It’s All About Jesus!
Jesus has existed from the beginning and is the Living Word. This Jesus was born of a virgin and his conception was supernatural. Jesus is God incarnate. Jesus is our Savior. He is fully man and fully God. As F.F. Bruce notes, “’A Saviour not quite God’, said Bishop Handley Moule, ‘is a bridge broken at the farther end.’ With equal truth it must be said that a Saviour-and an Exemplar-not quite man is a bridge broken at the nearer end.” This Jesus is the redeemer of the world, and all things will be reconciled in him.
This Jesus was tempted in all ways as we and he did not sin. That means whenever we are tested to misuse our authority in Jesus to be selfish as opposed to sacrificial, we can claim his victory over the devil’s temptation and trust the Father to sustain us. Jesus challenged the religious leaders to renounce their legalism and discover grace from the one whom Isaiah promised would set the prisoner free and give sight to the blind. This Jesus challenged the rich to give it all away to the poor. This Jesus served the outcast, the marginalized, the ostracized, the sinner, and the lost.
Jesus was a provocative teacher, sacred friend, truthful revealer, extreme forgiver, authentic leader, compassionate healer, relentless lover and supreme conqueror. Jesus promised his followers that they would change the world.
Believing in Jesus and loving him is one thing. Being transformed by Jesus is another. Transformation, a life-long process, is a work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the fruit of obedience.
As one in the company of Jesus, continue to focus your attention on him.
On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,
Steve
The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh
Interim Pastor
