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Jesus Is God's Symbol
by Dr. Sharon Schuetz Have you ever wondered why Jesus left heaven to live in this world clothed in a body of flesh? Why does the Bible call Jesus the Word? Of all the names for Jesus, the Word is probably the least understood. Man communicates through symbols which represent words. A word is just a sound or a combination of sounds, in speech or writing, expressing ideas. These sounds send a message. For example, hieroglyphics are simply ancient symbols used to represent ancient words. The English alphabet uses twenty-six letters and ten numbers that we combine into words and ideas. I am trusting the reader will understand these concepts as I combine letters into words, words into phrases and sentences, and sentences into ideas. Even with alphabets and letters as symbols, some concepts are difficult to grasp without a picture or a visual illustration. Jesus is Gods symbol. As the Word, he represents God in human form, so we can perceive God living in our human conditions and circumstances, and determine what God values in heaven. The Old Testament unfolded Gods character in many circumstances. We can see evidence of His working, but he did not fully reveal himself. He worked through men. Moses found him in a burning bush when God was ready for him to take his people out of Egypt. He shared his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah with Abraham. The common man, however, did not recognize God. They settled for what their ancestors had before them. At the synagogue, the priest intervened between them and God. People contentedly followed the crowd not caring about their destiny. Before the printing press, men had no access to Bibles, so people had no way to search the Scripture to discern Gods will. Hebrews reveals Jesus, . . . [As] the brightness of His [God's] glory, and the express image of his person. . . (Hebrew 1:3 KJV). Jesus reveals Gods character, so all men might glimpse him. We can now experience the thrill of a relationship with our Heavenly Father since Jesus communicated the Father nature of God to man. Only through Gods Son can we be acquainted with God. He is the exact expression of the Father in human form. We could not identify this character until it he lived it out on earth. By knowing Jesus we can identify the Father. Jesus declared, If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him (John 14:7). He is the visible image of God lived out before a world that uses symbols or pictures to establish new or complex concepts. Jesus is our letter to help us understand Gods glory as shown in grace and truth. Glory is simply the honor resulting from a favorable judgment. It describes the nature and acts of God as he reveals himself to the world. We beheld His glory; we observed the admirable qualities, nature of Jesus, as the only begotten of the Father. What the religious leaders did not reveal to men, was clearly manifested in Jesus Christ. God used many people to fill roles and complete tasks. Only one, however, is the Son of God, whose blood can remove our sin. Grace is divine influence upon the heart and its expression in the life. Scholars call it the unmerited favor of God. Christ not only shows grace, he is its ultimate expression: grace in action. Grace gave Jesus the power to reject Satan. Grace gave him power in the garden to ignore his own will. Through Christ, Gods grace is evident, for whosoever will take it. He did not just talk about, or teach about grace as others did. He lived grace. He embodied it in his own life. We also can have this grace. Grace gives us what we need when Satan tries to ruin our lives and witness. Truth is more than information found in Gods Word. The Law of Moses was true. Truth, however, came by Jesus Christ. The Old Testament gave us shadows and promises; Jesus brought and gave the substance of those promises. Jesus Christ, as the Word, became flesh and dwelt among us, as the image of God, the Father, who is also full of grace and truth. When we find Jesus as the Word, we understand why he entered the world clothed in flesh. Of the many names of Jesus, the Word is the pure essence of God, the Father, lived out in his life Symbol, Jesus, the Son. Closing Prayer: Jesus, I pray that you help us see our Father God as we establish a relationship with You. Thank You for becoming the Word and revealing Gods nature to our limited, limited understanding. You are truly Grace and Truth. Closing Thought: Have you worked to create a different relationship with God, the Father since meeting Jesus? We can know all Three Persons of the Godhead individually. If you have not, start now to establish a relationship with each Member. You will be glad you did. Dr. Schuetz is an ordained minister and has been in ministry with her husband for twenty-five years. She has a PhD in clinical Christian counseling. She and her husband, Michael, of 33 years have 2 sons, 1 daughter, 9 grandchildren. 2008 by Dr. Sharon Schuetz www.DrSharonSchuetz.com Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |