2002-01-01
Good Morning Faithful Ones,
Yesterday, I promised to write about Jesus Christ-admittedly a favorite subject of mine. We know that we worship one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Other than what has been described in the Scriptures, the Father is physically hard to picture and mysterious. I don’t mean this in any way that is negative. It’s just that it is hard for us to relate to Him because of the limitations of our human perception. We can surely relate to what He teaches us. On the other hand, the Son became incarnate and well within the limitations of our perception to comprehend. The fact that so many people were lacking in faith at the time of Christ’s ministry on earth is what led to His being rejected and crucified. Because He later sent the Holy Spirit to the believers, we have been able to understand the significance of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection to our lives. That all of this was part of a master plan that the Father conceived out of His love for us is nothing short of amazing! I feel so loved when I am given the privilege of writing to you about all of this. Anything said about Jesus Christ can also stand as a reminder that God is our Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there.
The first chapter of John’s Gospel sheds some light on Who Christ is and what He represents. JN 1: 1-4, “Before the world was created, the Word already existed; He was with God, and He was the same as God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. Through Him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without Him. The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to mankind.” I repeat, AMAZING! This little passage tells us that Christ existed before the world was created. It shows us that while the Father conceived the idea of creating a world and mankind and makes decisions regarding His creation, Christ carries them out. If there was ever any misconceptions about polytheism, the belief in more than one God, JN 1: 1 puts that to rest permanently. Christ was “with God and is the same as God.” The only way this could be is for us to have one God in three persons, not three separate Gods.
The use of the word, “Word,” also reveals to us that Jesus Christ and the word of God are one. That concept goes beyond the limitations of the laws of physics, but after all, so do a lot of things God teaches us. That is where the issue of faith and the ability for us to understand intangible concepts comes in. God has given us that ability if we will only use it. While the word, “truth,” isn’t mentioned in this particular passage, it is implied all over it. JN 8: 31-32 and HE 4: 12 nail down in my mind what I believe to be an unbreakable bond between Jesus Christ, God’s word, and the truth. Please take the time to review these important verses.
JN 1: 9, 11, and 14 further clarify the picture. “This was the real light-the light that comes into the world and shines on all mankind.” When we are deceived by the adversary, our world is dark. We can’t find our way. We have reason to be afraid, just as we would if we were trapped in a pitch black cave. We are also vulnerable to horrendous things that could happen to us, and we wouldn’t even see them coming. Just as a torch would light the cave and give us the chance to find our way out of it, so Jesus’ death on the cross and His teachings delivered from the Father light our way out of the darkness of sin. When we believe in Him, we no longer need to fear that the adversary can hold sway over our lives or that we can’t be victorious in spiritual warfare. (11) “He came to His own country, but His own people did not receive Him.” [See also LK 4: 16-30]. A wonderful friend of mine, another Jewish believer, just went through the 4-day spiritual retreat program that is Via de Cristo (Cursillo). Peter and I had the honor to sponsor her husband and her. I mention this because of something she said afterward. “It was as if God had taken the scales from my eyes…” My friend was reporting being able to see the light that comes from Jesus Christ; truth was exposed for her to see. John Newton wrote about this in his hymn, “Amazing Grace.” “I was blind, but now I see.” At the time of Christ was on earth, more people didn’t see that light than did. The net result is that they didn’t recognize Who He is. They wasted their chance to see God! (14) “The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw His glory, the glory which He received as the Father’s only Son.” How much clearer our understanding can be now than that of the people during Christ’s time was! All we have to do is put sin aside confessing it, study God’s word, pray, and believe.
The Greek word for “dwelt or lived among us” can also be translated “tabernacled.” When Christ lives within us, we do what theologians call “living in Christ.” We open ourselves to be a tabernacle (a temple) for the Holy Spirit. 1 COR 6: 19, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the holy Spirit, Who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God.” If we are getting the idea that we can’t separate the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, then we are getting it right! Further, if we are getting the idea that our Eloheim (a pleural word in Hebrew used in GN 2: 7) is there with us all the time, then we are beginning to understand why it’s appropriate that we should call the Father, Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. Just in case there is still any question, remember the meaning of Christ’s name, “Immanuel,” which is “GOD IS WITH US” [MT 1: 23]. We never have a reason to feel alone or abandoned as long as we remain faithful!
PRAYER: O Lord, without faith in You, our lives would be like being trapped in a blackened cave. You know that and love us enough to provide the most effective light to help us out of that cave that has ever been conceived-Jesus Christ. Without You, dearest Jehovah Shammah, we suffer from a poverty of spirit and a helplessness that leaves us feeling abandoned and without hope. We have no direction in our lives and cannot tell the difference between right and wrong. Your patience and compassion in the face of our often-shaky efforts to allow the light of Christ to shine in our lives is borne out of love, we hardly deserve or completely understand. Yet, You are there for us, sacrificed Your only Son on the cross for us, and sent us the Holy Spirit so that we could see the truth and make it our own. When we confessed our sin, repented, and came to faith, You filled us with hunger for Your Word and Your teachings. You teach us to pray and fill our spiritual vessels with direction from Your Spirit. The torch is lit, and we dedicate our lives in humility to making Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives. We acknowledge the unbreakable bond between Yourself, Your Son, the Holy Spirit, Your word, the truth, and Your light. For these and all the abundant blessings You bestow upon us, we come to You in humility to offer You our adoration, worship, loyalty, obedience, trust, honor, glory, praise, and thanksgiving. In Christ’s holy name, amen.
I am writing this message while it is still Lent. As I have said in previous messages, I believe that Lent is a magnificent time to reflect on the meaning of Jesus Christ in our individual lives more than a time of deprivation. I am led to write more on this subject tomorrow. When God gives me a message to write like this one, I can’t feel alone, abandoned, or deprived in any way. That assurance comes from Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. When we have faith, we can all claim Him as our loving Abba, knowing that He claims us as His children. What a blessing! Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn