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Headlines: God On Earth In A Human Body!
Jesus was God’s Foremost Demonstration Project. Prior to Jesus, God had communicated in various ways how He wanted His People to live. He gave very specific, written directions.
He sent the best teachers in the form of prophets and teachers of The Law. He appointed Judges to oversee the Laws. But something was still wrong. The people did not get it! So following the thought, “If you want a job done right, do it yourself,” God decided it was time to reveal Himself through Himself!
God revealed His Presence on earth by allowing people to see Him, dressed in the same way as they were … covered with skin and like them in every way. He entered the world through a woman, who was human like them. He grew up under the tutelage of his earthly father, Joseph and went to the synagogue regularly.
After Jesus became a man, He lived a regular life, until the time of His Public Ministry. He experienced all that humans experienced. God had always been a part of His Creation, inside of every cell, inside of every thought. David the Psalmist described it well in Psalm 139 when he said,
You have searched me, Lord,
and You know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
You are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue,
You, Lord, know it completely…
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your Presence?
But satan had succeeded in causing many of God’s People to forget His Awesome Presence with them. They had become a people so hung up on performance that they viewed God’s Laws, not as His Loving Arms keeping them from harm, but instead, as His Barriers to keep them from enjoying life.
God revealed Himself to the world in Jesus, a human, Who knew beyond a Shadow of a Doubt the One Who lived inside of Him. Jesus came to remind earth people how very present God was, inside of them.
God revealed Himself from the beginning in the Names He gave Jesus.
Matthew 1:23 records,
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son,
and they will call Him Immanuel
(which means “God with us!”)
God was alive on earth in a man! Now that is headline news! Not only that, but He had a Mission, also detailed in His Name.
Matthew 1:21 records,
She will give birth to a Son,
and you are to give Him the Name Jesus,
because He will save His people from their sins!
God was not diminished in any way by living in the Body of Jesus. He was thrilled to be there, as He is thrilled to live inside your body.
Colossians 1:19 records,
For God was pleased to have all His Fullness
dwell in Him,
and through Him
to reconcile to Himself all things,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making Peace through His Blood,
shed on the cross.
How did God plan to reveal Himself in Jesus? He would do so through His Acts that reflected His Nature. Jesus showed all the Qualities of God in His Actions day to day. And remember, even though His Compassionate Healing of many was a beautiful Gift to each one He touched, His Acts of Healing also served The Purpose of drawing people to listen to Him. He was there to testify!
John 18:37 records,
In fact, the reason I was born
and came into the world
is to testify to the Truth!
Everyone on the side of Truth listens to Me!
Jesus’ Classroom
Jesus was mobile. He went to people where they were … on the hillside, in their homes, in the market, and yes, in the Temple too. Sometimes those most in need of learning are those who believe they already know it all. Jesus had no dress code requirement. He had no prerequisites. He met people where they were, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually and taught them.
Jesus, The Story Teller
Jesus frequently taught by using parables (stories). He taught about the unknown by beginning with something the people already knew. He opened their mind with a safe subject about which they already had knowledge, and then He offered to introduce something new they did not know.
Jesus, The Questioner
Jesus’ Teachings were filled with questions. He prompted the people to think about what He was teaching … to really examine it and decide if it made sense to them. His Teachings were solid enough they could be handled. His Teachings could hold up under the most intense scrutiny. His Questions were designed, not only to make His Students think, but also to allow them to speak their thoughts. Jesus knew the Power of The Spoken Word!
Jesus in The Lab
Jesus did live demonstrations of what He taught. He demonstrated the forgiveness of sins, healings, casting out demons, praying for one’s enemies, loving one another. He demonstrated faith in the trenches, prayer, and submission to The Father.
Jesus Gave Tests!
Toward the end of Jesus’ time on earth, He began to step back and push His Disciples to act. When the people were hungry and without food, Jesus said to His Disciples, “You feed them!”
When His Disciples were out on the storm tossed sea, Jesus was asleep (or was He?), perhaps to see how His Disciples would handle a storm on their own. When another storm came up, Jesus was not even in the boat with them. He was taking their training wheels off in preparation for the time when they would not be able to see Him with their physical eyes.
Jesus The Coach
When His Players tried, but still messed up, Jesus gently chided them and pushed them on to greater achievement. Jesus was pleased Peter was willing to get out of the boat and attempt to walk to Him on the water. When Peter failed, Jesus rescued him, identified the problem (lack of faith), and gently pushed Peter to greater faith the next time. There were a few more games in which Peter did not go home with a trophy. But, at last, His Coach was able to look Peter in the eyes and ask him to feed His Sheep. Jesus knew it would be done. Jesus could already see Peter at the Gates of Heaven, many trophies in hand!
Individual Instruction
You may find yourself thinking, “Wow, I wish I could have been there. My life today would be so much better if I had Jesus as my Teacher!” I have good news for you! He hasn’t retired!
He still teaches and He would love to have you as His Student. He has an immediate opening! He now teaches through the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is clear your mind, and simply say, “Jesus, I want to learn what You have to teach me. Come Holy Spirit! Please teach me!”
But The Counselor, The Holy Spirit,
Whom The Father will send in My Name,
will teach you all things
and will remind you of everything I have said to you!”
John 14:25-26
Points to Ponder
Be still at this moment. Feel The Presence of The One inside of you.
Rejoice in His Presence! Realize what an honor it is that He has come to your house to live!
You may feel, as did Martha, that you should run around and clean up before you can settle down and listen. Don’t worry! He Himself will help you clean up The House when it is time.
For now, just settle in and listen. Which of Jesus’ Teaching Techniques would work best for you? Telling you a story, asking questions of you, letting you ask Him questions, hands on practice of this thing called Life, giving you tests to see how you do and then going over the ones you missed, gently coaching you, or giving you up close and personal instruction?
Are you ready to be taught by The One Who would love to show you His World and how to live in it with True Love, Joy and Peace?
