Jesus Christ- The Son and the Throne

Introduction

A while back I intended to write a blog about the Holy Spirit. I try to keep my blogs short, just a couple of pages at most. But trying to hold it to under three pages was impossible. I ended up with 50 pages. Here again I wanted to write about the side of Jesus that we seem to be least understanding of, His Kingship. Same problem, He can’t be kept short. I favor the apostle John’s opinion. In John 21: 25 (NASB) He wrote, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.” This is a daunting task to be sure, but necessary for the saints understanding of who He is!

The more we humanize Christ, the less fear we have of Him. Maybe because He made Himself so human to us, we have difficulty seeing Him as anything else. Plus, He is much more relatable to us as Jesus the man. His words become less insistent and commanding and some of us even see those words as only good teaching. It’s how we make them a little more palatable to our hearts. But were they meant only to be pleasant? Taken at face-value they cry out against our weakness to persevere in the race we are supposed to run. For example, Luke 14: 26-27 (ESV) “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Again, in verse 33, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” These are strong words and come from Christ the Lord, not just a man.

At Christmastime, we celebrate the sweet baby child lying in a manger. We picture Him in His swaddling clothes being visited by shepherds and the three wise men. All is soft and gentle. We are able to accept Him as a humble little child. And easier to celebrate His unassertive coming.

At Eastertime, we see Him beaten and bruised, covered in scars of blood, dying on a cross for our sin. We praise His sacrifice and some of us understand that “someone had to do it.” But it lightens the cost of our sin because He took the punishment due us completely on Himself. We dodged the bullet so to speak. On Easter morning we celebrate an empty tomb. We say, “Thank you Jesus.” But is that it? If all this was so extremely important to Him, should it not have the same importance to us? Some grasp it all. Some just have not been told the wonder of it.

These are the things we must get straight in our inner soul. We must understand His God side. We must know Him. And we must obey Him if we wish to have a meaningful life. When He came to earth, I would say most of the Jews missed who He really was. They were looking for a remake of King David. They wanted someone who would rid them of the Romans and give them back their land. They could not fathom an eternal kingdom and undershot His true glory. They were looking for more earthly food and not His everlasting manna. They missed it all! Are we doing the same?

As Americans we have never had a king. We have presidents that we vote in and out of office every four years. We have no comprehension of kingship. In today’s world, in other countries it seems to be the prime minister who does all the work, and the king is only a figurehead. Treating Christ as a figurehead alone would be definitely a dumb move on our part. Sad to say, we do not respect Him nearly enough. His very essence is complete sovereignty and majesty.

It is foolish to think we can remove Him from His throne of glory and place Him in our hearts to be our personal butler. But many of us do exactly that! Sorry if this offends. But far too often we tell Him, “I need this or I need that.” My attempt through the light of Scripture will be to return us to the reverence of His royalty. Without that we will have no faith. Yet faith is how He measures our hearts towards Him. We should not put Him in a manger. We should not hang Him on a cross. There is no one better than Christ. There is no one more than Christ. He is who the Bible says He is. His full disclosure is written in there. He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, Master of all. When you look to Christ, see Him as such. It will change all your perceptions and give power to your faith!

Here’s what I hope you will gain from this, Luke 20: 17-18 (KJV) “And he beheld them, and said, ‘What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.’”

Let me tell you the beauty of this saying by Christ; When He grinds us to powder, we are only dust. Then He brings the ‘Living Water’ of the Holy Spirit to mix with our dust and we become tender and pliable clay. In the hands of the great creator, He can make any vessel to His purpose. Some might become a cup which all can come and drink from and find refreshment. Some an ornate vase that He can display all the colors of wonder in. Our only requirement is to yield to His hand.

Please let me help you see Him as the King of Kings!

Amen?

Chapter 1: The Triumphal Entry

Today is Palm Sunday so this writing should come first. The Jewish people of the time were expecting a great king to come and free them from the Romans. It is true that Jesus came to free them, but not from the Romans necessarily. They wanted an earthly kingdom. He was bringing an eternal kingdom. And bringing them freedom from sin! With sin there is eternal death. His salvation grants eternal life. He was coming to save the world, but it was going to take drastic measures!

Zechariah 9:9 (ESV) “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Christ was fulfilling Zechariah’s prophesy to the letter bringing more proof of His kingship. They recognized Him, but for an incorrect purpose. They were doing what mankind always does, getting it wrong. Eternal salvation far outweighs the deliverance from Roman rule.

