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Jesus is Lord!
As most of our readers know, Louise and I have been blessed with twin sons. Both of our adult sons are now serving the Lord as Worship Pastors. This past Sunday, Dan was asked to provide the message at Crosswinds Church in Dublin. His teacher’s spirit came through in the delivery of a great message. Some of his thoughts have been integrated into this weekly devotional.
Why does the word “Jesus” cause more division and agitation than any other word? I can go into any coffee shop and bring up Brahma, Buddha, Gandhi or Mohammad and people will usually not have an emotional response. Even the word “God” will not regularly offend people. But if I bring up the words “Jesus Christ”, it most often will bring some kind of reaction or cause people to avoid the subject.
I mean people are like, “wow… don’t go there with your Jesus Christ talk.” Why is this? Why does this name seem to cause more controversy than any name in the last 2000 years? Was it simply because He was a good man? Or a good, moral spiritual Teacher or was it something more?
I believe the controversy surrounding Jesus comes because of His words. His assertions cause us to pick a side. He claimed to be God! Whether you come from a faith background or not, Jesus’ followers and His critics can agree on one thing…. Jesus is unavoidable.
The offense of Jesus was that he made a claim that rocked the ancient world and continues to rock the modern world. Jesus interrupts our view of God in a way that no spiritual guru has ever done or will ever do in the history of the human race. Jesus taught in a way that made Him unavoidable.
The Unavoidable Jesus…
1) Stands OUT for His Difference – Luke 4:14-16 " Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read."
2) Speaks UP in the Devoted– Luke 4:17-19 "The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.""
3) Sits DOWN in the Discussion – Luke 4: 20-27 "Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. 'Isn’t this Joseph’s son?' they asked. Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’ ” “I tell you the truth,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”
4) Walks ALONG in our Decision – Luke 4: 28-30 "All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way."
Our ministry has provided hundreds of copies of the book More Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell to those searching to know Jesus. As McDowell states, “When we think of Jesus, we must eventually come to one of three decisions. Either he is a lunatic, liar, or Lord”.
Jesus’ claims, his miracles, his love, his grace, his character, and his words testify to who he was. The Prophets also predicted that Jesus was Lord. To those who openly explore the truth, they will find that the evidence is over-whelming as to Christ’s heritage, plan, and purpose.
As mentioned in Matt. 27:22, eventually, most people will have to address the same question Pontus Pilate had to deal with. “What now shall I do, with the man called Jesus?” We can accept or deny, but it won’t change the facts that point to Jesus as God in human flesh. He is the redeemer and deliverer promised throughout scripture. He is Lord!
Have a great week! Jim Grassi |
