What Did Jesus Look Like?

When I was a kid, I was active in church so I saw lots of pictures of Jesus—mostly the famous ones that you’ve seen, too.  It’s understandable that Jesus would be the subject of so many paintings; it seems we always wonder what people look like if we’ve never seen them.  In the pictures, He usually looked pretty much the same—long hair, serene and angelic face, often halo-topped.  I haven’t really thought about those paintings in years.  A few days ago, God brought them—and other things—to my mind.

NOTES

My (weird) thought processes started with the notion that I don’t want to be the kind of Christian that I grew up thinking was the ideal.  That Christian was perfect—perfectly stiff, unemotional, and boring. 

I don’t think Jesus was that way at all!  I said that in the pictures, Jesus looked “serene”.  The dictionary defines serenity as “a disposition free from stress or emotion”.  I think Jesus was “free from stress” but definitely not “free from emotion”!  I know He cried when Lazarus died.  I know He got angry at the moneychangers at the Temple.  I believe He was disappointed when James and John argued about who would be first in His kingdom—and when Peter denied Him.  But I also think His face lit up when He saw someone He knew.  I think He laughed.  I think He could probably tell a joke better than anyone.  I think He had fun and those around Him had fun, too.  I think He was more than angelic but not stiff and boring.  Bottom line:  He was “perfect”ly human!

Obviously, He had a serious side, as well.  Anyone who dealt with the Pharisees had to have some “seriousness” in their personality.  He had some pretty important “serious” things to tell His disciples and apostles that needed to be passed on to us.  After all, He was here on earth to complete serious business.  But I think we do Him a major disservice when we pigeonhole Him as being serious all the time.

As I’ve mentioned frequently recently, I want to be like Jesus.  My most recent series of postings was about “looking” like Him in my daily life.  I guess that’s why the Lord brought those pictures to my mind this week. 

Now, anyone who knows me will tell you that my personality isn’t a bubbly one!  That’s okay, but I don’t want to be stiff and boring.  I want to be serious when the situation calls for it but laugh my head off at a good, clean joke!  I want to be holy but fun!  Now, I’m not saying that will be easy; but the more I allow the Holy Spirit to invade my life, the more it’s likely to happen.

Hey, looking like Jesus can bring a smile to your face ;-)!

True Love Flowing

COMMENTS

True love, God’s love, should make an impact.  It should impact me; and through me, it should impact those around me.  That sounds like a tall order; but if it’s really true love, it’s not a “decision” because it flows out of the abundance within me. 

NOTES

True love in action is not a list of things I should or should not do.  A list is usually quite overwhelming to my limited mind—and it actually distracts me and changes my motivation.  The key is for me to listen to the Holy Spirit as He tells me what True Love looks like in my life at this moment.  I need to focus on that—nothing else.  He doesn’t expect me to do everything at once. 

I have a physical issue that’s causing me to experience significant fatigue.  I’m used to being active, and this has been getting me down.  God has been showing me that my negativity about this is discouraging not only to me but also to my family and friends.  He wants me to be positive and encouraging—that’s what will bring Him glory and be uplifting to other people.  So, I must learn how to be honest about how I feel in a way that brings glory to God and encouragement to others.  That won’t happen instantly; but as I listen to Him, it will become more and more natural.  And His love will flow through me.

What’s going on with you right now?  Whatever it is, it’s an opportunity for True Love to change you and impact those around you.  Don’t let the opportunity pass.  Let True Love flow!

True Love in Action (Part 2)

COMMENTS

Remember my comment a couple of days ago about the Lord speaking the same message to me from many different sources?  Well, today’s sermon was on the same basic thing that my recent blogs have discussed:  lives that live Jesus Christ.

NOTES

Okay, last time we discussed Philippians 2:1-2 and Ephesians 5:8—being like-minded with Jesus and being light to those around us.  Let’s see what else our Savior has to say….

“Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”  (James 3:13)

This is the next verse in our journey.  I see the theme of being like-minded with Christ continued here.  Isn’t He wise?  Understanding?  Humble?  Didn’t Jesus live a “good life”?  How is a “good life” defined?  I’ve always heard about “living the good life”; but that usually referred to wealth and fame.  That’s not what James is saying here.  Jesus’ good life was materially poor but spiritually rich.  It was not self-serving but selfless.  If I live the good life referred to here, it will lead to the next words in the verse:  deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  Isn’t that interesting?  Godly wisdom doesn’t lead to arrogance; it leads to humility.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”  (Philippians 2:3-4)

Do you think God values humility?  I’d say He does!  Paul tells us the same thing in Philippians that we just read in James.  Don’t be selfish or conceited!  Put others ahead of yourself (as Jesus did)!  Be humble!  I remember something I heard as a child—probably in church, although I don’t really remember where it came from.  It was a little saying that went like this, "Jesus first.  Others second.  Me third."  That pretty much says it all, doesn’t it.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  (Ephesians 4:29)

Ouch.  Those words don’t just mean that I’m not to be a gossip.  “Don’t let ANY unwholesome talk come out of [my] mouth.”  Gossip isn’t the only thing that’s unwholesome.  What about those times when I get up on the “wrong side of the bed” and am just (to be honest!) grumpy.  I gripe about small things.  I’m unappreciative of small kindnesses.  I’m not that way all the time, but I shouldn’t be that way at all, ever.  When those words come out of my mouth, I’m NOT building other people up; I’m tearing them down.  And if anyone else hears, they’re torn down, too, because it’s not uplifting to listen to that stuff!  Referring to James once again, he says:

“The tongue also is a fire….It corrupts the whole person....All kinds of animals…have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue.”  (James 3:6-8)

But don’t despair!  Jesus tames it if we let Him.  In fact, we can accomplish NOTHING of what we’ve been discussing in our own strength.  That’s why Jesus is our Redeemer and our Savior.  He is our source, our strength, and our victory!