You see, there are certain things common with all mankind. What does this do for me today? Where will I get my food from? How can I keep a roof over my head? What is the political climate of my country right now? Will it rain to water my crops? And so on! Our real goal should be, will I reach eternity with Christ? He came to give us a new life and to become a new self. Colossians 3: 1-6 (NASB) “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.”

Why are immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed considered idolatry? Because idols are something we worship instead of God. We walk in a dangerous world. The world is designed to not only impede our walk but to stop it altogether. There is no gray area when it comes to Christ. We are either His or the world’s. The world is constantly in our face attempting to smack us down or derail us from the road. If we relent and live according to the ways of the world, the consequences are immense. If we remain true to the call of Christ we will walk free, and our reward is eternity in His presence.

So, the donkey entrance into Jerusalem was only the first “Triumphal Entry.” The second is recorded in the first chapter of the Book of Acts. It is known as “The Ascension.” He gave His last command, Acts 1: 8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to even the remotest part of the earth.” Then verses 9-11 “And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.’”

His second “Triumphal Entry” was to heaven where His Father and His throne of magnificence waited for His triumphal return. His victory was complete, and He performed it magnificently. I don’t know how many angels there are in heaven, but you can be sure they were all there to welcome the “Great Conqueror” home. Can you imagine the sound that was raised upon His reentry into glory? His mandate from the Father concluded, He sat down at the Father’s right hand to the lauding of the angels and the voice that called, “Well done, My Son in whom I am well pleased.” The victor was home! Or something near that.

There will be a third “Triumphal Entry” when He returns to claim His seat on earth also. He will rule both heaven and earth by His grace and authority. The stars in the heavens, the seas and the mountains of the earth, even the rocks will sing of His glorious wonder. Is this not someone to be worshipped, praised, and trusted? What is this pride in mankind that refuses to bow to anyone but themselves? Is arrogance worth the loss of eternity? He might have set the example of humility while He was first with us, but now He is the Glorious One! Let us bow now before we meet Him face to face. By then, it could be too late.

Chapter 2: Jesus Christ, the Word of God

John 1: 1-5 (ESV) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

When the apostle John starts his book, he starts with naming Jesus as “The Word.” Why? I see it as his way of proclaiming both the deity and authority of Christ before even creation took place. Look to Genesis chapter one. Verse 3, “And God said.” Again, in verses 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24. “And God said.”

 Then in verse 26, God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness…” So, in the beginning Christ was with God, and Christ was God. To the Jewish people, the word of God was considered to be regarded above anything and everything. That’s what John was declaring about Jesus.

Just as God spoke all things into existence by his power, so do the words of Christ come with that same power. How many times in the New Testament do we read that the people marveled at Christ’s words because he spoke as one having authority and not as the Scribes and Pharisees? The Pharisees called his words blasphemous and devilish. We are not to accept their reasoning because it came from hearts of ritual and tradition, not truth. If we follow the proper line of reasoning, then we know that all the words of Christ are true and right. That changes the words in the gospels from only good teaching to justified assurance in Christ!

Examples: Matthew 16: 26-27 (ESV) “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.” Is that not a serious statement?

What about the disciples asking Jesus to increase their faith? Luke 17: 6 (ESV) “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” He’s not telling them to have a great amount of faith but any amount. How many of us have that kind of confidence? Is there something lacking in us? It could come down to who our faith is placed in. A good teacher or the Lord of Lords? And if we are showing disrespect to Christ through unbelief in his complete authority, then why should we think any answer will ever come?

One more. John 5:39-44 (ESV) “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” Again, those are not the words of just a good teacher, but they come from the King. The Eternal Word! Remember Matthew 24: 35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

When Jesus came to earth, He came to proclaim the good news of salvation in Him. And He came to give us examples of how to treat each other. He was only teaching us how to serve. He did not come to set the precedent that He is our eternal servant. He is not a genie in a magic lamp, ready to appear and perform wonders only when we need Him. And He is not Santa Claus with a sleigh full of gifts. We are always too fixated on our own needs and desires, and forget to honor Him as the King. Worship and honor come first!

Our Christian walk should be based on desire and commitment. The decision we must make individually is how deep is our desire and how strong is our commitment? If our desire is shallow and our commitment is weak then the words of Christ are only good words to live by. But, if our desire to know Christ is above all other desires in our life and our commitment is firm and resolved, then His words we take as commandments to follow resolutely. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only.

