Most people have or have had preconceived ideas of Who they think Jesus is, what He would say, what He would do, and even what He looks like.
Popular images tend to portray Him as a white person with sandy blond hair. That's highly unlikely, given the fact that He was born of a Jewish virgin and spent a lot of time walking in the hot, dusty streets of Israel. He would have had a darker complexion and a suntan on top of that.
Some people think Jesus was just a good man. Others think He was just another prophet.
Jesus surprised His followers one day when He asked who others said He was. Of course He already knew, but He wanted them to understand an all-important truth. "And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?"
Most of the disciples didn't know yet. But, they were about to be surprised by Jesus. Only one answered Him, speaking a revelation that only God Himself could have given to him. "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (see Matthew 16:13-17).
One day, Jesus went in to the synagogue in Capernaum and spent some time teaching the people gathered there on the sabbath.
"And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes" (Mark 1:22).
When the scribes taught, they appealed to tradition and invoked the names of well known rabbis to support their ideas. The same is true among Jewish men who study the Torah (Old Testament) today. One will say, "Well, I go by Rambam." Another will say, "I go by Maimonides," meaning they live according to and believe in the commentaries of rabbis of old, sometimes more even so than the scriptures themselves.
Jesus didn't and doesn't need to appeal to tradition or the opinions of men to make His point. He is the living Word of God, the Author of the written Word of God, which testifies of Him!
"Search the scriptures... they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39).
During Jesus' time on earth, many others were surprised by Him. A group of shepherds were surprised by Him, as was Mary when they told her of the angels' birth announcement: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
Many of the people rejected Jesus as Messiah because they expected a conquering king to deliver them from the rule of the Romans. Instead He came as a baby in a manger, who went on to preach and teach with authority of the kingdom of heaven, heal the sick, raise the dead and give Himself to die on a cross and rise again on the third day just as He said He would.
Everyone who met Him was surprised by Jesus.
Have you ever been surprised by Jesus?
Most people have their own idea of Who Jesus is and have missed out on who He really is and why He came. Many think they have to do something to earn their salvation and entrance to heaven. Some think they have done too many bad things for Jesus to ever love them. The truth is, none of us deserve His love and we can never do enough good to earn our way into heaven. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
That's the bad news. But wait! Here's the good news...
Are you ready to be surprised by Jesus?
When He was hanging on the cross for your sin and my sin, Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" (John 19:30).
What was finished?
Are you ready to be surprised by Jesus?
In Mark 10:45, Jesus told us why He came. He said, "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
He gave His life for you and for me. Why?
Are you ready to be surprised by Jesus?
Jesus came because of God's love for you and me. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" (John 3:16-17).
A man named Saul used to go around persecuting the followers of Jesus, arresting them and sometimes killing them. Then, one day, he was surprised by Jesus. Jesus met with this man in a blinding flash of light on the road to Damascus. Jesus changed his name to Paul, changed his heart and his life and commissioned him to preach a message of good news.
Paul was surprised by Jesus. And, he understood why Jesus came. He preached many times and in many places and was beaten, whipped and imprisoned for it, but he kept on going. Why? He was surprised by Jesus.
Paul preached:
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:9-13).
This man, who had been surprised by Jesus, also preached:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Not long after Jesus went back to heaven, 2 of His followers, Peter and John, were arrested and hauled before the religious court in Jerusalem. The day before they had met a lame man who was begging by the road near the temple. The lame man was about to be surprised by Jesus. Peter said to the man,"Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3). Now, the religious leaders demanded to know, "By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?" (Acts 4:7). The religious rulers, elders ans scribes were about to be surprised by Jesus, too.
"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner."
Peter wasn't finished yet. All who heard were about to be surprised again by Jesus. He declared, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (see Acts 4).
Have you ever been surprised by Jesus?
If not, and you want to know more, please visit PeaceWithGod.net
If you have been surprised by Jesus and you have believed in Him for salvation, you can keep being surprised by Him by spend time with Him and learning more about Him through His Word.
Father, thank You for surprising me with Jesus. Thank You for revealing to me my sinful state and drawing me to repentance and faith in Jesus and what He has done for me. Thank You that Jesus has surprised me in so many ways - in saving me, loving me, being there for me, providing for me and in wanting to spend time with me. Keep me surprised, Father, I pray. In Jesus Name, amen.
{Daily Selah} is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.
No comments:
Post a Comment