Know Him Better

Every five years or so, a distant cousin will organize a large family reunion. Family members travel from all over the country to be there.

We spend about a half day in a nice park playing games and talking.

I have an excellent time, but there is a problem. I am not very good with names and I have difficulty recognizing people. To compound things, I don’t want to admit my flaw, so I act like I know them.

My wife and I will spend the several hour drive home trying to figure out who we were talking to.

My distant family is awesome, but seeing them four hours every five years makes it difficult to have a meaningful relationship. It would be nice to know them better.

Today’s lesson is from Luke 24.

Cleopas and a friend were travelling to Emmaus, discussing the fact that Jesus had been put to death by the ruling class. The whole area was abuzz about what had happened.

The resurrected Jesus appeared to them. Their conversation demonstrated how wrong Cleopas and his friend were about Jesus. The two believed Jesus was a prophet and thought he would restore the Davidic Kingdom (and earthly greatness) to Israel. They did not understand that Jesus was not only the Son of God, but that he was God. They did not understand Jesus came to set up a heavenly kingdom.

 

After a while, Jesus made himself known. The two then realized that Jesus is alive, he is God and that he is the promised Messiah.

 

I don’t always recognize my own relatives. Like Cleopas, I don’t always recognize Jesus.

 

Due to travel constraints, I don’t see my distant relatives very often. It is therefore not surprising I don’t know them very well. However, I can’t use that excuse about Jesus.

 

It is true, I cannot see Jesus, yet he is with me every day!

 

I need to spend more time with him.

 

Only then will I know him better, and appreciate who he is and what he has done for me.

So What's the Big Deal?

“The word became flesh”, is a rather catchy phrase in John 1:9-17. So what's the big deal?

We know the phrase to mean that Jesus, 100% God and 100% man, came to earth. While here, Jesus did many wondrous things, but let’s focus on three.

All are sinners, have rejected God, and deserve eternal death. Yet God loves us so much that he sent Jesus who became a sin offering for our sin. Even more, Jesus was a scapegoat, taking our sins upon himself, so that we will be without sin. Jesus’ death justifies us, that is, makes us “right before God.”

That is good for this life, but what happens after our death? Jesus was resurrected from the dead. He appeared in his bodily form on earth for 40 days before going to heaven. We, in the form of our souls, also go to heaven after death. Eventually we will get a resurrection body.

This is hard to believe, isn’t it? Jesus was a man, and his body was resurrected. Witnesses attested to this fact. Therefore, if God can resurrect the body of Jesus then, he can also resurrect the bodies of all men, even forgiven sinners.

Finally, Jesus came to establish a kingdom, and it includes all believers, past, present and future. The kingdom is heavenly, yet through the Holy Spirit it is with us today.

Many at the time of Jesus believed that Jesus would be setting up an earthly kingdom. How wrong they were. Some theologians, even today, insist Christ will set up an earthly kingdom. But Jesus clearly stated, “My kingdom is not of this earth.” Our hope is in the next world, not this one.

When God’s plans are complete, we will get our resurrection bodies. The current creation will cease, a new creation will be formed and we will live there. It will be total bliss, with neither sin nor pain.

We are justified, will have eternal life and will be part of a perfect, sinless kingdom.

And that's the big deal about “The word became flesh”!