Now some will say, “It is by grace we are saved and not works.” Excusing the fact that what Christ has told us is impossible to perform. And His words are an intimidating task! But that is why He sent us the Holy Spirit, to help us in our effort. In like manner, we are to help each other through encouragement and exhortation to live the life that honors Him. I would say that present day fellowship falls a little short of that goal.

Understand this, there is a decided difference between “works” and “obedience.” Works will not get us into eternity with Christ. But obedience bears much fruit. Works and obedience are not the same! Always remember, Christ is the Word of God! His words are faithful and true. It is time for us to stop believing in our own thoughts and open the Book and read what He says. Then, the only way to have any real life is to obey His words exactly the way He said them.

Amen?

Chapter 3: The Son’s Authority Over Sin

Mark 2: 1-12 (ESV) “And when he (Jesus) returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, ‘Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk?’ ‘But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’--- he said to the paralytic---‘I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.’ And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’”

We all see the miracle, us and everyone that was there. But for the moment, let’s take everyone out of the picture except Jesus and the paralytic. Jesus knew the man had sins that needed forgiveness. We are never told what those were. The paralytic’s sins might have crippled him, or they might have been incidental and had no relation to his condition. We are not told what’s going on. But Jesus knew and so did the paralytic. So, Jesus began with the most crucial issue and forgave the man his sins. It was what the man needed most of all. Bring the crowd and the scribes back into the picture. “How dare he forgive sins! Only God can do that!” Right? What does that tell us? Christ is God Almighty! Everyone there missed the real excitement, Christ has the authority to forgive sins. Is that not greater than, “Rise up and walk?” Jesus did not come to earth to prove He is God. He came because He is God. And our need is so great that only He can fix it. He did not come to serve, but to mend.

Sin is the result of free will exercised by us in the garden. We chose selfish rebellion over eternal life because of the act of greed. That was a very bad start. Now, we continue to pile sin upon sin till our lives are completely wrapped up in ourselves with no way out but one. We are beyond burdened! Trust in Christ alone is that one option God provides. He is the only one who can remove that burden from off our backs. We cannot work it off. We cannot make believe it’s not there. And we cannot blame someone else for it.

Let me ask you; What is guilty and what is guilt? Do you think they are the same? We love to quote Romans 3: 23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” It’s a good one but what does it mean? We are all guilty. Every single human on earth is guilty of sin and needs the authority of Christ to have those sins wiped clean. What then is guilt? Guilt is a much deeper prison that tortures the soul and leads down a road to despair. Guilt’s fruit brings an utter loss of hope! It does not come from common everyday mistakes but carries with it a more abysmal pain that throttles the life from anyone who experiences it. You want to run. You want to hide. But there seems no escape. Guilt strangles the breath from your lungs. It closes in on you till it chokes what little life is left in you. And it whispers in your soul, “You are worthless.”  I know because I’ve been there. Yet, the good news of Christ is that He has both the power and authority over guilt also. Some of the forms of guilt meant to destroy could be cheating on your spouse, homosexuality, abortion, theft, murder, causing another deep grief by your defrauding of them, damaging another’s heart causing their despair of life itself, or even denouncing God’s existence. They are deep hurts we cause others or ourselves, or they are in direct defiance of God. They confine the heart to a spiritual jail with no sense of a way out. 1 Corinthians 15: 57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” When the burden of guilt looks to overrun your soul, it is only in Christ where your relief can be found. Do not try to work it out on your own. Fall at the feet of Christ the Lord and plead with Him for help. He does not leave you hopeless!

How strong is His power over sin? We are given two beautiful examples in Scripture. Micah 7: 18-19 “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” And Psalm 103: 10-12 “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

Tossed into the depths of the sea and as far as east is from the west means they are gone for good. It’s as if there is a black hole behind His throne where He disposes of our sins to be remembered no more. But there is a catch! We cannot just ask for forgiveness without sincere repentance. Luke 17:3-4 “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” Jesus never asks us to do something He is unwilling to do Himself. With confession and repentance comes the assurance of forgiveness by the One who has the power to forgive. 1 John 1: 9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Don’t get me wrong, He has all power to forgive but, the more contrite our heart is, the better the result!

Remember, even for those who suffer from deep guilt, there is complete relief and a renewed spirit. Cast all your cares on Him for He will not disappoint you. He has the ultimate authority to do so!