True Love in Action (Part 1)

COMMENTS

Love—an action verb not a noun.  Let’s explore that some more….

NOTES

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 

That’s 1 John 4:16, one of the verses from the last posting.  There are many wonderful words and wonderful thoughts and promises in that verse, but the words that jumped out at me were “whoever lives in love”.  What is it like to live in love?

I believe that the answer to that question could take days to explore and discuss.  The personal application would radically affect my feelings of self-worth.  Imagine!  I am living in and experiencing Christ’s love!  But “personal” application isn’t what the Lord is speaking to me today.  Instead, He leads me to a different question:  If I “live in love”, how does that affect my life in this world and with other people?  So, that’s where we’ll go today.  Our journey will be made through several Bible verses that He has given me.  Here we go.

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”  (Philippians 2:1-2)

As a Christian, I am living in Christ and He in me.  Since that’s true, He encourages me and comforts me.  I am guided by His Spirit.  He is tender and compassionate to me.  If I am living in love, I am to be all those things to the people around me.  I always read that statement about being “like-minded” as meaning I am to be in agreement with other believers.  That may be true, but what our Lord has revealed to me today is that I am to be like HIM.  I am to have HIS love, HIS spirit, HIS mind. 

“For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light.”  (Ephesians 5:8)

If I am living in love, I will be light to those around me.  Light, not darkness.  Hope, not despair.  Jesus, not Satan.  Question:  How do I treat others?  Am I light, hope, and Jesus to them?

There are a few more verses that He wants us to look at.  However, in the interest of keeping this a reasonable length, we’ll look at them tomorrow.  

Be like-minded today!  Be light!

True Love

COMMENTS

It seems that when God speaks to me on a subject I see the message repeated everywhere.  Does that happen to you?  This week, He’s been speaking to me about love.

NOTES

Love.  A popular notion.  A popular subject.  A popular theme in films!  There are so many kinds of love, though.  Finding “true love” is what made Disney a success.  What little girl hasn’t seen Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty and dreamed of finding her “prince” one day?  Then, there’s friendship love—precious and dear.  There’s love for your children or parents or siblings.  There are many kinds of love; but sometimes, the word is misused.  Physical love is what’s seen in way too many movies, but I dare to suggest that what’s promoted there isn’t love at all.  I “love” chocolate or a book or a TV show.

“God is love.”  That’s what the Bible tells us.  How in the world can the same word be used to define God and also my feelings about chocolate?  I’ve never studied Greek, but I’m told that language has many different words for our one word.  I think they had the right idea….

“True love”, not as Disney defined it but as God defined it, is what the Bible is all about.  And what does the Bible say?  It says that love, true love, is not a noun but is, instead, an action verb.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 

--John 3:16 NIV

Are you a believer in Jesus Christ?  If not, the One True God, who lives beyond time and space, longs for you to accept the love He showed in the life and death and resurrection of His only Son.  Confess your sins and accept Him, and you will have God’s peace and guidance now and will live with Him forever!

If you are a believer, you have God!

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 

--1 John 4:16

What an incredibly wonderful thing!  God lives in me!  Profound!  But as I ponder that thought, it digs deeper into my heart.  Earlier, I said that love is not a noun; it’s an action verb.  If that’s true, God “living in me” should be not just a profound thought.  It should have a profound influence on who I am and what I do.

Sounds like this subject needs to continue next time….

A Miracle

COMMENTS

I recently had my bathroom remodeled.  It seems there should be a blog in that somewhere….

NOTES

It looks nothing like it looked a few weeks ago.  Which is weird.  The space is the same.  The shape is the same.  Even the vanity is the same, although it has new doors and drawers.  But the paint is a different color.  There are new towels and rugs.  The picture on the wall is different.  The mirror still shows my reflection, but it’s a nicer mirror.  How can something that’s still the same be so different?

That’s something like becoming a Christian, isn’t it?  I still have the same body—it’s still the same shape and size.  (Well, becoming a Christian didn’t change that—age did!)  But the inside is different.  When I look in the “mirror”, I see a new reflection:  I see myself as God sees me.  When I look at the “picture”, I see the world and my circumstances through His eyes; and that puts a different slant on them.  Those new wall colors and rugs and towels represent the new me on the inside—my “outside” may look the same, but my “inside” is new and fresh and vibrant and pretty.

The bathroom didn’t change overnight.  It took some time.  And although I was instantly new, all those changes in me didn’t happen overnight when I accepted Christ.  Just as I am continuing to make modifications to the bathroom (new light switches, etc.), God continues to “modify” me.  Eventually, the bathroom will be finished, just as I, too, will ultimately be complete. 

As I think about all of this, only one word comes to mind—MIRACLE.  It takes a miracle to change someone on the inside, to change them at their core.  Our God is in the miracle business, though; and if you allow Him to touch you, you’ll be different, too.  That’s a promise—HIS promise.

What is God’s greatest miracle?  Well, I guess we could debate that; but in my heart I truly believe that God’s greatest miracle is ME.

So many people look for signs and wonders
They miss the greatest miracle of all.
Well it's the miracle of sweet salvation.
That's when the God of heaven
Comes down to live inside of someone's heart.

And I believe in miracles.
I'm a miracle myself.
And I believe the good Lord hears
The ones who cry for help.
And after all that He has done for me
I believe, I do believe in miracles.
                                         --Miracles by Newsong