing like the God we read about in the Bible.

In biblical times there were many different gods.  But you just don’t hear of this today.  You don’t hear people worshiping some strange deity who is the god of thunder and lightning (which would be Thor, by the way).  No, today we are much more educated and civilized.  We don’t believe in many gods.  For the most part humanity only believes in one.  But WHAT that God is like is a matter of personal opinion.  Oh, we might believe in one, but we’ve created Him in our own image.

There a many different opinions about God.  Some people form their opinion of God based upon personal likes or dislikes.  Some form an opinion of God based upon their personal experiences or observations.  In effect, many people have created God in their own image; their own pocket god, so to speak.  But rather than form an opinion, perhaps it would be better to simply ask God what He is like; to turn to Him and ask, “God, show me who You really are”.

Like most of us, Moses had a desire to know God.  He wanted to know what He was like.  Moses prayed, asking to know God’s ways (Exodus 33:13).  In this powerful encounter with God, Moses learns what God is like.  As Moses falls on his face, the Creator of the Universe reveals His heart.  God actually describes Himself to Moses, and I believe it is a description we all need to hear.  “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations”^[1] (Exodus 34:5-9).  This is the personality of God.  This is who He is.  This is how He feels and acts toward humanity.  It’s nothing like the Pocket God some have created.

As God reveals Himself to Moses, He points out several characteristics that help us determine just who God is and what He is like.

·         God is Compassionate – He actually cares about what we face in life.

·         God is Gracious – He will abundantly provide for us

·         God is Slow to Anger – He demonstrates an amazing amount of patience

·         God’s Love is Steadfast – His love for us does not waver and is not conditional

·         God is Faithful – He continues to walk by our side and never abandon us.

If we want to understand God’s heart, then we need only to look at these characteristics of God.  But God isn’t finished yet.  After He describes Himself to Moses, He tells Moses what all of this means.  It means that:

·         God’s Steadfast Love is granted freely to all – In other words God’s love is given not as part of a contract, but given even if we fail; even when we fall; even when we sin.  God doesn’t love us less when we disobey or love us more when we are perfect angels.  His love is the same – steadfast.

·         God chooses to forgive injustice (iniquity), violation of His Law (transgression or rebellion), and missing the mark (sin).

This is God’s everlasting Character.  And His character is eternal.  He does not change.  Throughout the Old Testament the eternal Character of God is repeated over and over again.  We read it in Number 14:18, in Nehemiah 9:17, In Psalm 86:15, 103:8, and 145:8.  Joel mentions it and Jonah confessed it.  In those moments Israel was reminded that Yahweh is no Pocket God.  And He is the same today as He was when He described Himself to Moses.  Everything we know and understand about God is guided by this revelation.  I know God is not vengeful and spiteful.  I know God is not impatient.  I know God does not love me more or less than the next person.  I know God is watching over me.  I know He will not abandon me.  I know this because this is who God is.

However, these characteristics of God also mean that:

·         The guilty will be punished, and

·         The consequences for their injustice will be felt for the next three or four generations.

In other words, one day God will hold us accountable for our sin but we’ve discovered that He has provided a way to be forgiven of that sin.  However, He will not always remove the consequences of our sin.  When we make the choice to sin, we also make a choice to suffer the consequences of that sin.

Over the past two months we’ve been studying the Majesty, Splendor, and Awesome Power of our God.  To discover these things we’ve looked up, out, and within.  We’ve discovered a God we cannot measure, a God more powerful than any of us can comprehend. We’ve seen His mercy, His faithfulness, His holiness, and His presence within all of life.  And today we’ve discovered God’s eternal character.  The reason I’ve pointed out these attributes of God is so that you might be able to truly understand who God is, what He is like, and get a glimpse into His majesty and splendor.  I’ve been trying to help you see the real God.  He is not wicked and cruel and spiteful, but loving and kind and patient.  And neither is He soft and condescending and tolerant, but demands justice, holiness, and reverence.  He is a God of truth and love.  And this God, this Creator of the cosmos, holds you gently in His arms (Isaiah 40:11).  This is the God I wish the world know.  AND, this is the Jesus I wish the world would know.

Just as humanity is guilty of creating God in its own image, the same has been done to Jesus.  People have formed all kinds of opinions about Jesus.  Some of them not even close to being accurate.  And since no one comes to the Father except through Jesus, doesn’t it make sense that we know who Jesus really is?  And truthfully, I think the real Jesus will shock you.  It certainly shocked those who spent time with Him while He walked this earth.  When Philip begged, “Show us the Father” (John 14:8), Jesus shocked the world by proclaiming “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9); words which led some to have Him crucified.

So, just as we have spent some time discovering God, I’d like to take a couple of weeks finding out just who Jesus really is.  We don’t need a pocket God.  And we don’t need a plastic Jesus either.  Let’s not follow the ways of the world and create Christ in our own image as well.

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^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Ex 34:6–7). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.