Chapter 4: The Wind and the Sea

Mark 4: 35-41 (NASB) “On that day, when evening came, He said to them, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on a cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea. ‘Hush, be still.’ And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them. ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They became very much afraid and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?’”

Quite frankly, Jesus Christ has the power and authority over all things on earth and the heavens. If all nature obeys Him why don’t we? The truth be told, we don’t want anyone messing around with our free will, including Christ. We arrogantly cling to that one gift above all other gifts as ours alone to own. Yet, it is still a gift from God. And it is the one and only one beautiful gift that when we offer it back to God we find the joy of being wrapped in the eternal love of God. God does not need our service. God does not need our voice. What He requires is the surrender of our free will which is the key to unlocking the bountiful life of spirit and wonder.

We sidetrack ourselves into believing, God needs our help. Now, God uses people’s talents every day. He sends one here and sends one there. I’m not advocating for His people to do nothing. But first things first. Surrender your free will. None of the other stuff will work until that is done first.

If the wind and the sea obey Christ, if the rocks would cry out ‘Hosanna in the highest, if the sun would hide its face during the crucifixion, how then does He need our help? We confuse service with obedience. They are not the same. Obedience is that one rare opportunity we have to show Christ our loyalty. Good works is not enough! But it is part of our DNA to think that our input is necessary for a good outcome. Truthfully, it is the Holy Spirit working in our hearts the words of Christ to the end that He desires. Only a surrendered heart can hear the right commands.

Christ has the power over the storms. He has the power over earthquakes. He has the power over fires and floods. He has the power over the sun and the stars. They all obey! But does He have the power over your heart?

Chapter 5: The Good Shepherd

 The Good Shepherd (Jesus Christ) has full authority over His sheep (The Church). The true sheep have surrendered their lives to the King and in so doing have placed their trust where it safely belongs. We might have trials and tribulations here on earth, but our end goal is eternity in His presence. And in order to have that we must yield ourselves to Him. I will refer to John chapter 10 much in this writing for it discusses Christ’s relationship with His sheep. And, sadly with the goats also.

John 10:1 (NASB) “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.” Those we can call goats. They did not enter as set forth by Christ. They are infiltrators and hard to discern. And every church has them in the congregation.

John 10: 2-5 “But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” True followers of Christ will only listen to the voice of Christ which comes to them through the Holy Spirit. This is one of those times when it is nearly impossible to separate the Spirit and the Son. We hear His voice because our entire focus is on Him. A sheep follows, a goat wanders.

John 10: 7-15 “So Jesus said to them again, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

What does all this mean? Jesus Christ is the door of the sheep (the only door). He is our only possibility to salvation and restoration with the Father Almighty. If we enter through Him we have freedom to the abundance of His pastures. False leaders and thieves come only to confuse and hurt and steal. We must learn to discern who they are. They speak smooth words which cause sleep to come over those who will not seek Christ with all their heart. If we stray, they will catch us in their snares and lead us away from Christ. And when times get tough, they will run away and leave us stuck in the wilderness where they led us. False shepherds and teachers are an abomination to God. We must avoid them at all cost and set our eyes on Christ alone.

In conclusion, all authority over the Church belongs to Christ. Our other shepherds must help to keep our eyes fixed on Him. Any false shepherds must be dealt with. The Church is made up of only the sheep. No goats! The goats only cause disruption and confusion. They are hypocritical pretenders and have no place in the community of Christ. One of the saddest observations I make everywhere I go is that our pastors think they can change the heart of a goat. They waste time with them instead of their responsibility which is the sheep. Leave the goats to God. Only He can remake a goat.

Shepherds under the direction of the Good Shepherd must stay true to their calling to guide and protect the sheep. They have no other occupation in Christ. We as sheep must continually search our own spiritual mirrors to make sure we see the reflection of Christ. If we observe something strange let’s deal with it immediately. Just one little sidestep will throw us off the way and into the weeds.

One more thing; We are responsible to each other for our wellbeing. True fellowship is found in our spiritual care for one another. It is the command of Christ!

Chapter 6: Death’s Conqueror

John 10: 17-18 (NASB) “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

Christ’s death was in His own hands. We would not have been able to crucify Him without His consent. It was always His choice. In the garden when they came to arrest Jesus and one of the disciples cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave in Matthew 26: 52-54 “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions (72,000) of angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?’”

