Friday, March 28, 2008
A Snapshot of God
My wife has tastefully displayed numerous photos throughout our home. Some of them are of relatives I never met; I know them only by their picture. Several snapshots are of my mother. Because she died over twenty years ago, just a few months before my one and only son was born, the only way my son can know my mother is by looking at her photo. Without the snapshot he would have no idea what she looked like.
Each spring as believers celebrate Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday (Easter) one might ask the question: “Who was Jesus, and why do so many people around the world hold His life and teachings in such high regard?” The short answer to that question is: Jesus is a snapshot of God.
At first such a statement might strike the reader as being irreverent, but my meaning is quite the opposite. Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) He was God made understandable to mankind. He was the end result of the brilliant idea of God, Himself. God wanted to introduce Himself to His creation, so he lived in a human body and gave the world a glimpse of how loving, powerful and gentle He really is.
This concept is made clear in the Bible. One scripture says that Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1: 15,16) Did you catch that? He is the image of God – a snapshot. Another scripture describes Jesus as “the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.” (Hebrews 1:3)
This explains why the Bible sometimes seems to speak of Jesus as separate from the Father and then at other times as one with the father. The Father was in the Son. (John 17) Jesus was God in a human body. When the prophet Isaiah predicted Jesus’ coming, he called Him “the mighty God… the everlasting Father.” (Isaiah 9:6) Jesus was the Creator who robed Himself in flesh so we could get to know Him and so He could reconcile us unto Himself. (Colossians 1:20) What an awesome idea! What a graceful thing to do!
People around the world worship Jesus because they recognize that God lowered himself, became a man and died for sinners. (Philippians 2). As God, His plan was always to be born in a manger as a God-man, demonstrate His character as a teacher and miracle worker, and then lay down His life for His friends. That’s what God looks like.
The Easter season is a celebration of the culmination of Jesus’ life. He laid down His life, and three days later he took it up again. He overcame death and hell. Later he would walk through walls and then defy gravity. All this was a beautiful snapshot of God’s divine love and power. Because we have this snapshot – this historical evidence - we can have confidence that the Bible is accurate when it speaks of a time when Christ will return and take both living and dead Christians out of this world. His resurrection reassures us of ours.
It’s no wonder people gather in churches to celebrate Easter. It’s no wonder they gather every Sunday to celebrate the day Jesus rose from the dead. If you’ve lost sight of God, perhaps this Sunday would be a good day to stop by a church and have a fresh look at Jesus – He was the image of the invisible God.
Each spring as believers celebrate Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday (Easter) one might ask the question: “Who was Jesus, and why do so many people around the world hold His life and teachings in such high regard?” The short answer to that question is: Jesus is a snapshot of God.
At first such a statement might strike the reader as being irreverent, but my meaning is quite the opposite. Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) He was God made understandable to mankind. He was the end result of the brilliant idea of God, Himself. God wanted to introduce Himself to His creation, so he lived in a human body and gave the world a glimpse of how loving, powerful and gentle He really is.
This concept is made clear in the Bible. One scripture says that Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1: 15,16) Did you catch that? He is the image of God – a snapshot. Another scripture describes Jesus as “the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.” (Hebrews 1:3)
This explains why the Bible sometimes seems to speak of Jesus as separate from the Father and then at other times as one with the father. The Father was in the Son. (John 17) Jesus was God in a human body. When the prophet Isaiah predicted Jesus’ coming, he called Him “the mighty God… the everlasting Father.” (Isaiah 9:6) Jesus was the Creator who robed Himself in flesh so we could get to know Him and so He could reconcile us unto Himself. (Colossians 1:20) What an awesome idea! What a graceful thing to do!
People around the world worship Jesus because they recognize that God lowered himself, became a man and died for sinners. (Philippians 2). As God, His plan was always to be born in a manger as a God-man, demonstrate His character as a teacher and miracle worker, and then lay down His life for His friends. That’s what God looks like.
The Easter season is a celebration of the culmination of Jesus’ life. He laid down His life, and three days later he took it up again. He overcame death and hell. Later he would walk through walls and then defy gravity. All this was a beautiful snapshot of God’s divine love and power. Because we have this snapshot – this historical evidence - we can have confidence that the Bible is accurate when it speaks of a time when Christ will return and take both living and dead Christians out of this world. His resurrection reassures us of ours.
It’s no wonder people gather in churches to celebrate Easter. It’s no wonder they gather every Sunday to celebrate the day Jesus rose from the dead. If you’ve lost sight of God, perhaps this Sunday would be a good day to stop by a church and have a fresh look at Jesus – He was the image of the invisible God.
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