Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
While the world is demanding ever more from us, Jesus gives. He is not at all interested in exhausting us. Instead, in Matthew 11:28-29, He offers rest: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” The word “rest” has an instructive range of meanings, including being confident and trustful. This trust applies to the assurance of salvation, as we discussed yesterday. However, this confidence includes our entire relationship with Jesus; it is an abiding, continuing connection that provides each believer with comfort and companionship. In John 15:15b, he says to all of His disciples, “I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you.” Truly our relationship is secure and stable. Using the imagery of the vine and the branches, Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you” (John 15:4a). The intimacy of this comparison is striking: Jesus can be no closer. We can rest in this present and everlasting relationship.