Even then Jesus could have called the whole thing off. But for your sake and mine He saw it through. If ever there was an example of true obedience, it was right then. Jesus knew the beating and the whip was just ahead. The crown of thorns and the cross after that. A violent death was waiting, yet His only reply was, “How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled?”

Hebrews 10: 5-7 (NIV) “Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: 'Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. The I said, Here I am-- it is written in the scroll--I have come to do your will O God.'" Christ chose to come to establish the New Order of forgiveness through Himself! No one else could have or would have done this for us.

In addition, Hebrews 12: 1-2 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

So, what does the ‘joy that was set before Him’ mean? He certainly did not enjoy the cross. But He endured the cross for the joy it would bring us. Now that’s a Savior! That’s a Lord! That’s a Conqueror! Our Christian walk is not a game. It is not a stroll. It is a victory to be seized by the race we run. Today is Good Friday, so it is easy to write this stuff. Jesus was at the most serious time of His life, yet He knew the cross would bring us joy. Can you run the hard race with joy?

In keeping with the commandment that Christ received from His Father, Jesus rolled the stone away and walked out of that grave, alive and well. The grave and death both lost that day. No more to fear because of the Lord’s victory. Something interesting when Christ rose from the dead; No one recognized Him. Mary Magdalene thought He was the gardener. The disciples thought He was a ghost. The two on the road to Damascus had no clue who He was. Was His identity hidden from them all by the Father, or did Christ now have a pure and stressless heavenly body? I don’t know but I think it is a worthwhile study.

Christ conquered sin. He conquered death. And He conquered the grave. He finished all that was needed for our redemption and now sits at the right hand of the Father. We are not to esteem Him lightly! Honor Him in your daily walk. Let your mouth sing praises. For He is Lord of all!

Chapter 7: Jesus and a Mustard Seed of Faith

One of the greatest powers in the universe is what the Son and the Spirit can do with a mustard seed of faith. To the believer, faith should be the unwavering belief in God that needs no proof or evidence other than the fact that He says so. Faith is trust shown through obedience to the written Scriptures or His spoken word within the believer’s heart. Faith is the confidence that God will do what He says He will do.

James 2: 21-23 (NASB) “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,’ and he was called the friend of God.”

How can we have faith that is called righteousness if we do not immerse ourselves in the Scriptures? Within the pages of the Bible are God’s promises and warnings. How many times do we read, ‘If you do, then I will’? If we obey the Scriptures, then we have a fruitful life and avoid all kinds of disasters. It is as simple as that.

We cannot allow ourselves to be reduced to “blind faith” only. Blind faith is a guessing game that we more often than not get wrong. True faith is solid as a rock. It is set in the knowledge that we are God’s children and that He loves us unconditionally. It’s what His Book tells us! Our part in the equation is to obey His words. Remember Abraham.

Now, to the Son and the Spirit. The Father has set His precedent. Our faith is to be in His Son. A ‘mustard seed of faith’ is not much. It actually is quite small. However, it is not the amount of faith you have, but Who our faith is in. And the Holy Spirit can work with any amount of faith you have as long as it is in Christ. They do not deviate! You might struggle with the unseen ways of the Spirit and the Son. Maybe you are too focused on the issue you are dealing with. Maybe it is just plain doubt. Maybe the hill seems too steep. Whatever it is, concentrating on the alligators in the swamp instead of the King who saves will get you nowhere. Fix your eyes on Christ! The Spirit can work with that heart.

One of our best examples is the “Math of Christ”. Matthew 14: 13-21 “Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, ‘This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!’ They said to Him, ‘We have here only five loaves and two fish.’ And He said, ‘Bring them here to Me.’ Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.”

This is a famous story in the Book. What do you get from it? Sometimes we argue over how many people were really there. Five thousand, ten thousand, maybe even fifteen thousand or more. A complete waste of time. The point is, there was only enough food for maybe five or six people. Plus, what about the extra baskets? When you begin to believe God’s Word, you enter a life of “Loaves and fishes” math. God multiplies what is unseen. Even in your deepest trials He is there waiting for your trust.

In conclusion, God the Father has set His Son over all authority in heaven and on earth. It is our choice whether or not to believe and trust Christ. We learn all of this through scouring the Scriptures. When we begin to trust Christ, we enter a whole new realm of life. One that although it may remain a mystery, is full of the wonders of God!

