This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad. Psalm 118:24.
Chapter 9.
A Light Comes into Our Darkness.
9.1 Jesus' divinity.
Dearest Friend, it was in this dark, terror filled, confused, painful and lamenting world, when on that eventful day two thousand years ago Jesus was baptized. It was then when, "The heavens opened and John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. A voice spoke from heaven: 'This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.'" (1) The bible is full of references to Jesus' divinity. Here are but a few:
"Then Moses said to God, 'I am to go, then, to the sons of Israel and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you. But if they ask me what his name is, what am I to tell them?' And God said to Moses, 'I Am who I Am. This' he added 'is what you must say to the sons of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.'" (2)
Jesus confirms that He is I Am when in John 8:58, He says, "I tell you most solemnly, before Abraham ever was, I Am."
They asked, "Whatever kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him?" (3)
Jesus tells us, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (4)
Unclean spirits asked of him, "What do you want with me Jesus son of the Most High God?" (5)
Jesus replies, "No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven." (6)
Jesus is called the "Holy One." (7)
"There is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things come and through whom we exist." (8)
"Every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (9)
9.2 Jesus' teachings.
Can you imagine what it was like for Jesus to come into this world to say the things He said and do the things He did? Can you see yourself talking about your heavenly Father and the Kingdom of God in the markets in your community, in the slums of your city, in your work place or in the institutions of your country?
In a world where there is much indifference to the needs of others, in a world that preaches might is right, in a world where so many hearts are abused, Jesus tells us, "How happy the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage. Happy those who mourn, they shall be comforted. Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right, they shall be satisfied. Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown to them. Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God. Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you." (10)
In a world where success is measured by what you have, our King tells us, "Do not store up treasures for yourself on earth, where moths and woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourself in heaven, where neither moths nor woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal." (11)
In a world that preaches, "Get what you can while the getting's good," in a world where we are told that the only way you can survive is to have two jobs and everything else has to come second, our King tells us, "That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, 'What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?' It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (12)
In a world where there is hatred, rape, violence, murder and wars, our King tells us, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike." (13) "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell." (14)
In a world filled with laws, rules and thousands of regulations, our King gives us two simple commandments; "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it, You must love your neighbour as yourself."(15) "So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets." (16)
In a world where money has been made the golden calf to be worshiped, our King tells us, "Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God," (17) and, "You cannot be the slave both of God and of money," (18) and, " . . . if two of you on earth agree to ask for anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven." (19)
In a world where we are bombarded from all sides on how to be successful, Jesus tells us, " . . . unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (20)
In a world where there is much deception, confusion, lies, mistrust, our King tells us, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." (21)
9.3 Jesus' miracles.
Jesus revealed His love for the world not only by His teachings but also by healing and restoring life to mankind.
He,
forgave the contrite sinner. (22)
cured the diseased, the possessed, and the epileptics. (23)
cured a leper. (24)
cured the centurion's servant. (25)
cured Peter's mother-in-law from a fever. (26)
cast out many devils. (27)
cured all who were sick. (28)
calmed the storm. (29)
cast the demoniacs into the lake. (30)
cured a paralytic. (31)
raised the ruler's daughter from the dead. (32)
cured a woman with a hemorrhage. (33)
gave sight to two blind men. (34)
cured a dumb demoniac. (35)
healed a man's withered hand. (36)
fed over 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. (37)
cured all those who touched his cloak. (38)
cured a woman tormented by a devil. (39)
fed over 4,000 with five loaves and two fish. (40)
cured an epileptic demoniac. (41)
restored sight to two blind men. (42)
cast out an unclean spirit. (43)
healed a deaf mute. (44)
healed a blind paralytic at Bethsaida. (45)
caught a draught of fish. (46)
raised a widow's son at Nain. (47)
healed the infirm bent woman. (48)
healed the man with dropsy. (49)
cleansed the ten lepers. (50)
restored a servant's ear. (51)
healed the nobleman's son of fever. (52)
healed an infirm man at Bethesda. (53)
healed the man born blind. (54)
raised Lazarus from the dead. (55)
caught a second draught of fish. (56)
rose from the dead. (57)
This, dearest Friend, is the Jesus who came to this dark, terror-filled, confused, painful and lamenting world on that eventful day two thousand years ago, to teach us how to live, so that you and I may have life, real life, and have it in abundance. (58)
9.4 The bottom-line.
Jesus is the only person who has the words of life, who can give us peace and can satisfy our every need. To put your faith in anyone else or into any other thing is to suffer heartbreak after heartbreak after heartbreak.
Footnotes.
1 Matthew 3:17.
2 Exodus, 3:14.
3 Matthew 8:27.
4 Matthew 28:18.
5 Marc 5:7.
6 John 3:13.
7 Acts 3:14.
8 1 Corinthians 8:6.
9 Philippians 2:11.
10 Matthew 5:2-12.
11 Matthew 6:19-21.
12 Matthew 6:25-34.
13 Matthew 5:44-45
14 Matthew 10:27.
15 Matthew 22:36-39.
16 Matthew 6:12.
17 Matthew 4:4.
18 Matthew 6:24.
19 Matthew 18:19
20 Matthew 18:2.
21 John 14:6.
22 Mark 2:5.
23 Matthew 4:23
24 Matthew 8:2.
25 Matthew 8:5.
26 Matthew 8:14.
27 Matthew 8:16.
28 Matthew 8:16.
29 Matthew 8:23.
30 Matthew 8:28.
31 Matthew 9:2.
32 Matthew 9:18.
33 Matthew 9:20.
34 Matthew 9:27.
35 Matthew 9:32.
36 Matthew 12:9.
37 Matthew 14:13.
38 Matthew 14:34-36.
39 Matthew 15:21.
40 Matthew 15:32.
41 Matthew 17:14.
42 Matthew 20:30.
43 Mark 1:23.
44 Mark 7:31.
45 Mark 8:22.
46 Luke 5:21.
47 Luke 7:11.
48 Luke 13:11.
49 Luke 14:1.
50 Luke 17:11.
51 Luke 22:51.
52 John 4:46.
53 John 5:1.
54 John 11:43.
55 John 11:43.
56 John 21:1.
57 Matthew 28:6.
58 John 10:10