Who Is Jesus?

That is a good question.

Who is Jesus?

His followers called Him Rabbi.

Those who sought His knowledge and wisdom called Him a teacher.

Those who were sick called Him a healer.

Some called Him the Nazarene.

Some called him the Son of David.

Some referred to Him as the King of the Jews.

His critics referred to Him as one who “incites the people”.

The prophet Isaiah referred to Him as Emmanuel.

Jesus has been called many things by many people.

Even today, some try to minimize Jesus and say He was a good man with good ideas.

In Mark 8, Jesus asked His disciples a question.

Mark 8:27 (KJV) - And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?

They responded.

Mark 8:28 (KJV) - And they answered, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.

Jesus then posed the question to them.

Mark 8:29 (KJV) - And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus responded to Peter.

Matthew 16:17 (KJV) - And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

There are two things that strike me here.

First, both questions put forward by Jesus end with the words “I am”.

These words remind us of His divinity.

John 8:58 (KJV) - Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Second, Jesus reminds Peter that it was the Father who revealed to him that He was the Christ.

Centuries have gone by and Jesus is still many things to many people.

What about us?

Who do we say that Jesus is?

It is easy for us to get distracted in today’s world.

Perhaps we should set aside those distractions so that the Father might fully reveal Jesus to us.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 28, 2017.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 5, 2017

Beyond Dead

I was looking forward to hearing someone speak on Ezekiel 37 and John 11.

The first speaks of Ezekiel and his experiences in the valley of dry bones.

The second speaks of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

Unfortunately, the weather in the area turned quite severe and this was cancelled.

How I would have loved to hear this man speak on these powerful chapters.

Instead, I had to ponder them for myself.

Ezekiel tells us that the Lord had His hand upon him and led him into a valley filled with bones.

Ezekiel did not merely see these bones from a distance.

The Lord made him walk among the bones which must have been quite an experience.

Ezekiel noticed that the bones were very dry.

Bones in and of themselves imply death.

The fact that the bones were dry shows us these individuals had been dead for a very long time.

Then the Lord asked Ezekiel a question.

Ezekiel 37:3 (NET) - He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said to him, “Sovereign Lord, you know.”

The Lord then instructed Ezekiel to prophesy over them.

Ezekiel obeyed the Lord.

Ezekiel first heard a rattling sound as the bones came together.

They were then covered with tendons and flesh.

Even so, the bodies were still not yet alive.

The Lord then instructed him to prophesy over them once more.

At this, the Lord breathed life into them and a living army stood where there was once nothing but death and decay.

Something similar happens in John 11.

A friend of Jesus named Lazarus fell ill.

His sisters sent Jesus a message to come at once.

Jesus delayed, but for a reason.

Lazarus died before Jesus departed for Bethany.

When Jesus and his followers arrived, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.

The sisters came out to meet Jesus; first Martha and then Mary.

Jesus wanted the stone removed which covered the tomb.

John 11:39 (NET) - Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, replied, “Lord, by this time the body will have a bad smell, because he has been buried four days.”

Again, just as in Ezekiel, this implies a state beyond death as decay had already set in.

The stone was removed.

Jesus prayed to the Father and then commanded Lazarus in a loud voice to come out of the tomb.

John 11:44 (NET) - The one who had died came out, his feet and hands tied up with strips of cloth, and a cloth wrapped around his face. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go.”

In both cases life was brought back to the lifeless and every trace of decay was completely reversed.

As we continue our journey through the season of Lent, let us be reminded that Jesus conquered death.

For beyond the cross there is another tomb - a tomb that was occupied for days.

A tomb that now lies empty because it former occupant has arisen.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 14, 2017.

I’ll be back here on Friday, April 21, 2017