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by Sandy Shaw
We are reading in Matthew Chapter 21 – and last week I spoke about the coming and ministry and life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as being a watershed. Everything has been leading up to this moment and from the life and death and resurrection of Jesus, everything flows.
But the most important watershed of all in the history of humanity – in the history of mankind – has been and is – the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, leading to the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
He has split history in two – every event is now dated with reference to his coming into the world – either before or after. We are either living B.C. – before Christ – or A.D. – in the year of our Lord – the Lord Jesus Christ. There are those who would like to use the ‘Common Era’ for dating – I wonder why?
The influence of Jesus Christ is so immense – once you have seen Jesus – once you have met Jesus – once you have had an encounter with Jesus – you cannot put him out of your mind – no matter how hard or how fast you might try to run away from him – you cannot act as though Jesus Christ never existed.
The people asked as Jesus rides into Jerusalem - “Who is this?”
This is no academic speculation – or theological theorising.
This is Almighty God breaking into history in an unprecedented way – invading our world with love and power and mercy and grace and forgiveness – only to be rejected and ignored and explained away.
Jesus Christ comes to rescue men and women who are perishing – Jesus comes to seek and save those who are lost – Jesus comes to forgive sinners – and so few want to know.
“Who is this?” He is the Son of God – the Bible declares and teaches. The new criticism is – just because it is written in a book does not make it true! That is true – but it is more than that.
The coming of Jesus Christ into our world is first and foremost a message about GOD.
It is more than a new morality – or higher ethical standards.
It is more than brotherly kindness and loving our neighbour – it is more than a new way of looking at life – or a fresh and revised social programme – but it includes something of all of these.
It is GOD breaking through into our darkness with light.
Let me ask you – challenge you – do you want the light of God – do you want more of the light of God – do you need the forgiveness of God which we receive in and through and from Jesus – do you want the peace of God which passes all understanding? We cannot fully explain it – but we can experience it!
“Who is this?” The people asked then – and some may still be curiously wondering today. The question was asked in Matthew Chapter 21verse 10 , regarding Jesus Christ.
In Jesus, God has come to man – born in Bethlehem – in an outhouse beside the animals. For some 30 years we hear very little about him – Jesus had no financial wealth. He held no official position in society. His friends were like himself – fishermen – tax collectors – workmen – ordinary, and quite like one of us.
When Jesus did leave home to start preaching and teaching and healing and training disciples – his own family tried to dissuade him – thinking he was beside himself - actually saying he was mad.
The crowds which at first gathered inquisitively to listen to him and receive from him – soon dwindled away – and his closest friends showed signs of doing the same.
“Will you go too?” he had to ask them. At the end they did desert him – fast – and suddenly. But not for ever – Jesus went to them to reassure them that he was not finished with his disciples.
It is Passover – that season when people of God gathered in Jerusalem remembering how the Passover lamb was slain in Egypt that night prior to their being set free from slavery and bondage – read Exodus Chapter 12 for the details.
Our Passover Lamb was about to be slain in Jerusalem to set people free from sin – and all the slavery and bondage surrounding sin.
Jesus was crucified – hanging between two criminals – and buried in a borrowed grave – but then a strange – unusual – unique thing – happened. It was rumoured that he had been seen alive.
A few weeks later his followers were preaching – and performing similar miracles to those Jesus had performed.
Is it not quite a surprise that when the disciples of the risen Jesus began to worship and praise in the Temple – people thought they had been drinking? But, neither laughter – nor sneering – nor ridicule – nor taunting – nor imprisonment – nor philosophical arguments – nor the might of Rome and her courts and jails could stop Jesus Christ working through His body!
The question becomes even louder – “Who is this Jesus?”
Jesus comes into our world born of a virgin – lying in a manger – visited later by shepherds of all people – who went out and spoke and testified to what they had seen – angels and Christ the Lord. It is there in Luke Chapter 2 .
Jesus came into our world to fulfil the word of the Prophets.
On their way were wise men – with gifts – probably Jews from Persia – on their way to worship this new born King!
Another King! King Herod in Jerusalem decides to kill all the children of two and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem, just to get this one child out of the road.
Joseph and Mary take Jesus to Egypt – for his safety and security and very existence – and – to fulfil a further prophecy in Hosea Chapter 11 – “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” This very special child is unique in so many ways.
30 years later – after Jesus was baptised in water and anointed with the Holy Spirit, evil spirits and demons cried out when they saw him approach – yet little children nestled in his arms and sat upon his knee in innocent security – and Jesus blessed them.
Note the importance of the river Jordan experience – John the Baptist takes Jesus and plunges him in the waters – and the Father anoints Jesus, or saturates Jesus, with the Holy Spirit. This is a pivotal moment in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ – and it normally is in our spiritual experience too.
Know who Jesus is – know the Scriptural and Biblical revelation and teaching as well as you can – and may your personal experience of the risen living Jesus, our Saviour and Lord, never fade.
When Jesus was baptised, the Holy Spirit descended upon him – and that same Jesus who was baptised in water says to every disciple – “Follow me”. It is quite a simple command – accompanied by the most amazing and rewarding consequences.
“Almighty God, our loving gracious heavenly Father – we thank You for sending Jesus Christ, Your Son, to be our Saviour and Lord – help us to see and understand something of how Jesus is unique from the very beginning – and help us to believe and obey and follow him, even when we might find it hard – we pray in Jesus’ name.” Amen.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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