Chapter 8: The Abiding Vine

John 15: 1-11 (NASB) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so   neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

If there is anywhere in Scripture that describes how our relationship with Christ should be, it is here in this passage. The key word here is, “Abide” Abide means to stand fast, remain, go on being, to stay, reside, to continue and submit. This never means to get outside of Christ’s will. And His will is kept by obeying His commandments. If we introduce any selfishness into the relationship, we start to dry up and begin to wither. This then becomes something perilous to our lives. We lose our position of abiding. There is no success in the believer’s walk unless there is abiding, and there is no fruit.

Sometimes we think we are doing the Lord service by our works. But our one and only necessary work is to remain in His will. And that we do by following His commandments. If we do not get this one thing right, then none of the other stuff matters. I guess it would be called, “sticking to the basics.”

Christ set the example by keeping the Father’s commandments and abiding in His love. Should we do anything different? Our focus must be abiding. The intention to abide, the act of abiding, and the continuance of abiding. All other things will come in their due time.

I cannot detach myself ever from the vine. If I do, immediately my spirit starts to dry up and the process of turning brittle begins. We have a lot of trees on our property. Every spring I trim off the branches that grow no leaves and guess what? I toss them in the fire, and they are gone forever.

Christ is our only vine to the Father. If we wish to have abundant life, then at all cost we must remain in His perfect will, which comes through obedience. It’s not rocket science! It is perseverance, endurance, and commitment to stay the course. Together, let’s remain in His will.

Chapter 9: Christ, the Way the Truth and the Life

John 14: 1- 6 (NASB) “Do not let your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going. Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’”

It is early Easter morning while I am writing this. What beautiful, consoling words Jesus left with His disciples. And we should be grateful to the Holy Spirit for sharing those words with the rest of us. Let’s just be sure we know Christ is doing this out of love and not because He is our servant.

It’s that we sometimes get a little loose in our interpretation of “free gift”. You see, Christ’s gift was freely given, so in that sense it is a free gift. But it must stop there before we let confusion take over and think it is another free gift we somehow deserve. We don’t normally think a free gift is worth that much because it comes as an add-on to something we have purchased. Like with this truck purchase we will throw in a free bedliner. Uh uh! That is not the free gift of salvation. Yet, I observe some people treating it with the same amount of respect. So, can we agree that His gift was freely given but its value is beyond compare?

I must reiterate the Christian walk is not a casual stroll. It is hard fought battles that sometimes we lose. It is perseverance. It needs fortitude. Our eyes remain fixed on Christ while we plead with the Holy Spirit to help us through. We will have scars. There will be blood. Every ounce of energy must be used up in order to obtain the prize of eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ! We will win battles and lose battles. But it is the victory in the war for our soul that must be obtained. And that comes by abiding in the will of Christ through obedience to His commands.

People think they have other ways to eternity. Religious tradition, good works, going to church, tithing, etc. Here in farmland, we have a lot of very good people. They look out for each other, they won’t hurt their neighbor, they don’t cheat, they don’t lie, they try to live an honest life. We call them, “The salt of the earth.” And that is completely true. But is it enough?

That brings us to the first word in our title; Way. What did Jesus mean by “I am the Way?” First, let’s get rid of the word, path. There is no path to God but there is a way. And one way only! It is Jesus Christ. Let me ask you, is asking Jesus to come into your heart to be your personal Lord and savior enough? We are told by many that this is sufficient. Or is it only the beginning? Does our way end at the cross or begin at the cross? If it ends at the cross, what about all those promises we are given if we would but walk a little further? Jesus did not say, “I am the end.” He said, “I am the way.” That means there is more ahead! So, if we wish to walk with Christ, then life begins at the cross.

Many times when we lead someone to Christ and they bow before the cross, we think, “Whew, I did it. I helped!” But in reality, we only got them to the start. We are responsible for more. My question is, “If I got someone to get started, then how do I help them get further along unless I am going that way myself?” Hopefully this gives you another understanding of what fellowship really is. Now, a new convert might pass me because of their newfound zeal for Christ and that’s okay. Great for them! But me, I must be anchored in Christ as their example of where to begin. Abiding in Christ then, is “The Way!”

