Who is Jesus…Really?

When you think of Jesus, what image comes to mind? A quiet-spirited man sitting around a bunch of sheep with a staff in his hand? Maybe Jesus preaching with compassion to the multitudes? Jesus on the cross?

One thing that constantly amazes me is that we, as Christians, often have a warped or incomplete picture of who Jesus was when he walked this earth some 2000 years ago. Personally, I used to think of Jesus as a gentle, calm man who healed people, taught people, and died on the cross for my sins.

Yeah, that is part of the story, but the Bible details so much more. Jesus was passionate! He loved God and he loved people. He hated evil, and the effects of sin. He loved the sinner. He despised the hypocrite. He taught with power and authority. People either loved him and desired to follow him, or they were so mad at him that they wanted to stone him or push him off a cliff.

Jesus was pure strength and power under control. He was meek, but not weak. He spoke the truth with love, but also with a strong rebuke. He did not back down from a verbal “fight”. He healed many of their diseases…spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

I am writing this blog today to encourage you (just as someone encouraged me) to read through the New Testament book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, line by line. I started with the book of Luke this year because it addresses the essentially question of who Jesus is, what he said, what he did, why he died, and how he rose.

All too often we skip around the Bible (Old & New Testament) picking out the most memorable passages, and then we teach them to our kids and they end up with the classic list of “children’s stories” from the Bible”: Noah and the ark, the Tower of Babel, Jonah and the Whale, Daniel and the Lion’s Den, the birth of Jesus, Jesus’ miracles, etc. All too often we neglect to give our kids the complete picture of Jesus. As parents, this is the BEST gift we can give them…a thorough knowledge of their God, Savior, and Creator.

Will you take the challenge with me? As you prepare for this Christmas season, will you start the book of Luke with your kids and take the marvelous journey of discovering who Jesus really is?

Prayer,

God we love you, and we are so thankful for the truth and power of your Word. May we seek you and find you. May our faith be based on the truth of who you are, and not based on our feelings and emotions. May we desire to read your Word, and may it produce a harvest of goodness, righteousness, passion, and love for you and your people. May we give you…the BEST GIFT EVER…to our kids so that our joy (and theirs) may be complete. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.