Terms for Jesus
What do we do with the different terms used to explain the identity of Jesus? One obvious thing we do is we use them all the time. We often talk about Jesus as “savior,” “redeemer,” or “sacrifice.” We use these terms assuming our hearers know what we mean by them and we use them because we’re comfortable that they each explain at least a part of who Jesus is. In that, they’re good terms and we can be helped and help others by using them.
When it comes to taking someone or something (a written document, a movie, or a song) literally, there are some pretty serious pitfalls to avoid. This true and even more so when it comes to the Scriptures. Some people strenuously object to taking the Bible literally because of the “danger” a literal interpretation produces. They bring up issues like stoning, fire from heaven that wipes out entire groups of people, God striking down people, or hell as the “dangerous” implications of taking the Bible literally.
How we talk about Jesus matters. It matters because our speech about him is a reflection of what we believe to be true about him, and what we believe to be true about him directly shapes the relationship we’re in with him. If we believe Jesus to be less than what he’s revealed to be in Scripture then we could in danger of worshipping someone who is no real Jesus at all.
It’s true Jesus said things that seem odd or are difficult to understand. If you want to save your life then lose it. Anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit. At one level we can read these things Jesus said (and many others) knowing what he means and then once we think about it for a bit we begin to wonder if we’ve understood at all.
It’s all well and good to talk about the sovereign hand of God when things are going great for us but what do we do when it seems as if life couldn’t get any worse?
William Cowper lived from 1731 to 1800 and during his life he wrote poems and hymns. One of William’s most memorable hymns was “God Moves in a Mysterious Way,” which he wrote in 1779.
Last Sunday, Gary preached on drawing near to God and one of the ways in which he suggested we draw near was to read and/or listen through the Gospel of John during the summer.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7, ESV)
Here Paul writes that God’s mercy comes from “the great love with which he loved us” (v. 4). Not only that, but God loved us “whenwe were dead in our trespasses” (v. 5a). That’s what mercy is.