What does Christ mean when He says, “I am the truth?” When it comes to Christ, He is absolute truth. Not meaning He speaks truth, although that is true, but He is truth. Only by Him and through Him will I ever find and understand truth. Truth offers us a lot! Truth tells us without Christ we are only half a person and that half person is only dust that will die and decay. Truth tells us with Christ we are a new creature alive and thriving with eternity ahead. That is a big difference! Truth tells us we were once completely lost and now tells us we have been found and found flourishing. The difference is Christ, “The Truth!”

If I place my life totally in the arms of Christ abiding in His truth, then I have found safety in this world. And in His safety He will not lose hold of me. Even if I make mistake upon mistake, He will draw me back to Him because of His strength. We might wander, but once we have tasted His truth, nothing else can give us the life we desire. Do not tamper with the world, remain in Him.

What does Jesus mean when He says, “I am the life?” Abundant life? Eternal life? Yes to both! Without Christ, I can remember wandering aimlessly through life with no good outcome to look forward to. There were no answers. There was no wonder or thrill. There really was no good reason to get up in the morning. It would just be another day of the same old crap! But a life lived in the arms of Christ brings an electricity and exhilaration to each new morning. Life is new every day and the wonders never cease. People, we were meant for so much more! Do you think that He who created all things is incapable of something special for you if you love Him. Your world completely changes when you choose to abide in Him. His words in John are, The only Way. They are the absolute Truth. And they are full of Life!

Will you not submit all your life to Christ fully? The ride is worth it all!

Chapter 10: Jesus Christ The Faithful and True

John had two great visions recorded in the Book of Revelation:

Revelation 1: 12-18 (NASB) “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’”

Revelation 19: 11-16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’

These two passages expound the royalty and authority of our Lord Jesus. The manger and the cross are far behind Him. He is master and ruler of all, both in heaven and on earth. If we continue to treat Him as if here on earth to save us through His sacrifice on the cross, we are living in ancient history. Same as the Jewish people who expected King David’s return. But, in the same respect, honoring Christ as He truly is Lord of All, should change your faith. In reality, is there anything impossible for Him? And if all things are possible for Christ, then where does the disconnect with faith come into play? Yep, smack dab in our own laps. There is no issue with God, only with us. The good news is that we at least know where to start. And that takes being honest with ourselves. But many of us do not want to look in that mirror. Why?

The world can get away with blaming others for their problems, but the true born-again believer cannot. Once we place our lives in the hands of the Holy One of heaven all things are changed. Responsibility rests squarely on our shoulders. We are no longer allowed to use the same excuses the world uses. It comes with the territory. In like respect, as the world continues to spin around in circles getting nowhere, we can address our issues, deal with them and move on to greener pastures. Life is no longer stagnant. We become trees able to bear fruit. Delicious fruit! And the glory of Jesus Christ begins to shine through in our actions. It’s what a new creature in Christ is.

If someone is selling you something less than a total remake of your person, run away. There is an abundance of smooth talkers out there. Do not listen to them. They will never lead us to the throne of Christ. They are only lining their pockets with cash! They are a blight on the true gospel of Christ and are part of Satan’s legion of dissuaders. Trust the words of Jesus Christ which are recorded in the Gospels. We can trust Him and Him alone.

Our faith must be grounded in the King’s life and His words. Faith can come from no one else and it is the Holy Spirit who makes those words become life in our hearts. We cannot live or even move without Christ, the Lord of all! Tell me, where is your heart today? Do you spend the necessary time to search Him out? And do you listen to Him and obey with all your being? Do you want the easy way that leads to a lukewarm life and eventual disaster, or do you wish for the truth that leads to eternal life? We must choose! He is King of the Universe. He is the Lord of Life. He is the Great Conqueror. We shall all fall at is feet. Best we do it today!

Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ, Ruler of the Universe. In Him we have life and in abundance! We cannot afford to live in spiritual squalor but must reach out for His great gift of grace. His grace is stronger than anything the great deceiver can present to us. We are safe in the arms of Christ and at eternal peril left in the evil hands of the devil. Christ offers eternal life; the devil offers the deceit of sin. Choose!

Romans 6: 4-11 (NASB) “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

In conclusion, To those who want their lives to be immersed in Christ, you may say, but I still sin. What good am I? Hear me on this; I would rather lose a battle that I fought hard, than sit on the sidelines watching from an easy chair. If you choose Christ above all other things, there will be battles lost. But the scars on your body and the blood on your armor will be your badge of both courage and victory in Him. If fight we must, then fight we will do! To they who fight goes the triumph. And to the triumphant comes Eternal Life.

What do you want?