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.)
Sometimes when I am talking, I can sense that people are not really listening – okay, one person, who shall remain unnamed but to whom I am married, is not really listening. It is challenging to continue such a conversation, but Jesus does. As we have seen in the last two days, He speaks through nature and through the conscience. Even more powerfully, He reveals Himself through His Word. Hebrews 1:1 states that God “spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.” Hebrews 4:12 uses the designation “Word of God” to describe the Bible (see also Matthew 15:6 and John 10:35, among others). II Timothy 3:16 says that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” – literally, it is “God-breathed.” II Peter 1:21 likewise makes it clear that the Bible’s author is God. Now, of course, some would suggest that the claim of the Word of God to be the Word of God is circular reasoning. First, if the Bible is the Word of God, it cannot claim that it is not. Such an illogical absurdity would also be a lie – and God does not prevaricate. Second, we should evaluate the claim and consider the evidence. The internal consistency of the Word of God is profound, as is its positive societal impact (all good social changes have been driven by Bible-believing Christians) and its transforming power in individual lives. Moreover, wherever the Bible touches upon history, archaeology, and science, it is found to be accurate. Probably the greatest reason to trust the Bible to be the Word of God is fulfilled prophecy – hundreds of prophecies, large and small, fulfilled in minute detail. Jesus has spoken and is speaking through His written Word; He keeps communicating even when we do not listen. Maybe I should write my wife a note.